Applied Biodynamics — Issue 018–019 (Winter 1996 / Spring 1997)

Issue 018/019 is a double issue framed as a methodological pivot: readers are explicitly urged to observe, record, and report, with institutional incentives (discounts and replacement preparations) tied to disciplined experimentation. The issue also begins an equipment-focused series designed to reduce avoidable “practice noise” caused by unsuitable stirring vessels, contaminated sprayers, and inconsistent handling.

Important limitation for this issue’s processing: the provided scan contains only four pages and includes “continued on page …” references to additional pages and a separately bound special report that are not present in the file. As a result, only the articles fully or partially visible in the provided pages are summarized below, and any listed items not present in the file are flagged in the Accuracy Assessment.

“Moon–Saturn Occultation Alert” by Hugh J. Courtney is the lead article and is explicitly written as an observation prompt rather than a settled conclusion. Courtney defines occultation as a conjunction in which one celestial body visually “occludes” another (using eclipses as an analogy), then reports discovery of a highly unusual series: repeated lunar occultations of Saturn during 1997, roughly every 27 days, with a tabulated schedule that includes the preceding lunar opposition times. The article treats the pattern as rare in the author’s available records and proposes multiple speculative agricultural scenarios—extended cold, extended warmth leading to drought, and potential geophysical disturbance—while emphasizing uncertainty and calling for heightened observational attention. The practical contribution is that the article does not stop at prediction: it proposes specific preparation responses as “force carriers” to compensate for the hypothesized conditions. In the event of unusual cold, frequent BD #507 (valerian) is recommended, linked to practical frost-avoidance reports and to common planetary–preparation associations. In the event of drought, BD #508 (horsetail) is recommended, with a preference for fermented versions based on the author’s experience. A timing rule is also proposed: because occultation occurs at conjunction, application of the pertinent preparation is recommended at the preceding opposition (about two weeks earlier) for best effect. The article closes with a detailed table of the occultations and oppositions to structure observation and reporting.

“Fiscal Reality Revisited” is referenced in the editor’s note as explaining a price increase in the accompanying catalog, but that article text is not present in the provided file. Similarly, an “Evergreen Elm Update” is listed in the requested table of contents but is not present in the provided file.

“Confidence, Experimentation, and JPI ‘Prep Scholarships’” by Malcolm Ian Gardner is a methodological and institutional intervention. Gardner frames two symmetrical risks: “blind faith” that leads to automatic use without real observation, and chronic doubt that may bias perception and become self-fulfilling. The remedy proposed is practice-based research by ordinary growers: careful planning, consistent execution, and disciplined record-keeping, with explicit recognition that meaningful experiments can be small and simple. The article distinguishes planned experiments from “natural experiments” (accidental spills, unexpected growth anomalies around old buried preparations) and argues that repeating an observed effect is what strengthens confidence. JPI’s “prep scholarships” operationalize this: a discount (up to five units of each preparation) is offered for a pledge to conduct systematic observations or experiments, and a free replacement set is offered for submission of a detailed report. Publication of reports is promised, explicitly including negative results as acceptable, with follow-up interest in circumstances.

“Stirring Vessels and Sprayers, Part 1” by Hugh J. Courtney begins a practical equipment series oriented to small-scale growers and backyard gardeners. The article grounds the topic in Steiner’s instructions for BD #500 stirring—forming a strong vortex, reversing direction, and stirring for a full hour to expose the entire substance to water—and then connects that to “potentization” language via Theodore Schwenk’s definition of progressive rhythmical dilution. It then shifts into field pragmatics: water quality is treated as a variable with modern constraints (pollution, chlorination), and a practical mitigation is recommended for treated municipal water (standing in sunlight for at least 24 hours to allow volatile chemicals, particularly chlorine, to off-gas). Warming the water is explicitly treated as optional rather than mandated, and the article identifies this as an open research question, noting contrasting claims about optimal water temperature. On equipment, the article gives specific, actionable criteria for reusing a sprayer previously used for chemicals: repeated washing with strong “natural” cleaners, with replacement recommended if chemical odor persists. The article also argues that preparations are not as fragile as some assume and may overcome imperfect conditions, while still recommending best practice. For stirring vessels, glazed clay crocks are presented as a preferred container for hand stirring, with identified sources for large crocks and size/price context. For sprayers, a stainless-steel backpack sprayer is described as a long-used preference with ergonomic downsides, and alternative brands/suppliers are named for lighter-weight options.

A short notice also appears offering audio tapes and a notebook from a practical “De-Mystifying Biodynamics” seminar held in conjunction with an ACRES USA conference, presented as an educational resource contingent on a minimum number of advance orders.

Key Topics Covered

• Moon–Saturn occultation definition and 1997 observation schedule with preceding oppositions
• Speculative risk scenarios tied to occultations and explicit call for field observation reports
• Mitigation recommendations using BD 507 for cold and BD 508 for drought with timing rule at preceding opposition
• Prep scholarships linking discounts and replacement preparations to documented experiments and reporting
• Method requirements for experiments planning consistency and disciplined record-keeping
• Natural experiments and confirmation by repeat trials as a confidence-building standard
• Stirring as first-degree potentization through rhythmical dilution and vortex reversal for one hour
• Water-handling controls including 24-hour off-gassing protocol for chlorinated municipal water
• Sprayer decontamination criteria for prior chemical use including odor-based replacement threshold
• Stirring vessel preference for glazed clay crocks and practical sourcing considerations
• Small-scale sprayer options and ergonomic considerations for repeated tank loads

Citation

Source: Applied Biodynamics, Issue 018–019, Josephine Porter Institute, 1996–1997.