How to care for Horned Cows
Harvests Article – Winter 2014
Farmers Margaret and Edwin Foord respond to the horned cattle articles that featured in our previous issue – can we move away from horned cattle by Marinus La Rooij
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Observations of a Home Gardener – Since Using Biodynamics
Harvest Article – Winter 2014
I have been using biodynamic methods on my home gardens for over 30 years on four different properties. Over the course of that time, I have noticed several things have noticeably changed after three to four years of applying the preparations. As
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Can we move away from dehorning in NZ?
Harvest Article – Autumn 2014
By Marinus La Rooij
In Europe, biodynamic leaders and others are making noise about keeping horns on cattle. Long time biodynamic farmer and Demeter inspector Marinus La Rooij opens the discussion about whether that could become a reality in New Zealand.
The following pages aim to develop and stimulate some thinking on the question of dehorning New Zealand dairy cows and beef cattle. To achieve this, I will put forth most issues in the form of open-ended questions.
Increasing pressure is coming from European biodynamic, organic, consumer and animal welfare organisations to no longer allow dehorning, in particular for Demeter-certified herds. It would be fair to say at the outset, however, that in the context of the EU, the history has been to push actual adoption and implementation of such worthy-but-difficult-to realise intentions ahead and ahead into the future, from deadline to deadline. Nevertheless, the topic needs discussing also in New Zealand, or hard-and-fast rules might well suddenly catch the NZ biodynamic movement unprepared.
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Traditional Māori Agriculture and Biodynamics
Harvest Article – Summer 2020
The following piece is an excerpt from The Autumn/Winter issue of Harvests 2021. For access to the preparations, twice yearly Harvests Magazine and to participate in monthly Zoom gatherings, become a member of Biodynamics New Zealand.
By Tyne-Marie Nelson
In 2015, Tyne-Marie Nelson undertook a research project to identify resonances between biodynamic farming and traditional Māori methods of agriculture. The project was supported by Taruna College and funded by Te Kete Ora Trust. Sections of that work are reprinted by permission here.
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Botany Spot: Birch
Harvest Article – Summer 2015
By David Millin
Birch is a thin-leaved, deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula. It is closely related to alders, hazels, and hornbeams. There are over 30 species of birch, most of which are native to Europe and Asia, with the remainder native to North America. Here at Weleda, we use the European white birch (Betula alba) medicinally. Related species include silver birch, which has become naturalised in New Zealand, and downy birch, which is able to grow farther north into the Arctic than any other broadleaf tree.
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So far, so good
Harvest Article – Summer 2015
Clos Henri’s quest for wine quality led them to biodynamics. By Fabiano Frangi
We first talked about the possibility of going organic in September 2009, shortly after I had joined Clos Henri.
It was my first time being employed as a vineyard manager. I remember Lionel Bourgeois, our owner and viticulturist, telling me that if we couldn’t succeed growing organically in Marlborough’s climatic conditions, we didn’t deserve
to be winegrowers.
My Biodynamic Journey
Harvest Article – Winter 2015
A Chinese immigrant takes naturally to biodynamics
Hongze Yao (known as Yao to friends) was born in a small region in Fujian Province. With a warm and humid maritime subtropical climate, agriculture in Putian has been very popular since the 1950s.
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Circle or Square CPP at Pyramid Valley
Harvest Article – Winter 2015
Claudia Weersing of Pyramid Valley Vineyards explores the effect of shape
As children, we all played with blocks. Some of us had the joy of blocks with numerous shapes – circles, triangles, squares and stars – and you would learn to find a matching cut-out shape for the block to fit into on another piece of wood.
The circle was for most of us the easiest, and it is still to this day the one that children reach for first.
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Harvest Article – Winter 2015
By Shane Livingston
We all know about the important role cows play in biodynamics. Cows gift us horns and other body parts to be used as sheaths for the making of the preparations. They also give us dung for use in preparation 500, compost and barrel compost.
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Small School Starts Biodynamic Journey
Harvest Article – Winter 2016
Motueka Steiner School’s dream of schooling children on a farm is being realised. By Peter Garlick
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