Applied Biodynamics — Issue 055 (Winter 2006–2007)

Issue 055 is a single-theme, method-and-meaning issue focused on the role of the cow in biodynamic agriculture and the correct, responsible harvesting of animal sheaths required for preparation making. The issue combines extended textual exposition, ethical framing, and experimental reference, without presenting new field protocols or recipes.

In “Honoring the Cow,” Hugh Courtney presents a detailed exposition drawn from Rudolf Steiner’s 1923 lecture cycle later published as Man as Symphony of the Creative Word and Harmony of the Creative Word. The article does not introduce new biodynamic techniques; instead, it provides the conceptual and biological rationale for the cow’s central place in biodynamic agriculture, particularly in relation to soil renewal and preparation making.

Courtney outlines Steiner’s tripartite picture of the animal kingdom—eagle, lion, and cow—as representatives of head, rhythmic system, and metabolism/limbs in the human being. Within this framework, the cow is described as a being whose entire form functions as a digestive organism, transforming earthly substance through gravity-bound processes while carrying a cosmic astrality. This transformation is presented as agriculturally consequential: the cow’s digestive activity produces manure capable of mediating between earthly and cosmic forces, making it uniquely suited for soil renewal.

The article emphasizes that biodynamic use of cow-derived materials cannot be separated from reverence, intention, and responsibility. Courtney describes JPI’s established practice of observing a solemn gathering prior to slaughter when preparation sheaths are harvested, including readings from Steiner and Christian Morgenstern, a visit to the animal, and explicit acknowledgment of sacrifice. These practices are presented descriptively rather than prescriptively, illustrating institutional context rather than mandating ritual.

The article explicitly addresses objections from vegetarians and animal-rights advocates, not through dismissal but through ontological clarification. Drawing on Steiner’s concept of the animal “group soul,” Courtney explains that the death of an individual animal does not constitute ego-loss in the way human death does. The cow is further described as contributing, through death, a form of spiritual substance required by the earth for renewal—an idea presented as Steiner’s claim, not as an empirical assertion.

The concluding sections frame preparation making as a human responsibility toward earth processes, with Alex Podolinsky’s description of preparation making as a “sacrament” cited to emphasize gravity of intent rather than ritualism. No claims of measurable agricultural outcomes are made in this article.

In “On the Harvesting of the Preparation Sheaths,” Courtney addresses the practical and ethical necessity of animal-derived materials in biodynamic agriculture. The article is framed as a response to objections rather than as a how-to guide. Courtney argues that complete removal of animal influence from agriculture leads to biological depletion over time, citing an experiment attributed to Maria Thun in which crops were grown using only plant-based composts and non-animal preparations.

According to the account, seeds saved from the animal-free plots progressively lost viability over several years, while adjacent biodynamically treated plots retained seed vitality. The experiment is presented cautiously: the exact publication reference could not be located, and the account is offered as observational rather than definitive proof. Nevertheless, the example is used to illustrate a failure mode associated with excluding animal processes from soil fertility systems.

The article further warns against logical inconsistency in seed sourcing, noting that plant-only systems often depend indirectly on animal-supported seed production elsewhere. Courtney situates this critique within a broader discussion of human responsibility for “spiritualizing the earth,” again referencing Steiner’s framework rather than introducing new biodynamic prescriptions.

Across both articles, Issue 055 makes no attempt to persuade through yield data or performance metrics. Instead, it documents the philosophical, biological, and ethical premises underlying biodynamic reliance on the cow and on animal sheaths, while acknowledging discomfort, disagreement, and unresolved questions.

Articles

• Honoring the Cow (H. Courtney) 
• On the Harvesting of the Preparation Sheaths (H. Courtney)

Key Topics Covered

• Cow as central digestive organism in biodynamic agriculture
• Steiner’s animal–human correspondence framework
• Transformation of earthly substance through cow digestion
• Role of cow manure in soil renewal and preparation making
• Institutional practices surrounding sheath harvesting
• Ethical framing of animal sacrifice in biodynamics
• Concept of animal group soul versus human ego
• Addressing vegetarian and animal-rights objections
• Reported long-term seed viability loss in animal-free systems
• Limits and uncertainties of cited experimental evidence
• Human responsibility for earth renewal in biodynamic context
• Preparation making as a morally consequential activity

Citation

Applied Biodynamics, Issue 055, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Winter 2006–2007.