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Introduction to Biodynamic Agriculture distance learning course
by Adam Ormes Court 28 Aug '16

28 Aug '16

The Biodynamic Agricultural College is launching a new Introduction to Biodynamic Agriculture distance learning course We are pleased to announce the launch of a new four-week course, Introduction to Biodynamic Agriculture - going live on the 26th of September 2016, offered at a cost of £50. This course is designed for anyone who is interested in biodynamic agriculture, from any perspective - whether you grow food, produce wine or simply enjoy high quality produce, this course is for the biodynamically curious! The course is made up of 4 sections, each lasting a week: 1. Context: Where in the world is biodynamic agriculture? When did it begin and how is it now? 2. Biodynamic World View: Does it matter how we think about agriculture, food and culture? 3. Biodynamic Practice: Brief insights into examples of biodynamic practice. 4. Next Steps: What does the future hold? This week will consider how you can get involved or how to find out more. This course provides live (and recorded) interactive seminars, discussions and plenty of resources, so that each individual student can follow their own interests in more depth. The course is distance learning so it is designed to be flexible and open to students from all over the world. It requires only internet access, a few hours per week and an interest to know more about biodynamic agriculture. In fact the more interested you are, the more you can learn. For further details, please see this page on our website: Introduction Course <http://www.bdacollege.org.uk/introduction-course/> The course facilitators will be Nir Halfon and Alysoun Bolger (please see below). If you already know that you wish to be a student on the Introduction to Biodynamic Agriculture Course, you may reserve and pay for your place with Paypal by following the above link, where you will find a PayPal button at the bottom of the page. Should you prefer to pay by other means, or have questions about the course, please email us on info(a)bdacollege.org.uk <info(a)bdacollege.org.uk?subject=Introduction%20to%20Biodynamics>. -- *In order to change an existing paradigm you do not struggle to try and change the problematic model /* *You create a new model and make the old one obsolete /* *That, in essence, is the higher service to which we are all being called. //* Buckminster Fuller

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Soils Alive! workshop with Joel Williams
by Biodynamic Association 25 Aug '16

25 Aug '16

Dear Soil Hack Group, *Soils alive! -/Joel Williams/ *Our soils are the most precious asset we have. Explore the world beneath our feet and learn how to nurture soil vitality with our renowned international expert on soil health. Topics include soil life, compost, minerals, natural plant immunity, and what to do and what not to do to achieve a healthy soil whatever the size of your plot, be it small or large We have this great workshop and a whole host of other interesting ones on offer at our forthcoming event <https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/conference/>*Biodynamics: Revitalising our Earth one Garden at a time 17th - 18th Sept 2016 ** **At*: Garden Organic, Ryton On Dunsmore, Kenilworth CV8 3LG Anyone growing food or working with soil are the natural stewards and protectors of our Earth, and how we carry out these tasks has never been so important. The biodynamic approach is unique; it’s aim is to maximize the inherent vitality of our soils and gardens through its use of herbal compost and spray preparations, by harnessing the subtle cosmic forces of nature, building natural resilience with open pollinated seed, and by creating a garden full of harmonious life, which becomes self-sustaining . Full details about the workshops, key lectures, short talks and special evening on the importance of seeds and seed diversity can be found below Cost £145 ( £120 BDA Members) To book your ticket <https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/magento/biodynamic-workshops.html> FFI see www.biodynamic.org.uk/conference/ <https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/conference/> Or Contact Jessica on 01453 759501 email office(a)biodynamic.org.uk *Biodynamics, Revitalising our Earth, one garden at a time The UK’s first Biodynamic Gardening Conference 17^th – 18^th September 2016 **Workshops * This year we have an exciting range of in depth workshops covering all aspects of biodynamic gardening, and beyond. Participants get to choose one workshop topic and stay with that tutor for the 3 sessions over the weekend This offers plenty of time to really get your teeth into a subject and also for questions. *Biodynamic Gardening*** *1. Biodynamic gardening for everyone:revitalising your garden from the ground up - /Rachael O’Kelly /*Learn all the important principles of biodynamic gardening, how to get started, and how to apply them in practice in your own garden. Weather permitting, the classroom will be our own Elysia biodynamic demonstration garden! Practical sessions will include: compost making, how to make, stir and apply the all- important BD preparations, plus advice and tips on using the lunar calendar. Expect to be engaged, inspired and to have lots of gardening fun! *2. A guide to the biodynamic planting calendar/– Ian Bailey /*Ian will bring his wealth of theoretical and hands- on experience to bring you a fascinating exploration into the theory and the astronomy and the " celestial mechanics" behind the biodynamic planting calendar alongside: how to use and understand the calendar to help you determine the most auspicious time to sow, plant, and harvest your fruit, vegetables & flowers. *3. Soils alive! -/Joel Williams/ *Our soils are the most precious asset we have. Explore the world beneath our feet and learn how to nurture soil vitality with our renowned international expert on soil health. Topics include soil life, compost, minerals, natural plant immunity, and what to do and what not to do to achieve a healthy soil whatever the size of your plot, be it small or large. 4. *Growing and saving biodynamic vegetable seed workshop*- */Ute Kirchgasser/* This practical workshop is designed for everyone, whether you are a commercial grower interested in growing seed crops or a gardener looking to save your own seed. Detailed information and tips will cover the practical know how for naturally producing seed, maintaining varieties and breeding new varieties, including: * selection of plants from which to save seed, with exercises * techniques used with self-pollinating plants and cross-pollinating plants, and how to know which is which * considerations for producing seed from biennials, eg carrots and cabbages, and winter storage * reaping the harvest: threshing, cleaning and storing seeds *The Wider Perspective* *5. **How the bees can help us - Heidi Herrmann & Rachel Hanney *What bees need is well understood but hard to offer as habitat and natural forage sources disappear from our landscapes. We will explore what can be done to make space for bees - in the countryside, on farms and gardens and in our hearts.As modern beekeeping methods prove unsuited to address declining bee health and vitality, ways must be found to enable bees to deploy their innate abilities for regeneration and healing. We will explore sensitive methods of bee husbandry as advocated by the Natural Trust, with an emphasis on the manifold possibilities for “rewilding” the bees. The bees’ outstanding capacity for bringing grace and healing into our lives will be discussed by reference to our project “Prison Bees”. *6. Permaculture & biodynamics: a fortuitous union - /Spencer Christy /*Permaculture and biodynamic gardening are natural bedfellows and work together harmoniously. Explore the many ways they overlap and the extra dimension to gardening this can bring with a biodynamic farmer and gardener who holds a diploma in applied permaculture design. These workshops will include group work and practical exercises. No prior knowledge necessary. *7. Meadow gardening - /Beatrice Krehl/ ( 2 x sessions) & Practical session on No-dig gardening - /Charles Dowding/ ( 1 x session) *Former head gardener of stunning Waltham Place biodynamic garden introduces you to the delightfully informal, and ultimate wildlife friendly approach to gardening , including how to garden with dynamic plant communities rather than individual plants grouped together for their aesthetics. In the third session of this workshop, popular no-dig guru shares his extensive experience including practical tips on mulching to kill weeds and making compost, and vegetables sown in their best season for healthiest harvests. *8. Meetings with remarkable plants - /Jonathon Code/* Accomplished author, biodynamic gardener and alchemist reveals how to gain deeper understandings of plants and the plant world by drawing on ancient wisdoms and inspiration from phenomenology, plant alchemy, botany and creative writing. Come with a notepad or sketch book and suitable clothing to work outside. No prior experience necessary. * * *More about our workshop leaders and speakers… **Ian Bailey* Ian is a long standing supporter and trustee of the Biodynamic Association and lives at The Grange Camphill Community. In 1991, he began his biodynamic journey in the garden at The Grange and has become an enthusiastic expert in understanding the cosmos: how the constellations, the Zodiac and the planets move in relation to the earth and its importance for biodynamics, especially the planting calendar. As Ian says, there’s a tremendous journey from the thoughts of the cosmos to the row of beans one might be hoping to grow, and he looks forward to exploring it together. *Spencer Christy * Spencer is a biodynamic farmer from Essex, and set up Lauriston Farm – a 210 acre Demeter certified holding on the Blackwater Estuary. He has extensive practical experience of rare breed cattle, sheep and chickens, as well as growing vegetables and fruits, natural beekeeping, and managing farmland for wildlife. He has a degree in Environmental Science, a diploma in Applied Permaculture Design and is an active member of the Anthroposophical Society. *Jonathan Code BA, M.Ed *Jonathan is a lecturer and co-lead on Crossfield Institute’s postgraduate course Researching Holistic Approaches to Agroecology, and has a deep interest in Consciousness Studies, Western Esotericism, the natural sciences and education. Jonathan’s book /Muck and Mind; Encountering Biodynamic Agriculture/ is published and distributed by Lindisfarne books (USA) and Floris books (UK). *Charles Dowding *Charles is a contemporary pioneer of no dig growing; he crops an intensive quarter acre in SW England for local sales of salad leaves (over 1 tonne last year) and vegetables. He has written seven books and teaches extensively at home and abroad. After graduating from Cambridge, in 1982 he started an organic, no -dig market garden on two acres, rising to seven acres by 1987. He is self-taught and learns from observation, trialling and comparing different methods of growing. He teaches, writes and grows, runs day and weekend courses at home and abroad, has seven books published and several films on his You Tube channel such as http://youtu.be/HATC3rG6NbQ, see more at www.charlesdowding.co.uk <http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk> *Rachel Hanney *Rachel is a master skep maker and leads the Natural Beekeeping Trust’s sunhive making workshops at Tablehurst Farm, where many bee colonies are housed in this innovative and iconic hive. She is a Trustee of the Natural Beekeeping Trust *Heidi Herrmann* Heidi has been a beekeeper for many years, teaching, lecturing and writing about bees, and is a trustee and spokesperson for the Natural Beekeeping Trust *Ute Kirchgasser* A renowned seed grower and plant breeder, Ute has been an active member of Kultursaat, a group of biodynamic plant breeders since 1989. Based in Germany, Kulturesaat have developed over 70 new varieties of vegetable that are now used by commercial growers and gardeners across Europe. Ute has been self-employed since 2012 and from her smallholding produces vegetable seed as part of the network of seed producers that supply Bingenheimer Saatgut, as well as undertaking work on the maintenance of existing varieties and breeding new varieties. Her research work includes the influence that sound can have on plants, in the form of musical notes. *Beatrice Krehl * Beatrice is a Swiss landscape architect with a passion for nature. She has worked for over 20 years as a gardener in the Netherlands and the UK, including 9 years as head gardener of the inspirational biodynamic garden, Waltham Place in Berkshire. *Rachael O’Kelly *Rachael is a biodynamic gardener, teacher and mother exploring the challenges and joys of fitting small scale biodynamic growing into a busy schedule. Rachael describes her passion as “lighting the fire of biodynamics in people's hearts.” She a trustee of the Biodynamic Association and previously ran a biodynamic teaching and market garden. She currently runs practical biodynamic garden workshops for all those interested in learning how to revitalise their gardens and take them to a new level of holistic health. *Tyll van der Voort* After training in Germany, Tyll has worked for over 30 years in biodynamic market gardening, predominantly in the UK and mostly in progressive social and educative contexts. He has a deep interest in apprentice training and was, for many years, instrumental in setting up and running biodynamic apprentice training schemes in the UK. He holds an M.Sc. in Organisational Development from the University of Bristol. *Joel Williams *Joel is a passionate educator and crop and soil health consultant. For the last 12 years he has worked between Australia and the UK, working with conventional and organic farms improving biological farming practices, as well as providing soil chemical and biological assessments to primary producers throughout Europe. He is currently based back in the UK where he is a full time grower at a London University creating an edible campus and growing organic vegetables to inspire and educate students on food growing. He has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science specialising in crop and soil sciences, and a keen interest in managing soil microbial balance and plant and soil nutrition to optimise plant immunity, soil health and carbon sequestration. He has a passion for teaching and sharing both scientific and practical knowledge on sustainable growing practices. *Short Talks: for all conference participants *Urban gardening: engaging audiences on food through urban gardening -Joel Williams My experiences with biodynamics -Charles Dowding Vital seeds, vital food, vital people - David Price Lauriston farm’s celestial garden: merging people, planets and plants - Spencer Christy Biodynamics: a question of research - Jonathon Code Bees in prison: the biodynamic sun hive goes to Rye Hill – Robin Baxter *Key Lectures: **Tyll van de Voort “ Planting a world –a personal approach to biodynamic Gardening'” Ute Kirchgasser* “ “*Open pollination - its importance in the origin, evolution and future of our vegetable plants * *Charles Dowding “ “ No-dig gardening – healthy abundance and less time needed” * *“Seeds for Life” 8pm - Sat 17^th September *Our future depends on seeds; we cannot grow food, or farm, or grow our own food in our gardens without them.To celebrate the launch of our Seed Co-operative share initiative, this very special evening event explores why open pollinated seeds are vital for all our futures. *Programme* */HEAR/*: Guest speakers, Neil Munro of the Heritage Seed Library, Garden Organic; Ute Kirschgasser, Biodynamic plant breeder, specialising in open-pollinated seeds and, Liz Hosken, Gaia Foundation. Together they provide an invaluable UK, european and global perspective of the importance of seed diversity, and discuss how the Seed Co-operative’s role is crucial to sustainable farming in the UK. *JOIN*: The Seed Co-operative Community Share Offer – the first of its kind in the UK, your chance to be involved in this exciting new venture. Meet the directors and discover how you can help safeguard the future of our organic and biodynamic seeds. *WATCH*: Not to be missed! An exclusive pre-release screening of */SEED: the untold story./* This multi-award winning new feature-length documentary follows dedicated seed keepers working to protect our 12,000-year old food legacy. The film features world experts including Vandana Shiva, and examines issues surrounding the loss of seed diversity, climate change, pesticides, GMO labelling, and the patenting and corporate takeover of seeds and food. With special thanks to Jon Taggart at Collective Eye Films for making this screening happen. *FINALE*: Organic bar, music, and fun! * *

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Fungimentalism course at Red Pig Farm, nr Llandeilo, Sept 16-18
by Adam Ormes Court 24 Aug '16

24 Aug '16

There are still a few places left on our Mushroom Cultivation course running next month at Red Pig Farm. An excellent time to come and visit these woodlands rich in fungal diversity and learn more about the weird and wonderful world of fungi. *What?* This three day course will provide you with a background in the fascinating world of fungal biology and the core principle and practices that underlie the art and science of mushroom cultivation. By the end of course you will have everything you need to start growing your own mushrooms at home, on your farm, or in your community including the mushroom spawn to get you started! *You will learn:* - The fascinating biology, ecology, and history of the Fungal Kingdom - Wild mushroom identification fungal foray - Aseptic (“sterile”) practices with agar, grains, compost, and wood-based materials - The core principles and paradigms that underlie the art and science of cultivation - Bulk spawn production, processing growing mediums and substrates - Appropriate, low-cost, and low-tech cultivation methods and tools - Lab and fruiting environment designs for home-, farm-, or community-scale projects - Log cultivation - Outdoor mushroom garden design and installation - application of fungi with integrated agro-ecosystems - Place-based resource management and systems design principles - Fungal integration into various permaculture-inspired sustainable living systems - Biochar & fungi - Biogas & fungi *Mushroom Species You’ll Learn to Grow Include:* - *Garden Giant *(*Stropharia rugosoannulata*) - *Cordyceps* (*Cordyceps sinensis*) - *Pearl Oyster *(*Pluerotus ostreatus*) - *Lion’s Mane* (*Hericium erinaceus*) - *Reishi* (*Ganoderma lucidum*) - *Turkey Tail *(*Trametes versicolor*) - *Maitake* (*Grifola frondosa*) - *King Trumpet* (*Pleurotus eryngii*) - *Shiitake *(*Lentinula edodes*) - *Elm Oyster* (*Hypsizgus ulmarius**)* *Who?* *James Skrivez*: Founder of Mycogeneration, James is the head mushroom grower at Red Pig Farm. It all began with an oyster mushroom from St Anthony’s well in the forest of Dean and James has running with mycellium ever since. After some initial growing success in the abandoned pantry of Yorkley Court Farmhouse he followed the fungi westward and found an ideal woodland to grow mushrooms in complete with Laboratory and processing unit. *Sam Lawson*: Sam Lawson, from Leeds, has been interested in fungi for several years. After some initial poking around in the woods independently without much success, he was served a cornucopia of wild mushrooms at a friend’s house, and since then has devoted much time and thought to enabling more people to eat better mushrooms more often. Sam now spends most of his time in Autumn improving his knowledge of native fungal species and exploring new locations for foraging; for the rest of the year the focus shifts to small-scale cultivation, particularly on developing new methods of cultivation which are less energy-intensive and make better use of resources normally deemed to be ‘waste’. *When?* September 16th-18th, 2016 *Where*? Red Pig Farm, Brecon Beacons, SA19 9DR *How Much?* The cost of the course is banded on the basis of income and includes food, accommodation and materials: - Up to 14K/year £95 - 14K-20K/year £150 - 20K upwards £180 *How to Book* To book a place on the course contact us by phone or e-mail and we’ll send you a booking form. Please note that we ask that you pay a 25% non refundable deposit to secure a place on the course. -- www.agroecology.co.uk info(a)agroecology.co.uk 07808168562

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SoilHack related goings on at Off-Grid Festival this weekend
by Adam Ormes Court 02 Aug '16

02 Aug '16

Apologies for the short notice, this is a heads up about something I'm involved with at the Off-Grid Festival in Devon this weekend. There will be a Restorative Agriculture Zone, presided over by biochar market gardener Ed Revill: Carbon in the sky contributes to climate change. Carbon in the soil enriches the soil in ways which reduce the needs for inputs when growing crops. We will be conducting talks and workshops throughout the festival for gardeners, growers and for people wanting to know how to meet their needs in ways which heal the Earth and reverse causes of climate change. Soil Carbon Influencing Factors, Agroecology, Full Cycle Biochar, Biochar Stove Technology We will also bring along biochar producing ovens and run sourdough bread making workshops throughout the festival using these ovens. ...as well as the first public outing of the Soil Carbon Project (working name): Our aim is simple - to get you to join us in the effort to sequester as much atmospheric carbon into soils as is humanly possible, ASAP. We already have all the technology we need at our disposal. Why? At the same time as removing excess CO2 from our atmosphere, it will start to reverse the wholesale destruction of our soils, produce the highly nutrient dense foods we desperately need, and with your support, grow an economy founded on healing the earth, not devouring it. This is something everyone can become involved in in some way – come and find out more. More on the latter to be posted here in due course. Hopefully a full on revival of this list will ensue... Regards, Adam -- *In order to change an existing paradigm you do not struggle to try and change the problematic model /* *You create a new model and make the old one obsolete /* *That, in essence, is the higher service to which we are all being called. //* Buckminster Fuller

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The contentious nature of Soil Organic Matter
by Adam Ormes Court 02 Aug '16

02 Aug '16

In case you were left scratching your head by the 'humus doesn't exist' report, here's a short article, and a pdf of a slideshow presentation by the authors of the study that made the claim, which makes for easier reading: https://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/11/scientists-urge-new-soil-carbo… http://users.unimi.it/ricicla/Lezioni/convegno_18-06-15/2-Kleber.pdf -- *In order to change an existing paradigm you do not struggle to try and change the problematic model /* *You create a new model and make the old one obsolete /* *That, in essence, is the higher service to which we are all being called. //* Buckminster Fuller

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Humus doesn't exist?
by Adam Ormes Court 29 Jul '16

29 Jul '16

I usually wouldn't post this sort of thing on here but thought this was a sufficiently monumental piece of information to merit doing so... >From a post by Toby Hemenway on FedBook: Some amazing news on the soil science front. Humus doesn't exist. Several recent articles are showing that humic and fulvic acids and many of the other humic components of soil are artifacts of the alkaline treatment that is used to measure humus content, and don't, in fact, exist in untreated soil. When OM is measured using non-destructive methods such as NMR spectroscopy, no humic compounds can be found. Organic matter does not degrade into "stable" humic components, it simply decomposes into a continuum of smaller and smaller carbon compounds. There is constant, slow turnover of carbon in soils, not a semi-permanent trapping of carbon into "humus." Humus, meaning a stable form of carbon visualized by alkaline extraction, seems not to exist. It's an artifact of the lab method. This is kind of blow-away news for those of us who teach soil science--and it's a good lesson on how the methods we use determines what we see. Teachers, start revising how you teach soils, and stop talking about humus. Most of the articles on this are behind journal paywalls, but some of the abstracts are available. One article is Lehmann, J.; Kleber, M. (2015-12-03), "The contentious nature of soil organic matter", Nature 528:60-68. There is a short video based on that article linked below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n6emCNEmKg -- *In order to change an existing paradigm you do not struggle to try and change the problematic model /* *You create a new model and make the old one obsolete /* *That, in essence, is the higher service to which we are all being called. //* Buckminster Fuller

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Biodynamics, Revitalizing our Earth, one Garden at a time Conference 2016
by Biodynamic Association 27 Jul '16

27 Jul '16

Dear Soil Hack, Gardeners are the natural stewards and protectors of our Earth, and how we garden has never been so important. Biodynamic gardening methods provides a much needed catalyst for regeneration, which revitalizes soils, nurtures bees, provide safe havens for wildlife, and keep our precious bio-diversity alive. The aim of biodynamics is to maximize the inherent vitality of our soils and gardens through its use of herbal compost and spray preparations, by harnessing the subtle cosmic forces of nature, building natural resilience with open pollinated seed, and by creating a garden full of harmonious life, which becomes self-sustaining . *Want to discover more? * Exciting two day biodynamic Gardening conference at Ryton Organic Gardens, Warwickshire 17th & 18th September 2016 <https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/magento/biodynamic-workshops.html> Packed with hands on practical advice, workshops and captivating lectures, our conference this year devotes itself to biodynamic approach to gardening, and how to take your organic gardening to a new level of holistic health. Book your ticket here. <https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/magento/biodynamic-workshops.html> Look forward to seeing you in Sept! - Warm wishes - Jessica Standing (BDA Office UK)

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Sustainable Soil Management: Soil for life | edX
by darreno＠openmailbox.org 21 Apr '16

21 Apr '16

Free online course https://www.edx.org/course/sustainable-soil-management-soil-life-wageningen…!

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soil hack
by Nils Agger 13 Apr '16

13 Apr '16

Hi Do you have any emailing list for courses and events related to soil hack? In that case i would be interested to be signed up Nils Agger

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Groundswell: The No-Till Show
by darreno＠openmailbox.org 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

No-till show & conference. 30th June -Hitchen, Herts. http://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/groundswell-the-no-till-show… -- Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

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