Biodynamic farming is a form of organic viticulture which developed out of lectures given by an Austrian scientist Rudolf Steiner(1861-1925) to a group of farmers.Since 1920's biodynamic exist in wine growing and reflects the relation between the natural elements. It is a farming that not only, like in organic winegrowing, excludes the use of synthetic chemical products such as herbicides, insecticides and atificial fertilizers, but also uses the seasonal calendar based on the movements of the moon (created by Maria Thun).
Biodynamic makes use of composts and preparations made accordingly to Stainer's instructions to dynamise the vines and the vineyard.The solutions are based on manure and/or preparations made of medical plants and minerals.There are 9 biodynamic preparations described by Stainer that we still use in vineyards today to enchance the soil quality and stimulate plant life.
Horn-manure, which is a cow manure fermented in a cow horn that is burried in the soil for 6 months (autum and winter),
horn-silica made from powdered quartz packed inside a cow horn and burried in soil for 6 months (spring and summer)
and plantes:
yarrow blossoms, chamomile blossoms, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion flowers, valarian flowers. The last, liquid preparation, is made from silica-rich
horsetail plant and used as a foliar spray to suppress fungal diseases in plants.
The preparations are used in homeopathic quantities, meaning they produce an effect in extremely diluted amounts.In the film we can see the prescribed stirring technique. Small amounts of preparations (a 300 grams mixture of horn manure, yarrow blossoms, chamomile blossoms, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion flowers, valerian flowers) have been added to warm water (37°C), than stirred in a circular fashion to create a vortex. Than the direction of stirring has been reversed to recreate a vortex in the other direction. Stirring lasts for an hour. Result is a water vitalised by only a small amount of preparation material. This liquid preparation has than been used to dynamise the soil.
