
A Healing Agriculture: Human Beings, Technology, and the Life of the Earth
Offered by the Biodynamic Demeter Alliance in partnership with EduCareDo, Sun Heart Farm, Hawthorne Valley Farm, Camphill Village Copake, and Churchtown Dairy.
See the full schedule in USA EDST here
Deepen your understanding of biodynamic agriculture
Over 3+ days working together we will explore the human being’s unique role in creating a healing agriculture in a context that is increasingly dominated by mechanical and digital technology. Biodynamics focuses on fostering healthy relationships in all aspects of our lives; with the natural world, within social life, and with ourselves. By developing our capacities to perceive and serve the life of the earth and humanity, we may help create and use ‘moral’ technologies with a potential to heal.
Through presentations, conversation, exercises, artistic activities, practical work, and farm visits, we will strive to more fully know, experience, and participate co-creatively in agriculture. New approaches from biodynamic agriculture will be offered to help us bring forward the gifts of our plant, animal, soil, and human communities towards creating a nourishing and healthy community of life.
This course is designed for anyone participating in or interested in deepening their relationship to and understanding of agriculture: farmers, gardeners, and homesteaders, food system and non-profit workers, activists, parents, caregivers, community members, and eaters. The richness and diversity of views and experience can create a lively interplay that we encourage in our learning environments. No prior experience is needed, just an openness and willingness to engage together.
Throughout the days there will be ample social time to enjoy and get to know each other. Three simple organic and biodynamic daily meals and snacks will be provided and are included in the course tuition.
Accommodations and travel are the responsibility of each participant; we can help with housing and travel options – please contact anthony@biodynamics.com
Presenters include Anthony Mecca, Spencer Fenniman, Jess Brobst, Todd Newlin, Steffen Schneider, Jean-David Derremeuax, Lia Babitch, Marc Blachere, and Sam Mirkin.
Schedule Overview
Our home base will be Sun Heart Farm in Stephentown, NY.
We will gather together for introductions and initial sharings the evening of July 29th.
During our three full days together, July 30-Aug 2, each morning will focus on presentations, exercises, and conversation. We will then work with artistic experience to further explore and integrate the classroom experiences. We will share lunch and social time together. We will then visit a different farm each afternoon, speaking with the farmers about their experiences and questions working with biodynamics, seeing different types and sizes of farms and farming activities, and tasting some of what they have to offer:
After traveling back to Sun Heart Farm, we will enjoy dinner together.
There will be different evening activities that welcome in the broader community, and may include working with the night sky.
The morning of Friday August 2nd we will weave together our work and share reflections and next steps.
Registration
Register on the Biodynamic Association website.
We wish for this course to be accessible to anyone interested in participating. There is a discounted rate as well as a standard and supporter rate to help cover our costs. You are also welcome to donate to help others attend even if you are not attending. If you are in need beyond the discounted rate to attend, please contact anthony@biodynamics.com.
Standard: $570 USD
Supporter: $750 USD — help someone else to attend
Discounted: $264 USD — support for equity, youth, and others to attend (email anthony@biodynamics.com for discount code)
Questions?
Email: biodynamics@educaredo.org