Life Beneath the Snow

Well, winter is in full swing and though the soil may be frozen, this is the time of year when the ground replenishes and recharges in anticipation of a new year. As it is with the ground, so it is with me here in Trumansburg. I’ve been busy working on a number of things that have me recharging – getting ready for another round.

The Promise of Biodynamics - The spartan presentations I gave last year about biodynamic orcharding have blossomed into a full-fledged, two-part intensive workshop series. Over the course of these two sessions, I’ll focus on the philosophy and applied practices of biodynamics for orchardists and viticulturists. The intention is to create a foundation for comprehensive bio-intensive farming practices based on the biodynamic approach. Biodynamics is more than just the next step in organic farming, because it is more than just input substitution. It is a philosophy – practical and otherwise – that engages the farm as an organism and utilizes the natural and spiritual energies of the surroundings to enliven the farm for the production of food, medicine, and the human spirit.

And, this is more than just an advanced ‘how to’ approach to organic farming. It is designed to teach and extend the philosophy of biodynamics as based on the tenets of anthroposophy – human wisdom and observation – as set out by Rudolf Steiner and based on the wisdom of Goethe. The basic understanding being that the quality of what we eat is based on how we grow it and the energy we put into it; all of which comes back to us in a higher more enlivened state.

The first session will be held at the Finger Lakes Cider House on March 11. The second session will be held on August 11 – with a TBD location [though it will be in the general Ithaca area]. To find out more or to register please visit the Finger Lakes Cider House Facebook event page, or email me. You can also visit our web page, Be aware that all registration is being handled by the Finger Lakes Cider House.

Japan Nature Farming Tour - At the 2018 NOFA winter conference in Saratoga Springs Terry Sato and I gave a short impromptu presentation on the proposed tour. Terry spoke eloquently about nature farming in Japan and how it has influenced him – and many organic farmers – over the years. Because of feedback that we received, and in order to better address the full interest of everyone that’s expressed interest, we are now planning this tour for early 2019 [late Feb/early March]. If you would like to receive a copy of the presentation notes, or are just interested in learning more, please contact me via email.

BioIntensive Farming - And then there is this article in Edible Manhattan. I have to say I am extremely happy with how it came off. The biological farming movement is exactly that, a movement; a revolution in farming. There are a whole lot of dedicated fruit growers that I have the honor of being associated with, including all those adventuresome Finger Lakes orchardists like Autumn Stoscheck and Ezra Sherman at Eve’s Cidery. BioIntensive Farming is ready to really take off. Industrial farming is just about caput. Consumers are demanding better and healthier food. And Big Ag is taking its last gasp swings at how we feed ourselves. 2018 is going to be a bellwether year, one in which we see the beginning of a tidal wave of interest and application in truly sustainable farming. Farming for the Earth, people, soil air, water, and all the planet’s species - that's BioIntensive.