Applied Biodynamics — Issue 083 (Winter 2013–2014)

Issue 083 is a leadership, scale, and succession issue, focused on biodynamic practice under challenging climatic conditions, the future availability of high-quality preparations, and institutional reorganization to support education and research.

In “Mile High Biodynamics and New Horizons with Pat Frazier,” Hunter Francis interviews Pat Frazier, biodynamic farmer, educator, and newly elected president of the JPI Board of Directors. The interview documents biodynamic practice at 6,800 feet elevation on Peace and Plenty Farm in western Colorado, where short growing seasons, low humidity, and high light intensity shape all management decisions.

Frazier describes the farm organism as an integrated system combining vegetables, orchards, medicinal plants, pasture, woodland, and livestock. Fertility is produced entirely on-farm through composting, manure management, and full preparation use. The introduction of a dairy cow is identified as a turning point in closing fertility cycles, with manure quality, rhythm of care, and daily observation contributing to soil stability and crop vitality.

Preparation making is described in procedural terms, with emphasis on regional suitability. Frazier reports that silica preparations (BD #501 and BD #508) show strong affinity with high-altitude, high-light conditions when burial sites are carefully selected for sandy texture and drainage. Horn manure (BD #500) is applied to counterbalance dryness and support soil depth. Observations are comparative and cumulative, grounded in more than fifteen years of practice across two farm sites.

A central theme of the interview is regionalization of preparation making. Frazier traces the origins of the Fellowship of Preparation Makers (FOPM) as a response to concerns about succession and long-term availability of preparations following Hugh Courtney’s anticipated retirement. The Fellowship’s committee structure, national representation, and role in education, research dialogue, and peer quality assessment are described. The interview explicitly addresses quality control concerns, emphasizing education, shared standards, and peer evaluation rather than certification.

The article further documents collaboration between JPI, the Fellowship, and the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association (BDA) to explore the practical mechanics of regional preparation centers—land requirements, infrastructure, funding, and training—while maintaining JPI’s role as a national provider, educator, and distributor, including continued manufacture of Pfeiffer products.

In “Enzo Nastati Comes to North America,” Pat Frazier reports on two multi-day seminars held in Colorado and Kentucky introducing Enzo Nastati’s Homeodynamic Method, developed from Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic indications. The article documents Nastati’s focus on adapting preparation work to modern conditions, including degraded water quality, industrial and electromagnetic pollution, alkaline soils, and climatic stress. Seminar content included lectures, practical exercises, and group discussion, with experienced preparation makers participating alongside newer practitioners. The article frames this work as an extension and reinterpretation of biodynamic methods rather than a replacement.

In “JPI Update,” Abigail Porter reports on operational developments following JPI’s relocation. The update details preparation burial and retrieval at the new farm site, planting of preparation herbs, infrastructure improvements to support year-round preparation work and Pfeiffer production, website upgrades, and strengthened collaboration with other biodynamic organizations. The article outlines staffing roles, lease arrangements with an option to purchase farmland, and plans to expand educational offerings while maintaining preparation supply continuity.

Together, the articles present biodynamics as a living agricultural discipline, addressing succession, scale, environmental specificity, and institutional responsibility through documented practice and collaboration.

Articles

• Mile High Biodynamics and New Horizons with Pat Frazier (H.  Francis Interview Pat Frazier)  
• Enzo Nastati Comes to North America (P. Frazier)
• JPI Update (A.  Porter)  

Key Topics Covered

• High-altitude biodynamic farming constraints and adaptations
• Farm organism development under dry-climate conditions
• On-farm fertility cycles and dairy integration
• Regional suitability of BD #500 BD #501 and BD #508
• Preparation making and burial site selection
• Formation and role of the Fellowship of Preparation Makers
• Preparation quality stewardship and peer evaluation
• Regionalization of preparation production
• Introduction of the Homeodynamic Method in North America
• Operational expansion and infrastructure at JPI

Citation

Applied Biodynamics, Issue 083, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Winter 2013–2014.