What is Biodynamic Agriculture?
Biodynamic® is a step beyond organic, looking upon the soil and the farm as a living organism.
Certified Biodynamic® farms meet all organic standards, prohibiting the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fungicides. Among the other requirements are disciplined soil enrichment, constant observation, labor-intensive fieldwork, and ongoing intuitive awareness.
The history of Biodynamic® Agriculture
In 1924, Austrian philosopher and scientist, Dr. Rudolph Steiner first introduced the concepts of Biodynamic® agriculture to the European farming community. He spent his life studying and teaching the spiritual sciences, and taught on hundreds of fields. One of his passions, among many, was the study of the forces that regulate life and growth.
Dr. Steiner taught that the earth, people, animals, plants, and the cosmos are equally important parts of a single inter-connected system. Every growing site has its own conditions (such as climate, altitude, water, resources, organisms, geology), the essence of which is imparted to everything living there. Consider herbs, for instance… even if they grow the same plants, different sites will produce herbs that are unique to that region and that location. Biodynamics considers all aspects of the land, plus spiritual and holistic concepts, and astrological influences.
Biodynamic® farming and gardening combines common-sense agriculture, an understanding of ecology, and the specific environment of a given place with a new spiritual scientific approach to the concepts, principles, and practices of agriculture. Biodynamic® techniques are used worldwide, currently in 50 countries and the movement continues to expand.
Biodynamic Certification
Demeter International is the primary certification agency for farms and gardens using Biodynamic® methods. In fact, the term Biodynamic® is a trademark held by the Demeter association. To receive certification as a Biodynamic® farm, the farm must meet the following standards: agronomic guidelines, greenhouse management, structural components, livestock guidelines, and post-harvest handling and processing procedures.
Biodynamic® Ingredients at Omica Organics
Look for the Biodynamic tag on our listings to find out which Omica products include Biodynamic® ingredients!
