Tuesday 8 March 2016

Biodynamic Farming, a Celestial Garden and Natural Beekeeping



I'd heard of biodynamic farming and gardening but I admit I didn't know much about it until I visited a local biodynamic farm last summer. The farm is on the salt marshes, and wandering around it on a blowy august day, it was interesting to learn about this different approach to growing things and keeping animals.

So what is a biodynamic farm? Basically, biodynamic farming means that the entire farm is seen as an organism, with different parts of it forming a greater whole. Biodynamics also recognises the importance of the cosmos, which is seen to exert an influence on plant and animal health. Biodynamics is more than organic, it's sort of organic-plus.  Animals are treated with homeopathic medicines and all sowing and planting is done to an astrological calendar. Compost is prepared with herbal and mineral additives, and field sprays are created by burying powdered quartz in cows' horns (while the quartz is in the soil, it's seen to be transformed by cosmic forces. Then it's dug up when the spray is ready to be used).


The concept of biodynamics was first developed in the early 1920s by Austrian writer, educator and social activist Dr Rudolf Steiner - and biodynamic farmers, gardeners and growers have to follow standards set by an organisation called Demeter International if they are to obtain certification (like the standards set for organic growing, but much more).

On the farm, the first thing I saw was the sheep grazing out on the salt marshes. These are North Ronaldsay sheep, chosen because they were considered close to our ancient breeds i.e. before generations of selective breeding produced modern sheep...


After a walk along the sea wall (where, just visible in the distant marshes, I glimpsed the wreck of the Radio Caroline ship - a sort of unusual pirate wreck!) it was time to visit the celestial garden. This is where biodynamic gardening takes place. The garden is in harmony with the sky; 12 raised beds have been planted representing the 12 zodiac constellations and each bed is timed to flower during a particular zodiac sign. It's true that everything was fairly overgrown in this area but I did love to see that the beds have been designed to provide forage for bees throughout the year.


I suppose I was most interested of all to see the beekeeping here. To meet biodynamic standards, hives must be made of natural materials (wood, straw or clay) and the bees have to be left to build a natural comb i.e. not on the wax foundation found in conventional hives. On the farm, the hives were of the Sun Hive type, (which are like traditional skeps held together with wooden inserts).  They're made of rye straw and have an upper part of removable wooden arches inside where the honey is stored...


Sun Hives encourage the bees, including the queen, to move everywhere (in conventional hives the queen is prevented from laying eggs in areas where honey is to be harvested). These hives are also placed at least 2.5 metres (8 feet) from the ground - the idea being that it's natural for bees to nest in high places.

Some of the practices well-known to beekeepers are forbidden in biodynamic beekeeping, for example, queens cannot be reared artificially. There are rules about supplementary feeding for bees, too. This feed can't be the usual sugar paste or syrup, but preparations with honey (and with camomile tea and salt added) that must come from a Demeter source. Also if a colony is weak, then Demeter standards state that its loss should be accepted i.e. because it's natural selection at work.


Although I'm all in favour of bees being kept as naturally as possible, I like to give my bees more of a helping hand than is possible with biodynamic beekeeping. After all, bees have got so much stacked against them in today's environment, such as lack of forage, pesticides and new bee diseases.

So, I'll be honest, although I found the farm fascinating, I'm not a convert to biodynamics.  But given that most farms around here are the large arable, industrial, non-organic farms, it really made a refreshing change to see something different like this.

19 comments:

  1. Hi Wendy, just had a look through your blog, its amazing, definitely one to follow. I can see from your post walking from Wakering to Foulness that you must be very close to us indeed! Great to find someone so local in blogland, look forward to getting to know you better :)

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    1. Hello and thanks for visiting! It'll be good to share local stories!

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  2. Certainly an interesting and different approach to farming, which, at the very least, provides a welcome change from the monoculture and chemical dominated form of farming which has otherwise characterised British agriculture since the 1950's.

    It would be interesting to see how this farm fares in the next 10 years or so, and whether much of their practises are actually viable in the long-term.

    Thanks again for an interesting read and my kindest regards :-)

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    1. Hello David and thanks. It is good to find a farm that has such a different approach to the large arable farms around here. I hope it is viable in the long term, I'd hate to think that only one kind of farming works i.e. is profitable.

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  3. That farm must have been so interesting to see and learn about their approach. Bees do need a helping hand at the moment, rather than leaving things just to nature. I did a quick look to see if there were any biodynamic farms in the area. The one that seemed to be in operation over 10 years ago is now a NT holiday cottage. Sarah x

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    1. Hello Sarah. That is interesting about the (ex) farm where you are. I wonder if it was given up because it wasn't viable. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the only biodynamic business (farm, garden or vineyard) in my area.

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  4. Great post and interesting to read, the results have to be seen over many years, and like most things in nature some years will probably be better than others. It would be very hard to stand by and watch your bees fail just because you had not prepared the food right. What you are doing is good balanced and you should be proud of that.
    Amanda xx

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    1. Hello Amanda and thanks so much. I'm just aware that my bees are facing so many threats, and so I have to find a balance with their management between letting nature take its course and giving them some help.

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  5. An interesting read, its good to see how people have different approaches to farming and bee-keeping, I can see that its a change from much currently used farming methods but it seems like its a bit extreme in the other direction! But it would be interesting to see how it develops. I love learning all about bee-keeping from your blog.

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    1. Hello Annie and thanks very much. I think you're right - biodynamic farming and growing is at the extreme end, but I think there's something other farming approaches can learn from it.

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  6. A wonderful and very interesting post Wendy. I find the biodynamic method fascinating - a few years back I saw a biodynamic garden at Ryton and a maagazine I used to buy (either Landlove or Landscape) used to have a biodynamic calendar showing when to sew or harvest plants.

    Totally agree with your comments about bees - if I had any I would want to help them as much as possible too.

    Thanks so much for such a great post :)

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    1. Hello Caroline and thanks very much. I'm very interested to hear that you've come across a biodynamic garden too and I imagine your planting calendar followed the sun and moon. The relationship between the soil and the cosmos is very strong in biodynamics.
      It is fascinating to see a business (and not just a hobby) guided by this thinking.

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  7. That was interesting, Wendy so many ideas coming our of your visit. It is good to see differing ways of doing things even if in the end you decide some of what you have learnt about isn't for you. I think it is good to give the bees a helping hand after all we would be in a sorry state without them:)

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    1. Hello Rosie. I completely agree about seeing different approaches to doing things, before deciding what's best for you. Beekeeping is very much like that, as experienced beekeepers all have different ways of looking after their bees.

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  8. Very interesting post Wendy, I'm sure there must be a compromise between the 2 extremes.It sounds as if you are doing all the right things with your bees, carry on the good work.

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    1. Hello Pauline and thanks. I think you're right about finding a compromise. It is very strange to think that right next to the biodynamic farm are modern, arable farms and everything is working completely differently on each.

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  9. How fascinating to read of the biodynamics! There seem to be some good aspects, but I'm with you re supplementing the bees food, they do need all the help they can get.xxx

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    1. Hello Dina. That's exactly how I feel, there were some good aspects but I can't see my bees die out, even the weaker colonies. It's so rewarding to see them build up again after help.

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  10. I'm intrigued but - so far - unconvinced by biodynamic gardening. The scientist in me wants more peer-reviewed evidence that it works. But I do like the idea of seeing the whole farm as an organism, a kind of mini-Gaia. Very interesting.

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