Applied Biodynamics — Issue 062 (Fall 2008)

Issue 062 is a reflective and institutional issue, combining long-form conceptual analysis, regional applied practice, and organizational transparency. The issue does not introduce new preparations or techniques; instead, it clarifies why biodynamics developed as it did, how it is transmitted in practice, and how institutions supporting it remain viable.

The primary article, “Reflections on Biodynamics and Its Significance for the Future,” by Hunter Francis, is an edited interview with Dr. Manfred Klett conducted during a conference at Rudolf Steiner College. Rather than a verbatim transcript, the article interweaves direct interview material with Klett’s previously published lectures to provide historical continuity and conceptual clarity.

Klett traces his agricultural formation from early field work in Syria studying irrigation effects on cotton, through apprenticeship at Dottenfelder Hof, doctoral work in soil science at the University of Hohenheim, and long-term leadership within biodynamic research and education. The article situates biodynamics historically as the original impulse behind organic agriculture in Germany, emphasizing that it arose from practical necessity, not ideology.

A central focus is the farm organism as an economic, ecological, and social unit. Klett describes how traditional European farms integrated arable crops, animals, horticulture, processing, and community life, and how industrialization fragmented these functions. Biodynamics is presented as a conscious attempt to reunite them, not nostalgically, but with modern self-awareness. The article documents concrete examples from Dottenfelder Hof: on-farm processing, biodynamic plant breeding programs, structured apprenticeship systems, and long-term research initiatives.

The interview also addresses limits and pressures. Klett discusses regulatory challenges in the European Union, particularly restrictions on animal sheaths due to BSE concerns, and describes pragmatic responses such as controlled, government-sanctioned sourcing. He distinguishes between scientific reductionism and holistic science, arguing that agriculture requires methods capable of addressing time-based processes, organismal development, and qualitative change.

Importantly, the article does not present biodynamics as complete or finished. Klett emphasizes ongoing education, research, and cultural development as necessary conditions for its future relevance.

“Northern Idaho Grows Biodynamic Growers,” by Merla Barbarie, documents the formation of a regional biodynamic gardening and farming group in northern Idaho. The article is structured as a chronological field report covering a full growing season. It details organizational meetings, educational goals, and a series of hands-on workshops including BD 500 stirring, Barrel Compost making, nettle preparation harvesting, and horn silica preparation.

Each workshop is described with specific materials, sequencing, and outcomes: quantities mixed, tools used, burial methods, storage considerations, and distribution of finished preparations among participants. The article emphasizes learning through repeated practice, shared meals, and observation rather than formal instruction alone. Soil transformation on local farms is noted descriptively, including improved plant diversity and recovery from previously degraded conditions, without attributing causation to single interventions.

The issue concludes with “Fiscal Reality Revisited,” a transparent financial notice from JPI’s Board of Directors. The article details modest price increases for preparations, publications, and shipping, along with a reduction in associative contract discounts. The rationale is explicitly economic: maintaining preparation quality, institutional solvency, and long-term service capacity. The tone is explanatory rather than justificatory, reinforcing that biodynamic work operates within real economic constraints.

Across all articles, Issue 062 presents biodynamics as historically grounded, regionally adaptable, and institutionally accountable, requiring both inner understanding and outer structure.

Articles

• Reflections on Biodynamics and Its Significance for the Future by Dr. Manfred Klett (H. Francis)  
• Northern Idaho Grows Biodynamic Growers (M. Barbarie)  Fiscal Reality Revisited

Key Topics Covered

• Historical development of biodynamics in Europe
• Formation and function of the farm organism
• Biodynamics as the precursor to organic agriculture
• Integrated education research and production models
• Regulatory constraints affecting preparation making
• Regional grower education through hands-on workshops
• Preparation making sequencing and material handling
• Community-based learning structures
• Observed soil and plant recovery in degraded sites
• Economic transparency and institutional sustainability

Citation

Applied Biodynamics, Issue 062, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Fall 2008.