Biodynamic Farming Handbook: Activating Soil Fertility for Growing Healthy Food

Biodynamic Farming Handbook is a unique guide to biodynamic agricultural and gardening methods, as an advanced organic, regenerative farming method that eschews chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides. As with other organic methods, it aims to build soil organic matter levels and biological activity, enabling plants to feed and grow naturally.

Nevertheless, the biodynamic approach goes far beyond conventional organic methods, using a range of powerful nature-based preparations that greatly enhance soil biological activity and photosynthetic efficiency, resulting in healthier, more vibrant plants with exceptional flavor and keeping qualities, far beyond what is achievable through ordinary organic methods.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of biodynamic farming, its scientific basis, detailed instructions for practical application, plus a series of detailed case studies detailing the activities of a variety of biodynamic farms in Australia and Europe that use the Australia Demeter Biodynamic Method, which is applied widely in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

It is called the ＂Australian＂ method because it was developed most extensively under the guidance of Alex Podolinsky (1925-2019), and the method extended to hundreds of thousands of acres by the mid-1980s. Owing to Podolinsky’s annual advisory trips throughout Europe from the 1990s until his death in 2019, hundreds of farmers now use this method.

John Bradshaw has used Biodynamic methods for over 50 years as a working farmer, gardener, trainer, researcher and certification inspector in Australia. He wrote the Biodynamic Practical Notes booklet, endorsed by Alex Podolinsky. He edited the hands-on Biodynamic Growing magazine from 2003-2019, and produces the annual Biodynamic sowing calendar.