General principles in biodynamic farming

The intentionally individual design of life processes by the farmer, as determined by site conditions, is one of the basic tenets of biodynamic agriculture. This principle emphasises that humans have a responsibility for the development of their ecological and social environment which goes beyond economic aims and the principles of descriptive ecology. 

The vision on which this principle is based is the individual design of the holding in the context of the complex interaction of all impacting factors. The pedosphere, ecosphere and landscape, as well as the atmosphere and the cosmic environment (apart from the sun, these are primarily the moon and the planets) form the natural basis. Crop plants, livestock, the farmer as well as the entire socioeconomic environment have an effect at all levels of this natural environment, are influenced by these levels, and thus form an intricate interrelationship. A farm, therefore, becomes an individuality in which the various factors, just like 

To support and intensify the processes in the organic manure and in the soil, Steiner indicated six different preparations that should be added together to the manure (Sattler and v. Wisting- 

Livestock husbandry systems which fulfil the animals welfare requirements 

The production of high-quality food for people and animals is an implicit aim of the biodynamic method (Steiner 2004, 4th lecture). The question as to how food quality can be defined is challenging for both practitioners and researchers, and has led to intensive development on quality assessment methods. Great importance is attached to differentiation and ripening processes in the production and processing of foods. 

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