From the Agriculture Course to Sustainable Farming

100 Years of the Biodynamic Movement

Rudi Bind and Ueli Hurter; Translated by Bernard Jarman

Price:
£14.99
Availability:
Not yet published - due 30 Jan 2025

Quick Look

  • Explores the key ideas from Rudolf Steiner's 1924 Agriculture Course which led to the development of the worldwide biodynamic movement
  • Showcases the initiatives which have evolved from biodynamics including seed banks, regenerative farming and the campaign against chemical pesticides and fertilisers
  • Includes modern examples from Egypt, Brazil and Spain which reveal how biodynamics continues to help individuals and communities thrive
  • Written by authoritative voices in biodynamics: Ueli Hurter is joint-Head of the Agriculture Section at the Goetheanum

A fascinating exploration of the growth of the biodynamic movement over the last century from esteemed experts in the field. Outlines key themes from Rudolf Steiner's seminal Agriculture Course and explores initiatives which have followed.

Format:
paperback
Size:
216 x 140 mm
Publisher:
Floris Books
Subject:
Biodynamics & Organics
Illustrations:
46 b/w illustrations
Extent:
144 pages
ISBN:
9781782509424
Publication date:
30 Jan 2025

Description

Today, biodynamic agriculture is practised in more than 50 countries worldwide and offers a way of growing high-quality produce through the sustainable cultivation of soil, plants and animals. But where did it begin and how did it come to have such an impact?

In this fascinating book, Ueli Hurter and Rudi Bind trace the history and development of the biodynamic movement over a century. They examine the roots of the movement in the Agriculture Course given by Rudolf Steiner in 1924, providing a clear overview of the course's key themes and ideas; they also include reflections from the course participants.

The authors describe initiatives that have arisen from biodynamics, such as community-supported agriculture and the creation of seed banks, as well as the influence it has had on the wider organic movement, regenerative farming and the campaign against chemical pesticides and fertilisers. They also include contemporary examples that demonstrate how biodynamics is helping individuals and communities around the world to thrive, including in Egypt, Brazil, Argentina, Spain and India.

This book will be of interest to anyone who wants to understand the origins of biodynamic agriculture, its growth into a worldwide movement and its continuing impact on the world.

Author

Rudi Bind studied Goethean phenomenology and existential philosophy. He has worked as a journalist and primary teacher, and is co-founder of the Heinrich Barth Society. He lives in Arlesheim, Switzerland.

Ueli Hurter is the joint-Head of the Agriculture Section at the Goetheanum, Switzerland, and sits on the executive board of the International Biodynamic Association.

Bernard Jarman worked as an apprentice on a biodynamic farm in Germany before running a hill farm in Botton Camphill Village, North Yorkshire. He was Executive Director of the Biodynamic Agricultural Association in the UK for fifteen years and continues to teach courses in biodynamic agriculture all around the world. Bernard is the author of The Biodynamic Movement in Britain. He lives in Stroud, England.

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