|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gardening Techniques |
|
Biodynamic Gardening Organic
Gardening
Permaculture |
|
Many linked articles are written by
gardeners and scientists from outside of our region but the information there is
either universal or can be easily adapted to the climatic conditions in the Kootenays. |
|
 |
| Kootenay Gardening |
Biodynamic gardening |
top |
|
The system we know as Biodynamics was initiated
by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), the Austrian scientist,
philosopher, and mystic who is also the founder of Waldorf schools.
Biodynamics (Greek for "life energy") is not a
rigid set of techniques, but rather a "path of knowledge" that
relies on the gardener's own observations of nature. ...
Biodynamics holds that all health begins in the
soil. |
|
What is Biodynamics? |
"Based on a series of lectures given by Austrian philosopher
Rudolf Steiner in 1924, Biodynamics is a method of
agriculture which seeks to actively work with the health-giving forces
of nature. It is the oldest non-chemical agricultural movement,
predating the organic agriculture movement by some twenty years and has
now spread throughout the world. ...
Biodynamics is a science of life-forces, a
recognition of the basic principles at work in nature, and an
approach to agriculture that takes these principles into
account to bring about a balance and healing."
Article by Sherry Wildfeur at the
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association website. |
| |
|
|
The Challenge of Biodynamics |
"Steiner understood the farm as a living
entity and the farmer through his or her toil, intent and
conscious feeling, as a motivating, even healing part of that
being. Some of Steiner's teachings resonate with accepted
scientific concepts, such as the "agroecosystem", while
others, particularly those involving planetary alignment and
cosmic beings are from a different way of understanding."
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada website. |
| |
|
|
Community Supported Agriculture |
"The Earth is a living Being and the actions
of every individual have an effect on the whole. The soil is
the basis of all human life and the quality of its care and
health affect not only the people who eat the food today, but
also those who will depend on the soil in the future."
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association website. |
| |
|
|
Biodynamic Farming & Compost Preparation |
"While biodynamics parallels organic farming
in many ways — especially with regard to cultural and
biological farming practices — it is set apart from other
organic agriculture systems by its association with the
spiritual science of anthroposophy founded by Steiner, and in
its emphasis on farming practices intended to achieve balance
between the physical and higher, non-physical realms; to
acknowledge the influence of cosmic and terrestrial forces;
and to enrich the farm, its products, and its inhabitants with life energy."
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website. |
| |
|
|
Lofstedt Gardens |
Biodynamic Farm situated close to Kaslo and the Kootenay Lake in
the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada.
"Bio-Dynamic farming ... endeavors to create a closed,
fully-renewable, truly ecological production system, in which all
the resources needed to maintain soil fertility and plant health
originate from the farm itself, keeping any outside inputs at the
bare minimum" explain the owners, Bridget and George Baumann.
The farm is a training place for Biodynamic farming and
gardening. They get quite a number of interns and wwoofers every
season, and for many this is an important turning point in their lives.
WWOOF means World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms or
Willing Workers on Organic Farms - Volunteer exchange for
accommodation, meals and an interesting experience. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Kootenay Gardening |
Organic gardening |
top |
|
|
Organic Agriculture promotes and enhances
biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It
is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management
practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony. (NOSB) |
|
Sustainable Organic Gardening |
"Organic gardening is growing without
chemical fertilizers, naturally building the soil to support
healthy plant life. Chemical fertilizers and additives will,
over time, damage the soil's ability to provide what plants
need to resist disease, insect attacks, and stress. Soil
depletion of organic nutrients is one of the main causes of
unhealthy plants and disease."
Comprehensive article at the Avant-Gardening:
Creative Organic Gardening website. |
| |
|
|
Gardening Organically |
"When you garden organically, you think of
your plants as part of a whole system within Nature that
starts in the soil and includes the water supply, people,
wildlife and even insects. An organic gardener strives to work
in harmony with natural systems and to minimize and
continually replenish any resources the garden consumes.
Organic gardening, then, begins with attention to the soil."
Short article at the Organic Gardening website. |
| |
|
|
Organic Agriculture Today |
"Organic agriculture is sustainable, keeping
soils healthy and alive, and helping to minimize contamination
of the earth's precious water supplies. ...
Organic growers use biological and cultural
practices as their first line of defense against pests.
Methods used include crop rotation, the selection of pest- and
disease- resistant varieties, nutrient and water management,
the provision of habitat for the natural enemies of pests, and
release of beneficial organisms to protect crops from damage. ...
In addition, organic practices prohibit the
use of genetic engineering, irradiation, sewage sludge,
antibiotics, and hormones."
The Ecology.com website. |
| |
|
|
Finding Our Way Home |
"We need to discover that Earth does not
belong to us, but we belong to her.
To find our way "home", we need to focus on
goals in tune with Nature - nourishing biodiversity while
reducing our ecological footprint, our fuel consumption, and
the distance our products travel to market."
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada website. |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Kootenay Gardening |
Permaculture |
top |
|
Permaculture is the art and science that applies
patterns found in nature to the design and construction of human
and natural environments. Only by applying such patterns and
principles to the built environment can we truly achieve a
sustainable living system. Permaculture principles are now being
adapted to all systems and disciplines that human settlement
requires. Architects, planners, farmers, economists, social
scientists, as well as students, homeowners and gardeners can
utilize the principles of Permaculture Design. - Larry Santoyo
Permaculture is urging complete cooperation
between each other and every other thing, animate and inanimate. - Bill Mollison |
|
Creative Organic Gardening |
PERMACULTURE (permanent culture) is a
diverse, complex eco-system, where all of the elements
interact in mutually beneficial ways to produce a whole which
is greater than the sum of its parts.
Avant-Gardening: Creative Organic Gardening
website. |
| |
|
|
Introduction to Permaculture |
"The ethical basis of permaculture rests upon
care of the earth-maintaining a system in which all life can
thrive. This includes human access to resources and
provisions, but not the accumulation of wealth, power, or land
beyond their needs.
The ethics of permaculture provide a sense of
place in the larger scheme of things, and serve as a guidepost
to right livelihood in concert with the global community and
the environment, rather than individualism and indifference.
Permaculture also acknowledges a basic life
ethic, which recognizes the intrinsic worth of every living
thing."
Comprehensive information on everything
related to permaculture: definition, characteristics,
practical applications, permaculture ethics, principles, and
much more.
National Sustainable Agriculture
Information Service website. |
| |
|
|
Permaculture - A Beginner's Guide |
"Permaculture offers a radical approach to
food production and urban renewal, water, energy and
pollution. It integrates ecology, landscape, organic
gardening, architecture and agro-forestry in creating a rich
and sustainable way of living. It uses appropriate technology
giving high yields for low energy inputs, achieving a resource
of great diversity and stability. The design principles are
equally applicable to both urban and rural dwellers" - Bill Mollison
Permaculture - A Beginners Guide by Graham Burnett. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
top |
Design and photos © kootenaygardening.com 2006 - 2008 |
|
