11/26/08 Biodynamic Ag

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. For the past two days we have discussed a little about what sustainable agriculture does and why it is important to wine grape growing. Today we will discuss another idea in grape farming, Biodynamic agriculture. According to my understanding Biodynamic agriculture is a method of organic farming that has its basis in a spiritual world-view and emphasizes balancing the holistic development and interrelationship of the soil, plants and animals as a closed, self-nourishing system. Biodynamic farming includes organic agriculture's emphasis on manures and composts and exclusion of the use of artificial chemicals on soil and plants. Methods unique to the biodynamic approach include the use of fermented herbal and mineral preparations as compost additives and field sprays and the use of astronomy for sowing and planting calendar. The development of biodynamic agriculture began in 1924 with a series of eight lectures on agriculture given by Rudolf Steiner. The course was held in response to a request by farmers who noticed degraded soil conditions and deterioration in the health and quality of crops and livestock resulting from the use of chemical fertilizers. An agricultural research group was subsequently formed to test the effects of biodynamic methods on the life and health of soil, plants and animals. In the United States, the Biodynamic Farming & Gardening Association was founded in 1938 as a New York state corporation. Today biodynamic growing is practiced in more than 50 countries worldwide. Remember to send your wine question to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.