Applied Biodynamics — Issue 066 (Fall 2009)

Issue 066 is a field-intensive, practice-documented issue that combines a long-form professional interview, an international field report, practical household application, memorial scholarship, and applied troubleshooting. The issue consistently emphasizes procedure, repetition, observation, and comparative evaluation.

In “Growing the Biodynamic Wine Industry in California: An Interview with Philippe Armenier,” Hunter Francis presents a detailed interview with Philippe Armenier, a biodynamic consultant working with vineyards across California’s central coast and North Coast regions. Armenier’s background in Provence viticulture and enology provides the foundation for his consulting approach. The interview documents a conversion timeline beginning in 1989 in France and expanding to California after 2001, with more than thirty-five wineries converted to biodynamic management by the time of publication.

The interview specifies operational variables used in vineyard management: monthly on-site consulting, development of site-specific programs, selective use of purchased preparations during transition, and gradual incorporation of on-farm preparation making where feasible. Armenier reports early comparative observations under extreme heat conditions, noting differences in canopy posture, leaf vitality, and fruit tannin character between biodynamic and conventionally managed blocks within the same site. Blind tasting protocols are referenced to distinguish sensory outcomes without attributing causation beyond observed differences.

Detailed methodological positions are recorded, including Armenier’s rejection of flowforms for preparation stirring in favor of hand or mechanical vortex formation with directional reversal and chaos. The interview documents plant preparation teas made from fresh herbs (e.g., yarrow, nettle, chamomile, dandelion, valerian), specifying preparation methods (infusion, decoction, cold extraction), dilution ratios (commonly 1:9), application volumes (3–5 gallons per acre), timing (early morning), and canopy versus soil targets. The rationale for use is framed as responsive diagnosis based on seasonal conditions, calendar indications, and vineyard observation.

In “Biodynamic Farming and Preparation Making in Japan,” Ben Campbell provides a comprehensive field report from Hokkaido, documenting the establishment of a biodynamic farm and the parallel formation of a national biodynamic association. The report details constraints imposed by local regulations (limited access to cow horns), adaptive sourcing of animal materials, and strict adherence to lunar and zodiacal timing for preparation making. Quantitative land-use details, livestock acquisition, preparation types made, and educational outreach are recorded. The formation of an association, governance roles, and goals toward Demeter certification are documented as institutional outcomes of sustained practice.

“Faye’s Freeform Kale and Radish,” by Anne Morgan, offers a kitchen-scale application using biodynamic produce. The inclusion functions as a practical endpoint of agricultural work—taste, preparation, and household use—without advancing agricultural claims.

In “Harvey Lisle, Spiritual Scientist 1915–2009,” Christy Korrow presents a memorial profile emphasizing Lisle’s contributions as a soil chemist, beekeeper, and educator with formal training in chemical engineering and long collaboration with soil scientist William Albrecht. Lisle’s research interests—quartz grind for BD 501, vortex formation in stirring, beehive placement, and assessment of food vitality—are documented as long-term inquiries rather than concluded results. His role in bridging laboratory chemistry, field observation, and biodynamic practice is emphasized.

The issue concludes with “Anecdotes and Antidotes – Biodynamics at Work,” by Hugh Courtney, responding to practitioner questions with quantified recipes and decision logic. Examples include a specific barrel compost formulation with measured inputs, timing of valerian addition based on material state, and distinctions among preparation products for different cropping contexts. Each response emphasizes conditions, sequencing, and limits, avoiding generalized prescriptions.

Across the issue, biodynamics is presented as a professional practice evaluated through comparative observation, repeatable procedures, and transparent institutional development, supported by both field results and ongoing inquiry.

Articles 

• Growing the Biodynamic Wine Industry in California: An Interview  with Philippe Armenier (H. Francis)  
• Biodynamic Farming and Preparation Making in Japan (B.  Campbell) 
• Faye’s Freeform Kale and Radish (A. Morgan)  
• Harvey Lisle, Spiritual Scientist 1915–2009 (C. Korrow) 
• Anecdotes and Antidotes – Biodynamics at Work (H. Courtney)  

Key Topics Covered

• Professional biodynamic viticulture consulting models
• Comparative vineyard observation under heat stress
• Blind tasting as a comparative evaluation method
• Preparation stirring mechanics and vortex formation
• Herbal tea preparation methods and application parameters
• Adaptive biodynamic practice under regulatory constraints
• Formation of a national biodynamic association in Japan
• Quantified land use and preparation making sequences
• Household-scale use of biodynamic produce
• Scientific legacy bridging chemistry and biodynamics
• Method-based practitioner troubleshooting and recipes

Citation

Applied Biodynamics, Issue 066, Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics, Fall 2009.