At Andy Brennan’s Natural Cider Symposium this past August, I made what I was told was a rather provocative statement, something to the effect of “conventionally managed high-density apple orchards are destined to fail.” I believed it then and I believe it even more now.
Agriculture is at a crossroads where we must make some big changes now, choose a different path, or pay the price later. Industrial agriculture isn’t working and is destined to fail. The short-term implications are certainly alarming for us, but what of the next generations? What of the other species? The water, the air, the soil?
Pesticides are aggressively marketed and used to detriment of biodiversity under the myth they are needed to grow food. Climate change is both driven by and negatively impacting food production around the globe. Climate change may not be so good for crop productivity or food quality. The nutritional value of our food (and that of other species) is deteriorating rapidly, with no end in site. Unless....
There is hope, a path that's there if only we choose to take it. Biodynamics, as Steiner always believed, is the salvation of the planet - and that was in 1924. Little did he know what we'd really be facing fewer than 100 years hence.
I just got back from the Franklin County Cider Days where I gave a talk entitled 'The Promise of Biodynamics'. It wasn't as focused on orchard management as advertised, but hopefully instead opened up the doors for everyone to see what was possible. The talk was well received and so I plan on following up in a number of ways. First, I plan on hosting 2-3 workshops next year that focus on biodynamic orchard production and how growers can begin down the biodynamic path without throwing all caution to the wind. There's no point in doing something like this unless you can be around to do it again next year, and the year after. Second, my research and consulting will focus primarily on the use of biodynamic practices in orchards - a perspective not as well explored as other parts of agriculture. Finally, my own orchard, Apostrophe orchard, will be managed biodynamically beginning next year. This past year was so focused on just getting trees in the ground that I didn't have the time to apply the preps or other biodynamic practices as much as I would have liked. That'll change next year.
Thanks to Field Maloney of West County Cider for hosting and asking me to give this talk. Next year it looks like I'll be giving a follow up to this - a progress report and building off the areas I didn't dive into as deeply as I could have. Thanks to everyone that was there.
If you would like the notes version of my talk, please drop me an email at mike@knowyouroots.com.
PS - it was snowing today in Ithaca, so winter is not far behind. Cheers!
