#90 News Leaf_News Leaf - Biodynamic Agriculture Australia

News Leaf is the Official Journal ofBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltdand published quarterly for each season.Editor Leonie Milne ............................................................................................(02) 6655 0566PO Box 54, Bellingen NSW 2454 ................bdnewsleaf@biodynamics.net.auProof reading John HodgkinsonCopy deadlines for News Leaf • Winter ~ 30th April 2012Send copy/photographs to: bdnewsleaf@biodynamics.net.au in Windows format.News Leaf Advertising Rates – Increase effective Autumn 2011 issueSize of AdvertisementPrice per issue Annual Price for 4 issues(including GST)(including GST)Quarter Page 12cm(w) x 4cm(h) $66.00 $224.00 ($56.00/issue)Quarter Page 7.5cm(w) x 10.4cm(h) $66.00 $224.00 ($56.00/issue)Half Page 12cm(w) x 8.5cm(h) $132.00 $450.00 ($112.50/issue)Full Page 12cm(w) x 17cm(h) $264.00 $898.00 ($224.50/issue)Colour advertising space available at a 35% upload on black and white rates.If design and set-up is required, or your ad does not meet size requirements, work will be chargedat $38.50 per hour (including GST) and added to your advertising invoice.OFFICEBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd Ph. (02) 6655 0566PO Box 54 Fax (02) 6655 0565Bellingen NSW 2454bdoffice@biodynamics.net.auABN 42 588 901 426www.biodynamics.net.auAccount Enquiries Leonie Milne ...........................................................Ph. (02) 6655 0566bdaccounts@biodynamics.net.auPreparations Co-ordinator Alan Johnstone......................................Ph. (02) 6655 0566bdpreps@biodynamics.net.auPreparation Orders Please phone, fax or email to office. Orders are posted Mondayto Thursday each week. See Biodynamic Preparations and Product List on page 58.Typeset by Robin Ellis, Macman & Robin, Bellingen NSW Ph (02) 6655 2226 Email: robinellis@westnet.com.auPrinted by Pepperprint, Coffs Harbour NSW Ph (02) 6651 1566 Email: info@pepperprint.com.auNews Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

FeaturesDenise & Ian Bell8 May You Live in Interesting Times (Part 2)Ian BellRunning the Spirit level acrossburgeoning Biodynamics.16 The Importance of WinterHugh LovelSomething of especial importance toagriculture goes on in Winter. What if weuse this to improve what we grow?20 Energy Balancing ProcedureHugh LovelInsight into Hugh Courtenay’s work.24 ‘Felix’, 400 Million Year Old Rock Pile turnedinto Open GardenAn open garden created by Anne Jarrah &Christopher Smith, 50ks SE of Canberra.30 Gardeners’ SpecialFor BeginnersSequential Spraying for Soil and Atmosphere.43 Supporting Food Gardening in Citieswww.cityfoodgrowers.com.auBAA partners Cityfood Growers in support of smallscale organic growing.46 The Honey BeeSteve CarrollPart 1: The Honey Bee’s Relationship to Man and theCosmos, Part 2: The Nature of the Bee2

Regulars4 Welcome to Autumn5 Letter from the Chair6 Announcements32 Autumn Action34 Seasonal Notes36 Preparations Report39 Regional News40 dirtgirlworld51 Books / DVD ReviewBee related books and DVDavailable from BAA office.53 Membership Form58 Preparations & Products List3

Welcome to AutumnHere we are welcoming in 2012 with a big clean ‘rinse’ cycle, as a lot of the northernareas of our great land have experienced way above average rainfall.Whatever weather you are experiencing, 2012 offers us all the opportunity for wholesomegrowth and creativity with a quickening of the BD impulse, with which we allneed to engage. Above all, it is an opportunity to review and renew the spirit ofRudolf Steiner.It is always interesting when we find ourselves on the same wavelength as other biodynamicorganisations overseas. We are all striving to continue to be sustainable inthe current economic climate, to support each other, and to develop healthy wholesomefood production techniques. And we are all concerned about our bees!At a member’s request we have reprinted articles from older News Leafs on bee keeping.We also have a great review on a book/DVD Queen of the Bees and include otherbook suggestions if you are interested in bee keeping.In this issue you will find the second thoughtful instalment of ‘May You Live in InterestingTimes’, and what clarity of ideas it conveys! There’s also ‘The Importanceof Winter’, yet another of Hugh Lovel’s inspiring writings. Lastly, we commend toyou the two articles, one on food gardening in cities to encourage this huge potential,and the Felix Open Garden article, surely in this case an important educational tool.Please feel free to suggest subjects or topics you would like us to cover. We wouldalso love to read any feedback via letter or email.We would like to thank one of our past members, Peter Byron, who donated a greatcollection of biodynamic books to us, as well as the stirring machine and spray tankacknowledged in Alan’s Preparation Report. Luckily we have a volunteer who hasbeen helping us update our list of library books. We will have these books availablesoon to lend to our local members. We have volunteers who regularly help out withlawn and garden maintenance. We appreciate the help and support these volunteersbring and would not be able to accomplish as much without them.The drawing of the Raffle gave us the opportunity to play Santa Claus to some ofour lucky members and gained much appreciated financial support for our organisation.Thank you.We hope you all had a lovely relaxing yet productive Christmas/New Year break.The BAA Team.4 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Letter from the ChairDear Members,Reflecting on the 2011 year, what a cool summer we have beenhaving, easily the coolest that I can remember.Rainfall at our farm in central NSW, came in at just over the long term average of540 mm. We had a very dry winter followed by about 210 mm of rain falling in November/December;which created our second wet harvest in a row (although notas wet as the 2010 harvest) leading to downgrading of grain in southeast Australiaonce again. So far in January 2012 we have had a dry start with minimal rainfall(rain at this time of year can create problems of flystrike in sheep and lots of summergrowth to control). With harvest over, the work continues with pressure testingof silos and gassing of weevils using carbon dioxide. Other jobs include joiningrams with ewes, using livestock to graze fallows, getting organized for shearing,fencing, tractor work to prepare for winter cereal sowing in April/May and usingcattle and sheep to put BD out on the land.Lately BAA has been concentrating on the fundamentals, that is, getting the basicbusiness of BAA running smoothly. This has involved working on new labelling/packaging for BAA product; simplifying postage/handling charges; upgrading thewebsite so that product can be purchased online and moving BAA into the 21stcentury by getting BAA on Facebook and twitter. Have you perused these newsites? BAA is constantly looking for new methods to reach more people and to getbiodynamics into the wider community. To that end, we have, after preparing budgetedcostings for a conference which was to be held at Lake Hume Resort in AlburyNSW, decided to cancel this year’s National conference.National ConferenceWe are looking to all members and regional groups throughout the country to holdstate and or regional conferences which more specifically address your climaticconditions, industries, concerns and are more relevant and accessible to where youare. The timing and location during 2012 and 2013 will be guided by you the membersas determined by your region or state. Historically most National conferenceshave been attended by no more than 5% of members and this new process is aimedat accessibility, relevance and affordability to a lot more than just 5% of members.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #905

Possibly the historical low member attendance at centrally held national conferenceswas due to timing, travel and cost.The BAA Board believes we can better serve members (and potential members) byhaving regional meetings (hopefully in all States) to involve more participants. Weare asking for member and regional group participation – would you like a regionalworkshop in your area? If so please contact BAA office on 02 6655 0566.Lastly, it gave great pleasure to the BAA Board to bestow Life Membership uponJohn Hodgkinson recently. John has worked (and continues to work) tirelessly forBAA in the preparations area. Well done, John.Best wishes,Ray Unger, Chairman of the Board, December 2010AnnouncementsWebsite revampmaking a differenceHave you visited our new lookwebsite?http://biodynamics.net.au/We’ve added several new sectionssince the revamp including a dedicatedarea for the Resource Manual,Astro Calendar and the informationguides. If you haven’t seen theseguides take a look. They encapsulateall the key information in avery easy to read format and theyare only $12 each plus postage.We had a few hiccups with the freight component and send our humble apologiesto those who needed to call the office to sort things out. We have now had an additionalpiece of software added and things seem to be flowing smoothly.Keep your eye on the ‘Latest News’ section in the bottom left hand corner. We usethis to make ongoing announcements about interesting things. One that has at-6 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

tracted quite a bit of interest is a piece on handling the dreaded Bathurst Burr. Youcan read more at http://biodynamics.net.au/problems-with-bathurst-burrs/Developing more information on the website is one of our goals so please let usknow if you have, or know of, any interesting articles that we would be able to includeto help others. (Please ensure you have the permission of the owner beforesubmitting anything for publication).Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome. Send them through to marketing@biodynamics.net.auor call the office (02) 6655 0566Social Media Links GrowingSome people have asked why we are going onto facebook and twitter and what thecompany will gain by having a presence there. There are two key things we gain:1. a way to reach many people who have yet to hear about Biodynamics and howit can help them, and2. a new way to interact with our members and those with an interest in whatwe do.We are yet to promote our facebook presence outside the membership but it is stillslowly growing. 89 people had ‘liked’ the page at the date of this article being writtenand a further dozen or so visit there regularly without having pressed the ‘like’ button.Interactions to date include a question about how to handle Bathurst Burrs thatled to a helpful article appearing on the website and being conveyed to all facebookand twitter followers, a question about horn basalt and the latest comment, “We arecurrently producing twice the amount of berries as the industry standard under Biodynamics.It’s a no-brainer which system is best. We produce the best tasting blueberriesyou will ever try.” This type of dialogue might never happen any other way.We are currently following 87 people on twitter and 56 are following our tweets.Twitter is a fast moving machine and your messages must be no longer than 140characters. Though we may have only a small following at this point, again it isgrowing and when we say something people like they often retweet it to their followers,so what starts as a tweet to 56 people can end up skimming out to severalhundred within minutes. We often include things from facebook in our tweets andthis grows facebook and we also include items from our website on both, againbringing more people back to the website.We’d love you to join the conversation at www.facebook.com/BiodynamicAgAusand https://twitter.com/BiodynamicAgAusBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #907

May You Live In Interesting Times…Running the ‘Spirit Level’ Across Burgeoning Biodynamics (Part 2)By Ian Bell, Foxholes Farm, Dorset, EnglandFrom Star & Furrow Issue No 115 Summer 2011. See News Leaf #90 for Part 1.Our thanks to the author for his kind permission to reproduce it – Ed.First, to Homeodynamics:Much has been mooted about this ‘further development’ of the biodynamic impulseand there is obviously much enthusiasm for it, at least in some quarters.Twenty years of using biodynamic methods and even longer experience of usinghomeopathic remedies to support animal health, to prevent and to cure illness infarmed livestock, leave me well placed to point out some salient facts and openlyto question why such ‘developments’ should come upon Biodynamics. It cannot bethat Biodynamics presents us with failings, for that is not the case, provided correctunderstandings are reached as to strategy, techniques of application and readingof results.‘Biodynamics’ derives from, in Steiner’s own words, ‘the dynamics that affect thebiology we observe’. It is no lightweight term; rather it is a highly expressivedescription calling us to a macrocosmic view of our natural surroundings, ofourselves, of our earthly connections with the whole universe: it implores us to rejointhese dynamics, taking steps to re-awaken our sense of worlds lying beyond ourphysicality; we are offered a template for growing our food in the only sustainablemanner. Indeed, it defines sustainability.It shows that we have been attending a concert, listening to a few chords, whilstmissing the glories of the full symphony!Now I am sure that Mr. Nastati and all at Considera are well meaning in theirdevotion to homeodynamics and I wish them well. We do not need now though,some sort of schism to arise, with a potentially irrational debate on the subjective andthe dilettante. Getting to grips with biodynamics is challenge enough for beginners;to introduce new, wholly intellectual thinking, adding hundreds of differing remediesto obviate plant disease can only befuddle, confuse and, ultimately, confound theforward progress of biodynamics in an epoch where authentic methods offer the onlytangible hope of redeeming our agriculture. The stakes are high.Let us consider the concrete truths and definitions that separate homeopathicremedies from Biodynamic Preparations: Homeopathic remedies are prepared by8 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

means of a process known as ‘succussion’ wherebya substance is subjected to rhythmic, successivedilution in water and potentised at each dilutionby delivering shock to the vessel (usuallyfashioned from brass) in which it is held. Thisshock results from striking the vessel sharply,effectively dividing formative forces from the formof the element in question.Steiner has shown us howto take a natural substanceand imbue it with yet moreof its inherently personal,cosmic life forces.The resulting product may truly be called ‘spiritual medicine’ since, after the thirdcentesimal potency, none of the original substance is detectable by modern materialtechnologies. This ‘spiritual medicine’, if correctly and professionally prepared, hasvery potent healing qualities, leaving no material residue.Do homeopathic remedies carry potential misadventure for plant life? Reference tothe Agriculture Course may guide us. Of calcium, for instance, Steiner asserts,‘But if we want a rampant ethereal development, of whatsoever kind, to withdraw in aregular manner – so that its shrinking is beautiful and regular and does not give riseto shocks in the organic life – then we must use the calcium in the very structure inwhich we find it in the bark of the oak.’The salient words here are ‘withdraw’ and ‘shocks’; for the healing characteristicsof homeopathy are expressed through the shocks of repeated succussion. But shockis not healthy for physical entities living in the ethereal realm, namely, the plants.The plants, like everything sense-perceptible are ‘formed forces’, condensed spiritbeings. Goethe’s Science of Living Form illustrates the exquisitely delicate formativeprocesses through which spirit beings operate; applying shocks around theseprocesses can only result in expulsion of these healthy formative forces.Meanwhile, Steiner teaches that ‘all human disease processes exist in Nature’. Anyaberration of human health (illness) in the necessarily hereditary threefold constitutionof the human being, has its mirror in the healthy natural world. The human ‘I’ makesfor a complication but that is not relevant here. Homeopathy offers a harmless andeffective system of treating illness in the physical organism of animal or human. By‘extracting’ the disease processes from natural substances, we obtain a cure.With the biodynamic preparations, we are dealing with a very different form ofempowerment. Here, Steiner has shown us how to take a natural substance orelement, which already possesses, by virtue of its formative experience, many discretespiritual qualities and to imbue it with yet more of its inherently personal, cosmic lifeforces, in order that such a substance might become further quickened, vitalised.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #909

Let us take yarrow, when constructed as a biodynamic preparation for example.Having been spiritually propelled by its seasonal, macrocosmic experiences withinthe stag’s bladder, this plant substance gains qualitative forces of enlivenment; it‘dresses itself’ in the vitality of the Universe.Hereby, the shy yarrow endows a manure heap with brilliant physical, etheric andastral qualities, in turn to be passed on to Earth (and the plants and creatures drawnto this habitat). Indeed, the earth within a large and irregular radius of the area wherethe compost is applied will likewise benefit, such is the radiant, inter-active natureof this heavenly alchemy.To recap, a homeopathic remedy originates by extracting the spiritual from a physicalsubstance, a local process. Without the support of these homeopathic remedies and,separately, the biodynamic preparations, my wife and I could not have farmed livestockfor so many years without resorting to a single molecule of pharmaceutical medicine,(wishing to avoid adverse physical or spiritual consequences for our customers).A biodynamic preparation, on the other hand, is not an extraction. It is a formation,born of invitation: the physical substance is offered as a foundation, contained withinan appropriate vessel (itself an earthly mirror of cosmic processes) and within thehuman carcass of the Earth, quite literally inviting the widest of universal, cosmic forcesto interact, plying the material further with spirit, forming a biodynamic preparation.This is anything but a local process, it is a process involving the macrocosm –Steiner’s ‘wide heavenly spaces’, invoked at every stage by the human hand. This isa process involving the entire universe and its creators, it is a means of engagingwith formative forces, with spirit beings.In dynamizing (the vigorous stirring required to create a powerful vortex) abiodynamic preparation, we awaken these now earthbound cosmic forces, these‘seed forces’ – informing them, if you like, of our needs. We are beckoning, appealingto our creative masters to show us once again how to feel ‘embedded in the cosmos’.It places our need to grow healthy, revivifying food as a new foundation forunderstanding human purpose, uppermost. It relieves us of the terrors connectedwith an unquestioning belief in Darwinism and all its ruthless error.Dynamizing demands the energy of giving, with ‘self’, human ego, banished. It canlead to immense satisfaction, of the kind only to be achieved through genuineselflessness.Yes, all of the above is couched in a language with which materialists would haveno truck, especially frustrating when one considers the difficult task of trying toinspire our conventional farming colleagues, those who hold the powerful reins inour agriculture… but, wait a moment, do I not recall speaking to a group of farm10 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

contractors of differing ages a short time ago? Do I not recall how happy they wereto lend an ear? Do I not recall their telling me how they have a sort of instinctiverevulsion from sowing the artificial NPK and the herbicides, pesticides and othernoxious chemical compounds they load into their hoppers? I take great heed of this.As we sprinkle our BD preparations according to Steiner’s indications, we launchspiritualised substance on a raft of selfless human intent, in a form that is enjoyablyrecognisable to nature spirits – for them, a truly delightful event, whereupon somemeasure of faith in humanity is restored.Material measuring of the results of such a process is for another article, but keensenses will observe a certain environmental luminosity, the emergence of hithertomissing herbs and the new arrival of many species of insects, birds and mammalsas well as far longer flowering periods, more powerful fragrances and more robustforms of plants which had shown a stunted form, shrivelled over generations! Theywill observe brighter eyes in the livestock and their young.All this said, I have personally had much success with using weed peppers which,after trituration, are converted into a homeopathic remedy of very specific potency.This facilitates the easy spreading of the pepper across wide areas of land. In thecase of weed peppers, we interrupt formative processes, we are sending a sort ofmessage through the ether (because of the warmth process used in preparing thepepper) that seed-setting has already taken place. This is a gentle disruption of aliving process, involving shock. We achieve the desired end without the toxic legacyleft by conventional means of weed control.This is the only plant application for homeopathic remedies, for the reasons outlinedabove; Dr. Steiner assures us that plants, since they live in the realm of the ether, arenever properly diseased unless the soil itself is in some way deranged or sick and,in this case, the biodynamic preparations hold the solutions, mediating the buildingof humus.And they offer exactly what is needed in the presence of a polluted environment.Conclusion? Clearly, we are dealing with two differing strands of spiritual ethos.Each has a distinct role in the scheme of things, homeopathy and BD preparations.Now, to compost teas, useful biological stimulants (or otherwise) according toapplication. Let’s be certain that we distinguish between a ‘tea’ and a ‘decoction.’The former derives from steeping a plant material in water, to obtain what’s bestthought of as a substitute for companion planting, introducing some of the elementsof a given plant, comfrey say, to the cultivated environment. Teas have their uses –and they are entirely physical – if you want to ignore the joys of witnessingBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9011

‘companion arrival’ in your chosen crops, but in no way are they even close to thebiodynamic preparations, either by design or purpose.Steiner directed us to the urgent need to use the preparations over the greatestpossible area of the Earth. This is the thrust, the purpose, of biodynamic agriculture,at no time are we implored, to use compost teas over our farmed environment, asuseful as they may be according to local, physical need!Decoction is a term denoting a rather different method of extracting naturallyoccurring chemical elements from the substance of herbal material, in use forbrewing as early as the 14th century. Again a purely physical process which, as withEquisetum arvense, (97 per cent of which is comprised of silica) assumes a greatusefulness. This is the plant Steiner advised us to use, suitably decocted, to combatfungal disease in our crops (though, truth to tell, fungal disease is too often the resultof poor land and crop management, together with inappropriate animal husbandry).A correctly prepared decoction of Equisetum is without equal in its capacity to drive‘rising earth’ (for that is what constitutes a fungal growth) back to its proper realm.*Method? First, pick a large bunch of Equisetum (Horsetail or, as sometimes called,Mare’s Tail). Pick the whole plant, including roots, ideally on a ‘root day’. Next, allthe plant material should be mashed by crushing on a hard surface using somethingclub-like – a large mallet will do – until a pulped mash is achieved.Next, remove about 25 per cent of this material to a pan and boil in collected rainwater for 10 minutes. Then, in a large bucket, add this quantity of boiled water andmash to the rest of the crushed plant material, so that the entire material is togetheragain and stir vigorously for about a minute.Now repeat these steps twice more, each time removing about 25 per cent of themash for boiling, further stirring and adding to the bucket of stock material.Finally, after cooling, strain the liquid from the substance using a sieve, it is readyfor use. Steiner offers: ‘this decoction we dilute, and sprinkle it as liquid manureover the fields, wherever we need it, to combat rust, mildew or other fungoidproblems; very small quantities are needed, it will work far and wide. In the minutequantities, the radiant forces we need in theRudolf Steiner is at his mostinspiring when describinghow each of us may cometo germinate the innerfaculty of higher vision.organic world are really set free!’A small amount of the tincture mixed with a largeamount of water will make for a very effectiveliquid manure, no matter the acreage. TheKoberwitz estate, remember, (the setting for theAgriculture Course) covered 18,500 acres!12 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Next, to another body of evidence, with valuesattributed to a purely biological observation, the‘Soil Food Web’.Once again, let me stress emphatically, that myinterest here is entirely positive: We have beforeus the possibility of paving the way for the adventof a method of agriculture which offers a panaceaCorrect preparation of ourmanures will enhance theliving qualities of our soils,aiding humus formation byspiritual circumstance.for the ills of our world; we MUST come to understand the spiritual nature of ourfarmed land.Authentic biodynamic practice will most definitely increase crop yield, though theharvest must be observed from what, for some, may be an uncomfortable standpoint.If yields are not increased where they may be, then quite simply, the flaws lie withthe practitioner.Rudolf Steiner is at his most inspiring when describing how each of us may come togerminate the inner faculty of higher vision. Yet, at this stage of human evolution,just when we most need such abilities, our food, as grown over the last century orso, has let us down very badly. The Agriculture Course addresses this point head on,there is little time left for subjective sidetracking.So, over to Steiner, this time on the topic of bacteria and higher organisms found inmanure and in soil: ‘They (the materialists, with their conclusions drawn frommicroscopic investigation) ascribe to these minute creatures the virtue of preparingthe right conditions and relationships of substance in the manure. They reckon firstand foremost on all that the bacteria do for the manure. Brilliant, highly logicalexperiments have been made, inoculating the soil with bacteria. Truly brilliant! butas a rule they have not stood the test of time, for they have proved of little use.’Our generous philosopher gently urges us to perceive that the magical qualities ofsoil are what they are, precisely because, bathed in cosmic radiation, the soil isendowed with elements from ‘the far and wide spaces’. It becomes the intimatefoundation for all that appears within it. Healthy soils are dependent upon an interactionof forces which are not physical by nature, but which are mediated by spiritualentities of whom the greater part of humanity has grown disdainful. This disdainfor a ‘science of the spirit’ is our one, not insurmountable, hurdle on our way tobetter food for all.Correct preparation of our manures will enhance the living qualities of our soils, aidinghumus formation by spiritual circumstance. In turn, these soils bring about theformation of fungi, bacteria and the small creatures we may observe. If we were toBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9013

emove these bacteria and small creatures from say, one good, humus-rich soil to animpoverished environment, then, rather than seeing an improvement in the poorersoil, we shall merely witness the demise of the organisms so transplanted.Let’s face it, were it otherwise, we should be ascribing the very existence of ourplanet to the presence of these microbes and small creatures!Rudolf Steiner entreats us to do ‘inner work’ – not a rallying call to play about withdiffering methods of treating our plants and animals, to find ways of leap-frogginghis indications, nor even to explore within ourselves means of augmenting his life’sgreat work. Rather, he asks that we attempt, from within ourselves, to comprehendthe external forces that exert themselves upon each of us and on all things human;how these forces manipulate external events and conspire to distract us from truehuman purpose. It is a call for spiritual, not practical innovation. The stirring andsprinkling of the preparations comprise the practical!Steiner implores us to ask inwardly: What is it that would see us trapped, ensnaredand thoroughly caught up with a purely materialistic horizon, with a cold-blooded,heartless, ‘scientific’ repudiation of all that is not connected to mathematics andmechanics and which leads us to a harsh and hopeless view of our universe? Theseforces require absolutely that we should see our cosmos as a godless abstraction, anempty space that we see when we look up, (there’s a rare act!) rather than a place inwhich we dwell.This spiritual separation from our roots has steered us to a viewpoint where we seeour cosmos wholly intellectually, we are filled with an arrogance of intellect, whichhas led us even to grow our food in such a way that we become ever more spirituallydeafened with each succeeding generation.Our considerably unreliable and inherently mistaken sciences now urge us to believeabstract, cosmic observations made from a kind of ‘sick-bed’ of the intellect;pronouncements made by men suffering from what Steiner describes as the ‘illness’of atheism. I call it ‘Dawkins’ Disease’.As for those of us who might be drawn to Steiner’s more wholesome philosophy,we must recognise that, in this epoch, we are confronted by all that has come aboutthrough Mammon’s efforts, working into human ego. In this epoch, as Steiner tellsus so colourfully, ‘The evils hold sway’.I think we cannot help but know this to be true, so let’s not waste time and potentialby considering the biodynamic preparations to be mere ‘crutches’, for in truth theyare mighty wings, the wings of heralds who have never stopped calling to us; it issimply that we have become deaf.14 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Inspiration continues to pour from Mi-cha-el, ourSun, the archangel who steadfastly refuses to giveup on humanity. The potential for enlightenmentlies in our food, though we are most assuredlyNOT what we eat!Rudolf Steiner finally gave us simple means of rekindling,revitalising our dulled ether body – andthat of Mother Earth – so that we may become lively enough to absorb the nutritionthat comes from without, from this cosmos in which we dwell, this cosmos where thereis no emptiness. This cosmos, filled with spirit and with matter!We have the tools, so let’s drop the blogs for a while, step into the cosmos and getstirring the preparations, 501 in the morning, well before noon and 500 in theevening, before dark. And the oftener, the better. Take care though, only very tinyamounts of these two at each stirring, too much and you risk a rank influence.And never, ever, use compost that has not first received the benefit of Preparations502, 503, 504, 505, 506 and 507.Finally, biodynamic farming has no need of tons of rock dust. The bloated, overmineralisedsubstance of the vegetables grown under such influence will bring perilsonly to be seen in future generations.The authentic biodynamic method works: stick with it. It offers an irrefutable definitionof sustainability. It offers wonderful food. It offers to unveil an epoch in which theSun’s radiance will be felt for what it truly is, THE standard bearer in the face of evil.It reveals how our modern sciences cast a shadow over the realities of life.At a time when many farmers are declaring that today’s organic agriculture hasbecome ‘conventional farming, without the artificial nitrogen’, biodynamics offersa farming model that remains true to its responsibilities and is an indefatigablebulwark in the face of evils that stem from the use of synthetic chemicals and theunwanted GM technology increasingly foisted upon us by a science driven bycommerce, where we have failed to define who is servant and who is master!This fact alone shows us what is unerringly at work, whilst many come to waste timeand energy concocting theses on an unnecessary evolution of biodynamic practices.‘Heave to’ is the cry, let’s hold fast to what’s good, with a last word from RudolfSteiner, a great man whose time has surely come: ‘Even the smallest acts and theleast chores have a significance in the great household of the cosmos.’*‘Even the smallest acts andthe least chores have asignificance in the greathousehold of the cosmos.’Because Horsetail is a prohibited plant in Australia, we have only dried herb. The recipe forpreparing a ‘decoction’ is given on page 22 of the Resource Manual.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9015

The Importance of WinterBy Hugh Lovel, Director BAAMany of us have covered up a patch of sod in autumn, only tofind it ready to take off growing again in spring. However, if insummer we cover the same patch of sod it is dead and decaying in only a month orso. Why are things so different in winter? Many plants go dormant in winter, yetthey burst forth regenerated in spring. Something of especial importance to agriculturegoes on in winter that we tend to pay little attention to, and what if we use thisto improve what we grow?BrixA refractometer measures the diffraction of light as it passes through plant juice.The solids dissolved in this liquid increase the angle of diffraction, which is measuredas brix. Carbohydrates tend to predominate in sap, but it also contains enzymes,hormones, mineral chelates and amino acids. High brix usually means rich plantchemistry, not just high sugar – with one important exception. Under dry conditionsplants that take up nitrate and other salts can run short of water and be high brixbut low complexity. In this dry scenario, high brix means low sugar, low energy anda plant with little life force. This exception proves the rule that ordinarily high brixmeans efficient, high energy, high complexity crops that pests and diseases find toodense and robust to digest.Generally, low brix warns something needs to be done. If the right things are donebrix will improve – sometimes dramatically. However, since a refractometer doesnot say what to do, over reliance on it can lead to false hopes of fixing things oncethey are broken. Remedy may fall short, and even expensive inputs such as kelpand foliar chelates may fail to lift crops out of their doldrums.Commonly, vigour lags and crops run out of puff after the summer solstice whensap flow tapers back from its peak, and we need to understand that winter is whatsets the stage for high brix in late summer.Life ProcessesAs crop seeds sprout they give off nourishment for nitrogen fixing microbes whichin turn feed protozoa and other digestive organisms that provide a freshly digestedstream of amino acids around plant roots. As long as soluble nitrogen levels are low16 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

and soil energy and mineral supplies are high, microbes living around crop rootscan supply amino acid rich nutrient uptake. This assures photosynthetic efficiencywhich results in further abundant root exudation. The more energy given off as rootexudates the more abundant the nitrogen fixation and nutrient development canbe, and the lower the levels of nitrogen salts, the more easily crops develop complexamino acids, better photosynthesis and more energy for microbial activity in thesoil. Then the system increasingly builds vigour and complexity, which shows upas high brix. It is the old story of improving and enhancing a dynamic interplay betweenwhat goes on above ground and what goes on below.How Life Force WorksThe key characteristic of life energy is it accumulates – it flows from lower concentrationto higher concentration. Thus life begets more life – it is the only thing thatdoes. In Biodynamics this life force is called ether.There is both free flowing life energy, such as accumulates in clouds or crystals, andthere is bound life energy as in living organisms. Free flowing life energy – such asthe warmth, light, tone and life ethers – tends to accumulate in bound form wherecarbon based life forms are rich. Thus clouds, which coalesce moisture, rain moreover dense forests and rich grass lands than over bare landscapes.Since the Sun is by far the most organized body in the solar system, warmth andlight ether spiral in from beyond the earth, passing through the Saturn, Jupiter andMars vortexes and bringing with them the influences of Mars (blossoming), Jupiter(fruiting) and Saturn (ripening) as they soak into the earth on its dark side andescape to organize the atmosphere on the sunny side. Warmth and light work onthe substances of plants to drive sap vigour and photosynthesis. The intensity oftheir association and the extent to which they are incorporated into the plant is ameasure of the plant’s vitality and how well these forces work in tandem with itschemistry and its structure.The situation is somewhat different with the tone and life ethers which organize theplant’s chemistry and structure. Although the Sun is the focus of warmth and light,the Sun’s further densifications of the ether as tone and life – which carry with themthe influences of Mercury (digestion) and Venus (mineral activation) as well as theMoon (nitrogen fixation and growth) – are reflected onto the earth, particularly atFull Moon.In summer, especially in the higher latitudes, the warmth and light ethers flowforth strongly and soak in weakly. In winter this situation reverses as the sun spendsBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9017

more of the day below the horizon than it does above. Then the outward flow onwinter days is weak and the inward flow on winter nights is strong. This meansboth the warmth and light and the tone and life ethers build up in the soil foodwebduring winter, as the warmth and light are not carrying the tone and life back upwardsfrom the earth. Moreover, since they build up in winter they draw organizationmore strongly into Earth’s oceans, soils and biosphere.Lime, Silica and ClayFrom analytical chemistry, Rudolf Steiner realized lime and silica lie at oppositepoles in living organisms. Where lime has a close relationship with amino acids, proteinsand DNA, silica is mostly found in tough carbon structures such as cell walls,connective tissues and transport vessels. Steiner called this the lime/silica orearthly/cosmic polarity while pointing to clay as the mediator between their extremes.In spring and summer the buoyant cosmic light and warmth work upward fromwithin the earth via silica towards the sun, lifting lime, amino acids and mineralsinto growth, blossom and fruit. Since warmth and light flow from beyond the earthtoward the Sun via silica, as the summer reaches its longest day, the light forcesreach the peak of their upwelling, after which sap vigour may decline even thoughwarmth is still increasing. Thus late summer crops may suffer if the earth has notbuilt up sufficient reserves of warmth and light ether over the previous winter.In autumn and winter the denser earthly forces of tone (chemistry) and life – reflectedfrom the Sun via Mercury, Venus and the Moon – gain the upper hand as warmthand light recede and the summer’s vegetation is digested back into the earth. As theearth absorbs these fallen summer substances along with the tone and life ethersworking through them, it organizes stable clay/humus complexes while the earthlyforces of chemistry and structure, along with the substances they work upon, buildup and reach their maximum in mid-winter.In the flowering process where phosphorous, a component of clay, works with light,flowers have sugary nectar on the silica/female side, while on the lime/male sidethere is protein rich pollen. Seed is formed by the plant separating its lime and silicaforces and re-joining them into a new plant born out of a fresh union of the cosmicand earthly forces in its surroundings.A Mystery SolvedWe may have thought that in winter the earth goes to sleep, but winter is the seasonwhen the plants above the earth fall down to be digested while warmth and light18 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

ecede into the soil and the earth becomes inwardly sensitive and alive. There inwinter the forces of warmth and light are caught up by lime while the forces of toneand life are caught up by silica and both substances are enlivened by their complimentaryprocesses. Then in spring the earth dozes off to sleep and ‘dies’ again asplant growth outwardly expresses the activity that took place within the earth inwinter when it was sensitive and alive. In winter many perennials go dormantabove ground while their root growth comes to life. What warmth and light dowithin the earth is seen in the abundant upwelling of sugary sap in Canadian maplesin the spring. The amount of sugar maples produce speaks volumes about whatwarmth and light can do within the earth over winter.Thus in the sod that survives covering up over winter we see the forces of warmthand light – that in summer worked in the leaf – now join up with the roots’ tone andlife. On the other hand, since plants must have a connection between cosmic warmthand light and earthly tone and life, in summer when we break the connection withtone and life in the soil while warmth and light are at work in the atmosphere, theplant dies.Summer crops rising into the atmosphere are expressing the dreaming of the earthas it sleeps. It is no accident that ‘awake’ winter crops like wheat, barley and ryelive right at the soil surface all winter and spread out a network of fine, sensitiveroots brimming with life. Then, as the earth dies off again in spring, these cereals gothrough a tremendous spurt of growth above ground, making fat heads of grain.Balance and RemedyWhen the cosmic and earthly streams are out of balance crops can either be undernourishedand burn up from insufficient lime forces or they can be too lush to ripenwithout problems due to insufficient silica forces. What we really want is tostrengthen both streams in a balanced way. Understanding life forces and how theyarise can help us balance and enrich either or both streams as needed. By building abalance of life forces into the soil over winter, we can ensure that it streams backwarmth, light, tone and life strongly enough to last through the entire summer.Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Course introduced horn manure and horn silica as preparationsmade with cows’ horns as the focal device to build coherent forces into thesubstances used to fill them. According to accounts he used clay to close the openends of the horns. These remedies were meant to impart new vitality to the earth.To gain an appreciation of a cow horn’s resonant power, hold an empty horn up toyour ear and imagine the coherence produced by that resonance working on theBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9019

contents while buried in the soil for six months. The horn manure enriches andenhances the tone and life while the horn silica enriches and enhances the warmthand light streams discussed previously. As the life forces build in the soil, theydraw in a stronger and stronger stream of life forces from their surroundings.Winter is perfect to boost both polarities so that the following summer they streamback and sustain healthy crops.If boosted only with the biodynamic horn manure, tone and life can build upstrongly over winter, and without sufficient balance by the silica forces the digestiveand nutritive processes may overwhelm the fruiting and ripening processes inlate summer when warmth and light decline. This can spell trouble with low brixat the end of the summer crop cycle where insects and diseases digest crops beforeharvest. To correct for this, balance soil applications of horn manure by also applyinghorn silica to the soil in winter.* * * * *Energy Balancing ProcedureBy Hugh Lovel, Director BAAHugh gives us this insightful and more thorough take on HughCourtney’s work which we covered in the last News Leaf – SequentialSpraying of Biodynamic Preparations, P 44. – Ed.In the late 80s Hugh Courtney began experimenting with how to apply the BDpreps to large areas with minimal delay. He believed that in two days time all thepreps could be applied. He tested this out on his farm in Woolwine, Virginia, andlater introduced his method at workshops in various parts of the country.The first afternoon he stirred and applied 500. The next morning he stirred andapplied 501. That afternoon he followed up with barrel compost, and the nextmorning with 508. The idea was that the downworking activity of the 500 wouldbe balanced by the upworking activity of the 501, and the downworking activityof the barrel compost would likewise be balanced by the upworking activity ofthe 508. He called this an energy balancing procedure.Especially during the late 80s in the southeastern U.S. there were repeated summertimedroughts. Interestingly, wherever this sequence of spraying was employedit was followed within 48 hours by at least technical precipitation if not outright20 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

ain. Courtney explained this by saying that the preps had the power to attractwhatever was needed, and his experiments indicated that best success in terms ofmaking rain could be expected if the sequence was completed at the time of fullmoon when the watery forces were strongest.I explain it a little differently, having investigated Wilhelm Reich’s work with rainmaking.I do not think it in any way contradicts Courtney’s explanation.It was one of Reich’s observations that drought was always accompanied by stagnantatmospheric conditions. He found that during times of drought the ether would becomecongested with what he termed DOR (deadly orgone energy). Under highDOR conditions, regardless of the humidity, clouds had trouble forming and rainwould not fall. Much of Reich’s research in the early 50s was devoted to discoveringhow to clear out toxic atmospheric conditions and restore a healthy dynamism tothe ether, as this would result in regular cycles of rainfall.My experience with the energy balancing procedure was this. There had been fourweeks of stifling, hot weather in late June and early July of l990. The sky was brownand hazy, but despite humidity readings above 90%, we had no rain and not even anyhopeful cloud formation. This is typical of what Reich called DOR. I treated the farmwith the energy balancing procedure, and followed it up with morning and eveningradionic treatments of the same prep sequence, using the aerial photo of the farm andhomeopathic potencies of the preps. On the second afternoon we got a light sprinkle,but by the fourth evening from beginning the spray sequence the DOR had diminishedenough that we got cloud formation and a good shower. By the time the radionictreatments had gone a week we were having abundant rain. Again in September thestagnant atmospheric conditions returned and I again resorted to the energy balancingprocedure. We rapidly returned to healthy atmospheric conditions where the dew fellheavily at night and burned off quickly in the morning, and we had rain about everyfourth day on the average. From that September in l990 I continued treating the farmradionically with the sequence, 500, 501, barrel compost, 508 and back to 500 againuntil mid-August of 1991 when we had a small flood at our southeast biodynamicconference. I might add that an area of a hundred mile radius seemed to be affected.With one exception when Mercury was retrograde, in every case of dry weatherwhen I have used the energy balancing procedure rain has followed in a few days.Of course, I have only experimented on one farm, and that for only a few years. I realizedrought conditions may be much more entrenched in parts of the world whererain traditionally is scarce, and I would not suppose this procedure would result inas much rain in Arizona as in Georgia. But it is of interest nonetheless. In every caseBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9021

it cleared up atmospheric stagnation and restored a healthy atmosphere. By the secondday of spraying the haze in the atmosphere lessened and cloud formation wasmuch more distinct. By the day after the sequence was completed weather frontswhich previously had skirted the region were moving through it, resulting in rainfollowed by clear, clean skies. Whenever the haze returned I took this as a sign thatmore of the energy balancing procedure was needed.This seems an applied example of the dictum of fluid dynamics (sometimes calledthe butterfly effect by weather forecasters) that a microscopic change at a point caneffect large scale changes in the medium. I would like to see others experiment withthis procedure.Note: BAA preparations are not radionically treated – Ed.Homeopathic Milk and HoneyNot all biodynamic farms are flowing with milk and honey, but it could hardly be abad idea. Milk and honey are, according to spiritual science, foods with special nutritiveproperties. Milk is especially supportive of growth and development of theetheric (life) body, the astral body and the ego, whereas honey is especially supportiveof maturing and refining these.After an infant reaches the age of two mothers generally wean them and substitutemilk from cows or goats instead. Milk processing is a problem, however, as pasteurization(especially flash pasteurization) and homogenization denature milk and rob itof its beneficial forces. But, at least if fresh raw milk is available (as it is likely to be onbiodynamic farms) it is very nourishing for children throughout their growth years.As a person grows they also mature. Honey aids maturation. The maturing processdoes not stop with the cessation of physical growth, of course, and people may eathoney to good effect way up into old age. Honey is the most refined of plant juicesand has been predigested, concentrated and stored in hexagonal, crystal-like, honeycombcells. Unquestionably it is at its peak of flavour and nutrition in the comb, andif it is extracted it is best raw. Heating or other processing methods pretty much denaturehoney as they do milk. Honey strengthens the will and the ego body, especiallywhen the etheric and astral bodies have already gotten a good start from milk.Having a land flowing with milk and honey is a Biblical idea that implies a countrysiderich in nourishment for the whole human being, both physically and spiritually.Once the thought occurs, it is obvious that we can harness homeopathy to spray thefields with diluted and potentized milk and honey.22 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

I credit Hugh Courtney for presenting the idea. I do not know where he got it, butit seems a good idea even though so far I have sprayed my farm with milk andhoney only once as a follow up to the 500, 501, barrel compost and 508 sequence.Since it is my purpose in farming to provide food that is as nourishing as possiblefor the entire human being, I expect to continue to apply this method. Maybe in tenyears I can say something about its effects, but I can hardly hold back the idea fromothers who might wish to try it. Certainly this farm flows with milk and honey.It is my sense that growth occurs in the evening and at night, and that the milk potency,which I associate with growth, should be sprayed in the evening as with the500 and barrel compost. For an acre, something like a half a litre of milk can beadded to twelve litres of water, potentized for twenty minutes and sprayed in thelate afternoon. These quantities can be multiplied for larger acreages.As for the honey, I have the sense of things like fruits and grains maturing with theSun and during the daytime, so I think the honey might best be sprayed as with the501 and the 508. For an acre I would use something like 30 grams of honey to twelvelitres of warm water, again potentized for twenty minutes and sprayed in the earlymorning.* * * * *LET’S MEET AT YOUR PLACEBAA would love to organise a field day at your place. We’ll help by invitingthe locals and providing information on how to run the day.You don’t need to feel you have the best place in the world, you just need to bewilling to share your story with others. Everyone loves to see how others aredoing it and meeting other localpeople who are keen on Biodynamicscan be invaluable. Notonly will you help others butsomeone may turn up who cansolve that nagging problem youthought unsolvable.Interested?Talk to one of our staff –bdoffice@biodynamics.net.auor phone (02) 6655 0566Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9023

FELIX400 million year oldrock pile turned intosuccessful Open Garden‘Felix’ is an Australian Open Gardencreated by Anne Jarrah & ChristopherSmith over the last eleven years. Wemoved to the farm in December 2000after an initial search for ten acresturned into 200 acres of steep slopes.The previous owners had focussed oncattle and growing some raspberrieswith little focus on gardens. ‘Felix’ issituated 50km SE from Canberra at 850meters elevation with Julie Andrewsviews of the Tinderry ranges. A fewcow-chewed trees and shrubs existedaround the house. The soil was a drypowdery lithosol. Soil deficiencies were in most major elements: phosphorus,potassium, calcium, sulphur; and trace elements boron, copper and zinc.Christopher started with faith in the BD preps and Anne in the power of poultry totransform an area. Both helped enormously plus many loads of newspaper andstable manure for mulching. Add the magic ingredient of water from dams & boreand steadily the gardens grew. Tom our neighbour from the end of the valley whohad only visited us once when we arrived (to rescue the removal van – another story)came several years later and was amazed and kept saying, “It’s a blooming miracle.This used to be a rock pile.” Anne wanted to hire him for the Open Garden publicityto walk around repeating these words!The original trees are indistinguishable from ones we planted ten years later, suchwere the growth rates achieved. The principle of biodynamic preparations makingthe soil come alive is certainly true.24 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Challenges faced over the years include the drought of course, where any wateringwas inadequate. This was then followed by the grasshopper plague. The grasshoppersate everything including rhubarb leaves and green bark. Biodynamic peppers etcseemed to make no difference. It was only after the damage that the strength of thegarden showed itself with a full recovery of the plants.Entering into Open GardenAttending an Open Garden function at the local Michelago Homestead the ideagerminated and we put our names down for consideration. In due course a gardenselector came out and recommended us for entry into the scheme. In the meantimewe had ‘The List’ of work to be performed.The First OpeningWe made an enormous effort to get the place up to the standard we believed wasnecessary. All the stuck jobs that accumulate on a farm suddenly received attention,and mostly resolution. The effort nearly killed us! A solid foundation was createdfrom which to gradually improve over time.Opening twice in 2010 we received between 200-250 visitors each time which wasenormously heartening and much more than expected. Our farm is 42 km from theBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9025

nearest town and involves 12 km of variable condition dirt road. The people came,their behaviour exemplary, attitude respectful and grateful to be allowed to visit. In2011 the November visitor number was up to 350.Using the BD prepsWe initially hand stirred in a plastic drum with a PVC pipe, starting with hornmanure then cow pat pit and horn silica plus horn clays and then began compostmaking. We have never stuck to a regular application schedule. Over time there wasan upgrade to a flow form, then experiments with making preparations as ahomeopathic to reduce application time and effort.What we noticed is that the response times of plants vary. Roses, vegetables andherbs respond easily but fruit trees are much harder to run around. A persistentproblem with brown rot on some fruit trees has meant we had to focus on rectifyingsoil deficiencies through compost, applying minerals, and foliar fertilising. Theinformation in News Leaf #85 has been most helpful in developing a control programand adopting a more regular application of the preparations. Preparations are nowapplied monthly, plus weekly sprays of mineral water and seaweed liquid.26 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Ongoing activity and benefitsThe work load is continual like in any farm enterprise. There was a deliberate choicefrom the start to focus on the house paddock area with poultry and plants. Beforeeach Open Garden event there are two weeks of tidy up, garden bed refurbishmentand renovation. A continual theme is to reduce maintenance on gardens especiallyweeding and mulching.The challenge to be able to enjoy regular vegetable crops led to the development ofbath gardens. These are old bath tubs converted into raised garden beds. Tree rootcompetition is fierce with local Eucalypts so we trialled growing vegetables in bathsand it works well. The season’s garlic crop has been harvested and tomatoes andpotatoes are busily growing and the autumn vegetables are well established.The shelter and habitat provided by the garden has led to a large population ofbirdlife around the house. There are no cats present and the dogs are uninterestedin chasing birds, so they can live their life unmolested. Last season and currently itseems every bush has a bird’s nest and a busy life of its own.Jams and herb talksTrying to develop income streams on small farms is challenging especially whenyou are a long distance from a major population centre. The first challenge isgrowing; the second is marketing and selling (theoretically supposed to be the otherway around). What has worked for us took quite a while to evolve.Anne started preserving surplus berries and fruit from the garden, freezing themthen making jams. The memory of her grandmother’s preserves pantry was theinspiring idea. The jam bottles kept multiplying, small scale selling was exploredand then expanded. Fruit is picked when ready then stored in a large chest freezerto be used up over the course of the year. Every time Anne goes to town the salesbasket is packed for selling to customers.Medicinal Herb talks are the latest development coming from ten years ofexperiments and courses working with medicinal herbs. There is a large gap in theHerbalist, Naturopath, Homeopathic world with these plants commonly talkedabout but rarely experienced in person. Our research and inquiry has identified alot of worthy medicinal plants that are not grown commercially and hence there areno products made from them. These talks have been developed to provide theexperience of connecting interested people with these wonderful plants. The aim isto develop a collection of medicinal plants both common and unusual as a focus forBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9027

the talks and specialist seminars. The inaugural herb talk was held in November2011 with a group of eight people enjoying the herbs and afternoon tea featuring ofcourse the farm jams.People’s responsesWell this is the factor that keeps it all going. The looks on people’s faces after seeingthe garden and tasting the produce are always rewarding. There seems a great desireto connect back to plants and home-made authentic produce. Whilst very few peoplewant to emulate the garden they greatly appreciate the experience.Part of the reason for entering Open Garden was to showcase the potential forgardens in the local area. We had heard many stories of people saying it’s too hardand giving up, in response to drought, wombats, grasshoppers and poor soil.The uniqueness of the garden is the development under adverse conditions and thepassion for plants we both share, be it raspberries or medicinal herbs. The garden isnot fashionable, stylistic or designed professionally. Paths are made from left overpavers; plants spill over everywhere and are only pruned reluctantly. Sections havehad to be made over repeatedly as ideas evolved or plans failed; the approach isrethought and we try again. One of the most interesting areas had four redesignsbefore everything worked and grew.‘FELIX’ is next open 28 & 29 April 2012 with Open Garden Australia and in November2012 as part of the Burra Open Gardens event. Full details are in Australia’s Open Gardensmagazine.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd does not necessarily endorsethe product or service being offered within advertisements.28 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

GARDENERS SPECIALSequential Spraying For Soil and AtmosphereINSTRUCTIONS FOR BEGINNERSPreparationPour 12 litres of water into a20 litre bucket. If the water ischlorinated leave overnightor stir for 30 minutes tooutgas the chlorine. Waterideally should be warm, andmay be warmed with sunlight,wood or gas. However,electricity is far from idealand some believe it may bebetter left cold.HORN MANURE OR COMBINEDSOIL PREPARATION (CSP)Traditionalists maintain that Horn Manure 500should be the ‘standard’ soil spray. The trend inrecent times, however, is to achieve a broader impactby using CSP, which includes not only 500,but Manure Concentrate, Winter Horn Clay, theflower preparations and Fermented Equisetum.STIRRINGOn the evening of a spray sequence, add 35gm ofHorn Manure 500 or 100gm CSP to 12 litres ofwater. With arm or stirring stick, stir round andround to create a strong vortex. The water will becomeorganized into laminate layers so that the cooler, denser water moves to the middleand sinks while the warmer layers seek the edges and rise. The appearance is oneof a spinning funnel. At this point reverse the direction of stirring. The water will churnand froth in chaos until a new vortex is formed. The direction is reversed again, andagain, back and forth, for one hour.Each time a new vortex is established a new generation of organization is created.Organization is the basis of life, as living organisms are organized, and by creatinggeneration after generation of order, an evolution of order results. This charges upthe remedy with life force while imparting the intentions and vibrations of the stirrerto the water. Then what one thinks, one will grow.SPRAYINGThe spray should be sprinkled over the garden in the late afternoon in droplets ratherthan as a mist. Each drop radiates its influence up to an area of 1m 2 , so there is no needfor uniform coverage. A bucket and a wallpaper brush or hearth brush is sufficient forapplying this remedy.30 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

FUNCTIONThe 500 remedy boosts the digestive and nutritive activityof the soil’s micro-organisms as well as its more visible lifeforms such as ants and earthworms. This boosts the limepolarity where plants get their Ca, Mg, N, P and K. CSPalso, due to the presence of Horn Clay, improves the ebb& flow of sap between the roots and the fruits of plants.The Fermented Equisetum promotes fungal growth in thesoil, an essential accompaniment to bacteria in the soil foodweb. And the flower preparations spread the compost impulsethrough the garden.HORN SILICASTIRRINGEarly the next morning add 1gm of Horn Silica to 12 litresof water and stir as with the Horn Manure or CSP for anhour.SPRAYINGIn summer, but also throughout the year, especially at full moon and Moon oppositionSaturn this remedy radiates upward into the lower atmosphere much as fogburns off or dew lifts, so it should be sprayed as a fine mist up into the air.FUNCTIONThis remedy stimulates the photosynthesis, blossoming, fruiting and ripening activitiesthat occur in the atmosphere. This boosts the silica polarity where the planttunes in to sunlight and captures carbon.Biodynamics Course in New ZealandTaruna Essential Education in Hawkes Bay New Zealand offers a Certificate inApplied Organics and Biodynamics, a part-time study programme that is directlyapplicable to your land or vision. It gives you a comprehensive groundingin organics and biodynamics. There are two intakes for Winter 2012 starting 30March and 13 April. Taruna also has a scholarship of $1000 towards fees availablefor 2012. More details of the course can be found at www.taruna.ac.nz.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9031

Flooded Out? Drought Bound?Just wanting things to grow?Autumn ActionIt is natural and right for people to wake up in spring and get active with sprayingtheir biodynamic preparations as life emerges from the soil. However, Rudolf Steinerpoints out in his Agriculture Course that it is autumn and winter where the activitiesabove ground go to sleep and the life in the soil wakes up.Autumn is coming, and after the equinox the warmth and light start to recede intothe soil. Many know this is the time to lime, sow cover crops, and add biodynamiccompost. This is also the time of year to spray both 500 and 501 on the soil. (Moredetails in Hugh Lovel’s article – The Importance of Winter. P 16 – this News Leaf)Applying preparations creates deeper soil and root depth, increases water holdingcapacity, (at a time when rains are usually diminishing) and improves plant health,yield and, importantly, flavour.BAA makes it a simple, economical application with the Biodynamic Soil Activator,which contains all the preparations including the much neglected Horn Silica (501).FOR THOSE RECOVERING FROM FLOODSA soil spray of Biodynamic Soil Activator along with fermented equisetum (BD508)and 35% hydrogen peroxide and an extra dose of Horn Silica (BD501) would behelpful. Rhythmically Stir the 501 with the 508 and the hydrogen peroxide for 45minutes and add the soil activator for the last 15 minutes of stirring.Amounts to useHOME GARDEN: 1gm BD 501, 2 drops Fermented BD 508, 2 drops hydrogen peroxideand 30gm Biodynamic Soil Activator stirred in 13 litres water.FARM: 2gm BD 501, 4 drops Fermented BD 508, 4 drops hydrogen peroxide and75gm Biodynamic Soil Activator in 35 litres water/ha.FOR THOSE IN DROUGHTTry sequential spraying of Horn Manure (BD500) followed the next morning byHorn Silica (BD501) and the ensuing evening by Biodynamic Manure Concentrate32 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

followed the next morning by Fresh Equisetum Tea (BD508). Spray a do-able areaand keep it consistent. This is an excellent balancing procedure and has a goodhistory of ameliorating droughts, as the biodynamic preparations have a way ofdrawing to themselves whatever is needed. (Refer also to Hugh Lovel’s article –Gardener’s Special. P 30 – this News Leaf.)Compost and Liquid Manures – Autumn is also an excellent time to be makingcompost and liquid manures with an abundance of material available which can begathered easily – manures, as dung beetles become less active, and lots of cropresidues and mulch from Autumn slashing. Remember to add the biodynamic compostpreparations to the heaps and brewsto organize organic breakdown and makethe resultant compost and liquid manuresdynamic in their interaction with soilprocesses.BAA Preparations are all lovingly madein Bellingen under the supervision of AlanJohnstone, Master Preparation Maker, andeach batch is numbered and tested usingchromatography. We use biodynamicallygrown herbs and manure and organs frombiodynamically raised cattle whereverpossible.We have a system in place for people whohave a fixed order that they require frequentlyie monthly or quarterly.Orders are automatically generated anddispatched in time to apply at optimumtimes such as Moon opposition to Saturn.Please contact the office for details.(02) 6655 0566. Products can be orderedfrom the office or via our websitehttp://biodynamics.net.au/Biodynamic Agriculture AustraliaBiodynamicSoil ActivatorA potent living biodynamicpreparation for the garden thatbrings a healthy balance to thesoil and creates sensitivity tocosmic influences.USES• Prior to planting seedlings• Vegetable garden, flower beds,pot plants• Green manure crops• Foliar feed, seed bath• Tree and vine bark• Root dip• Compost making• Septic tanksOrder fromBiodynamic Agriculture Australia LtdPO Box 54, Bellingen NSW 2454Ph: 02 6655 0566 Fax: 02 6655 0565www.biodynamics.net.auBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9033

SEASONAL NOTESExtreme Weather predictions for AustraliaLooking at Brian Keats’ notes on weather in the 2012 Astro Calendar, we see that extremeweather events are predicted for almost every month. Rather than go throughthem month by month, I would suggest that those members who are interested inBrian’s weather predictions subscribe to his daily weather predictions service, availablefor $25/year on his website – www.astro-calendar.comBiodynamic PracticesContinue to put out soil and atmospheric sprays monthly if possible before Moonopposition to Saturn. Be sure to include 508 – Equisetum/Casuarina teas in atmosphericand soil sprays. This will build maximum resilience on your farm to bufferthe effects of extreme weather. If there is a prolonged wet period, try doing a sequentialspray in the air/fire signs.After extreme weather, Maria Thun suggests using fresh Equisetum tea – 10gmdried equisetum in 10 litres water and simmered for 20 minutes sprayed on theplants and the soil in the evening. The next morning she suggests a spray of stronglydiluted Stinging Nettle Ferment. Equisetum spray pushes the fungi back into thesoil, stinging nettle stimulates renewed and healthy growth.SPRAYING DATESUsing Moon opposition Saturn (2 days prior to)Moon opposition Saturn dates for spraying Biodynamic Preparationsout: increases soil activity. Also best time to plant seeds out: Moon =fertility and germination. Saturn = form and strong structure.• March 23-24• April, 19-20• May 16-17• June 12-13Moon Descending PeriodsAn alternative spraying time – when the Moon’s influences areworking below the earth in the soil• March 1 and 16-18• April 12-24• May 9-21• Jun 6-1834 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Peppering dates for WeedsMoon in Leo (Note when Mercury is in retrograde it interferes with some planetaryinfluences and appears to affect making of peppers.)• March 6-8 (Mercury retro 12-31st) 8th also full moon – extra good time• April 3-4 (Mercury retro 1-4) So no good for peppering• April 30, May 1-2 and 27-29• May 1-2 and 27-29• June 1-3 and 28-30Insect PeppersGround living types – eg cockchafers, Buffalo Fly.Burn when the Sun is in an Earth sign – Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo.Air Insects: Those that lay eggs on leaves and live mostly in the airBurn when Sun is in an Air sign – Aquarius, Gemini and Libra.Watery: Slugs, snails etc – although better to ferment overnight and spray outwhen the Sun is in a water sign – Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9035

PREPARATIONS REPORTBy Alan Johnstone, Preparations ManagerJust reading the preparations report for Autumn 2011, I notice thatwe are again receiving extreme weather over summer. We havehad intense prolonged rain on the mid-north coast after a cool and overcast start tosummer. La Nina effect? Elsewhere in Australia we have had heat wave conditionsand no rain at all.Our waterlogged gardens have become unbalanced and this is where our biodynamicpreparations will be helpful. Spraying with Horn Silica (501) combined withFresh Equisetum and Summer Horn Clay will help balance the watery element inreadiness for re-composting and replanting. When the soil dries out a bit we can followwith our soil sprays.On waterlogged paddocks and crops where soils are depleted of oxygen and the aerobicbiology of the soil is killed off, John Priestley suggests that we mix 35% Hydrogen Peroxideat the rate of 1 litre/100 litres water to which you may add molasses – up to 30l/ha. Spraying this mixture out at the usual 35 l/ha will take the oxygen and the aerobicbacteria deeper into the soil, whilst the molasses will feed the microbial soil life.Resilience of biodynamic farms in coping with weather extremes will once again becomeevident as the soil dries out. Keep up the use of the biodynamic preparations.For those farmers looking for rain it may pay to follow the sequential spray programI outlined in the Summer News Leaf – Horn Manure and Manure Concentrate (orCombined Soil Preparation) sprayed out in the evening in a water/leaf sign andHorn Silica and Fermented Equisetum sprayed out the next morning.The Importance of WinterTo quote from Hugh Lovel’s article on ‘The Importance of Winter’ –‘With the approach of winter, the earthly forces along with the substances they work upon,build up in the earth more and more richly, reaching their maximum in mid winter.As the life forces in the soil become stronger, they work like a magnet to draw in more andmore life forces – both earthly tone and life, and cosmic warmth and light – into the soil, aslife force flows from lower to higher concentration.This is the ideal time to boost the warmth and light forces in the soil so that come the followingsummer they stream back sufficiently that crops will be strong and sap flow vigorous.’36News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

To boost the warmth and life forces in the soil, late autumn and early winter areideal times to be applying the biodynamic soil and atmospheric preparations.Autumn Preparation Making and RetrievingWe will be burying horns at the BD Office on Tues March 27th, Wed March 28th andThurs March 29th, weather permitting. We will be burying the Yarrow (502),Chamomile (503), Nettle (504) and Dandelion (506) Compost Preparations at the officeon Wed March 28th with the help of local members and the Coffs Harbour andprobably the Armidale TAFE Organic Farming students. We will be digging up NettlePreparation 504 and Summer Horn Clay, Horn Basalt and Horn Silica (501).All members and interested friends are welcome to attend on Wed 28th from 9.30amat the office. Please contact the office if you are attending, for catering purposes, asmorning tea will be provided. Please bring you own lunch or vegetarian lunch to share.An added bonus is that all attendees will be supplied with some stirred BD Soil Activatorfor their home gardens. Please wear appropriate work clothes.Biodynamic Seaweed Concentrate – Biodynamic Fish Emulsion and Fish/SeaweedConcentrate are excellent ways to restore to the soil some of the micronutrientswashed out by heavy rains. These products are now stored in bulk at the office andare bottled up and sent off as the orders come in. Despite our price rises these arestill the cheapest and best quality sea products on the market!Biodynamic Tree Paste – Many trees at this time are struggling to maintain theirhealth, manifesting many diseases and being subject to insect attack. Trees may alsohave broken limbs due to strong winds or heavy fruit loads. Tree paste is also theperfect dressing for pruning wounds and many of our vitaculturalists apply it annuallyafter vine pruning. Biodynamic Tree Paste gives trees, vines and woodyshrubs the ability to heal themselves and nourishes them through their bark. It alsoallows the plant to be more open to cosmic rhythms. We have just made up a largebatch of Biodynamic Tree Paste for those members with trees, shrubs or vines inneed of special care. We sell it in 10 litre or 20 litre pails which we send by regularpost anywhere in Australia. A 20 litre pail when diluted with water is sufficient tocover up to 8 mature citrus trees or 200 grape vines. Our tree paste is made up ofbiodynamic cow manure; Manure Concentrate, bentonite, diatomaceous earth,ground silica, basalt dust, stirred horn manure, nettle tea and seaweed concentrate.This paste is perfect for healing after pruning cuts and injuries and nourishing thetree through its bark whist protecting it against insect pests.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #90 37

We now have two office Stirring MachinesWe at the office were overjoyed to receive the donation of a 10 acre stirring machineand spray tank, both manufactured by Rob White, as well as a great collection of bookson Biodynamics, from Peter Byron – a past member who is moving from near CoffsHarbour into semi-retirement at Lightning Ridge where he has an opal lease. We hadjust purchased a 5 acre stirring machine and we will be using both machines to servicethe stirring needs of local town and small property members as well as to stir thepreparations we use at the office.Biodynamic WorkshopsI am still working on the 2012 Biodynamic Workshop program which will be availableand posted on the BAA website by the end of February. Any group wishing tohost either a 1 or 2 day Biodynamic Workshop please contact me at the office. Wewill need a minimum of 20 participants to go ahead with any workshop.Examples of workshops we run are Introduction to Biodynamics, Biodynamics inthe Home Garden, Biodynamics in the Home Orchard, Biodynamics for Grazing andCropping, Biodynamics in Viticulture, Advanced Biodynamic Gardening, AdvancedBiodynamic Farming, Biodynamic Weed Management or you may be able to suggestsomething else.Preparation StocksWe have adequate stocks of all of our Products and Preparations for the 2012 tradingyear. We have also noticed that there is a fall in demand for preparations compared38 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

to the same time last year. To counter this we have developed new labelling for theSea-Magic products we on sell and new packaging for products suitable for the homegardener in order to sell them through Health Food Shops and on line to non-membersof BAA. We will then begin a marketing push with Cheryl Dooley’s help to getthe biodynamic message and preparations out to more people.HornsWe have 1000 used cow horns for sale. They still have at least 3 seasons of makinghorn manure left in them. They are priced at $5.50 each including GST. We will be sellingthem on a first in, first served basis. We are slowly replacing our horns with newcow horns and will have a quantity of used cow horns for sale at this time each year.I wish you all a fruitful Autumn Season and please feel free to call us at the officewith any queries about preparations. If you are passing through Bellingen duringbusiness hours, please call in and meet us at 25 Nobles Lane, East Bellingen.REGIONAL NEWSCentral West Biodynamics GroupOn 5th February 2012 the Central West Biodynamic Group was formed. It is affiliatedwith Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. This group was formed by individualswho wanted to share and further their knowledge and understanding of Biodynamicsin relation to the specific conditions of Central West New South Wales.Members of the Central West Group wish to share their knowledge, visit differentfarms to see Biodynamics and Organics in practice, organise guest speakers andmake their own biodynamic preparations.Our next meeting is at Colin’s on Sunday 1st April. He has run a biodynamic diaryand grown various vegetables in Northern NSW. He now share farms at Oberon.Colin will talk about what he is doing now, including green manuring, the use oforganic liquid manures and biodynamic preparations. For details contact HarryWhalan on 6337 1185.Other events that we have organised are:• The making of compost preparations and horn burial 5th & 6th May• Horn Retrieval 6th & 7th OctoberWe will update you about future events. Please come along and join this group.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9039

There’s plenty happening with dirtgirlthis edition, and a lovely new colour-inpicture.Club Websiteclubdirtgirlworld.com is all systems goand is now ready for kids to hop onlineand enjoy! On the site, kids can createtheir own avatars and tell their wishesfor the planet. With their parents’ permission,they can ‘publish’ their avatar in dirtgirl’s forest, so that kids all around theworld can feel a part of this social network for planet loving pre-schoolers. There arecampaigns that kids can take part in the first being ‘little things’ which outlines theitty bitty things we can all do each day to save water, energy, resources and help toprotect the planet. There’s a campaign pack to download, with instructions and activitiesand badges too so that when all the activities are complete, club members canbe rewarded for taking part.There’s also the dirtgirlworld‘scrapblog’which is a place forparents, carers andteachers to share theirideas about projectsand activities thatthey are doing withtheir kids. http://dirtgirlworldscrapblog.com/FacebookMums and Dads might like to know, that the dirtgirlworld facebook page (www.facebook.com/dirtgirlworldtv)now has more than 3,100 fans! And dirtgirl herself hasbeen posting to the page, with information about current events, competitions andgiveaways, finding out what people are doing in their own gardens and sharing theirideas with the dirtgirlworld community.40News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Great GearRecently, dirtgirl announced the launch of her brandnew song ‘Dance All Day’ which is available to downloadfrom the online store (www.dirtgirlworldshop.com.au $1.99) and from iTunes too, where both CDsand an album of music videos are also available todownload.There’s a special offer at the moment, buy the CD ‘digit’ ($19.95) and get a copy of the first CD ‘Get Grubby’for half price! ($9.95). We are now stocking the three dirtgirlworldbooks from Penguin ($16.95 each) and thelovely party stationery from Earth Greetings (cards from$4.50 ea) Also check out the next volume of dirtgirlworldon DVD ‘dig the earth!’ with 6 great eco-episodes onboard, focusing on a range of topics from the 3 R’s toEarth Day celebrations.Go to http://www.dirtgirlworldshop.com.au/newdrawstring-bags-just-arrived.html#10to see the lovely Organic Cotton drawstringbags ($19.95) which are made in India from Fairtrade Certified Organic Cotton (so soft)and there are two designs, one with dirtgirl and one with scrapboy. The drawstringspull closed to keep all your gear safe, they can be worn like a back-pack and they areperfect ‘back to school’ items for those who still need a safe and uber-cool place tokeep their sports gear, library books, lunch, pyjamas or whatever! You’ll see how thebags are made and who makes them.Would you like to win a dirtgirlworld drawstring bag?Send your name, address, phone number, age and where the drawstring bags comefrom to marketing@biodynamics.net.au or PO Box 54, Bellingen, NSW, 2454 by 5pmApril 23, 2012. All entries will go into a barrel and the prizes will be drawn at 10amFriday April 27, 2012 at our office in Bellingen, NSW. Prize winners will be notifiedwithin 48 hours of the draw.(This competition is not open to staff and directors of BAA Ltd, or staff associated withthe dirtgirlworld program). We have one of each to give away thanks to the team atdirtgirlworld!Congratulations to last issue’s competition winners:Laura Snell; aged 6, Stephanie Dun; aged 4 and Marley Gardner; aged 4.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #90 41

42 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Peter with an autumn harvestSupporting Food Gardening in Citieswww.cityfoodgrowers.com.auGrowing food around cities was a normal part of life for city dwellers 30-40 yearsago. Australia had self sufficiency in food back then, but it now imports approximately50 % of its fruit and vegetables. The bulk of ‘fresh’ food sold in supermarketsis the product of chemical farming and could have been harvested many months,and sometimes over twelve months, before the consumer buys it. No wonder peoplein cities are complaining about food now having no taste.Fortunately, city dwellers are beginning to wake up to the problems of their foodsystem. The demand for organically grown and local food is skyrocketing. At thesame time, more and more city people are growing their own food. This urban agriculturetrend is booming in many parts of the world.Peter Kearney, a member of the BAA for 10 years, has lived in cities for most of his54 years and for much of that time has run a food garden with organic methods.Over the last 10 years he has studied and worked with biodynamic growing methodsBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9043

after being introduced to Steiner’s works through the education of his 4 children atthe Samford Valley Steiner School.Peter has turned his passion for growing food in cities into a successful businesscalled Cityfood Growers, which is primarily about educating people to grow theirown food. Peter has managed to incorporate organic and biodynamic growing methodsinto his business which includes: biodynamic gardening workshops, food gardenplanning for hobby farmers and city gardeners, developing organic growingtraining material for educational organisations, consulting on urban agriculture anda subscription based web site at www.cityfoodgrowers.com.auAs Peter says, “Our business has a community of thousands of Australians whogrow food at home. From pots on high-rise balconies, to city mini-gardens, to largesuburban plots and hobby farms, our subscribers are making grow-your-own amust-have life skill for the 21st century. City folk are taking up spades, trowels andhoes for the sake of their good health, the environment, great-tasting food, householdbudgets, and the sustainability and resilience of our urban communities”.The Cityfood Growers web-based Gardener subscription service provides a comprehensive,up-to-date information resource offering everything required to succeed asa home organic gardener. At the click of a mouse, the plant content on over 300species of vegetables, fruits, herbs and Australian native food plants is tailored towhere you live, by mapping the data to your nearest local weather station. The website has local climate information for New Zealand and the USA.One of the unique features of the subscriber site which directly relates to biodynamicgardening is its planting calendar. When a subscriber chooses a day, it will tell themwhat plants to work with based on the plant climate profile, their local climate atthe time of searching and the Astro Calendar BD grouping for that day of leaf, root,flower or fruit.BAA is proud to be partnering with Cityfood Growers in supporting small scale organicgrowing. This partnering arrangement provides BAA gardener and farmermembers with a 20% discount on the Cityfood Growers yearly Gardener Subscriptionof $49. To access this discount, visit www.cityfoodgrowers.com.au, go tothe subscription page, register and then enter the bonus code baa111g at the paymentpage. The subscription will be recalculated with the discount and after payment bycredit card, you get site access in seconds. You can also do a 7 day free trial if youwant a test drive before paying for the 12 months access.Peter is also running several biodynamic garden courses. Dates are 17th & 24th Marchand 12th & 19th May, all being held at Samford in Brisbane. Details are on the website.44 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Harvesting potatoes‘Having developed an understanding of biodynamics over many years of practice and studyand contemplated how it compares to organics, I can see that with the growing interest ofcity dwellers in organic gardening, there is a great opportunity with this BAA partnershipto work biodynamic gardening practices into this blossoming urban agriculture movement’.Peter KearneyContact Peter Kearney at www.cityfoodgrowers.com.au or on 0401 156 532.GROWING PARTNERSHIPSBAA would love to build more mutually beneficial partnerships like this one.We’re thrilled with the relationship we are developing with Peter and CityfoodGrowers and we are offering their members a 20% discount on our Garden Membership.We’ll be promoting each other through our various social media andwebsites and we see this as very beneficial for both organisations and thus theirmembers.Do you think you might have something similar to offer? We would love to beable to promote BAA to your networks and be able to promote you to ours. Ourrevamped website is growing in popularity with increased traffic thanks to thegrowing popularity of facebook and twitter.If you are interested contact Cheryl Dooley marketing@biodynamics.net.au orphone (02) 6655 0566Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9045

The Honey BeeAnd Its Relationship to Man and the Cosmos (Part 1)By Steve CarrollThe following series of articles were requested by one of our members. The articlesoriginally appeared in News Leaf #24, 25,26 & 27 in 1995-1996. – Ed.In the following articles I hope to prompt people to consider the relationship betweenthe honey bee and ourselves in a new light. I use the term honey bee to mean Apismellifera, the honey bee that is familiar to us all. I shall mention other bees from timeto time and their relationship to us and the honey bee, but generally I mean thestandard honey bee in all my references.Before reading any further, spend a few moments considering the honey bee inyour life… What did you think about? Eating honey? Being stung? A cartoon beefrom childhood? Your own hive? (that’s for the lucky readers!)All of us have some connection with the bee; all of us have one aspect that is quiteintimate whether it be a wish, a desire or a fear concerning bees: not one personreading this is incapable of thinking about bees. All cultures, across the whole world,have a knowledge of bees, their structure and function and of their use to man. Butas Steiner indicated, our culture isbeginning to lose contact with thisknowledge and is beginning to harmthe bee with our husbandry practices.More of that later. First somefacts and basic revision.Bees are social creatures. They live ina colony (we call it a hive: they call ithome) that may contain 60,000 bees.The majority of the hive consists ofworker bees. These are unfertilizedfemale bees and they do all the worknormally associated with being a bee(looking after the young, collectingfood, collecting water, cleaning the hive, etc.) Drones are male bees and there are notso many of them in the hive. The drone’s job was originally thought to be only as a46 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

fertilizer of the queen but now we also know they maintain hive air flow and keepmorale high. They are removed from the hive in autumn or at times of dearth. Thequeen is the only fertilised female in the hive. There is only one queen: she looks quitedifferent from the other bees and her job is to control the population of the hive. Thisis done through her pheromone production and egg laying. The hive naturally replacesthe queen if she dies, or is unable to do her job. If the hive is too large and needs moreroom (a swarm), she is replaced.It is a widely held opinion that the role of the hive is to survive and multiply. Bypromoting this, man is able to benefit from honey production, pollen collection,wax, propolis and crop pollination: and by manipulation of the hive and the beesthis production will increase. This is the modern, mechanistic view of the honeybee, and it is this view that is the bees and our undoing. Let’s consider the cumulativeconsequences of championing this view.There is a lot of discussion in beekeeping circles about stress to the hive and the resultingdisease processes. It is considered as an inevitable part of the bees’ existence.These ‘stress’ diseases may have catastrophic results for the hive, leading to a completedie-out of the colony. Bacterial disease is now so prevalent in conventionalbeekeeping that prophylactic feeding with oxytetracycline (a common antibiotic) isrecommended for all hives in one state of Australia. Honey is a bacteriostat (bacteriacannot grow in it), but in areas of high antibiotic use bacteria is now beginning togrow in the honey and high residues of antibiotic are being found in the honeyitself. One such bacterial disease is so serious that the states’ agricultural officers areempowered to destroy hives infected with this bacteria.Mites and other parasites are common in the rest of the world and fortunately havenot yet reached Australia; but we are certain that they will because they are alreadyon the islands surrounding Australia. A brood (bee eggs) fungus disease has recentlybeen introduced to this country and is now endemic. (The disease was brought inthrough Queensland in 1994 by a beekeeper smuggling an infected bee throughCustoms. The fungus then spread rapidly through the eastern states).The list appears to be endless. To cope with these illnesses, drug companies are producingmore and diverse uses for their products; more drugs are being trialled: thecause is not being considered, only monetary cures, and we know these are neverreally successful either for the bees welfare, or ours.That was the horror story, remember it when you next see a bee flying past… whata home life! Think about this next time you eat honey… what’s in it?Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9047

We do, however, have indications of how to assist the bee in this struggle with thesimple matter of staying alive. But the bee does so much more in its contact withman, the plants and the world surrounding us.Rudolf Steiner gave nine lectures on beekeeping in 1923. Much of what has comeabout in the 1990s Steiner indicated as a possibility, he predicted bacterial infectionsand problems associated with queen bee breeding programs. Steiner also consideredthe ‘cure’ for these problems. It is these ‘cures’ that the next few articles will considerand what we can all do. This work with bees is new and by necessity may be experimental.I will welcome all comments about my writing and will be pleased todiscuss it fully.‘Drumossie’, Peelwood NSW 2583* * * * *Note: Steve has told me the articles are relevant as much today as they were whenthey were written in 1995. Steve still welcomes any comments or questions. Theabove address is current or you can contact Steve by sending an email to the Biodynamicoffice.– EdThe Nature of the Bee (Part 2)In this article I hope to provide stimulus for thought and begin the process of examiningthe way we may approach beekeeping in the 1990’s in a more productive andbiodynamic way. I thank all those who have written to me so far with their thoughtsand suggestions, and I hope I may be able to incorporate answers to your questionswithin the text; and I shall reply to each one of your letters in the new future.‘By way of the bee-hive the whole Cosmos enters man and makes him strong and able.’– Rudolf Steiner 1923When we attempt to study, or to look into the nature of an animal or insect it is notsufficient to observe with only a detached viewpoint. Much will be missed if wedon’t move further into the inner nature of that which is the observed. Some findthis easy to do, some to rely on others recounting of their insights, either way is productive.Whichever is your chosen way, remember that to draw near to an animal isto join with that group soul of the animal. Take time to experience this. I hope thisarticle does not appear too ‘airy-fairy’ or too difficult for people to relate to everydaylife. It may need a couple of ‘goings-over’ to make sense!48 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

What are some of the attributes wenotice about a bee? The ability to fly.In fact the bee spends all of its life suspendedabove the ground, in flight,upon flight, upon a plant or in thehive (which is always built aboveground). The bee only comes in contactwith the ground to collect waterfrom a river bed (the bee by natureprefers to collect water as dew or rain from leaves or plants rather than makecontact with the earth), or when exhausted or over-laden with pollen (here theyquickly jettison their overload ready once more for flight and to escape the domainof predators). Another attribute is the time when bees fly only in daylight, at acertain temperature and in dry weather, never flying in the dark, cold or wet.Just think of that last paragraph in another way. The bee is the antithesis of thatcreature which lives in the earth, the earthworm. Both the bee and the earthwormmediate the forces within their realms for the use of the creatures that cannot availthemselves of them, but for each of these creatures to move into the realm of theother means death. The bee cannot survive in damp, dark and cool places, this iswhen disease will occur. Likewise, the worm will dehydrate and burn in the daylightand warmth and fall prey to predators.The bee as a warm, dry, day creature is connected to Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Sun.As the bee moves flower to flower, the fire spirits move with the insect (which maybe seen as an aura given to the bee by the presence of the fire spirit wishing tomerge fully with the insect ego). Part of the work of these fire spirits is to concentratewarmth (fire) into the earth, and with this the bees help as the bees unite with thespirits. They also mediate the astrality of the plant and Steiner informs us that acertain ‘stunting of vegetation’ would occur if the bee was not available to do itswork. Consider the humming of the bees working flowers on a warm summer daycollecting nectar and pollen, and the interplay of heat and light also working withthe plants. The bees and the Cosmos are working as one, the plants thriving andgrowing. Also consider the time when the weather changes, becoming cold anddark, the light and heat leaving the earth, the bees return to the hive for warmth,the plants stop their growth.Up until now I have been speaking of the bee as a single entity: as if the bee wasworking entirely alone. This is, of course, not true. The bee is bound to the hiveBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9049

Photographs in this article:‘European honey bee (Apis mellifera) foraging onlilac flowers’, ‘Bee with goldenrod’ and ‘Bee withborage’ – printed with kind permission fromwww.beetography.com.All rights reserved by Zachary Huang.with what Steiner calls a ‘bee personality’.He went on to say, “Theconsciousness of the bee hive, not that of the single bee, is immensely highly developed.”This means that each bee is aware of the connection it has with its fellowsand works, moves and exists as one. The hive functions and must be consideredone entity. Steiner used the analogy that a bee is like the limb of the hive. Just as wehave limbs that form part of our whole, so the bee is an extension of the community– a limb of the hive ‘body’.I propose to look into the hive in the next article but we must consider one part of itnow and that is the comb. I said earlier that the bee is brought forward by thedistant planets – Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The hive’s brood and food is storedin the comb which may change somewhat in size but never changes in shape; it ishexagonal. The hexagonal shape is very efficient in space saving but it goes furtherthan that. The hexagon has certain forces that it is able to pass on to what is storedin it, be it a bee, honey, pollen or water. What does this force mean to the bee andhumans? The hexagon is found in the earth as quartz (silica) and is important to theformation of all life. The bee is able to collect these forces from nature and passthem on to assist or reinforce the silica within us necessary for proper functioning,via honey or pollen. The planets responsible for the quartz formation are thoseplanets that brought forward the bee – Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn – therefore thebee is doubly assisted in its work from the Cosmos.The bee therefore is above the earth, collecting warmth (pollen) and light andthrough its own energy transforming nectar into honey, a form of silica force for thehuman. The bee together with elemental beings assists plants to grow and thrive.The hive works as one, even though 60,000 bees may live together in harmony focusedon the maintenance of the colony. The forces that brought the bee to life alsomediate the necessary forces in man and allow us to utilize the hive products.The next article will consider the bee-hive, its life history and beginning beekeeping.50 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

BOOK REVIEWWISDOM OF THE BEESPrinciples for Biodynamic BeekeepingBy Erik Beerrevoets Available from BAA office – $25‘The more you investigate these creatures and the manner in which theylive, the more you will come to the conclusion that there is a great intelligencein how they work and what they accomplish.’ – Rudolf SteinerWhile the benefits of Steiner’s research into agriculture and education are increasinglyrecognized, his research into the nature of bees has had limited impact onbeekeeping practices and on our general understanding of nature, Wisdom of theBees examines Steiner’s insights and research into the nature of bees and their implicationsfor the future of beekeeping.Today, more than eighty years after Rudolf Steiner presented his lecture on bees,we are confronted with a situation he predicted – a serious decline of honeybeesaround the world. This fact alone justifies Wisdom of the Bees, a practical and timelyintroduction to biodynamic bee keeping. Eric Berrevoets, an experienced beekeeper,revisits those seminal lectures and reexamines Steiner’s observations andinsights in the context of today’s dire situation, while providing practical advicefor modern beekeeping practices.Wisdom of the Bees is an accessible and essential introduction to the urgent subjectof holistic beekeeping practices.BOOK / DVD REVIEWQUEEN OF THE SUNWhat are the Bees telling us?An anthology compiled by Taggart Siegel and Jon BetzClairview Books 2011 Review: by John HodgkinsonAvailable from BAA office – Book $36, DVD $30Queen of the Sun comes in two forms: a book and its accompanying DVD. They arequite different. Whereas the DVD seems ideal for introducing people generally tothe subject of saving the honey bee through adoption of sustainable agriculture, thebook delivers a much more hard hitting critique of industrial agriculture and itsdeadly impact on bees and all the other pollinators.I found the DVD somewhat like a TV science show, a mosaic rather than a narrative.It presses gently on our panic button. It attempts to persuade us that the onlyway to save the world from industrial agriculture is to go organic, or better still,biodynamic. There is some breathtaking nature footage, and the biodynamic seg-Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9051

ments are very convincing. There is plenty of expert opinion, especially on systemicpesticides, neonicotinoids and the implications of genetically engineered crops onColony Collapse Disorder; and on hive design.Based on the same material and personnel, the book goes much further. It is a mustread for anyone involved with bees and/or interested in addressing the crisis ofColony Collapse Disorder. This compendium of articles is an excellent companionto Michael Pollan’s challenging books on the sins of monoculture and government’slack of serious oversight and regulation of corporations.From the account of how bees make honey (The Miracles of Honey), through philosophicalaspects such as how bees ensoul landscape, how drones are the holiest ofbees, to Vandana Shiva’s clarion call for biodiversity, Queen of the Sun, the book,clearly describes the bee crisis as a global issue of the greatest urgency.‘The bee crisis and environmental crisis belong together. The solution for one will providesolutions for the other. Both require a new paradigm: a compassionate ecology that meetsnature on her own terms; a chance for a thorough change in the way we think, feel and act.It is a message come just in time, a wind warning before the storm?’Other books on bees available through the BAA office:Bees & Honey from flower to Jar –Michael Weiler – runs courses and conferenceson ecological beekeeping. Price $27Towards saving the Honey Bee –Gunther Hauk – educator, biodynamic gardenerand beekeeper. Price $30The Backyard Beekeeper – Kim Flottum –an absolute beginners guide to keeping bees inyour yard and garden. Price $55Honeybee – C Marina Marchese – beekeeper andhoney entrepreneur. Price $40Bees – Rudolf Steiner – describes the unconsciouswisdom within the beehive and its connection toour health, culture and the cosmos. Price $40Hive Management – Richard E Bonney – up to dateinformation on the whole range of beekeeping tasks. Price $30A Practical Manual of Beekeeping – how to keep bees anddevelop your full potential as an apiarist. Price $40MAIL ORDER BOOKS Postage rates vary depending on destination so postage andpackaging will be invoiced at cost.52 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

News LeafMEMBERSHIP ~ SUBSCRIPTIONBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd is a not-for-profit company limited byguarantee. We are a membership organisation supporting Australian farmers andgardeners to regenerate the land and produce quality food and fibre.Support our work by becoming a member of ourorganisation or subscribing to News Leaf.News Leaf is the quarterly journal of BiodynamicAgriculture Australia Ltd and is availableonly by subscription. It is printed tocoincide with the seasons of Autumn, Winter,Spring and Summer and covers a diverse rangeof topics for the commercial farmer, small holderand home gardener.A mix of practical advice, farm and garden profiles,reports on both local and international biodynamic activities, nutrition and researchas well as book reviews, information on the use of the planting calendar andreports on the making and use of the biodynamic preparations all help keep our readersinformed and connected.Membership of our organisation is open to any group, farmer, gardener or any otherindividual wishing to support Biodynamic Agriculture, and is divided into threecategories:Farm membership $130 p/a*for farm and commercial enterprises(over 5ha)Garden membership $65 p/a*for smallholders and home gardenersIncludes:• News Leaf subscription• Access to biodynamic preparations• Advice, education and support• Opportunity for diverse individuals tomeet and share common interests• Voting rights at AGMsNews Leaf subscription only $44 p/a• Non Voting* Farm and Garden membership subscriptions incur an additionalone-off $15.00 administration fee.For Membership and News Leaf subscription form (including gift subscription)www.biodynamics.net.au Ph: 02 6655 0566Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9053

Application for Subscription – MembershipMembership Type: Farm ($130 + $15) News Leaf Subscription ($44)Garden ($65 + $15) Gift News Leaf subscription ($44)Personal Details:Name: .......................................................................................................................Address: ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Home Ph: ......................... Mob: ............................... Email:.............................................I am also a member of this local/regional Biodynamic/Organic grower’s group:....................................................................................................................................How / Where did you hear about Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd?:....................................................................................................................................Optional Farm / Business Details are useful for sending you targeted information:Trading Name: ............................................................... ABN:.........................................Farm Address: .................................................................................................................Work Phone: .................................................................................................................Productive Area: .......... ha Producing / Processing: .............................................................Certified? YES / NO with: .............................................................................................Are you a WWOOFer Host NO / YESYour expertise/ profession/ interest/ skill/ business is: ....................................................................................................................................................................................................I agree to be bound by the Constitution of Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd and apply to become a member,Signature: ............................................................... Dated: ................................ 20Recipient of Gift Subscription:Name: ...................................................................................................................Address: ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Home Ph: ........................................... Email: .............................................................Payment Details: I enclose my CHEQUE / MONEY order for $ ............................OR Charge my: VISA / MASTERCARDCard Number:............................................................................. Expiry Date: ____ / ___Cardholder’s name: ...................................................... Signature: .....................................POST TO: Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd, PO Box 54 Bellingen NSW 2454 or FAX TO: 02 6655 0565Alternatively, call us on 02 6655 0566 to submit your membership application over the telephone.54 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd does not necessarily endorsethe product or service being offered within advertisements.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9055

BIODYNAMIC EQUIPMENTSTIRRING MACHINE• Copper Tank • Galv.Steel Frame • 60 Gallon Capacity • All new material used• Electric motor base mountedSPRAY TANK• Stainless Steel – 60 Gall. • Mounted on 3 pl linkage • Swing out boom armsManf. B.D. equipment for 20 yrs. Contact KEVIN WILLSPhone (02) 6550 5179 Email kdwills@bluemaxx.com.auSimple, cost effective, large area applicationof the biodynamic remedies, remotepeppering of weeds, animal and insect pests.Locally built new by an Aussie farmer to the latest design– treat up to 4000 acres for cents per acreCall for information or pricingSetting up and Installation arranged at reasonable costLLOYD CHARLES 02 6955 3225 0429 444 152lcharles@clearmail.com.auEcoProperty / EcoRealEstateProperty Selling, Renting, Leasing all around AustraliaORGANIC FARMS • ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES IN CITY, TOWN, OR SUBURBBUSH CONSERVATION • ECO VILLAGES AND COHOUSING • ECO TOURISMLAND FOR TRANSITION TO ORGANICS AND BIODYNAMICSLIFESTYLE PROPERTIES • ECO BUSINESSES • LAND FOR HOUSINGEcoProperty Marketing Programs for Property Owners & Real Estate AgentsSpecialist Agents and Dedicated Real Estate ServicesEcoProperty Local Consultants all around AustraliaNational T: 1300 796 326 (local call from landline and some mobiles)M & SMS: (61) 0409 528 692e: ecoproperty@eco.com.auwww.eco.com.au www.ecoproperty.comwww.ecorealestate.com.auSydney; NSW | Melbourne; Victoria | Local and Regional Offices56 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd does not necessarily endorsethe product or service being offered within advertisements.Business OpportunityBiodynamic sprayingin Victoria.For more informationplease contactShane MartinPh 0421 228 499H2O2HYDROGEN PEROXIDE35% FOOD GRADEFOR FARM AND GARDENAUSTRALIA’S BEST PRICECONTACT: JAN GORONCYNTP HEALTH PRODUCTSPHONE: 02 4997 2530Email:marketing@ntphealthproducts.comBiodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9057

Biodynamic Preparations & Products ListBIODYNAMIC PREPARATIONSPrices as at March 2011. All prices include GSTPortion size Non Member Home Garden FarmerHorn Manure 500 35gm/0.5ha $8.25 $5.5085gm/ha $18.15 $12.10 $7.701kg $130.50 $87.00>10kg/kg $123.00 $82.00Horn Silica 501 1gm $7.20 $4.802gm/ha $13.20 $8.80 $5.00100gm $315.00 $210.00Biodynamic Soil Activator 30gm $9.00 $6.00includes Horn Manure 500, Horn Silica 501,502-507, Equisetum 508, Horn Clay andHorn Basalt, Basalt Dust75gm/ha $11.00 $7.00100gm $30.001kg $127.50 $85.00Combined Soil Preparation 100gm $20.25 $13.50includes Horn Manure 500, Manure Concentrate,245gm/ha $37.50 $25.00 $16.00Winter Horn Clay and Fermented 5081kg $90.00 $60.00Manure Concentrate Cow Pat Pit (CPP) 60gm $6.75 $4.50Cow Manure, Preps 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507150gm/ha $13.50 $9.00 $7.50Ground Egg Shells, Basalt Dust1kg $67.50 $45.00Horn Clay 4gm $3.30 $2.20Winter Horn Clay for soil or10gm/ha $7.50 $5.00 $2.20Summer Horn Clay for atmosphere100gm/ha $30.00 $20.00Horn Basalt 1gm $2.70 $1.802gm/ha $4.50 $3.00 $2.00100gm $105.00 $70.00Dried Equisetum Arvense makes 2 litres concentrate 100gm $22.50 $15.00 $15.00Fermented Equisetum 508 8X (soil) 5ml vial (up to 25ha) $6.75 $4.50 $4.50Fresh Equisetum 508 8X (atmospheric) 5ml vial (up to 25ha) $6.75 $4.50 $4.50Compost Preparations 502-507Small set (up to 3 tons or 12m 3 material) 1gm/prep $25.50 $17.00 $14.00Large set (up to 6 tons or 24m 3 material) 2gm/prep $45.00 $30.00 $24.70Bulk set (up to 30 tons or 120m 3 material) 10gm/prep $165.00 $110.00Manure ConcentrateCompost preparations forPreparations 1 wheelbarrow of manure – 4gm of each prep $75.00 $50.00 $50.00MC Preps with EggshellManure Concentrate kitand Basalt Dust + eggshell & basalt dust $82.50 $55.00 $55.00Ground Eggshell (for MC) 200gm $6.75 $4.50 $4.50Basalt Dust (for MC) 400gm $7.50 $5.00 $5.0010kg $60.00 $60.00Preparations & Products are packed and posted within 3 working days of receiving each order.58 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Biodynamic Preparations & Products List (continued)OTHER PRODUCTSPortion size Non Member Home Garden FarmerCompost Preparations in 1gm Small Set in 100gm balls $97.50 $65.00 $65.00Manure Concentrate Balls 2gm Large Set in 100gm balls $112.50 $80.00Home Garden Kit smallup to 1 acreInstructions included4gm Manure Concentrate Set in 200gm balls $157.50 $105.001 portion each of Combined SoilPreparation, Horn Silica 501, SummerHorn Clay, Fresh Equisetum 508 and1 small set of Compost Preparations $75.00 $50.00Home Garden Kit large As above with Hectare Portions ofup to 1 hectareCombined Soil Preparation, Horn Silica &Instructions included Summer Horn Clay, Fresh Equisetum 508and 1 Large Set of Compost Preparations $120.00 $80.00Diatomaceous Earth 20kg bag $115.00 $115.001kg/2ha $7.00 $7.00LIQUID PRODUCTSBiodynamic Fish Emulsion 2.5 litres $27.00 $18.00 $18.005 litres $52.50 $35.00 $35.0020 litres $180.00 $120.00 $120.00200 litres $1350.00 $900.00 $900.001000 litres $6000.00 $4000.00 $4000.00Biodynamic Seaweed 2.5 litres $34.50 $23.00 $23.00Concentrate 5 litres $58.80 $39.00 $39.0020 litres $202.50 $135.00 $135.00200 litres $1500.00 $1000.00 $1000.001000 litres $6750.00 $4500.00 $4500.00Biodynamic Combined 2.5 litres $37.50 $25.00 $25.00Fish Seaweed Concentrate 5 litres $60.00 $40.00 $40.0020 litres $210.00 $140.00 $140.00200 litres $1650.00 $1100.00 $1100.001000 litres $7500.00 $5000.00 $5000.00Biodynamic Tree Paste 10 litres $75.00 $50.00 $50.0020 litres $120.00 $80.00 $80.00Nozzles for 500 5kph / 8kph / 12kph / 15kph $82.50 $55.00 $55.00Nozzles for 501 Small / Large $72.00 $48.00 $48.00Filter Bag 450mm long $55.50 $37.00 $37.0018mm diameter, 400 micron880mm long $84.00 $56.00 $56.00Astro Calendar 2012 per 1 $25.00 $25.00 $25.00Shipping Charge includes Postage, Packaging and Handling.Interstate orders are sent via ExpressPost unless otherwise arranged when ordering.Liquid Products are sent via Post / Freight.200lt and greater are sent at the most economic rate as arranged with customer.Please arrange credit card payment at time of ordering.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9059

www sites…We have a new range of websites for you in this edition and hope to bring younew places to source interesting information in each edition.If you have a website you think others should know about please drop theNews Leaf Editor a line at bdnewsleaf@biodynamics.net.auwww.bom.gov.au/The Australian Bureau of Meterology. A greatplace to check out all things regarding yourlocal weather. Useful features include localradar loops so you can check for approachingweather, as well as river heights for those of uswho live in areas where river flooding can causechaos.http://www.instructables.com/id/Greenhouse-From-Old-Windows/This website encourages readers to share whatthey create themselves. This particular articleis about a greenhouse made from old windows.http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/the-gardens-ofstone/3788636ABC’s Radio National often has interestingdocumentaries and this one was backed upwith some wonderful photos that can beviewed here. Certainly a unique part of ournation.http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679201/fungi-discovered-in-the-amazon-will-eatyour-plasticThis is a blog that is gaining recognition andthis particular article is about some amazingfungi that may well help the planet to surviveand thus needs to be preserved.The blog owners say: This site is focused ongroundbreaking innovation, innovation that’sgoing to change the way we live and theresources we use. We’re for brash and creativesolutions, that make everyone rich whilehelping the people of the world lead lovely,clean, and fulfilling lives.http://cityfoodgrowers.com.au/All about organic and biodynamic gardeningin urban areas (see article on page 44)http://taruna.ac.nz/The place to study Organics andBiodynamics in New Zealand.www.biodynamics.net.auOur own website. It has been transformed.Please take the time to take a look.http://www.rsarchive.org/Books/The Steiner book.http://www.rudolfsteineraudio.com/writtenimagebased.htmlRudolf Steiner Audio Books.www.ofa.org.auOrganic Federation of Australia website.Directory of many Organic/BD farmers andproducts/contacts.www.bfa.com.auBiological Farmers of Australia. AustralianCertified Organic Standards.www.nasaa.com.auThe National Association for SustainableAgriculture in Australia. NASAA certifies toBiodynamic and Organic Standards.60 News Leaf #90 ~ Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd

Biodynamic Agriculture Australia LtdYour Company, Your Board…Ray Unger, Chair ................................(02) 6869 7635 ....rayunger@bigpond.comCarolyn Ditchfield, Deputy Chair ......(02) 6721 5111.....carolyn@fromthesoilup.com.auTed Clarke, Treasurer .........................(02) 6649 2132 ....tedpeggy@bigpond.net.auHugh Lovel, Director .........................(02) 6779 1136 ....hugh.lovel9@bigpond.comShane Joyce, Director ..........................(07) 4993 1880 ....sjoyce1@bordernet.com.auJohn Priestley, Director .......................(02) 4938 5116 ....jdcitrus@bigpond.net.auWayne Rankine, Director ....................0427 551 887.......brolgaspass@gmail.comLouise Skidmore, Secretary ...............(07) 4697 3148 ....lskidmore@aapt.net.auAn accountable, transparent and consultative Board will ensure that it hasgood policies and procedures in place so that all decisions are made fairly andtransparently. This will help remove any perceptions that Board processes arecarried out in undue secrecy or that things are being hidden…Using the website to publish information about your Company and the Board:• The minutes of each board meeting are published on our website:http://www.biodynamics.net.au• Board members’ Disclosure and Conflict of Interest declarations are on the website,• Financial Statements are available on the website,• Privacy compliant procedure to enable members to contact members.Practical measures that the Board has put in place to ensure your Companybecomes more consultative with a diversity strategy to ensure that the views ofmembers are adequately represented on the Board:• Emails and letters circulated to Board members,• Phone numbers of Board available if members want personal contact,• Letters to the News Leaf Editor.Maintaining a communications strategy to ensure that Board decisions areexplained and widely known:• Board Update in News Leaf,• Letter from the Chair.Seeking input from members when key decisions are being contemplated or achange in direction is being considered:• Inviting members to join committees to make recommendations to the Board,• AGM and National Conference.Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd ~ News Leaf #9061

Seek the truly practical material life, but seek it so thatit does not numb you to the Spirit which is active in it.Seek the Spirit, but seek it not in passion for the supersensibleout of supersensible egoism, but seek it because you wantto apply it selflessly in practical life in the practical world.Turn to the ancient principle:Matter is never without Spirit and Spirit is never without Matter,in such a way that you say:We will so do all material things in the Light of the Spiritand we will so to seek the Light of the Spirit that it evokeswarmth for us in our practical activities.Rudolf SteinerStuttgart 1919