Animal free biodynamics

[Earthmama]

I am hoping to garden biodynamically on my new allotment. I have some concerns about the use of animal (cow/stag and the like) parts in some of the preps and also question whether these days one can actually obtain totally organic manure. I've done a bit of research and have heard about Alan Chadwick who managed wonderfully well to garden biodynamically without using these, just using the teas as sprays etc.

Being a complete beginner.......anyone out there who knows anything about this, or who actually practices this?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Wellie's very interested in biodynamics, Earthmama - I'm sure that she'll spot this thread when she's next on line.

If you do a search on biodynamics here on the site, you should get some matches back, too.

Welcome to the Vine.

[bluemoon]

I practice a sort of half hearted form of biodynamics. I sow and plant by the calendar and make my own compost and leaf-mould. I use comfrey, nettle and borage teas and use a four bed rotation with legumes every fourth year then a nitrogen fixing green manure for bulk to overwinter when the peas and beans have gone and that's pretty much it. No imported fertilizer or manure except the droppings from my daughter's rabbit - who is largely fed on allotment produce, so it's recycling really. So far my plot has proved extremely fertile. I do buy peat-free potting composts, but that's all.

[wellie]

I'm still hugely learning about Biodynamics on a number of levels myself, but I've invited Rachael here over the weekend, so, if no-one else solves your question before then, I could ask Rache to post her tuppeny worth if and when she's here? but no promises, obviously....!
X

[Earthmama]

Thanks very much - I have a feeling my efforts might be fairly half hearted for a while thanks to the mainly disruptive input of my toddler... but any and all tips and help very greatly appreciated!!

[wellie]

Earthmama,
Rache said something hugely sensible to me a few weeks back.
"If everyone, no matter where they are, practiced their own Biodynamics on their own level, all over the world, it would make a huge difference, because, 'collectively' if we were to link up with each other, it would form a huge bond"

Filling cow horns recently with her, on behalf of those that can't, I began to understand how that works on a much bigger scale.

If you actually feel it, I'd say definitely do it, on whatever level you feel comfortable with. I'm only learning, but I am following my intuition, and I don't think that's a bad thing?
X

[lynda66]

ok i haven't a clue what you're on about maybe i'll look later ...... but wellie ..... why were you filling cow horns and what were you filling them with? ...... is very confuddled

[wellie]

lynda66,
you do make me smile....
Biodynamic/Moon Planting threads we've all started recently?! So check it out?
But if not, no worries, and we can explain to your heart's content Angel.....

And just to ease you into it ever so gently, the cow horns we were filling with three day old cow dung? and some of 'them' were doing that with their HANDS!!!!
Reliable Reporter Wellie didn't, but with a stick (for now) and only because Rache stank of cow-sh!te for days after, and I have to be places, and do things, and she doesn't?!

[FionaH]

Ive been following the threads Wellie but I still dont get what the cow horn thing is for or what it does. Open to new ideas but cant work this bit out. Enlighten me please?

[wellie]

I'll try to enlighten then....

It's called Prep 500.

In autumn, fresh cow manure is packed into a cow horn and buried in the garden over winter, to absorb the soil's vitality and life-force at the time of year when it is most alive. The horns are dug up again in late spring, sometime after Easter, by which time the smelly manure is transformed into beautiful friable, pleasant-smelling humus.

And that's just what the book says.

It is then applied to the land via a dynamised (bit like homeopathic remedial methods) solution. And that's only one 'tincture' out of manys, but basically, it gives back to the earth what has come from the earth, and then every time that you 'remind' the earth, roots, flowers or fruits, etc. so the feeling grows. It's actually really interesting, but I've seen the quality of the crops produced at first hand, and personally, I'm more than impressed with what I've seen.

[Earthmama]

I definitely see the connection and the point of that practice however........ Herein lies my dilemma. IMO to be honestly biodynamic the horns need to have come from cows that have died of natural causes otherwise the bad "energy" created by slaughtering them would negate the beneficial effects of using the horns.

Sorry if this is too way out thinking for some but..... these days how many cows get a chance to die of natural causes? And..... the more people that practice biodynamics, the more need for cow horns (and stags bladders etc) and even less chance of natural animal byproducts.

Am I just too mad?

[wellie]

Rachael just text to say she's dynamizing 501 (as ya do at 9am on a Saturday!) and that she'll see me at lunchtime, so if you can be here about 1pm-2pm ish, I'll get her here for you to ask.....

[Two_Sheds]

Am I just too mad?

maybe just asking a little too much ... there ain't many cows dying of natural causes in the UK, and how many of those are going to have horns anyway?

[FionaH]

Thanks for the explantion Wellie, it had been puzzling me

[Lazgaot]

I've heard about this and never really understood it 100%. Wellie, I don't get how the soil is most alive in winter? Surely as the soil temperature drops all the organic processes, chemical and animal/organism, slow down too? And the soil activity is greatest when the weather is warm and wet?

I understand there are many "tinctures" applied to the soil. Is there any addition of compost too or is it just the tinctures?