What Does Biodynamic Mean?

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

The world of farming in the 1920s

Over the centuries, wine growing has undergone various reforms. With an eye to the constant improvement to the yield and quality of their products, wine growers have tried to innovate. Certain episodes of drought, torrential rain, or even insect invasions have led the majority of them to use chemicals to eradicate certain diseases.

In the 1920s, several farmers began to notice a deterioration in the plants they were growing, along with a drop in the quality of the fruits and vegetables they produced. This was not limited to fruit and vegetable growers and wine growers. Animal farmers began to see a drop and at times, a loss in the fertility levels among their herds.

Biodynamics: it’s self-evident

Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher and scientist from the early 20th century, was the first of his time to criticise and rethink modern agriculture. In his scientific process, he included respect for nature in its entirety as well as awareness of the influence of the cosmos on living beings. Steiner went back to the basics of life on Earth, including the mental and spiritual levels, which we will look at later in this article.

Today, the practices that he promoted are often described as being « esoteric ». He suggested that the moon’s cycle as well as the zodiac had an effect on agriculture. According to Steiner, there are days that are better than others for certain agricultural tasks. These days depend on the lunar calendar. Today, scientific advances have explained and demonstrated the moon’s influence over certain terrestrial phenomena, such as the tides, and why it is so difficult to get a good night’s sleep on nights with a full moon. Tangible examples of the influence of the cosmos over life on Earth are actually all around us.

The legacy of Rudolf Steiner’s work is the conception of life as a whole. For Steiner, there are permanent actions of everything on everything else, from the subsoil to the cosmos. That’s why we can talk about the dynamics of life with seasons, days that follow one another, hours, and a constant search for equilibrium. Biodynamics is also the obvious way forward for farmers who follow the studies of Steiner. It restores meaning to wine growing and to all other forms of agriculture.

Over the last century, biodynamics became popular with quite a few farmers. Human activity has become more and more significant, with pollution, chemicals and radioactivity that weaken biodiversity and its ecosystem. For enthusiasts of biodynamic agriculture, it is now necessary - urgent, even - to take care of the soil, plants, animals, and human beings.

WHAT DOES THIS ACTUALLY MEAN?

Biodynamics answers three fundamental principles:

• Seeing the vineyard/garden as a complete organism, one that is both alive and autonomous.
• Using biodynamic preparations to give biological and energetic balance to the estate.
• Working according to the rhythms of the cosmos.

Preparing teas with medicinal herbs

Since the first stage is the conception of biodynamic farming in itself, the agricultural practice only really starts to show in the second. As a matter of fact, biodynamics suggests the use of specific preparations to galvanise life in the vineyard. These preparations include infusions made with medicinal herbs containing dandelions, nettles, valerian, comfrey, copper and sulphur, carefully ‘energised’ in a brew, made either by machine or hand. Purists will say that brewing by hand is the most energetic, effective manner against using a machine. Once this preparation is complete, it is sprayed onto the soil and the vines in all plots. This action prevents certain vine diseases, such as mildew.

Horn manure

Another preparation consists of burying cow horns filled with manure under the soil. This horn manure is known as ‘500’ in jargon. It fosters life, the structure of the soil and stimulates root growth. This makes vines more resistant to periods affected by drought, for example.

The horn filled in this way with manure becomes a highly effective life activator . Even cut, the horn continues to live. Buried for a minimum of 6 months, it has an immense microbiological activation potential. It makes a net contribution to bringing out the best in the terroir, encouraging a strong typical fruity flavour as a result. Another practice is that of burying quartz. This stone has a highly energetic effect, and it contributes to the balance of the area.

Cosmic rhythms

The third point suggests working according to cosmic rhythms , and in particular, the cycle of the moon,the planets and the zodiac. The moon and planets act not only on the development and growth of plants, they also influence ripening and reproduction capacity.

Biodynamic growers refer to a seeding calendar. This calendar is complete. It takes into account the phases of the moon, the planets and the zodiac. Among the numerous practical indications, the calendar shows favourable days for certain agricultural practices. In the case of wine growing, it suggests the ideal days for pruning the vine, harvesting, vinification and also blending! This calendar takes the fruit or vegetable into account as an organ, dividing them into categories: root, flower, leaf or fruit. The seeding calendar actually suggests different days for growing potatoes (root), roses (flower), cabbage (leaf), and even vines (fruit). The main idea is for total optimisation of the living being to obtain healthier , more resistant plants. In wine growing, compliance with the seeding calendar at all levels (from pruning to blending), means it is possible to achieve the full expression of wine as a finished product,

Biodynamics: the origin of permaculture

In biodynamic agriculture, the work comes very close to permaculture in terms of processes and practices. For example, small pits in the earth are made at the foot of the vines to preserve moisture. The oenologist has a great deal of work to do in biodynamic growing. He or she needs to observe the development of the plants, work without stopping to develop techniques, and keep renewing to preserve the balance.