Biodynamic growing - Part 2: Preparation 500

Biodynamic Growing - Part 2

Preparation 500

What are Preparations?

One of the key parts of biodynamic growing is using biodynamic preparations. Preparations are like a vitalising tonic for the earth, promoting the health of plants and all life on the farm. They are usually a combination of plant, mineral and animal substances that are exposed to natural forces before being put back in the soil. They come in two forms: spray preparations and compost preparations. Over this course I will show you how we use spray preparations called 500 and 501 on the farm. Creating the compost and spray preparations is a big task, so I would recommend continuing your own research and learning about the recipes and processes yourself. Demeter (the biodynamic federation) has amazing resources listing and explaining how to make all the spray and compost preparations on their website.

Preparation 500

This preparation is made up from horn manure that is fermented in the ground, prepared and mixed with the rhythmic stirring of rain water, and then applied to the land in large droplets.

During the mixing process, the liquid is stirred vigorously for an hour in opposing directions in order to capture the energy of the cosmos.

This spray calls for the compost preparations to be added to the mixture too. There are 6 main types of biodynamic compost numbered BD502-507, and they utilize different types of plants: yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian. The way to prepare these vary in complexity and time and so I would recommend your own research to decide what compost preparations work best for you and your plot.

How to Make Preparation 500

1. Collect un-damaged and well-formed cow horns. The cows should have calved at least once.
2. At the beginning of winter, fill your cow horns with cow manure collected from lactating cows and bury them in a pit around 70 cm deep. Make sure that the manure is on the top so that it doesn't fall out of the horns.
3. The following spring, dig up your cow horns and remove the composted manure. It should be sweet smelling and resemble compost.
4. Store your manure in a terracotta or pottery jar until you are ready to use it.
5. When ready, fill a wooden barrel with rainwater and add a large handful of compost preparations to the water.
6. Stir vigorously for an hour – clockwise and then anticlockwise. This will create a vortex and draw in the energies and forces of the solar system.
7. Walk your land and spray the preparation across the soil with a large, dry brush. Aim to flick large droplets.

Why Use Biodynamic Preparations?

The preparations act as a tonic for the soil to help it recover after a long winter and helps to prepare it for the growing season ahead.

I like to apply it to the land two or three times during the spring, especially when we're preparing for cultivation. The only rule is that you should apply the tonic in the afternoon, and preferably on an overcast day.

Topping Up the Preparation

In the last 20 minutes of the stir, we add in a good handful of Cow Pat Preparation (CPP).

We do this by mixing cow manure with crushed egg shell and basalt dust, which is then fermented with biodynamic preparations 502-507 for three to four months in a 12 inch deep pit lined with bricks.