Applied Bio-Dynamics — Issue 004 (Summer 1993)
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The lead article “Josephine Porter – A Biodynamic Pioneer” by Candace Coffin documents the life, work, and practical legacy of Josephine Porter, whose preparation-making work formed a backbone of biodynamic practice in the United States. Drawing on biographical records and contemporaneous accounts, the article traces Porter’s early life, her transition from conventional farming to biodynamics, and her decades-long role in producing preparations and advising practitioners. The article emphasizes her direct, practical mastery of preparation quality, her non-toxic agricultural commitment, and her role in sustaining biodynamics institutionally through the Biodynamic Farming & Gardening Association. Hugh Courtney’s seven-year apprenticeship under Porter is documented, establishing continuity of preparation methods and standards now carried forward by the Josephine Porter Institute.
“About Nutrition” by Betsy Cashen continues the nutrition series by situating food choice within sustainability, agriculture, and human behavior. Rather than prescribing diets, the article examines structural changes in food systems—distance traveled by produce, energy devoted to packaging, and industrial processing—and contrasts these with seasonal, local food systems. Empirical figures such as average food transport distance and energy use are cited to ground the argument. Nutrition is framed as a point of reconnection between human life and agricultural systems, with observational exercises described that reawaken sensory engagement with food rather than relying on abstract nutritional theory.
The third and final installment of “Biodynamic Preparations” by Hugh Courtney completes the ACRES USA lecture adaptation. Courtney explicitly addresses the scientific basis of biodynamics as a “spiritual-scientific” approach grounded in formative forces rather than substances. Etheric formative forces—warmth, light, chemical, and life—are defined and related to physical elements and agricultural outcomes. Courtney argues that modern agriculture has exhausted the effectiveness of mineral and chemical approaches and that biodynamic preparations function as carriers of life ether. The article reiterates that preparations are not trade secrets, are low-tech, and require responsible handling and use, with improper storage identified as a critical failure point.
The article “Selke, Courtney, and Evergreen Elm” by L. A. Rotheraine provides one of the clearest empirical case studies yet presented in the newsletter. The Evergreen Elm Biodynamic Community Garden, a horticultural therapy program for mentally handicapped participants in Bradford, Pennsylvania, reports competitive results at the McKean County Fair, including multiple first-place awards and public recognition. Detailed planting methods, compost composition, bed construction, irrigation, calendrical timing, and repeated BD #501 applications are documented. Notably, BD #501 is used despite prior concerns about excessive silica influence, with application timing, frequency, and observed effects described, including minimal plant loss and improved maturation under adverse weather conditions.
A focused technical article, “BD #501” by Hugh Courtney, addresses widespread underuse of horn silica preparation. Courtney directly challenges the assumption that strong sunlight negates the need for BD #501, citing geographic considerations and early research observations, including work at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, indicating no inherent crop damage from appropriate use. The article reframes BD #501 as a regulator of light forces rather than a crude sunlight substitute, reinforcing the need for context-specific testing.
The issue concludes with “St. John’s Day Festival” by Candace Coffin, which situates summer agricultural work within the period of maximum Earth outbreathing. While primarily seasonal and cultural, the article explicitly links the St. John’s festival to practitioner alertness, will, and responsibility during peak vegetative and fruiting activity, reinforcing the ethical dimension of active, conscious agricultural intervention.
Articles
- Josephine Porter – A Biodynamic Pioneer (C. Coffin) About Nutrition (B. Cashen)
- Biodynamic Preparations (H. Courtney)
- Selke, Courtney, and Evergreen Elm (L. Rotheraine) BD #501 (H. Courtney)
- St. John’s Day Festival (C. Coffin)
Key Topics Covered
- Josephine Porter’s role in American biodynamic preparation work
- Continuity of preparation standards through apprenticeship
- Nutrition evaluated through food systems and energy use
- Completion of etheric force framework for biodynamic preparations
- Public, competitive outcomes of biodynamic gardening
- Detailed field use of BD #501 under adverse conditions
- Geographic context for horn silica application
- Improper storage as a limiting factor in preparation efficacy
- Summer outbreathing and agricultural responsibility
Citation
Applied Bio-Dynamics, Issue 004, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Bio-Dynamics, Summer 1993.