Biodynamics – Stellar / Demeter Certifications
For far longer than people realize, those in agriculture have sought to use superior methods and practices to produce crops in the most healthful way possible. Long before our modern idea of organic farming was developed as a concept, there was biodynamic agriculture. Brought about in 1924, biodynamic agriculture was a result of various writings and musings from Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist, Rudolf Steiner. In addition to having a fairly singular CV, Steiner was concerned with promoting the view of the farm not as a factory-like setting for efficient production at all costs, but rather a holistic agricultural system with impacts and relationships beyond the obvious.
Often dismissed for some of the more esoteric beliefs of its creator, and some current adherents, biodynamic farming at its core is simply about respecting the natural relationships occurring during the farming process. By treating the farm as a unified whole, and respecting the role that each aspect plays, the natural result is farming practices that value organic practices and sustainable methods.
In the daily life of a farm, biodynamic agriculture requires that the farmers view the farm as a holistic organism and treat it accordingly. Artificial fertilizers and pesticides are forgone in favor of manure and composts. If the farm has livestock, or other crops, they are viewed as inextricably linked and the whole of the farm must be made to work in tandem. Emphasis is also placed on using the resources of the farm to provide solutions to whatever may come up. This practice is referred to as focusing on “on-farm solutions” for problems ranging from diseased crops, to pest infestations, and weed mitigation. This limitation presents a challenge to farmers as they must think more creatively to come up with on-farm, sustainable fixes.
Biodynamic agricultural practices are still in place throughout the world today. As of 2016, a article in the Journal of Social and Developmental Sciences found that biodynamic methods are in use in 60 countries throughout the world, with Germany having the 45% of that total. Coffee and wine grapes are two of the crops most commonly farmed using this methodology. Biodynamic methods in grape growing incorporate even more of Steiner’s avant garde proposals and often grapes are planted according to astronomical configurations.
There are multiple certification groups for verifying the methods behind biodynamic products, the most popular of which is Stellar Certification Services. Previously Demeter International, Stellar Certification Services is the oldest ecological certification group in the world, their original name even serving as reference to the Greek goddess of agriculture. The group was formed in 1928, shortly after the inception of biodynamic agriculture and now has a presence certifying farms in more than 50 countries. To bear the Demeter seal of Biodynamic Certification, a farm must demonstrate a commitment to finding on-farm solutions, treating the farm as a living organism, and pursuing sustainability in all activities.
We have always view biodynamic agriculture as having a special role to play in challenging convention and approaching sustainability in a unique way. That’s why our first coffee offerings back in 1980 were Certified Biodynamic by Demeter International. It’s something we were proud of then and still are now, thanks to a partnership with Peruvian farm, Chacra Don Dago. With their cultivation of a variety of tree species, expert animal husbandry, and on-site beekeeping, they exemplify the biodynamic ideal of keeping all aspects of the farm interconnected.
While the biodynamic methodology has evolved over the years, the core principles have remained true. This holistic perspective on agriculture has even produced a successor, regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture, with its focus on increasing biodiversity, soil and watershed health, holds many of the same basic values that biodynamic agriculture has espoused for nearly a century. Though each practice has its slight distinctions, both help remind us that agriculture should be a process that works with nature– not apart from it.
