Applied Biodynamics — Issue 061 (Summer 2008)

Issue 061 is a preparation-focused research and application issue, centered on the experimental production, handling, and field testing of Hugo Erbe’s Cow Stomach Preparation (HE #5), with supporting practitioner reports, vineyard observations, and methodological reflection. The issue consistently emphasizes process description, sequencing, observation, and limits, rather than generalized claims.

In “Insights into Hugo Erbe’s Cow Stomach Preparation,” the editors document four years of experimental production of HE #5 at the Josephine Porter Institute based on Hugo Erbe’s published instructions. The preparation is made by combining the contents of the cow’s four stomachs with rainwater and a measured portion of cow blood immediately following slaughter. After an initial fermentation period, BD 500 and compost preparations BD 502–507 are added, followed by further fermentation. The article specifies intended uses: compost activation, improvement of liquid manure, and soil conditioning. No claims of standardized outcomes are made; instead, the article frames the preparation as an experimental extension of biodynamic digestive processes requiring careful observation.

“Vineyard Consultant Puts Cow Stomach Preparation (HUGO ERBE #5) to Work,” by Hugh Courtney, reports early-season vineyard trials conducted by viticulture consultant Philippe Armenier. The preparation was applied by stirring HE #5 together with BD 500 for one hour and spraying beneath vines in early spring. Observations from prior seasons are compared: when HE #5 was used as a separate spray, vines appeared greener and showed improved capacity to endure dry summers. The article interprets HE #5 as introducing less-finished digestive forces compared with BD 500, potentially supporting soil development under drought stress. These observations are reported descriptively and are explicitly provisional.

The issue includes first-person practitioner reports by W. Jason Harris and Lloyd Nelson, documenting preparation handling, stirring method, and application context. Harris reports microscopic examination of HE #5 at different fermentation stages, noting low visible microbial activity at available magnification prior to dilution and stirring. Application details include full-hour stirring with directional reversals, brush application to soil, structures, and livestock areas, and careful temporal observation of animal behavior following application. These accounts are presented as experiential field notes rather than experimental proof.

In “The Cow Stomach Preparation,” by W. J. Harris, L. Nelson, and Hugh Courtney, the preparation is further contextualized through Rudolf Steiner’s descriptions of digestion as a cosmic process and the cow as a mediating organism. The article clarifies conceptual intent while maintaining focus on material handling, fermentation stages, and field context. Differences between BD 500 (as a finished digestive product) and HE #5 (as an active digestive process) are emphasized without asserting superiority.

“Preparation Making at the Josephine Porter Institute,” by Jennifer Greene, provides a detailed observational account of a JPI preparation-making workshop. The article documents quality control, spatial layout of preparation sites, burial locations for different preparations, and sequencing aligned with seasonal conditions. Greene’s account emphasizes disciplined handling, storage, and teaching methodology, presenting JPI as a centralized preparation research and training site rather than a purely distributive facility.

The recurring column “Anecdotes and Antidotes – Biodynamics at Work,” by Hugh Courtney, addresses practitioner questions with quantified guidance. Examples include calculating compost tonnage to determine correct application rates for Pfeiffer BD Compost Starter, and distinguishing among Barrel Compound Preparation, 500X, “Prepared” 500, and Pfeiffer BD Field and Garden Spray. Each response specifies decision logic, sequencing, and constraints, reinforcing method over habit.

The issue concludes with a review by Christy Korrow of Extraordinary Plant Qualities for Biodynamics by Jochen Bockemühl and Kari Järvinen. The review situates the book within Goethean phenomenological science, describing structured observation exercises designed to cultivate precise perception of plant form, habitat, and seasonal context. The review explicitly frames the book as a method for disciplined observation, not as a manual of effects.

Across all articles, Issue 061 presents biodynamics as an iterative, observation-driven practice, where new preparations are introduced cautiously, tested contextually, and evaluated through repeated field experience rather than assertion.

Article

• Insights into Hugo Erbe’s Cow Stomach Preparation 
• Vineyard Consultant Puts Cow Stomach Preparation (HUGO ERBE  #5) To Work (H. Courtney)  
• The Cow Stomach Preparation (W. J. Harris, L. Nelson)  Preparation Making at the Josephine Porter Institute (J.  Greene)  
• Anecdotes and Antidotes – Biodynamics at Work (H. Courtney) 
• Extraordinary Plant Qualities for Biodynamics by Jochen  Bockemuhl and Kari Jarvinen (C. Korrow)

Key Topics Covered

• Experimental production of Hugo Erbe’s Cow Stomach Preparation
• Defined fermentation stages and ingredient sequencing
• Intended applications to compost liquid manure and soil
• Combined and separate use of HE #5 with BD 500
• Early vineyard trials under dry seasonal conditions
• Comparative observation of vine vigor across seasons
• Microscopic examination during preparation fermentation
• Stirring duration and directional reversal protocol
• Practitioner field notes and behavioral observation
• Preparation making quality control at JPI
• Quantified guidance for compost and field preparation use
• Phenomenological plant observation as a research method

Citation

Applied Biodynamics, Issue 061, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Summer 2008.