Contents: About the book. About the author. Preamble. 1. Biodynamic farming at a glance. 2. Non-chemical methods of farming. 3. What is biodynamics? 4. The biodynamic farming: A holistic approach to organic farming. 5. History of biodynamic farming. 6. Need of biodynamic farming. 7. Summary of Steiner’s eight lectures. 8. Biodynamic farming -- the movement. 9. Principles of biodynamic farming. 10. Organic farming vs. biodynamic farming. 11. Biodynamic and conventional farming. 12. The farm as an agricultural individuality. 13. Zodiac principle of biodynamic. 14. Biodynamic planting calendar and lunar and solar rhythms.
Biodynamic farming is systematic and synergistic way of harnessing energies form cosmos, mother earth, plants and cow for quality production and proper maintenance of ecosystem. Biodynamic preparations are components of biodynamic farming to restore the soil and the organic matter in the form of humus, increasing microbial population, skillful application of factors contributing to soil life and health, treating manure and compost in biodynamic way. A basic ecological principle of biodynamics is to conceive the farm as an organism, a self-contained entity. A farm is said to have its own individuality.
Biodynamics is an advanced organic method in which no artificial fertilizers or chemical sprays are used. The plant is influenced not just by the soil in which it grows, but by the water in the soil and the atmosphere, other plants nearby, the air around it, the amount of light and warmth it receives from the sun, and also the influences coming from other cosmic bodies, the moon, the sun, planets and stars and the entire cosmos.
Central aspect of biodynmaics is that the farm as a whole is seen as an organism, and therefore should be a self-nourishing system in which humans as well as plants and animals play an integral role. The holistic system approach of biodynamics require integrated management practices -- such as crop diversification, crop rotation, use of green manures, and use of compost improved by biodynamic preparations to promote and maintain soil health.
