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 The
Association was formed in 1939 to promote biodynamic
methods.
The objects of the Association are to foster, guide and safeguard in
New Zealand the biodynamic approach to agriculture, horticulture, forestry
and animal husbandry as initiated by Rudolf Steiner in 1924 and as practised
progressively since that time. The association is affiliated with the
General Anthroposophical Society.
Membership is open to anyone interested in biodynamic farming and gardening
methods. There are currently about 800 members who include farmers, processors,
orchardists, commercial and home gardeners as well as others who wish
to support this work. New members receive a copy of the current Bio
Dynamic Farming and Gardening Calendar, copies
of Harvests, and information booklets
on a range of management practices such as how to use biodynamic preparations
and how to make compost and liquid manures.
Biodynamics - holistic sustainable
organic agriculture
Biodynamic methods work toward the development of the farm or garden as
a balanced and sustainable unit. They include organic practices such as
crop rotation, recycling through composts and liquid manures, and increasing
plant and animal bio diversity. Special plant, animal and mineral preparations
are used. The rhythmic influences of the sun, moon, planets and stars
are recognised and worked with where possible. These methods lead to a
natural reduction of pests and diseases in plants and animals, and an
increase in the nutritive and health giving value of food produced.
Click here
for more information on how to develop and maintain healthy soil, plants
and animals.
You can also listen to biodynamic adviser Peter Proctor discussing biodynamics
with Kim
Hill on Radio NZ National.
 Demeter
Demeter is a world wide certification system (in over
50 countries), used to verify to the consumer that food or product has
been produced by biodynamic methods. The Bio Dynamic Association is the
certifier in New Zealand. Click
here for information on how to gain a Demeter
certification. Click here
for more information about Demeter food.
Forthcoming Biodynamic Events
Auckland
Avondale Soil Stewards
Course
Saturday 11 February 2012 : Soil & Water Management
Saturday 10 March 2012 : Plants & the Night Sky
Saturday 14 April 2012 : Your Garden's Ecosystem
Saturday 12 May 2012 : Heirloom Fruit Orchards
For information on these email
Avondale Community
Gardeners or ph 0-9-828 5854l
Bay
of Plenty-Waikato
Saturday 24th January. Weeds and what they tell, Chaos
Springs, Waihi. Further
information here
Hawke's Bay
July
and ongoing. Taruna College Organics and Biodynamics Course for Viticulturists
(Marlborough).
Further
information here
August and ongoing. Haumoana (Hawke's Bay) Community Gardens Biodynamic
Programme.
Further information here
Canterbury
Saturday
January 28th and Sunday January 29th. Biodynamic workshop in Cust. Further
information here
Otago
Sunday
29th January, 9am - 12pm. Raising & applying preparation 500, Wanaka.
Further
information here
Sunday
26th February, 9am - 12pm. Compost teas, potting mix & pest control, Wanaka.
Further
information here
Sunday
25th March, 9am - 12pm. Making fermentation compost, Wanaka. Further
information here
Sunday
22nd April, 9am - 12pm. Making preparation 500, Wanaka. Further
information here
Sunday
27th May 9am - 3pm. Making hot compost, Wanaka. Further
information here
Friday 8th & Saturday 9th June. Biodynamic National Conference,
Central Otago
Recent Biodynamic Events
Sunday 11th December, 10.30. Kaipara Group fieldday.
Friday
2nd -Sunday 4th December. Astronomy Workshop, Hawke's Bay
Sunday
27th November, 9am - 3pm. Making & applying preparation 501, Wanaka
Friday 18th
November to Sunday 20th November. Astronomy workshop, Auckland.
Wednesday 9th November. Biodynamic fielddays, Katikati.
Tuesday 8th November. Worm farming and compost making, Waihi.
Sunday
6th November, 10am. Canterbury Preparation and Peppering Workshop
Saturday
5th November. Biodynamic Workshop, Wellington.
Saturday 5th November. Growing Kumara, Haumoana (Hawke's Bay).
Sunday 30th October, 9am - 3pm. Introduction to biodynamics, Wanaka.
Sunday 30th October, 10.30 am. Kaipara Group fieldday at Maungaturoto.
Sunday 16th October. Lifestyle Farming Workshop, Muriwai Valley
Saturday 15th October, 2- 4pm. Liquid fertilisers the biodynamic way,
Haumoana (Hawke's Bay).
Saturday 15th October. Biodynamic workshop, Whitianga.
Saturday 15th October. Biodynamic Field day, Maungakaramea, Whangarei.
Tuesday 11th October. Soil food web and compost tea making, Chaos Springs,
Waihi.
Tuesday 11th October. Dairy discusion day, Ngaruawahia.
Thursday 6th October. Dairy discusion day, Okato, Taranaki.
Saturday 8th October.
Talk and practical activity, Rosebank Peninsula Hall, Auckland.
Wednesday 5th October. Dairy discusion day, Palmerston North
Tuesday
27th September. Make your own fertilisers. Katikati Resource Centre.
Saturday
24th September. 9am - 4pm. Kaipara Group stall at Kumeu Just Gardening
Show.
Saturday 3rd September. Auckland Biodynamic Event. Compost pile turning,
Ellerslie.
Saturday 10th September.
1pm-5pm. Biodynamic homegardening workshop at Titirangi.
Saturday 10th
September. 11am - 12.30. Consensus Design Meeting, Rosebank Gardens,
Auckland.
Friday
16th September. Taruna Summer Certificate in Applied Organics & Biodynamics
begins.
Saturday
6th and Sunday 7th August. Biodynamic
gardening workshop, Auckland. See
report here
Sunday 3rd July.
Biodynamic gardening workshop, Auckland.
Friday 13th - Sunday 15th May. National Biodynamic Conference
at Puhoi, Auckland North.
Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd May. Biodynamic workshop, Upper Moutere.
Saturday 28th May. Biodynamic Workshop, Masterton.
Saturday 28th May, Wainuiomata, Wellington. Preparation making and discussions.
Saturday 30th April. Biodynamic Gardening Workshop, Whitianga.
Saturday 30th April. Preparation stirring, Ellerslie.
Saturday 23rd April. Apple Tasting Day at Treedimensions Orchard, Motueka.
Tuesday 5th April. Motueka. Compost making.
Friday 8th April. Waihi. Preparation.
Saturday 16th April, Scargill, Canterbury. Preparing preparation 500.
Tuesday 29th March, Kerikeri. Biodynamic workshop.
Sunday 27 March, Peel Forest. Canterbury. Preparation making day.
8th March. Dairying Field Day, South Auckland.
Biodynamic Events
in 2010
20th November. Kowhai Group event in Kumeu.
24th November. Marlborough Discussion Group meeting.
27th & 28th November. The Prepmaker's Year, Summer Seminar.
14th November. Kaipara Group meeting at Tomarata.
11th November. Biodynamic Dairy and Pastoral Discussion Group, Pirongia.
9th November. Compost making making workshop, Waihi.
29th October. Evening talk and star watching, Christchurch
30th & 31st October. Biodynamic Gardening Workshop in Christchurch.
17th October. Practical day and workshop, Auckland South.
16th October. Homegarden and small block workshop, Tauranga.
16th October. Community preparation stir, Geraldine.
16th October. Practical day and workshop, Auckland North.
15th October. Evening talk and star watching, Tauranga.
8th October. Evening talk on biodynamics, Ellerslie.
7th October. Kaipara Group meeting at Makarau.
24th to 26th September. The Prepmaker's Year, Spring Seminar
25th September. Biodynamic workshop in Wainuiomata, Wellington.
18th September and two subsequent weekends. Biodynamic vegetable gardening
course, Hawke's Bay.
16th September Preparation stirring and CPP making in Tauranga.
2nd August. Pastoral fieldday at Balclutha.
4th August. Viticulture fieldday at Cromwell.
6th August. Pastoral fieldday at Geraldine.
14th & 15th August. Biodynamic Gardening Workshop at Ellerslie.
15th August. Kaipara Group calendar study meeting, Tomarata Valley
21st June. Pasture Farming Field Day, Te Aroha.
18th & 19th June, Biodynamic gardening workshop, Ellerslie.
16th to 19th June. Biodynamic Association at Mystery Creek Fieldays
4-6th June. 70th Anniversary Conference and Celebration,Hawke's Bay
23rd May. Kaipara Group fieldday, Wellsford. Treepasting.
Saturday
8th May. Wellington Biodynamic Group seed saving workshop, Wainuiomata.
Other activities
Magazine: The Association's magazine,
Harvests is published three times a year and sent to all members
as part of their annual subscription entitlement. Subscription is via
membership. It covers a variety of aspects of biodynamic farming and gardening.
Click here
for a recent contents page. A short newsletter is sent in between
issues of Harvests.
Calendar: A comprehensive calendar
providing information on moon and planet cycles and explanations on how
to use the information to enable farming and gardening activities to be
carried out at optimal times. Click
here to see a recent calendar page.
Education: Taruna
College runs a certificate course in applied organics and biodynamics.
This increasingly popular course is distance education with a difference.
During the year there will be a variety of regional meetings and workshops
including:
Biodynamic Advisory workshops are being developed to assist those interested
in deepening their understanding and improving their farming and gardening
practices. Further information about the programmes will be posted as
it becomes available.
Other activities for members: These
include provision of the biodynamic preparations, book loans and sales.
Click here
for details and a members' order form.
Regional Groups: There are groups running
activities in many regions. Click
here for regional group contact names.
Notable past events
Biodynamic Conference
2008
Our 2008 conference was held at Tauherenikau
Racecourse (Southern Wairarapa) at Queen's Birthday weekend. We were fortunate
to have had Hamish Mackay, CEO of Biodynamic Agriculture Australia, as
keynote speaker. Hamish has a great deal of experience in biodynamics,
in speaking to farming and other groups and in working with government
and organic sector bodies. For further information about the conference,
click here. For programme click
here.
Tour of International biodynamic speaker Nikolai
Fuchs 2007
Nikolai Fuchs has deep involvement in biodynamics in Europe.
In early July 2007 he toured New Zealand, giving talks and conducting
workshops. Read more......
Other Organisations/Links
Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ):
Umbrella organisation for the organic sector in New Zealand, launched
in November 2005. OANZ has launched an organic advisory service and is
assessing associated research and development needs.
click here to transfer to the OANZ website. The Bio Dynamic
Association is a member of this organisation.
Information on alternatives to Copper Chrome Arsenate treated posts -
booklet (Pdf, 442 Kb) can be downloaded here
Organic sector
organisations: The Bio Dynamic Association also has close
working relationships with BioGro NZ: www.bio-gro.co.nz,
Soil and Health Association:www.soil-health.org.nz,
and OPENZ (Organic Products Exporters of NZ): www.organicsnewzealand.org.nz.
Our
contact details:
Bio Dynamic
Farming and Gardening Association
Postal: PO
Box 39045, Wellington
Telephone:
0-4-589 5366 (within NZ); +64-4-589 5366 (international)
Fax: 0-4-589
5365 (within NZ); +64-4-589 5365 (international)
E-mail: info@biodynamic.org.nz
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