Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Biodynamic preparations.
Biodynamic agriculture was one of the corner-
stones of today's organic agriculture, beginning in 1924 with Rudolf Steiner
in Germany and quickly spreading to the UK, Australia, and North America.
Biodynamic farming emphasizes an integrated, holistic approach, where the
soil and all organisms on a farm are managed as a single, integrated organ-
ism. Many of the practices we discuss in this topic fit well into a biodynamic
approach.
The term “biodynamic” is trademarked by Demeter-International, which
represents an association of biodynamic farmers. Some biodynamic farmers
bring religious, occult, and astrological considerations into farming, which is
beyond the scope and intent of this topic. Scientific studies have shown that
biodynamic farming operations have better soil health and structure than
similar conventional farms and are more energy efficient. Biodynamic farm-
ing has not produced results that are significantly different from similar or-
ganic farms. Whether to follow strict biodynamic practices or the organic
practices we cover here is a personal choice. Both approaches are very sim-
ilar in most respects and produce similar results.
Blood meal.
Blood meal is a by-product of slaughterhouse operations and is
one of the few relatively high-concentration, rapidly available sources of ni-
trogen approved for organic farmers. Blood meal also supplies iron and some
other micronutrients. It is most useful when establishing an orchard or trans-
itioning from conventional to organic, when soil organic matter is low and
soil nitrogen is not yet available in the concentrations needed by the orch-
ard crops. As the orchard matures and soil organic matter and slow-release
sources of soil nitrogen build, blood meal becomes less necessary.
Due to its relatively low cost, rapid availability, and ease of application,
blood meal is also useful in established orchards where a quick fix of ni-
trogen is needed. Follow recommended rates carefully, as you can damage
plants with excessive rates of blood meal.
