Applied Biodynamics — Issue No. 100 (Summer 2021)
Roinn
Issue No. 100 marks the one-hundredth publication of Applied Biodynamics and centers on continuity of practice, disciplined application, and institutional stewardship. The issue brings together infrastructure guidance, field-scale application protocols, medicinal and agricultural plant handling, and memorial reflection.
Larry Mabe’s “News From the Farm: Storing Biodynamic Preparations” provides a detailed, practice-focused treatment of preparation storage as a determining factor in preparation vitality. The article specifies environmental requirements for individual preparations, including moisture levels, temperature, light exposure, and container types. Preparations 500, 502–506, and barrel compound are required to remain moist, breathable, and cool, stored away from light, electrical outlets, and electromagnetic exposure. Specific container materials are named, including glazed ceramic, glass, and unglazed clay with loose natural lids. Construction of storage boxes using rot-resistant wood and peat moss insulation is described step by step, with peat serving to buffer moisture, radiation, and electrical interference. Storage is presented as inseparable from preparation efficacy rather than a secondary logistical concern.
Clay Wesson’s “Committing to Biodynamics” documents the practical decision-making required to implement biodynamic practice at vineyard scale. The article details how biodynamic calendars are consulted as guides rather than rigid prescriptions, emphasizing responsiveness to local soil moisture, compaction risk, and weather windows. Equipment choices, including ATVs with dedicated spray tanks, are described alongside labor estimates, acreage coverage rates, and workflow sequencing. The article stresses that preparations must be applied in real conditions rather than delayed in pursuit of ideal timing.
The “Merry Prepstirs Spray Schedule” formalizes a synchronized application rhythm for horn manure and horn silica across solstices and equinoxes. The schedule distinguishes afternoon application of 500 from early morning application of 501 and explicitly prioritizes certain dates when only one spray can be applied. The schedule is presented as a repeatable coordination tool rather than a guarantee of outcome.
Abigail Porter’s “Heal Yourself, Heal Your Garden (Part 3): Equisetum and Valerian” provides extensive procedural detail on two preparation plants central to silica and phosphorus processes. For equisetum, the article specifies species identification, harvest timing, simmering duration required to release silica, dilution guidance, and application contexts for fungal pressure, moisture imbalance, and atmospheric spraying as a substitute for 501 under certain conditions. Valerian handling includes blossom harvest timing, fermentation protocol, dilution ratios for compost activation, frost protection spraying, and ripening support for heat-loving crops. Culinary and medicinal cautions, contraindications, and sourcing requirements are clearly separated from agricultural use.
The issue also includes “Welcome to JPI’s New Managing Director”, introducing Emily Sepulveda and situating her appointment within JPI’s operational continuity and mission. The issue concludes with “Remembering Gene Gollogly”, documenting his role as a connector, publisher, and supporter of anthroposophical and biodynamic initiatives, without extending claims beyond recorded contributions.
Articles
- News From the Farm: Storing Biodynamic Preparations (L. Mabe) Committing to Biodynamics (C. Wesson)
- Merry Prepstirs Spray Schedule
- Heal Yourself, Heal Your Garden (Part 3):
- Equisetum and Valerian (A. Porter)
- Welcome to JPI’s New Managing Director
- Remembering Gene Gollogly
Key Topics Covered
- Storage requirements for biodynamic preparations
- Environmental controls for preparation vitality
- Construction of peat-insulated preparation storage boxes
- Scaling biodynamic spray application to vineyard acreage
- Calendar-guided but condition-responsive spray timing
- Merry Prepstirs horn manure and horn silica schedule
- Equisetum harvest and silica release protocol
- Valerian fermentation and frost protection use
- Organizational leadership transition at JPI
- Memorial documentation of Gene Gollogly
Citation
Applied Biodynamics, Issue No. 100, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Summer 2021.
