Prior to this week I had never heard the term of biodynamic farming to describe a type of agriculture. Then when I learned more about it, it sounded like a blend of permaculture and sustainable agriculture. The aspect of biodynamics that separates it from other agricultural practices is that, “biodynamic practitioners also recognize and strive to work in cooperation with the subtle influences of the wider cosmos on soil, plant, and animal health. (biodynamics.com).” At first, I thought that biodynamics sounded a bit crazy. I did not understand why people would want to “worship” the cosmic energy or astrology as a farmer. But, then after thinking and hearing about it made sense. We depend on the sun for warmth and the plants need the sunlight to photosynthesize. And in Iceland this is important because the amount of light available is vastly different depending on the season. In the winter there is almost no sunlight and in the summer sunlight is available throughout the day, even at nighttime. Sustainability is a big part of biodynamics. Another biodynamic method is to, “view of nature as an interconnected whole, a totality, an organism endowed with archetypal rhythm. (demeter-usa.org).” This includes looking at the entire picture of the system including the economic, social, and environmental side. While making sure each part is sustainable. It was exciting to see another sustainable community in Iceland and compare it to Solheimar. It was encouraging to hear how the owner of the farm viewed the residents who he works with. He was understanding the residents on his farm may be able to only put in a few hours of work, but he does not get disappointed or frustrated. He was appreciative of each of their work and acknowledges their importance as a part of the whole system. Which is the essence of biodynamics, looking at the entire system and not focusing on one part more than another.
Connor Nowicki