Applied Biodynamics — Issue No. 109 (Autumn 2023)

Issue No. 109 is a late-autumn issue emphasizing site-specific biodynamic adaptation, measurable preparation quality control, institutional maturation, and practical seasonal food production. The issue combines a long-form climatic case study, applied research reporting from JPI, an extended interview with JPI’s new farm manager and preparation maker, a reflective narrative, and a technically explicit guide to winter cropping.

“News From the Farm” by Ben Nommay documents seasonal observations and applied research underway at the Josephine Porter Institute. The article records late-summer and early-autumn physiological patterns in plants, including peak flowering behavior, selective mowing to support full plant expression, and soil dryness approaching the autumn equinox. Operational practices include the use of chromatography as a quality-control method for biodynamic preparations, with explicit sample parameters noted (for example, horn manure at defined gram weight and solution concentration). Chromatography is described as a multi-day process requiring patience, used to assess transformation quality beyond what microscopy can reveal. The article also documents active rhizobox experiments, comparing stirred versus unstirred water treatments on bean root development, providing a controlled visual method to observe below-ground effects otherwise inaccessible to direct observation. Community development is addressed practically through plans for on-farm housing and workshop hosting, explicitly framed as a functional requirement for sustaining preparation making at scale.

The President’s Report: “JPI—Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” by Mike Biltonen situates JPI’s current work within a multi-decade institutional lineage. The article documents the transition from externally sourced manure to full on-farm cattle integration for BD 500 and barrel compound production, explicitly identifying this as a strategic shift toward embodying the farm organism. The report details ongoing relocation of preparation burial sites, expansion of biodynamic herb gardens, refinement of Pfeiffer™ products through archival research combined with contemporary scientific insight, and continued on-farm research to assess preparation effects. Organizational changes, including the transition of Applied Biodynamics from print to digital publication, are described as operational responses to economic and outreach realities rather than philosophical shifts.

“Biodynamics in the Dry Tropics of Baja California Sur in Mexico” by José Aviña with Stewart Lundy is the central case study of the issue. The article examines biodynamic practice in a sodium-rich, low-rainfall environment (~250 mm annually), focusing on observable plant gestures rather than prescriptive formulas. Detailed attention is given to the role of sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus in shaping plant form, vertical growth, and tissue quality. The article describes how native plants—particularly palms—manage excess salts through mineralized cambium and aerial root-like structures, and how these gestures can inform crop selection, compost inputs, and planting strategies. Practical recommendations emerge indirectly through observation: use of native salt-tolerant plants as mediators, shading and mulching to conserve moisture, compost inputs derived from resilient species, and ash application to supply potassium when crop form indicates imbalance. The article emphasizes imitation of natural processes rather than correction through force, positioning biodynamic practice as adaptive and site-responsive.

“Introducing Ben Nommay, JPI’s New Farm Manager” by Stewart Lundy is an extended interview documenting Nommay’s training lineage, preparation-making experience, and applied farm practice. The interview records specific, repeatable methods, including frequent barrel compound application when beds are flipped multiple times per season, small-scale stirring protocols using minimal material (tablespoon quantities in jars), and consistent observation of soil structure change over several years. Nommay explicitly frames biodynamics as augmentative rather than substitutive, emphasizing that preparations enhance existing regenerative practices rather than replace them. The interview also documents applied use of chromatography and rhizoboxes as research tools, along with planning methods using planting calendars for long-range task scheduling.

“Favored Child” by Suzanne O’Rourke is a reflective narrative documenting formative encounters with a child deeply attuned to plants and elemental life. While non-procedural, the article is included as an observational record illustrating sensitivity to plant presence and ecological loss, consistent with the issue’s broader emphasis on perception as a prerequisite for responsible action.

“Winter Crops” by Suzanne O’Rourke provides explicit, practice-oriented guidance for cool-season food production. The article lists specific crops suitable for direct sowing versus transplanting, temperature thresholds for protection, layered use of row covers and cold frames, preferred site orientations, and soil preparation recommendations including the use of biodynamic compost prior to planting. The guidance is framed for repeatability in Zone 6 conditions but grounded in observable plant response rather than calendar abstraction.

Articles

• News from the Farm (B. Nommay) 
• JPI—Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: President’s Report (M. Biltonen)
• Biodynamics in the Dry Tropics of Baja California Sur in Mexico (J. Aviña and S. Lundy)
• Introducing Ben Nommay, JPI’s New Farm Manager (S. Lundy)
• Favored Child/Winter Crops (S. O’Rourke)

Key Topics Covered

• Chromatography as preparation quality control
• Rhizobox experiments comparing stirred and unstirred water
• On-farm cattle integration for manure and barrel compound
• Relocation and management of preparation burial sites
• Biodynamic adaptation to sodium-rich dry tropical soils
• Use of native plants to mediate excess mineral salts
• Ash application to balance potassium availability
• Barrel compound use for repeated bed turnover
• Small-scale stirring protocols for gardeners
• Winter crop selection and cold protection methods

Citation

Applied Biodynamics, Issue No. 109, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Autumn 2023.