A rainbow over the compost piles at Troon Vineyard in Oregon’s Applegate Valley
Intentionality is fundamental to Biodynamics. The Biodynamic community is good at intentional farming but not when it comes to intentional storytelling. We are not telling our story.
A century after Rudolf Steiner gave his Agriculture Course lectures, Biodynamics remains a misunderstood discipline that has gained little traction outside the world of fine wine. The vast majority of Demeter Certified farms in the United States are wineries. Where are the farmers growing food?
Modern agricultural science realized the soil microbiome is the key to plant health. Biodynamics has always been based on this concept. Scientists are discovering that microbiology is more effective than chemicals in the long term. The so-called “Green Revolution” increased yields in the short-term, but stripped both the soil and the food produced from it of nutritional value. Simultaneously eliminated was flavor. The goals of the Green Revolution were only realized in quantity, not quality.
The battle between quantity and quality has been an issue that has never been clearly understood with food. The volume of what is consumed satisfies but does not nourish. A new green revolution needs to balance both.
The vision of Biodynamic agriculture is to feed both body and soul. But to sustain both, we need to better to communicate the benefits of this thoughtful way of farming. This has been a major failure of the Biodynamic movement.
People need nourishment they can afford. This should be the mission
This Article was originally published on Craig Camp
