Biodynamic Agriculture
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Introduction
Biodynamic agriculture is a form of alternative agriculture based on pseudoscientific and esoteric concepts first developed by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) in 1924. It was the first of the organic farming movement. It treats soil fertility, plant growth, and livestock care as ecologically interconnected issues, emphasizing spiritual and mystical perspectives. Biodynamics has much in common with other organic approaches. It emphasizes the use of manure and compost and eliminates the use of synthetic (artificial) fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides on soil and plants. Specifics of the biodynamic approach include treating animals, crops and soil as a single system; an initial focus on local production and distribution systems; using traditional methods; It includes the development of breeds and breeds. Another method is to use the astrological sowing and planting calendar. Biodynamic agriculture uses a variety of herbal and mineral additives as compost additives and field sprays. These are prepared using methods closer to sympathetic magic than agronomy, and are said to harvest the "cosmic power in the soil", such as burying quartz stuffed into the horns of cows in the ground. I'm here. No difference in beneficial results has been scientifically established. Between certified biodynamic farming techniques and similar organic and integrated farming practices. Biodynamic farming is pseudoscience due to the lack of scientific evidence for its effectiveness, as it relies on esoteric knowledge and mystical beliefs. As of 2020, 251,842 hectares in 55 countries are using biodynamic farming, led by Germany, Australia and France. Germany accounts for 41.8% of the world total. The rest average 1,750 hectares per country. Biodynamic viticulture methods are used in several prominent vineyards. There are certification bodies for biodynamic products, most of which are members of the international biodynamic standards body Demeter International.
Scholarly Articles
= Origin of a theory =
Biodynamic was the first modern organic farming. Its development began with his series of eight lectures on agriculture given by the philosopher Rudolf Steiner in 1924 at Koberwitz Castle in Silesia, Germany (now Kowiśice, Poland). These lectures, the first known presentations on organic farming, were held at the request of farmers who noticed that the use of chemical fertilizers was degrading soil conditions and reducing the health and quality of their crops and livestock. rice field. There were 111 participants, less than half of whom were farmers, mainly from six countries, including Germany and Poland. The lecture was published in November 1924. The first English translation was published in 1928 as The Agriculture Course. Steiner stressed that the method he proposed should be tested experimentally. To this end, Steiner founded the study group "Agricultural Experimental Circle of Anthroposophic Farmers and Gardeners of the General Anthroposophic Society". Between 1924 and 1939, the study group had about 800 members from all over the world, including Europe, the Americas, and Australia. Another group, the Veruchsring anthroposophischer Landwirte, led by the German agronomist Erhard Baltsch, was founded to test the effects of biodynamic methods on soil, plant and animal life and health. rice field. The group published a monthly magazine, Demeter. Bartsch also contributed to the development of the biodynamic sales organization Demeter, which still exists today. In 1933 the research society was renamed the Reichsverband für biologisch-dynamische Wirtschaftsweise (Reichsverband für biologisch-dynamische Wirtschaftsweise). Disbanded by the National Socialist regime in 1941. In 1931 the Society had 250 members in Germany, 109 in Switzerland and 104 in the rest of the world. 24 European and non-European countries. The oldest biodynamic farms are Wurzerhof in Austria and Marienhöhe in Germany. In 1938, Ehrenfried Pfeiffer's book Biodynamic Farming and Horticulture was published in five languages: English, Dutch, Italian, French and German. This has become standard practice in this field for decades. In July 1939, at the invitation of Walter James, 4th Baron Northbourne, Pfeiffer traveled to England to organize the Betheshanger Summer School and a conference on biodynamic farming on a farm in Northbourne, Kent. The conference was held because the year after Betheshanger Northbourne published his organic farming manifesto, "Look to the Land," in which he coined and celebrated the term "organic farming." is said to be the "missing link" of The method of Rudolf Steiner. In the 1950s, Hans Müller was inspired by Steiner's work to establish organic biological farming in Switzerland. This later evolved into Bioland, Europe's largest organic product certification body. : Five
= Geographic developments =
Today, biodynamics is practiced in more than 50 countries around the world, in settings ranging from temperate farming, viticulture in France, cotton production in Egypt to silkworm farming in China. : 141 Demeter International is a leading certification body for farms and agriculture and gardens using methods. In 2020, Demeter International and the International Biodynamic Association have merged to form the Biodynamic Federation - Demeter International. In the United States, biodynamic farming began in 1926. From 1926 to 1938, 39 farmers and gardeners in the United States pursued biodynamic farming practices. The Biodynamic Farming & Gardening Association was incorporated in 1938 as a New York state corporation. In England, biodynamic farming began in 1927. In 1928 the Anthroposophic Agricultural Foundation was founded in England. This is now called the Biodynamic Agricultural Association. In 1939, Britain's first biodynamic agriculture conference, the Betteshanger Summer School and Biodynamic Agriculture Conference, was held at Lord Northbourne's farm in Kent. Arlenfried Pfeiffer was the lead presenter. The first biodynamic farmer in Australia was Ernesto Genoni, who joined the Experimental Circle of Anthroposophic Farmers and Gardeners in 1928, soon followed by his brother Emilio Genoni. Ernest Genoni's first biodynamic farm was in 1933 at Dalmore, Gippsland, Victoria. The following year, Eileen McPherson and Ernesto Genoni established the Demeter Biofarm in 1934 in Dandenong, Victoria, which has been cultivated using biodynamic principles for over 20 years. Bob Williams gave Australia's first public lecture on biodynamic agriculture on 26 June 1938 at the home of architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney Griffin in Castlecrag, Sydney. Since the 1950s, research activities have continued at the Biodynamic Research Institute (BDRI) in Powelltown, near Melbourne, under the direction of Alex Podrinski. In 1989 Biodynamic Agriculture Australia was established as a non-profit organization. In France, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) was founded in 1972 by five founding members, one of whom was the Swedish Biodynamic Society. The University of Kassel had a Faculty of Biodynamic Agriculture from 2006 to March 2011. Emerson College (UK) was founded in 1962 and named after American poet and transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Since then, we have held courses inspired by the philosophy and teachings of Rudolf Steiner, such as biodynamic agriculture. There are currently three biodynamic associations in Canada, the Ontario Biodynamic Agricultural and Horticultural Association, the British Columbia Biodynamic Agricultural Association, and the Quebec Biodynamic Association, which are members of Demeter Canada.
Biodynamic method of farming
Like other forms of organic farming, biodynamic farming uses management practices aimed at "restoring, maintaining and enhancing ecological harmony". Core features include crop diversification, general avoidance of chemical soil treatments and off-farm inputs, decentralized production and distribution, and consideration of celestial and terrestrial impacts on organisms. The Demeter Institute recommends that “(a) at least 10 percent of the total farm area be reserved for biodiversity reserves, including forests, wetlands, riparian areas, intentionally planted insect Crop rotation diversity ”and perennial planting is required. The same field cannot be planted with annual crops for more than two years in a row. Bare tillage all year round Land must be maintained with adequate green space, as is prohibited.” One of the basic tenets of biodynamic agriculture is that the land is “determined by the conditions of the land and is determined by the farmers.” This principle emphasizes that humans are responsible for the development of their ecological and social environment beyond economic objectives and explanatory principles. ecology. ": 141–142 Crops, livestock, farmers, and the 'whole socio-economic environment' form a unique interaction, which biodynamic farming seeks to 'actively shape through a range of management practices'." The main aim is always to encourage a healthy state of life. ”: Soil fertility, plant and animal health, product quality. : 141–142 “Farmers refuse to produce on their farms in an effort to enhance and support the forces of nature to produce healthy crops. Management practices that harm the environment, soil, plants, animals, or human health. ..the farm is conceived as an organism, a self-contained entity with its own personality.”:148 Conceived holistically and self-sustaining. Insect control is addressed through attention to plant species diversity, predator habitat, balanced crop nutrition, light transmission and air flow. “Weed management emphasizes prevention, such as planting, timing of mulching, and identification of invasive weed species and avoidance of their spread.” It differs from organic farming in form. : 5 Important features include the use of livestock manure to sustain plant growth (reuse of nutrients), maintenance and improvement of soil quality, health and well-being. - Presence of crops and animals. Cover crops, green manures, and crop rotations are widely used on farms to foster plant and animal diversity and enhance biological cycles and soil bioactivity. Biodynamic farms often have a cultural component and encourage local communities, both through local promotion and on-farm community building activities. We adopt a community-supported farming model with Compared to non-organic farming, BD farming practices have been found to be more resilient to environmental challenges, foster a diverse biosphere, and be more energy efficient, Eric Lichtfoods said of these factors. are becoming increasingly important in the face of climate change and energy. Scarcity and population growth.
= Biodynamic preparations =
In his "Agricultural Course," Steiner prescribed nine different formulations to aid in fertilization and explained how to prepare them. Steiner believed that these preparations mediate earth and cosmic forces into the soil. The prepared substances are numbered from 500 to 508, the first two are used for field preparation and the remaining seven are used for making compost. Long-term trials evaluating biodynamic farming methods compared to organic and conventional farming methods (DOK experiments) found that both organic and biodynamic farming methods improved soil properties, but yields were lower than conventional farming methods. rice field. Several positive effects have been noted regarding compost development beyond accelerating the early stages of composting. Field sprays contain substances that stimulate plant growth, such as cytokinins. Some improvement in the nutrient content of the compost is evident from the ingredients contained, but not necessarily the result of the practices and correct preparation described by Steiner. Although the preparation has direct nutritional value, modern biodynamic practitioners believe its benefits are in supporting the self-regulating biota already present in the soil and compost. Critics of the practice point out that there is no evidence or logic underlying the practice itself, instead relying instead on magical thinking and Steiner's own debunked theory. There is no evidence that biodynamic practices have any benefit other than the direct nutrients added as fertilizer, and as such may be of minor benefit compared to other traditional organic and commercial fertilizers.
== Field preparations ==
Field preparation to stimulate humus formation: 500: A humus mixture prepared by stuffing cow dung into the ground (40-60 cm below the surface) in the autumn in the horns of cows. Leave it to decompose during the winter, collect it in the next spring and use it as fertilizer. 501: Stuff crushed quartz powder into cow horns, bury it in the ground in the spring, and remove it in the fall. It can be mixed with 500, but is usually prepared alone. This mixture is sprayed on crops at very low pressure during the rainy season as an antifungal agent.
== Compost preparations ==
Steiner's recommended compost preparation uses herbs that are frequently used in alternative medicine. Many of the same herbs Steiner mentions are used organically to make foliar or green manure, or composted. Here are the preparations Steiner discussed: 502: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) flowers are stuffed into the bladders of red deer (Cervus elaphus), placed in the sun during the summer, buried in the ground during the winter, and harvested in the spring. 503: Chamomile flowers (Matricaria recutita) are stuffed into the intestines of cows, buried in humus-rich soil in the fall, and harvested in the spring. 504: Plants of nettles (Urtica dioica) in full bloom were crammed underground surrounded by peat for a year. 505: Oak bark (Quercus robur) was minced and placed inside the skull of a livestock, surrounded by peat and buried in the ground at a location near rainwater. 506: Dandelion flowers (Taraxacum officinale) stuffed into bovine mesentery, buried in the ground during winter and removed in spring. 507: Extracted valerian flowers (Valeriana officinalis) into water. 508: Horsetail (Equisetum).
= Planting calendar =
In this approach, soil and plant development are considered to have lunar and astrological influences. For example, choose whether to plant, grow, and harvest different crops based on both the phases of the moon and the zodiac sign the moon passes through. Whether the crop is the root, leaf, flower or fruit of the plant. This aspect of biodynamics has been called "astrological" and "pseudoscientific" in nature.
= Seed production =
Biodynamic agriculture has focused on open pollination of seeds (where farmers usually grow their own seeds) and the development of locally adapted varieties.
Biodynamic certification
Founded in 1924, the Demeter Biodynamic Certification System was the first certification and labeling system for organic products. : 5 As of 2018, to be biodynamically certified, farms must meet the following criteria: Agronomic Guidelines, Greenhouse Management, Structural Components, Livestock Guidelines. The term biodynamic is a trademark owned by the Demeter Association of Biodynamic Farmers for the purpose of upholding production standards used in both growing and processing food. This trademark is intended to protect both consumers and producers of biodynamic agricultural products. Demeter International is an organization of member states. Each country has its own demeter organization, which is expected to meet (but sometimes exceed) international production standards. The original Demeter organization was founded in 1928. The Demeter Institute of America was founded in the 1980s and certified its first farm in 1982. In France, Biodivin certifies biodynamic wines. In Egypt, SEKEM established the Egyptian Biodynamic Association (EBDA). This association is an association that provides farmers with training to obtain certification. As of 2006, over 200 wineries worldwide are biodynamically certified. Many other wineries are more or less biodynamic.
Effectiveness
Biodynamic research is complicated by the difficulty of isolating biodynamic aspects when conducting comparative studies. As a result, no strong material exists to demonstrate a specific effect. As biodynamic farming is a form of organic farming, it can generally be assumed that they share characteristics such as “low-stress soils and therefore diverse and highly interconnected soil communities”. A 2009/2011 review found that biodynamically grown fields were: Absolute yields were lower than conventional farms, but production efficiency was improved relative to the amount of energy used. Both factors were similar to the organic field results.
Reception
In a 2002 newspaper editorial, Keele University agricultural researcher Peter Troye characterized biodynamics as a pseudoscience, arguing that standard organic farming principles could be used with similar or comparable results. He wrote that some preparations of biodynamic farming resemble magic akin to alchemy and feng shui. In a 1994 analysis, Holger Kirchmann, a soil researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, concluded that Steiner's instructions were occult and dogmatic and could not contribute to soil development. alternative or sustainable farming. According to Kirchmann, many of Steiner's statements are unprovable, since Steiner's descriptions do not allow for scientifically clear hypotheses. Kirchmann argued that the results of scientific testing of biodynamic farming were unconvincing. Additionally, Washington State University researcher Linda Choker-Scott, in her 2004 review of biodynamic agriculture, characterized biodynamics as a pseudoscience, and Steiner used the scientific method to formulate his theory of biodynamics. did not, and later wrote that adding effective organic farming techniques "confused the argument" for Steiner's original ideas. Choker-Scott concluded that "there is no evidence" that homeopathic preparations improve soils, based on insufficient scientific validation of biodynamics. In Michael Shermer's Skeptical Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience, Dan Dugan states that biodynamic formulations are merely formulated. Based on Steiner's "Original Insight". Skeptic Brian Dunning says, "The best way to think of 'biodynamic farming' is that the entire farm is enchanted. Biodynamics posits that the entire farm is a force of what they call life force. See it as a single organism equipped with.” Florian Lieber, the Goetheanum researchers Nikolai Fuchs and Hartmut Spies defend biodynamic principles and argue that criticism of biodynamic agriculture that denies scientific credibility is "not consistent with the facts, because they It's because we're not paying attention to those areas," he suggested. management and research”. Despite important differences in paradigms, worldviews and value systems, biodynamic farmers "have a responsibility to develop an ongoing dialogue between the biodynamic and natural sciences." There are big differences in paradigms, worldviews and values. : 147 The philosopher of science Michael Rouse writes that followers of biodynamic agriculture rather enjoy it. Scientific marginalization, which stems from pseudoscientific grounds, revels in both its esoteric aspects and its impression of being a harbinger of the growing broader anti-scientific sentiment against modern methods such as genetic modification. there is Steiner's theory was as follows. This is the claim of agricultural scientist Richard Krzymovski, who has been teaching at Breslau since 1922. Environmental scientist Frank M. Rauch mentioned in 1995 another source Steiner may have used, a reprint of the book by Raoul Heinrich Francais. According to scientific papers, as Holger Kirchmann said in 2021, the auras and forces Steiner mentioned are not known to science. His statement (hypothesis) about a "living force" affecting crops cannot be verified and therefore cannot be disproved. But if the hypothesis is unfalsifiable, this is a sign of pseudoscience. A research team from the Botanical Gardens and the Department of Experimental Social Science Education, Faculty of Teacher Training, University of Valencia warned about the risks of pseudoscience in 2021. Association with myths and beliefs about the influence of the moon on agriculture. The results of this scientific review of over 100 articles (including scientific papers, articles, and higher education textbooks) are published in the journal Agronomy. Researchers found credible, science-based evidence in plant science textbooks and peer-reviewed journal articles justifying lunar-influenced agricultural practices for a relationship between lunar phases and plant physiology. I discovered it doesn't exist. Also, evidence from the field of physics does not support a causal relationship between lunar forces and plant responses. Therefore, there is no scientific backing for common farming practices associated with moon phases.