THE BIODYNAMIC FARMER.

Rudolf Steiner, the man whose 1920 lectures created biodynamic agriculture, once called winter "the season when the earth is most inwardly alive," and I've lately begun to appreciate how analogous this idea can be for the life of the farmer.What does the farmer do in the winter, when the nights are long and the days are cold and slow to start; when life is stowed away warmly in the depths of the planet and the weeds pose no threat; when what was previously generous soil is now impertinent mud? There are chores of course––always chores––and plenty of catch up to do, but there is also an extensive amount of nighttime to be dealt with.The summer can be hard on the farmer, and the first frosts of fall bring much-needed reprieve. Thus wintertime becomes not only an opportunity for the planet to regroup, but the farmer gets his or her chance as well. And as the winter is an inward time for the planet, so too is it an inward time for the farmer.Certainly, when the winter came I embraced my time indoors. I spent the last few months reading and planning and thinking and discussing with Hannah the upcoming season, and have recently––feeling inspired and reenergized––started to feel eager for the growing season to arrive. Up until the other day, I thought I was alone in this feeling until Hannah pointed out the buds appearing on the quince bushes and the day lilies beginning to pierce the soil around the cabin. The earth, too, it seems, is itching.Next year we are looking forward to employing more biodynamic practices to our farming. It's a philosophy of rhythm and timing as much as avoiding chemicals and properly using composts. And it's a philosophy of treating the earth as a living, breathing organism––treating the earth like a farmer, and yourself like the earth. Perhaps my itch is the first step to becoming a good biodynamic farmer.- Jesse.