Bio-Dynamics Tasmania resource Handbook
Bio-Dynamics Tasmania a Resource Handbook www.biodynamicstas.com
Bio-Dynamics Tasmania kicked off with a seminar held in Ulverstone in 1988, presented by Colin Cook. The subject of today’s blog is the Bio-dynamics Tasmania resource handbook. It has largely been written by Graeme Roberts and Brian Grayling both long time members of Bio-Dynamics Tasmania.
We signed a contract to purchase our Granton property in 1989. I remember Alex Podolinsky (guru and Australian pioneer of bio-dynamics) visited our property in 1992 around April. He surveyed the property with Steve to assess its capacity to convert to bio-dynamics. We were so eager to get started, but with a young family and plenty of debt, bio-dynamics sat on the back burner until 2008. It was around this time we knew that the business would not fail and that we were on the road to reaching our business and personal goals. We had made the decision to start to use compost and softer fungicides (non-systemic) knowing that bio-dynamics were our ultimate farming systems. With this in mind it was less scary to take the risk of completely moving away from synthetic farming and to trial bio-dynamics. The trial was successful and in 2010 we became certified in conversion. In 2013 we became fully certified.
When I think of bio-dynamics I think of ‘the garden of Eden’; imagine a beautiful landscape where there is random organisation and everywhere you look is breathtakingly lush, healthy with a bounty of flavour filled produce. Of course this is a once a upon a time existence, perhaps a fantasy and possibly unachievable in this day and age. Nonetheless it did not stop us from striving towards this goal where one day, through the use of bio-dynamic systems, our vineyard would enter into a natural balance where it would almost care take for itself.
Graeme Roberts stopped by on Friday to go through the Bio-Dynamics Tasmania resource handbook with me. The difference with this resource is that it relates directly to Tasmanian’s climatic conditions and farming experiences, rather than those in Europe or even on the mainland. Graeme discussed with me his biodynamic knowledge and how he applied it to his own little 5-acre vineyard at Bagdad which he planted in 1992. He said there were great benefits to be had when making 500 by adding 8ml of valerian to the mix. This is a great tonic for all plants. I believe this to be true as Brian Keats (Astro Calendar author) has also told me that 501, when combined with trace elements, helps the plant to take them up more readily and to assimilate them.
The Bio-Dynamics Tasmania Resource Handbook is for everyone. It is not necessary to be certified to practice biodynmaics. On any level there is something that each of us can do to improve the soil and the planet. The bio-dynamic preparations are readily available from Bio-Dynamics Tasmania (or your local supplier). You can purchase their Resource Handbook on their website www.biodynamicstas.com and action the very easy steps to create your own bio-dynamic paradise. Bio-dynamics is a little bit like parenting; the more of it you do the more confident and better you get at it. If you’re not a parent think of it as learning to ride a bike. You start out slowly learn from the stacks and near misses and then take it to the ultimate level. Any bike rider, if skilled enough and determined, can ride in the Tour de France!