1/21/08 Biodynamic Farming

With the advent of all things organic and sustainable, it is obvious new categories under this designation would emerge. One receiving more than it's share of media attention, (most recently featured in Food and Wine Magazine) is the agricultural movement called Biodynamic. Based on a series of teachings back in the 1920's by an Austrian philosopher named Rudolf Steiner biodynamics is naturally, forgive the pun, popular in some segments of the California wine industry. Similar to organic, biodynamics teaches a respect for the circle of life on a farm from healthy soil, insect control to sustainable harvesting. It differs in the fact that biodynamics champions a "new age" style spiritualism that takes into consideration the alignment of the cosmos; the moon stars etc with common agriculture practices. Surely to be right up Shirley McClain's alley, Biodynamics has already established itself as a new wine industry category, and the winemakers who wish to use the designation on their label must receive permission from Demeter the growers who originally trademarked the term .