Applied Biodynamics — Issue No. 97 (Spring/Summer 2020)
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Issue No. 97 presents a multifaceted examination of biodynamic practice at the levels of water handling, plant-based preparations, seed selection, crop trials, farm transition, and organizational continuity. The issue moves deliberately between methodological instruction, applied observation, and reflective reporting, without collapsing distinct articles into generalized doctrine.
Mike Biltonen’s “Water Biodynamically Stirred, Cosmically Imbued” establishes water as both a physical and energetic medium central to biodynamic practice. The article details concerns over modern water contamination, introduces the concept of structured water, and outlines preparatory handling steps prior to stirring, including resting chlorinated water, filtration constraints, and avoidance of chloramine and fluoride-treated supplies. The stirring process itself is described as an hour-long alternation of clockwise and counterclockwise vortices, emphasizing polarity creation, oxygenation, and participant intention. Alternatives such as flow forms and mechanical vortex devices are discussed with explicit acknowledgment of their limits relative to hand stirring. Observational indicators include changes in water vitality, land response, and orchard hydrology when stagnant versus flowing water systems are restored.
Abigail Porter’s “Heal Yourself, Heal Your Garden” connects biodynamic preparation plants to both soil processes and human health. The article focuses on dandelion and stinging nettle, outlining medicinal properties, mineral content, harvest timing, and preparation methods for teas, tinctures, syrups, and ferments. Culinary and medicinal uses are paired with cautions regarding contamination and harvest location. Recipes and storage guidance are included, emphasizing drying, tincture infusion durations, and seasonal root collection. The article frames preparation plants as both ecological agents and practical components of household self-sufficiency.
Mary Maruca’s “Corn Trials at Viva La Vida Foundation” reports on multi-year corn trials conducted under varying biodynamic and spiritual protocols. Yield data are presented alongside morphological observations, including multi-stemmed plants and multi-eared cobs. The article documents a progression from standard biodynamic preparations to Trinium products and finally to a season relying on spiritual alignment practices without applied preparations. Outcomes are evaluated through yield (approximately 240 bushels from 1.5 acres), weed pressure, and plant form, with contextual comparison to prior years.
Joe Couling’s “One Intern’s Experience at Viva La Vida” provides observational documentation of spiritual agriculture practices from an intern’s perspective. The article records the use of imaginative visualization, artistic representation of plant archetypes, eurythmy gestures, architectural design principles, and conscious human participation as substitutes or complements to material inputs. While not instructional, the article documents applied practices and observed crop vitality, positioning them as areas for future research rather than generalized claims.
Stewart Lundy’s “How Do You Choose Your Best Seeds?” provides a step-by-step protocol for seed selection based on density rather than size. The method uses water and incremental salt additions to separate seeds into density classes, with the densest fraction retained for planting. Materials, sequence, labeling, reuse of water, and germination rationale are explicitly described. The method is framed as accessible, repeatable, and evaluable through subsequent germination tests.
Mike Biltonen’s “In Transition—Apostrophe Orchard” documents the phased establishment of a biodynamic orchard oriented toward cider production and research. The article specifies soil conditions, grafting history, varietal selection, amendment strategies, preparation schedules, and observed disease pressure. Planned interventions for the upcoming season are listed, including BD500, BD501, BD508 washes, tree paste, and complementary biological inputs. The orchard is explicitly presented as a long-term observational site rather than a completed model.
In “Finger Lakes Regional Prepmakers Group Forms,” Biltonen reports on the formation, materials sourcing, and seasonal activities of a regional preparation-making group. Specific preparations made, dates, locations, and participant contributions are recorded, alongside reflections on technique fidelity and plans for further study.
The issue concludes with “Farewell to Pat Frazier, Hello to Garett Long,” documenting leadership transition within the Josephine Porter Institute. The article records tenure, institutional contributions, symbolic plantings, and professional background, situating governance continuity within the broader organizational organism.
Articles
- Water Biodynamically Stirred, Cosmically Imbued (M. Biltonen);
- Heal Yourself, Heal Your Garden (A. Porter);
- Corn Trials at Viva La Vida Foundation (M. Maruca);
- One Intern's Experience at Viva La Vida (J. Couling);
- How Do You Choose Your Best Seeds? Seed Saving Quality and Biodynamics (S. Lundy);
- In Transition- Apostrophe Orchard (M. Biltonen);
- Finger Lakes Regional Prepmakers Group Forms (M. Biltonen);
- Farewell to Pat Frazier, Hello to Garett Long (C. Wesson)
Key Topics Covered
- Water structuring and biodynamic stirring procedure
- Handling and filtration of water prior to preparation use
- Medicinal and culinary use of biodynamic preparation plants
- Dandelion and nettle harvest timing and preparation methods
- Corn yield and morphology under spiritual farming protocols
- Intern observations of spiritual agriculture practices
- Seed sorting by density using water and salt
- Orchard establishment and biodynamic management practices
- Regional biodynamic preparation-making collaboration
- Institutional leadership transition at JPI
Citation
Applied Biodynamics, Issue No. 97, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Spring/Summer 2020.
