understand many farmers’ choice. Although popular with some, biodynamics still remains highly criticised and poorly understood. Let’s consider using concrete terms and a simple definition: A farm is one and the same ecosystem. The goal is to seek maximum biodiversity and achieve balance, bringing a certain autonomy to the crop. Farmers work on strengthening the immune system of the cereal, optimising its growth and health of the soil and there are several parts of the process which include:
Cow horn manure (500) - Improves the physical characteristics and biological activity of soil struc- ture. During winter, a cow horn is filled with manure and buried. The end result is a humus-like substance where bacteria proliferation takes place and creates an intensity of microorganisms that is 7X more concentrated than before. From a science perspec- tive - it improves earthworm activity, seed germina- tion and mineral dissolution deepness. This allows barley’s root system to extend, becoming denser,
better distributed, and more resilient during drought periods. Since the roots are deeper and capable of obtaining more nutrients, it lends to why the final prod - uct could contain more aromatic compounds.
Horn silica (501) - Silica is a solid quartz crystal but when mixed with rainwater and sprayed, it impacts the aerial aspect of the soil. Like rocks, it also has the ability of storing and redistributing heat but since silica main- tains angle conformation, it can project the sun’s rays in different directions and simulate 3 more days of sunshine = Photosynthesis promotion.
Medicinal plant-based preparations are designed to nourish soil and further enhance crop immune systems.
Dandelion Preparation (506) – Brings an important silicic acid supply to plant health and tissue strength whereas Valerian Preparation (507) – Promotes phosphorous transportation to the soil and conducts heat by creating a protec- tive coating around the compost. 2 In order to keep the plants at their optimal, the work must be consistent. Trevor Harris, farmer providing barley to the first worldwide biodynamic distillery of Waterford, explains what biodynamic work is: “If organic is defined by what you don’t do = no chemicals, pesticides and so on; then biodynamics is a case of what you do.” It is also demanding and he specifies: “If you don’t see results,
1. Biodynamic Agriculture - Principles, Practice and Results (Gables Farm 2015) 2. The Bio Bros: Preparations. Trevor Harris on the Nuts and Bolts of Biodynamic Preps (Waterford Distillery 2022) 3. Pour la Suite du Monde - Pierre Perrault movie (1962)
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the whisky explorer magazine
WINTER 2024
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