Biodynamics

Biodynamics is an agronomic discipline proposed by Rudolf Steiner, a prolific scientist who, at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, conceived numerous theories, first of which was Anthroposophy. In 1924 Steiner gave a series of lessons to farmers with the aim of countering the growing tendency to use chemical products. As an alternative, he proposed a series of techniques, partly traditional, partly created by him, to encourage full return to the soil fertility – green manure, composting, crop and pasture rotation, plant fertilization, adherence to cosmic cycles, and especially the use of a series of specific animal and plant derived preparations. In his vision, the basic unit for practicing biodynamics is the closed-cycle farm, a living organism where all the components collaborate in environmental harmony, minimizing the use of external inputs.

The early disappearance of Steiner, which took place the year after the course, slowed down the further development of Biodynamics, which for decades remained practiced in its original form in the restricted areas of the followers of anthroposophy. But at the same time some scholars, in particular Steiner's main collaborator in the agronomic field, Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, continued to deepen the biodynamic method; while others, such as Alex Podolisnky, who emigrated to Australia after World War II, began to apply biodynamics to large-scale farming, drawing valuable lessons from it.

In the 1990', Alex Podolinsky brought to Europe the synthesis of these important developments, which gave rise to Practical Biodynamic. Thanks to his advice, many farmers have achieved extraordinary results in only few years: better soil structuring, increased soil fertility, increased organic matter, improved plant and animal health and more nutritious and tasty products that last longer .

In 2002, the Italian farmers who first came into contact with Alex Podolinsky gave life to the association Agricoltura Vivente, which was gradually joined by other farmers who follow the method Podolinsky - Australian Demeter.

Le Spinose is a member of Agricoltura Vivente since 2011, when Alex Podolinsky visited the farm for the first time. Since then he has returned every year, making it one of his points of reference in Italy and giving it precious advice.