Applied Biodynamics — Issue 041 (Summer 2003)

Applied Biodynamics Issue 041 (Summer 2003) celebrates Heinz Grotzke's decades of biodynamic compost and herb-growing experience, records a 23-plant animal herb blend, and presents Hugh J. Courtney's practical way to make celestial rhythms more visible in a biodynamic planting calendar.

Download Issue 041 PDF

Heinz Grotzke: successful compost, herbs, and farm integrity

Grotzke traces his path from postwar horticultural training in Germany to biodynamic herb production, Golden Acres Farm in Pennsylvania, and Meadowbrook Herb Gardens in Rhode Island. At Golden Acres he worked closely with Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, managed vegetables, fruit, seed, herbs, and compost, and recalls producing about 1,000 tons of compost a year.

One coffee-ground, chicken-manure, and crushed-granite pile reached about 150°F within three or four days. Grotzke restored moisture and aeration through watering and repeated turning, and Pfeiffer later analyzed the finished material and named it “Grotzke Compost.” Grotzke emphasized that strong compost making brings preparation, moisture, aeration, turning, and close observation together.

He taught that compost management must adapt to local feedstock, soil, rainfall, climate, and scale. He associated mature manure compost and the biodynamic preparations with high-quality herbs and higher essential-oil content, and he reports very good results at Golden Acres from the Pfeiffer compost starter and field spray. He likened a compost starter to yeast: it begins a living process that the grower then supports through careful compost management.

The interview also records Grotzke's commitment to biodynamic identity. When Golden Acres could no longer meet demand and outside produce was bought and sold as biodynamic, he objected and left in 1961. His example joins agricultural quality with truthful sourcing and labeling.

The 23-plant Bio-Dynamic Cow Tonic

Issue 041 records a blend of 23 dried plants, including nettle, raspberry leaf, blackberry leaf, heather, willow, hazelnut, calendula, yarrow, fennel, caraway, peppermint, angelica, and other culinary and aromatic herbs. The material was rubbed through a screen or crushed to roughly one-quarter-inch particles, blended thoroughly, and stored in darkness, where the issue says it remained fresh for about one year.

Grotzke recalls feeding the blend daily to the Golden Acres dairy cows. The published recipe preserves a detailed example of the farm's practice and of Pfeiffer's influence on biodynamic animal care at Golden Acres.

Highlighting celestial forces in the planting calendar

Courtney explains how he color-coded ascending and descending Moon periods and planetary oppositions, conjunctions, and trines on a Stella Natura calendar. The colors made the calendar's helpful planting periods and other celestial patterns immediately visible for day-to-day farm and garden work.

He encouraged growers to use all nine biodynamic preparations, giving BD 501 Horn Silica and BD 508 Horsetail their full place alongside the other preparations. He also encouraged recording the exact time of planting and building a careful farm- or garden-scale record from personal observations. This combines the calendar, the complete preparation program, attentive practice, and direct experience.

Key topics covered

• Grotzke's biodynamic training, herb production, compost management, climate adaptation, and work with Ehrenfried Pfeiffer.
• Golden Acres compost production, the approximately 150°F pile, repeated turning, and “Grotzke Compost.”
• The 23-plant Bio-Dynamic Cow Tonic recipe, preparation, dark storage, and Golden Acres dairy-cow use.
• Biodynamic identity, truthful sourcing, and Grotzke's commitment to honest labeling.
• Courtney's color-coded planting-calendar method, all nine preparations, exact planting times, and personal observation.

Repeatable practice from the issue

1. Adapt compost materials and management to local soil, rainfall, climate, moisture, aeration, and scale.
2. Support the preparations with attentive compost care, including timely watering and turning when the pile requires them.
3. Keep farm identity intact through truthful sourcing, production, and labeling.
4. Use the complete biodynamic preparation program with the planting calendar, record exact planting times, and build a record of farm or garden observations.

Explore related resources

• Pfeiffer Compost Starter and the Pfeiffer Compost Starter overview
• Pfeiffer Field & Garden Spray
• BD 500 Horn Manure and the BD 500 instructions
• BD 501 Horn Silica and the BD 501 instructions
• BD 508 Horsetail and the BD 508 overview
• BD 502–507 Compost Preparation Set
• Agriculture: Spiritual-Scientific Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture

Articles

• An Interview with Heinz Grotzke (N. Franceschelli)
• Recipe for Animal Herb Blend Mixture (also known as Bio-Dynamic Cow Tonic)
• Highlighting Celestial Forces in the Biodynamic Planting Calendar (H. J. Courtney)
• Stella Natura August 2003 Calendar Insert

Citation

Source: Applied Biodynamics, Issue No. 41, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Bio-Dynamics, Summer 2003.