Turn to the ancient principle: Spirit never without matter, matter never without spirit.
—Rudolf Steiner
Live Power Community Farm has been a Demeter Association-certified biodynamic farm since 1987. The biodynamic principles of agriculture originally described by Austrian seer, philosopher, and scientist Rudolf Steiner in 1924 emphasize understanding and respect for the earth as a living being. Steiner’s contribution to agriculture includes an understanding of the spirit active in nature and the necessity for humanity to enliven and support our relationship to that spirit. Biodynamics was the first organic movement, and is now among the largest network of organic farms worldwide. Biodynamic farming practices recognize and work harmoniously with cosmic and natural rhythms along with the spiritual and life forces that stand behind the physical world to strengthen their activity in the soil, plants, and animals of the farm. Biodynamic practices result in greater overall health and balance, preserve soil fertility and avoid pollution, and produce spiritually and physically nourishing food with high nutrition, flavor, and keeping qualities.
While biodynamic agriculture shares many of the same values as today’s organic agriculture movement, such as improving soil fertility and striving for sustainable relationships with the larger ecosystem, certain aspects set it apart. Central to the biodynamic approach is the idea that the farm is an organism, and that each farm has its own holistic integrity and identity. We enhance the formation of this organism by the use of biodynamic sprays and herbal preparations that are applied to compost, soils, and crops.
The field spray, derived from specially fermented manure, has been shown to enhance the development of soil structure and root growth. The crop spray, made from quartz silica crystals, improves flavor, nutrition, and keeping qualities of foods. The herbal preparations added to compost influence plant disease resistance and nutritional quality. We use a balanced crop rotation and consciously coordinate agricultural work with the cosmic influences of the sun, moon, planets, and elemental forces.
We are making the farm self-contained by, among other things, using draft horse and photovoltaic solar power. We are developing the farm to be an individualized, self-productive organism that generates its own power, fertilization, replacement plants and animals, and sustainably produces a surplus when properly cared for. We strive to become conscious of how every being and material feeds, supports, and serves another.
