Applied Biodynamics — Issue 043 (Winter 2003–2004)

Issue 043 is organized around crisis-response biodynamics—how preparations are used deliberately when crops, soils, and climates are under acute stress—and how those uses can be evaluated through comparison, timing, and visible outcomes.

The lead article, “Anecdotes and Antidotes – Biodynamics at Work,” compiles multiple first-person field reports from geographically distinct farms, unified by a common structure: clearly described stress conditions, defined preparation use, and observable post-application responses.

Mary Williams (Pennsylvania) reports on long-term application of the Biodynamic Compound Preparation (BC, formerly Barrel Compost) and the Milk and Honey spray on severely compacted mountain clay soils. Initial conditions included absence of earthworms, poor aeration, and low turf quality. After repeated applications over several years, she documents a sudden and dramatic increase in earthworm populations—including large, vigorous specimens—observed during spring soil disturbance. The report explicitly notes that no other soil-improving measures were introduced during this period, isolating preparation use as the primary variable.

Patricia Damery (Napa Valley, California) reports on vineyard response under compounded stress: unseasonal rainfall, mildew pressure, and extreme heat. A comparison is drawn between her vineyard and an adjacent unsprayed neighbor’s field, where total crop loss occurred. Damery details sequential use of fermented BD 508 (horsetail) as a ground spray at lunar intervals, followed by emergency applications of BD 507 (valerian) and BD 500 during raisining and heat stress. Quantities are specified (22 drops of BD 507 stirred into three gallons per acre). Observable outcomes include immediate grape rehydration, retained crop where neighbors lost theirs, and winemaker-reported increases in juice volume, color, and flavor.

A third set of reports documents frost protection using BD 507 in blueberry systems at elevation. Lloyd Nelson describes evening and morning applications of valerian before and after heavy frosts, with explicit timing and water temperature noted. Observable indicators include sharp frost-damage boundaries between sprayed and unsprayed areas, extended ripening well beyond the normal season, improved flavor, and increased skin durability. Untreated wild blueberries in the same area failed under identical conditions, providing an internal comparison.

The issue then turns to “Using Valerian the Way Steiner Indicated – An Update” by Patricia Smith, which addresses a methodological correction. Building on earlier scholarship, the article clarifies Steiner’s instruction that BD 507 should be applied after compost is finished, not during active composting. A documented experiment compares cover-crop beds treated with valerian-finished compost against beds receiving compost without valerian. Despite earlier planting and BD 500 application, untreated beds performed poorly, while valerian-finished compost beds showed dense, persistent growth. Follow-up cropping across multiple years is reported, with improved performance consistently observed in valerian-treated areas. Additional practitioner reports describe increased earthworm activity, enhanced color and flowering, and frost resistance when valerian is added last to finished compost or BC.

The issue also includes summaries of two major gatherings that situate these field reports within a broader professional context. The National Biodynamic Conference in Iowa is summarized as focusing on place-based agriculture, ecological economics, and community ethics, with workshops addressing farming systems, gardening, and biodynamic method. The Biodynamic Viticulture Conference in Virginia is reported as the first of its kind in the region, bringing together growers, consultants, soil scientists, and winemakers. Presentations combined biodynamic practice with soil science, and included tastings of biodynamic wines, reinforcing the integration of method, observation, and product quality.

Throughout the issue, the editorial stance is consistent: biodynamic preparations are treated as interventions that must be timed, measured, and evaluated against outcomes, not as symbolic gestures or general enhancers.

Articles

• Anecdotes and Antidotes – Biodynamics at Work (M. Williams, P.  Damery, P. Smith)  
• Using Valerian the Way Steiner Indicated – An Update (P. Smith) 
• National BD Conference in Iowa Biodynamic Viticulture  Conference  

Key Topics Covered

• Long-term soil regeneration evidenced by earthworm population return
• Use of Biodynamic Compound Preparation and Milk and Honey spray on compacted clay
• Comparative vineyard mildew outcomes using BD 508 under extreme weather
• Emergency heat and raisining mitigation using BD 507 and BD 500
• Quantified valerian application rates for vineyard rescue
  Frost protection in blueberries using timed BD 507 sprays
• Observable frost-damage boundaries between treated and untreated areas
• Extended fruit ripening and improved flavor under valerian treatment
• Correction of valerian use timing in compost based on Steiner’s instruction
• Cover-crop performance comparison using valerian-finished compost
• Multi-year follow-up of treated versus untreated garden beds
  Increased earthworm activity linked to valerian-finished compost
• National biodynamic conference focus on place-based agriculture
• Viticulture conference integrating biodynamics with soil science

Citation

Source: Applied Biodynamics, Issue 043, Josephine Porter Institute, Winter 2003–2004.