Biodynamic farming takes organic agriculture one step further. In addition to rejecting synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, the practice involves adding soil and plant amendment "preparations" and even evoking astrological inspiration. As such, the system is considered poppycock to some, indespensible to adherents. Recently, biodynamic agriculture has been in the news. Insidebayarea.com food writer Jolene Thym published a story yesterday about biodynamic farmer Mike Benzinger of Benzinger Family Vineyards in Glenn Ellen.
"In commercial farming, you push nature out to the borders," Benzinger is quoted in the article. "Here, we have invited it in to set up shop; to integrate with everything that we do here."
The same day, Joan Obra, the food editor for the Fresno Bee, wrote about Fresno biodynamic farmer Gina Nonini. Obra quotes Nonini:
"You start looking at planetary influences and the cosmic world. It's even more fluid and alive than organics."
UC Cooperative Extension is in on the conversation. Mendocino County farm advisor Glenn McGourty was part of a team that compared biodynamically and organically managed vineyards. Their results showed measurable differences in the grapes that were harvested. Look for a press release with details on the study's methodology and results later this month on the UC ANR News Web Site.