Applied Biodynamics — Issue 015 (Spring 1996)

Issue 015 (Spring 1996) combines applied experimentation, methodological refinement, and historical testimony. The issue is unified by a clear editorial emphasis on trial conditions, repeat observation, and explicit limits, particularly in the context of unconventional biodynamic remedies that could easily drift into unsupported claims if not carefully documented.

The lead article, “Pokeberry and Pine Seed Sprays” by Sara Tufts, reports a sequence of practical garden experiments conducted over multiple seasons to address slug damage in ornamental plantings. The work begins with pokeberry juice ferment, applied at a defined dilution and stirred for a fixed duration before spraying soil, plants, and slug hiding areas. Tufts documents a clear before-and-after contrast: repeated evening applications resulted in slugs abandoning previously damaged plants rather than being found dead. In subsequent seasons, the method was refined through controlled comparison. BD #501 was added to the pokeberry ferment to intensify light-related plant responses, based on the observation that slugs avoid light and feed primarily at night or in low-light conditions. A deliberate control plot was left untreated. Treated beds showed near-complete absence of slugs, while untreated beds continued to show damage.

The article then expands to pine seed extract, following a sparse but explicit indication attributed to Rudolf Steiner and reported by Ehrenfried Pfeiffer. Because the originally cited species was not readily available, Tufts substituted a locally accessible spruce species and documented the full preparation procedure: seed mass, crushing method, water volume, fermentation duration, stirring time, and spray application. Results are reported cautiously but positively, with repeated use showing reduced slug activity. A critical safety distinction is made: pokeberry sprays are restricted to ornamentals due to toxicity, while pine seed extract is proposed for vegetable crops.

“Slugs and Snails and Pokeberry Jails” by Hugh Courtney contextualizes Tufts’ results within a broader research landscape. Courtney traces the origin of the pokeberry idea to earlier research interest at Michael Fields Institute and work associated with the Henry Doubleday Research Association, while explicitly noting that documented published results are scarce. He reports mixed outcomes from early adopters, with some West Coast growers initially seeing no effect. Over time, however, additional growers reported significant reductions in slug damage, especially when sprays were applied to soil early in the season and repeated monthly as needed. The effect is characterized not as a poison but as a behavioral deterrent and reproductive suppressant, with populations declining rather than collapsing outright. Courtney emphasizes variability by region and species, reinforcing that the method requires local testing rather than assumption.

The pine seed spray is examined even more critically. Courtney reproduces the full historical quotation attributed to Pfeiffer and notes the striking lack of follow-up research over more than seven decades. The article therefore frames pine seed spray not as an established biodynamic remedy but as an unfulfilled research prompt, calling attention to the gap between indication and systematic experimentation.

“Seed Baths Update” by Hugh Courtney refines an existing protocol by introducing an alternative to forceful homeopathic succussion. The updated method, termed rhythmic potentization, uses a sealed jar rocked horizontally to induce a lemniscate (figure-eight) flow pattern in the liquid. Timing, dilution ratios, soaking periods, and shelf-life limits are all specified. The update is explicitly justified on energetic and practical grounds: less violence, greater coherence, and clearer repeatability. The article provides precise constraints on delay between potentization and seed treatment, reinforcing that timing is a variable, not a neutral detail.

The issue closes with “Mildred Cowger: A Life of Service”, a composite memorial written by multiple members of the Oregon Biodynamic Group. Rather than idealized biography, the article documents Cowger’s practical influence: decades of solitary biodynamic practice, seed sharing, compost making, preparation work, and the quiet formation of a regional biodynamic community. Specific practices—home composting with Pfeiffer starter, nettle ferment use, valerian cultivation, seed saving, and preparation making—are interwoven with accounts of mentorship and material generosity. Cowger’s role is presented as infrastructural rather than theoretical: she created continuity by doing the work consistently and making resources available to others.

Taken as a whole, Issue 015 demonstrates how biodynamics advances when unconventional ideas are handled with restraint, explicit method, and openness to mixed results.

Articles

• Pokeberry and Pine Seed Sprays (S. Tufts)  
• Slugs and Snails and Pokeberry Jails (H. Courtney) Seed Baths  Update (H. Courtney)  
• Mildred Cowger: A Life of Service (B. Wieting, H. Eubanks, W.  Via)  

Key Topics Covered

• Pokeberry juice ferment preparation and application for slug deterrence
• Combination sprays using pokeberry ferment and BD #501
• Controlled garden comparisons between treated and untreated beds
• Pine seed extract preparation using defined mass fermentation and dilution steps
• Regional variability in slug and snail response to pokeberry sprays
• Behavioral and reproductive suppression versus lethal pest control
• Historical gap in research follow-up on pine seed spray indications
• Rhythmic potentization method for seed baths using lemniscate motion
• Timing constraints and dilution ratios for seed bath treatments
• Practical legacy of Mildred Cowger in biodynamic gardening and preparation work

Citation

Source: Applied Biodynamics, Issue 015, Josephine Porter Institute, 1996.