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<\/a><\/p>\nThe compost preparations are a scientific combination of six medicinal herb extracts:\u00a0Double Double Toil and Trouble<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n These are utilized for different reasons and in varying ways. As an example: preparation 500<\/strong><\/em> is fresh cow manure from a female, lactating cow that resides on a Biodynamic farm. The manure is packed into a cow horn, ideally from a cow that resides on the Biodynamic farm where the preparations are made, but otherwise from a cow with a known, happy quality of life. The packed horn is then buried in the fall and unearthed the following spring. You can see all the preparations here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The brainchild of Austrian scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, this practice regulates viticulture by the biodynamic calendar. In 1924,\u00a0he spoke of life forces linking together the universe and all living things. He suggested there are preferred days to sow, prune etc. related to cosmic and lunar rhythms and that the energy of plants can be affected by the energy of the moon, stars and planets.<\/p>\n Maria Thun, a farmer in Darmstadt, Germany with a keen interest in biodynamics, decided to subject Steiner’s principles to controlled trials, beginning with radishes. Planting the vegetables when the moon was in different constellations, she discovered, resulted in their growing into different forms and sizes. After years of experimenting, she made the biodynamic calendar in 1962. Each\u00a0biodynamic calendar day coincides with one of the four classical elements of Earth, Fire, Air and Water. There are four types of days:\u00a0Fruit Days:<\/strong>\u00a0Best days for harvesting grapes,\u00a0Root Days:<\/strong>\u00a0Ideal days for pruning,\u00a0Flower Days:<\/strong>\u00a0Leave the vineyard alone on these days,\u00a0Leaf Days:<\/strong>\u00a0Ideal days for watering plants.<\/p>\n Here are a few biodynamic wineries that have widely available wines to try. Look for the Demeter<\/em> certification on the back label, named for the Greek goddess of agriculture.<\/p>\n I hope they cast a spell over you, as they did me!<\/p>\n\n
<\/a><\/a>Biodynamic Wineries Worth Sampling<\/h2>\n
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