Part 3: Tuning to the Cosmos
The BD calendar is an important seasonal guide
On Teton Full Circle Farm we work to tune into the cycles and rhythms - both subtle and dramatic - that shape life on earth. Let's begin with the dramatic rhythms. Over the course of 24 hours, we experience the rhythm of day and night - a result of the earth spinning on its axis. Over the course of the year, we feel the rhythm of the seasons as the tilt of the earth's axis exposes different parts of the globe to the intensity of the sun's energy as it completes one full revolution around the sun. The poles experience the most dramatic seasonal changes in hot and cold, light and dark while the equator experiences the equally drastic cycles of rainy and dry.
As we look deeper, more subtle influences become apparent. Most of us notice or accept that certain meteorological conditions intensify the pains of a given illness or ailment. We also generally acknowledge that a woman's menstrual cycle reflects the course of the Moon's cycle around the Earth. Biodynamic Agriculture goes a step beyond these subtle influences, suggesting that there are many more phenomena in the biological make up of men and women, plants and animals, and even bacteria and fungi that replicate these deep rhythms.
Maria Thun, a student of Steiner, spent her lifetime studying and conducting research on the influences of the cosmos on plant life. She planted trial after trial of numerous crops, keeping all conditions the same except for the day they were planted. Through an astronomical sample size and meticulous records, Maria found an undeniable association between plant quality and the moon's position in the sky. For the 50 years up until her death in 2012, Maria published a yearly calendar (her work continues through her son, Matthias Thun) reflecting her results outlining the best times for planting, transplanting and harvesting based on her rigorous research. On the farm, this calendar helps us organize our actions throughout the growing season while providing insight into the weather and other subtle seasonal changes.
In his foundational lectures on agriculture, Rudolf Steiner encouraged farmers in Europe to notice a wider scope of influences acting on the plants and animals they were working with. "We have to commit ourselves to a much broader way of looking at the life of plants and animals, and also at the life of the Earth itself. We must widen our outlook to include the cosmos." This holistic viewpoint is precisely what guides our senses and actions on the farm which enable us to produce healthy soil and vibrant plants. In other words, it is important to become familiar with the complexities of the farm rather than succumbing to the reductionist thinking of industrial agriculture that values simplicity and efficiency over understanding whole systems. Rather than ignoring these factors, we seek to train our instincts and feelings to help guide us deeper in our understanding of the cosmos and notice its reflections in life around us.
Rudolf Steiner best summarized the influence of the cosmos in this following metaphor. When looking into a compass, we do not just see a bunch of plastic and a needle floating in fluid, but a reflection of the magnetic poles of the earth. Likewise, when we look at a beet, it reflects much more than its genetic code or leaves and roots. Instead we see a reflection of the sun, water, earth, atmosphere, and cosmos that shape this seemingly simple, but infinitely complex organism.
