When rudolf steiner gave these lectures eighty years ago, industrial farming was on the rise and organic methods were being replaced in the name of science, efficiency, and technology. Rudolf steiner and is based around the following pivotal concepts. Biodynamic agriculture is a form of agriculture very similar to organic farming, but it includes various esoteric concepts drawn from the ideas of rudolf steiner 18611925. The stated primary aim of rudolf steiner s lectures on agriculture was to address three problems that had often been brought to his attention. This book brings together the best advice for cultivating fruit trees, berries, and shrubs, using biodynamic methods with the aim of harvesting healthy fruit free of pesticides. It treats soil fertility, plant growth, and livestock care as ecologically interrelated tasks, emphasizing spiritual and. Because many people were asking for a deeper understanding of agriculture, rudolf steiner decided to hold a series of lectures in koberwitz, in 1924. Biodynamic farming is a spiritualethicalecological approach to agriculture initially developed by austrian scholar rudolf steiner,1 ph.
After many such requests, in june 1924, steiner finally held an agriculture course with many of these farmers in koberwitz, a small village which was then in germany but is now poland. How to make the biodynamic preparations and use them to develop soil fertility and enhance light metabolism in plants. Rudolf steiner 18611925, founder of the biodynamic approach to agriculture, was a highly trained scientist and respected philosopher in his time, who later in his life came to prominence for his spiritualscientific approach to knowledge called anthroposophy. Initially developed in 1924, it was the first of the organic agriculture movements. Long before many of his contemporaries, steiner came to the conclusion that western civilization would gradually. In the catalogue of holdings, the works are categorized as lectures, articles, books, etc. Biodynamic agriculture developed out of eight lectures on agriculture given in 1924 by rudolf steiner 18611925, an austrian scientist and philosopher, to a group of farmers near breslau which was. A brief introduction to biodynamic preparations the. Since 1985, jpi has been a national producer and distributer of biodynamic preparations as first taught by dr. Saucy tomatoes and blueberry thrills a humorous harvest from the biodynamic farm. He is considered the father of waldorf education, biodynamic agriculture, anthroposophical medicine and spiritual science. This led him to josephine porter, who was making biodynamic preparations according to steiner s indications.
As a result, there is a corresponding growth of interest in organic methods of farming. Biodynamic farming, biodynamic agriculture, biodynamics. The biodynamic farming and gardening association usa, and. People everywhere have heard of waldorf schools, biodynamic farming, camphill villages, and other innovations of the austrian philosopher rudolf steiner 18611925. Steiner books steinerbooks is the publisher of the works of rudolf steiner, an austrian educator, social reformer and esotericist who founded anthroposophy. Hugh courtney, a veteran and librarian, discovered steiners agriculture course in 1975 at a health food store in college park, maryland. Rudolf steiners agricultural course anthroposophie switzerland.
The birth of the biodynamic method by rudolf steiner. What is biodynamics a way to heal and revitalize the earth. Biodynamic agriculture, founded by rudolf steiner in the 1920s, is a further development of the organic approach, using special preparations which work in harmony with cosmic and earthly forces to enrich the soil and enliven food. After steiner s death in 1925, pfeiffer worked in the private research laboratory at the goetheanum in dornach, switzerland. The biodynamics section of the rudolf steiner archive presents some of the lectures and publications of rudolf steiner that are related to biodynamics. The audio book, complete and unabridged 10 cd set, is read by respected actor. In 1924, rudolf steiner founded the general anthroposophical society, which today has branches throughout the world. However, the agriculture steiner speaks of in this book is much more than organic. Biodynamic agriculture, the oldest sustainable agricultural movement in the world, was formally established in 1928 with the launching of demeter, the first international certification program for sustainable. When rudolf steiner gave these lectures eighty years ago, industrial farming. Biodynamic gardening and agriculture permaculture project. Works presented here may be accessed from the catalogue, from our main steiner archive menu, or by selecting a subject area from. Developing a holistic organism, by karlernst osthaus author, beate buchinger translator sold out sold out. As a young man, he lived in weimar and berlin, where he became a wellpublished scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with goethes scientific writings.
Biodynamic books page 3 the josephine porter institute. Due to covid19, we ask that visitors call our office before arriving for a visit. Rudolf steiner 18611925 was born in the small village of kraljevec, austrohungarian empire now in croatia, where he grew up see right. Ehrenfried pfeiffer began work with rudolf steiner in 1920 to develop and install special diffuse stage lighting for eurythmy performances on the stage of the first goetheanum. Rudolf joseph lorenz steiner 27 or 25 february 1861 30 march 1925 was an austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, esotericist, and claimed clairvoyant. The need for changes is clear, and koepf provides a vast array of. While not an introductory book, rudolf steiner s agriculture course, the series of lectures he gave to european farmers in 1924 that initiated the biodynamic movement, is a core text for understanding biodynamics. The eight lectures and five discussions of that course have been transcribed in the book agriculture and form the basis of the biodynamic method. The biodynamic agriculture section of the rudolf steiner archive presents some of the lectures and publications of rudolf steiner that are related to biodynamic agriculture. Agriculture in the service of the earth and humanity. See all 10 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. This problem is the outcome of the limited vision of conventional methods and a system that focuses exclusively on quick results and profits. Bankrupt farmers, erosion of topsoil, and poor food quality owing to pesticides, hormones, and other additives. In the last year of his life, the austrian philosopher rudolf steiner challenged the.
A concise, illustrated introduction to the internationally recognized approach to agriculture in which the farmer or gardener works with the spiritual dimensions of the earth and its environment, enabling the life processes and ecological interconnections of plants and animals to function at their best. This led him to josephine porter, who was making biodynamic preparations according to steiners indications. With these talks, steiner created and launched biodynamic farminga form of. The biodynamic practitioner follows an alchemical, transformative path of working with the earth through the nine homeopathic preparations created by steiner. The audio book, complete and unabridged 10 cd set, is read by respected. Ehrenfried pfeiffer, a pioneer of biodynamics in north america, discusses the principles of tree biology before describing the measures that can be taken to develop a pestfree orchard without the use of chemicals. The birth of the biodynamic method classic translation revised ed. Biodynamic agriculture is an advanced organic farming system that is gaining increased attention for its emphasis on food quality and soil health. When rudolf steiner gave these lectures eighty years ago, industrial farming was on the rise. Steiner gained initial recognition at the end of the nineteenth century as a literary critic and published philosophical works including the philosophy of freedom. Agriculture course, by rudolf steiner rudolf steiner. Biodynamic agriculture is a form of alternative agriculture very similar to organic farming, but it includes various esoteric concepts drawn from the ideas of rudolf steiner 18611925. As a result, there is a growing interest in organic methods of farming.
Its an approach that can provide far superior harvests compared to conventional chemicalbased agriculture. Reflections on early research by adalbert count keyserlingk. Rudolf steiners agriculture course is the essential work for anyone wanting to understand and use steiners methods of food production. As they adopted these chemical inputs, farmers quickly began noticing declines in the. The anthroposophical farmers research group started to immediately test rudolf steiners indications on their farms.
The eight lectures and five discussions of that course have been transcribed in the book agriculture link is external and form the basis of the biodynamic method. Rudolf steiner in his 1924 agriculture course on biodynamic agriculture. What is biodynamics a way to heal and revitalize the. Rudolf steiner s agriculture course is the essential work for anyone wanting to understand and use steiner s methods of food production. When rudolf steiner gave these lectures eighty years ago, industrial farming was. Biodynamic farming and the legacy of rudolf steiner. The birth of the biodynamic method classic translation. Agriculture, steiner, rudolf, creeger, catherine e. This book is based on 8 lectures given to people with a background of his anthroposophical teachings.
Rudolf steiner 18611925, founder of the biodynamic approach to. Biodynamic agriculture the method developed by rudolf steiner is an extension of the organic approach that uses special preparations that enrich the soil and enliven our food by working. Biodynamic farming was a concept put forward by dr. He apprenticed under josephine and, when she died in 1984, took up her work. Biodynamics is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food, and nutrition. When you become interested in biodynamic agriculture, you do not get very far into it before you are confronted with rudolf steiner. Those lectures, articles, and books of steiners run to more than 300 volumes. The sheer productivity of steiner s life is somewhat daunting. At the beginning of the twentieth century he founded an esoteric. Rudolf steiner, whose 1924 lectures to farmers opened a new way to integrate scientific understanding with a recognition of spirit in nature.
He assembled a substantial library, of approximately 9,000. Indeed, steiner as an architect, artist, teacher, and agriculturalistranks among the most creative and prolific figures of the early twentieth century, pioneering work in. Works presented here may be accessed from the catalogue, from our main steiner archive menu, or by selecting a subject area from the sections list at the. Steiner s original contribution to human knowledge was based on h. Rauch mentioned in 1995, concerning the reprint of a book from raoul heinrich france, another source probably used by steiner. Hugh courtney, a veteran and librarian, discovered steiner s agriculture course in 1975 at a health food store in college park, maryland. The new age philosopher, rudolf steiner 18611925, was the most prolific and arguably the most influential philosopher of his era. It gives many bio dynamic farming techniques with insights.