Olivia and the Goats

When you are short, it is important to stick close to an adult! Negotiating with Dasher.       Last month my great niece, five year old Olivia, visited with her grandmother, my sister Judy. We did the usual things when people visit: spent an afternoon on the paths through the redwood giants of Armstrong… Read more »

Biodynamic Preparation 505: Oak Bark

The bark of an old friend. Biodynamic Preparation 505: Oak Bark Our first introduction to Biodynamic Compost Preparation 505, Oak Bark, was as one of the ten sprays our biodynamic consultant used to ripen a failing mountain vineyard. It was already late September and the grapes were six weeks behind schedule. The winemaker informed us… Read more »

Biodynamic Prep 503: Chamomile

Biodynamic Prep 503: Chamomile By the time your read this, my second grandson may be born. His due date is today, August 1. This topic seems particularly appropriate as I associate chamomile with children, and particularly babies. The homeopathic remedy chamomile is often used for a newborn colicky baby to help sooth a digestive system… Read more »

Biodynamic Prep 507: Challenges of Valerian

Valerian in our garden. Biodynamic Prep 507: Challenges of Valerian Until I was well into my Jungian analysis and had personally experienced the paradox of dark light, I could not have understood the mystery of valerian. We planted the seeds in our garden, not knowing the looks of the plant. When the seeds vigorously sprouted and… Read more »

Biodynamic Prep 506: Dandelion

Dandelion on our ranch. Biodynamic Prep 506: Dandelion Dandelion (French: dent de lion, lion’s tooth, referring to the teeth of the serrated leaves) is a flower Rudolf Steiner called a “messenger from heaven” (Agriculture, 103). It is another plant that works in homeopathic ways over a region. Because of its own silicic acid relationship with… Read more »

Wild Strawberries and Poets

Wild Strawberries and Poets Wild strawberries are like poems of the Earth. You don’t propagate them; you come upon them—and when you least expect. At first you see a hint of deep red in the three leaf clusters lying so close to the ground. You bend down, pick the tiny berry— tiny, at least, by… Read more »

The Smell of the Living Earth

The Smell of the Living Earth Once my sister and I dug a “raccoon trap” in the fall stubble of my father’s corn field, a 3’ by 4’ hole about 3’ deep. In the bottom we placed marshmallows and then disguised the hole with dried corn stalks. The only thing we ever “caught” was the… Read more »