What is Biodynamics?

New to Biodynamics?

Biodynamics focuses on quality first and quantity second. No amount of junk food makes anyone healthy, but healthy food can contribute to health.

What is health? Health is wholeness.

Biodynamics is about improving the quality of life for human beings, animals, plants, and whole ecosystems by treating the soil and farm as real living organisms.

To help heal our shared world, we must begin treating it like it's really alive. The biggest part of this? You. We can't do this alone.

Every square foot counts.

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    Whether you are gardening in containers, a backyard plot, or a hundred acres of crops, biodynamics can help improve the quality of your ecosystem.
Biodynamics for Beginners

Origins of Biodynamics

Biodynamics began in 1924 when Rudolf Steiner spoke to farmers about sick soils and weak crops. He said a farm is a living being that links earth, plants, animals, people, and the wider cosmos. By using rich compost, special herbal preparations, and timing work by sun and moon cycles, growers can wake soil life and grow strong food. This impulse continues today at the Josephine Porter Institute, which has grown into an international supplier of biodynamic preparations and a source of biodynamic research and education.

At its core, biodynamics invites us to become co-creators with nature. Every handful of compost, every stirred preparation, every mindful act of care helps heal a wounded earth. Whether on a farm or in a backyard garden, this work matters deeply.

Why farmers use our products

Compost full of good microbes builds dark, spongy humus that holds water and nutrients.

Many say carrots turn sweeter and wine gains fuller flavor.

Mixed crops, animals, and moon‑phase sprays help fields remain resilient in the face of drought, pests, or frost.

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Glossary

BD 500
Horn manure field spray applied to soil.

BD 501
Horn silica foliar spray applied as a fine mist.

BD 502–507
Six compost preparations: yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion, and valerian.

BD 508
Equisetum (horsetail) preparation used as a fresh or fermented tea for fungal and moisture-related conditions.

Barrel Compound
A compost and soil preparation made from cow manure, basalt, eggshells, and BD 502–507.

Cosmic rhythms
Sun, moon, and planetary cycles used by biodynamic growers to help time farm work.

Recommended Resources

Applied Biodynamics - the archive of JPI's newsletter and periodical with experiments, reflections, and more.

Biodynamics for Beginners (Portal Books, 2023), chap. 3: “Building Soil Life,” pp. 67–82.

Goetheanum Agriculture Section introductory materials and FAQs.

JPI's Substack series, posts from 2021–2024.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need cows?

No. You can buy small prep packets from JPI while learning.
Is biodynamic the same as organic?

Biodynamics shares organic farming’s emphasis on building soil and avoiding synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers, then adds nine biodynamic preparations, whole-farm planning, composting, biodiversity, and careful timing. Demeter certification has its own standards and is distinct from USDA Organic certification.
Will it work in my climate?

Yes. Biodynamic principles are used in many climates. Adjust application timing, water volume, compost moisture, and seasonal practices to local conditions while following the current instructions for each preparation.
Do I have to stir for 60 minutes?
When the current JPI instructions call for one hour, stir for the full hour. Other products may have different stirring times.

Follow the current instructions for the specific product. BD 500 and BD 501 instructions that specify one hour should be stirred for the full hour. Tree Paste spray is stirred for 20 minutes. Do not apply a generic 20-minute rule to every preparation.