Redhawk's methods of making the biodynamic preparations

Instead of getting into a realm that exceeds the subject of this thread, I've started a new thread over in the soil forum where I will go through the how to get the soil organisms where we want them in the quantities we need them.
This new thread is called "getting the biology we want into our soil".

Redhawk

Bryant RedHawk wrote:hau Annie, the cow dun preparation can be done either buried or not buried. If you are going to use the mason jar in the same manner as you would with the "traditional" cow horn, you just dig your trench and  set it upside down as if the jar was a horn, then bury it for the required 6 months.
If you are going to use my "set it on a shelf" method, you need to make the rim (from the top edge of the jar (shoulder of the jar that is the start of the "mouth")) the soil fill area, that is, the manure is packed in to the shoulder then the remaining jar section is filled with rich soil and this is moistened before the lid is screwed on loosely. Then just set it on a  shelf (preferably out of the light, or as much as possible out of the light),  check it in 6 weeks but usually mine sits for 8 weeks before use. Hope that helps you out.

Redhawk

I am able to make a full picture of the process now. Thank you!

Are there any links to places where we can get these herbs and dried plants? Outside of Oak bark the others would be hard to come by in any quantity or would be very costly.

hau Dennis, try these;

growers exchange

starwest

Just want to pipe in and say these threads are the best concise resources on the net I’ve found. Thankyou so much from New Zealand! We’re reading here too.

hau Annak, thank you, If you need something that I haven't covered, please let me know so I can build a thread addressing it/them.

Redhawk

Dr Redhawk, Is it correct to say that we want a vigorous fungi under the soil. after all its the connection of plants to soil. then we want varieties of aerobic bacteria for the fungi to chew upon.

Julian,  IF you have time watch this compelling Ted Talk on how Fungi allow trees to talk to each other. Nature has much to teach us.  You are asking the good questions.

https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other/transcript?language=en

Dennis Bangham wrote:Julian,  IF you have time watch this compelling Ted Talk on how Fungi allow trees to talk to each other. Nature has much to teach us.  You are asking the good questions.

https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other/transcript?language=en

Thanks I'm watching it now

julian Gerona wrote:Dr Redhawk, Is it correct to say that we want a vigorous fungi under the soil. after all its the connection of plants to soil. then we want varieties of aerobic bacteria for the fungi to chew upon.

I would say that is correct enough.
I am glad you watched Suzanne's talk on plant communication, it isn't limited to trees only though, and there is lots of cross communication going on through the fungal network as well.

Redhawk

Bryant RedHawk wrote:

julian Gerona wrote:Dr Redhawk, Is it correct to say that we want a vigorous fungi under the soil. after all its the connection of plants to soil. then we want varieties of aerobic bacteria for the fungi to chew upon.

I would say that is correct enough.
I am glad you watched Suzanne's talk on plant communication, it isn't limited to trees only though, and there is lots of cross communication going on through the fungal network as well.

Redhawk

while watching the videos it occurred to me that " if plants communicate then isn't it correct to think that they also take care of their young"? This reinforce my belief/plan not to remove the old plants unless the youngs are more or less self supporting. At first I thought that the "old" mainly provide shade for the youngs while their roots has not yet reach deep enough where soil has more water. But after watching the video I realize that the "olds" actually feed/nurture their "youngs" just like how we humans do or any other bio specie.

Yes, In fact I was discussing this exact nurturing facility with an elder several months ago when he said, "but you already knew that, by the time you were 8 years, you had been taught about the world is one whole being, not pieces and parts."

The thing about plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, air, water, fire, land, etc. is that it is all connected, We have always known this (we being aboriginal peoples), it is those of the "modern" era, European based cultures that forgot this most important part of the world.
When humans decided that they live on the earth and were not part of the earth, that is when all the troubles began and they continue because humans have the tendency to shut the part of themselves that is capable of feeling the earth's energy flow off completely.

If humans don't bother to feel their own connection, they don't worry about the destruction they do because they don't feel it is bad.

A tree that sends seed out far from the base of that tree can still, through the fungal network in the soil, find where those children sprouted and exudates are for far more than just calling for nutrients or crying about being sick.
Plants are people too, so we need to understand that they are far more like us, than most want to think they are, animals too, are far more like us than we want to admit to ourselves.
Once we understand that it isn't wrong to credit plants and other animals with having the same senses we have, that their actions are similar to our own, then we can live in the earth, as we are supposed to.

There are no actions that do not have consequences for every other part of the earth mother, we are part of the earth mother as are all others who dwell in her arms.

Hi folks, saw this thread from a google search so joined to add my two pennies.

Regarding the cow horn "buisness". I have my own theory as to some of the reasoning put into it. I've not heard any biodynamic enthsiasts refer to it in this way. Firstly, I read a fair bit of Steiner and couldn't agree with or appreciate much of it. I do get along well with his ideas on farming and his 1920s warning about the bees and how they should be looked after.

Steiner saw the top 5 cms of soil as being very important and called it "nature's hymen". It could be argued that the horn represents what happens above ground, flowering, fruiting, growing etc whilst the manure represents what happens beneath it; roots, worms, microbes, and the two combined aids the growth between those two parameters. Considering that a teaspoon of this is used to treat an acre or so of land (that's an approx guess), it would seem likely that the action is not purely a physical one. One poster mentioned homeopathy and I'd agree that it's closer to that than merely supplementing the soil with microbes or silica. Over an acre, how's a teaspoon gonna do much there? I'd call it Alchemy. I do not know alot about alchemy and make no claims for it but I believe that is part of the methodology. The Tabula Smaragdina supposedly reads, in part:

'Mix  the  substances  of  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth  in  a  natural  way,  then  you  will  remain healthy and content all your life'.

The horn represents the "Heavens" and the manure represents the "Earth". The spiritualisation of matter and the materialisation of spirit. The Heavens could also be said to be the mental realm, the Earth is the physdical realm and the plants, humans and everything exist and grow between the two- the Earth's emotional/emote realm. So, this might be said to increase and improve the nature and qualities of "etheric" energies on the earth's surface, between the lower and the higher. If a human's body is taking food (earthly) and meditating (heavenly), say, in accordance with nature then he will be happy and healthy.

Obviously, I don't recommend doing this but there is another way to find out if it has any energetic affect and that's to eat a small bit. I did and it was very powerful. But putting manure in a horn and burying it is not the only thing that is done to it before it hits the ground, in less than trace amounts. It is also added to water (the emotion element to combine the heavenly mental with the physical earthly.) which is spiralled by hand for an hour and then sprayed onto the soil. Spiralled water is said to gather in "universal energy". Apparently, it makes for a black soil rich in carbon.  Likely it increases worm cast production to achieve this. If I made any conclusive statements then insert a maybe here and there. My two pennies

Sorry Mr. Redhawk,

Im new to forms and permaculture.  I thought i saw you might have a book on soil?  Is it out yet, and I cant find it?

hau Bryan, I am currently working on the book, it has taken a slow down because of health issues but I am still putting it together in first draft form.
It looks like it might end up being quite thick since I am already at 295 pages with no plates (illustrations and microphotographs), and I am not quite half way through with the material I want to cover in the book.

When it goes to the publisher I'll be putting up a notice here on permies for people who are interested in purchasing it. I'm hoping to get that done around the first of 2020.

Redhawk

Thank you Dr. RedHawk!  We made your horse tail tea preparation and it stopped our Cedar Apple Rust problem dead in its tracks.  We needed to spray a couple of times with it, but it saved our apple trees this year.

We cannot thank you enough.  

We will be making your other preparations in the next year and will report back with any observations, feedback, or results.

Bryant RedHawk wrote:
When it goes to the publisher I'll be putting up a notice here on permies for people who are interested in purchasing it. I'm hoping to get that done around the first of 2020.

Redhawk

Dr. Redhawk. I hope you will include your biography. From what I have read here at Permies, you have had a very interesting and accomplished life.

Bryant RedHawk wrote:Yes, In fact I was discussing this exact nurturing facility with an elder several months ago when he said, "but you already knew that, by the time you were 8 years, you had been taught about the world is one whole being, not pieces and parts."

The thing about plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, air, water, fire, land, etc. is that it is all connected, We have always known this (we being aboriginal peoples), it is those of the "modern" era, European based cultures that forgot this most important part of the world.
When humans decided that they live on the earth and were not part of the earth, that is when all the troubles began and they continue because humans have the tendency to shut the part of themselves that is capable of feeling the earth's energy flow off completely.

If humans don't bother to feel their own connection, they don't worry about the destruction they do because they don't feel it is bad.

A tree that sends seed out far from the base of that tree can still, through the fungal network in the soil, find where those children sprouted and exudates are for far more than just calling for nutrients or crying about being sick.
Plants are people too, so we need to understand that they are far more like us, than most want to think they are, animals too, are far more like us than we want to admit to ourselves.
Once we understand that it isn't wrong to credit plants and other animals with having the same senses we have, that their actions are similar to our own, then we can live in the earth, as we are supposed to.

There are no actions that do not have consequences for every other part of the earth mother, we are part of the earth mother as are all others who dwell in her arms.

This is so beautiful, and sad, and true.
Thank you Dr. RedHawk for your generosity, knowledge and wisdom.
I’m slowly working through reading all your writings on soil and permaculture and have learnt so much, and have also got a glimpse of how much there might be to learn. I’m deeply grateful to yourself and this whole community at Permies and hope to have some observations and experiments to contribute myself sometime in the future.
Thank you again!

Bryant RedHawk wrote:Yes, In fact I was discussing this exact nurturing facility with an elder several months ago when he said, "but you already knew that, by the time you were 8 years, you had been taught about the world is one whole being, not pieces and parts."

The thing about plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, air, water, fire, land, etc. is that it is all connected, We have always known this (we being aboriginal peoples), it is those of the "modern" era, European based cultures that forgot this most important part of the world.
When humans decided that they live on the earth and were not part of the earth, that is when all the troubles began and they continue because humans have the tendency to shut the part of themselves that is capable of feeling the earth's energy flow off completely.

If humans don't bother to feel their own connection, they don't worry about the destruction they do because they don't feel it is bad.

A tree that sends seed out far from the base of that tree can still, through the fungal network in the soil, find where those children sprouted and exudates are for far more than just calling for nutrients or crying about being sick.
Plants are people too, so we need to understand that they are far more like us, than most want to think they are, animals too, are far more like us than we want to admit to ourselves.
Once we understand that it isn't wrong to credit plants and other animals with having the same senses we have, that their actions are similar to our own, then we can live in the earth, as we are supposed to.

There are no actions that do not have consequences for every other part of the earth mother, we are part of the earth mother as are all others who dwell in her arms.

Yet another re-bump of RedHawk's excellent vision so appropriate for the wider, longer, and deeper reach of Permie principles as they will come to impact, to the extent possible, the future of the planet.  This>> "When humans decided that they live on the earth and were not part of the earth, that is when all the troubles began and they continue because humans have the tendency to shut the part of themselves that is capable of feeling the earth's energy flow off completely."  It explains so much of the different pathways taken that lead down rabbit holes, some small....other's quite large and of a depth and breadth seemingly inescapable.   'Seemingly', being the word of hope here....

The only issue I would take is with this>>"Once we understand that it isn't wrong to credit plants and other animals with having the same senses we have....", because I feel it to simply be too apologetic.  Granted, it is quite likely that what we call "our senses" and what a plant or 'soil' has for its senses might be quite different, I nevertheless feel it imperative.....greatly amplifying Redhawk's "it isn't wrong" sentiment....that we consider these other entities of the uni/multiverse as interconnected with ourselves.  It just seems that when the human mind becomes too self-reflecting (i.e. projecting human traits/fears/desires onto gods and gibbons alike, rather than granting the latter its own 'wisdom') versus incorporating observation of the natural world around it, actions at the individual and population scale, as well as new and potentially more delusional visions, begin to occur and arise, respectively, that are of questionable health to humans *and* those with whom we are interconnected.  In a complementary manner, it seems this might recapitulate the summary sentence of RedHawk's illuminating and compassionate passage.

Hau Redhawk,
a big thank you for all the precious information and to make me open the eyes on the Biodynamic practice.

I've seen you mentioned some uses of coffee grounds, i was wondering if you writed about it elsewhere or if you can explain it further.

(Happy for my first comment on permies.com) ;D
Alo

Quote:  These methods that I am about to start explaining work. End Quote  from RedHawk's forum comment:

This sounds interesting enough that I think I'll try it over the winter and get some innoculents ready for Spring plantings. I can get cow manure from a friend's farm and I have lots of pint jars. But, one big question remains. How far will one pint of this preparation go? Should this be mixed with one gallon of water and sprayed of garden areas using a garden sprayer?

ALSO, using these methods along with methods from the BioChar forum should produce some really good results.

AND here is a person who's life's work included the study of water.
      https://www.facts-are-facts.com/article/the-inexhaustible-power-of-water

In fact, you might want to read about more of his experiments. For being a life-long forrester he produced information on many different experiments and produced hardware to go along with many of those. A really interesting part of his research had to do with plowing with a COPPER plow! Very interesting reading.

Here is the thing. There are two halves of reality. Matter and spirit.
Matter is half of reality, and spirit half of reality. Put together you get a whole reality.
Take them apart, and you get a distortion of reality, posing as reality.
The biodynamic preparations have both material and spiritual qualities.
It is one reason why, for example, prep 500 is made with spring water heated to blood temperature and stirred by hand for one hour, creating and breaking vortexes in the stirring water by reversing direction of stir every few minutes.
In my experience doing this changes the water. It begins to feel more silky and alive. It also changes me, as I do this. The process is quite meditative and I see with different eyes afterward.
You are not going to replicate this with a mechanical device no matter how much effort this may save you.
As another example- take exquisite hand embroidery, and a machine made copy. There is no comparison. they are not even from the same universe.
To take only the material aspects of the biodynamic preparations, and mimic just these, is to take the half of reality and mistake it for the whole.
That said..... if you want to work with the biodynamic preparations I would suggest obtaining them through your national biodynamic association or a helpful local biodynamic farmer. This way you may reasonably expect them to perform as Dr Steiner describes.
They are not that expensive
Or... if investigation is your delight, then there are plenty of ideas here, or follow where your own heart leads you.
From New Zealand this early winter evening, with love.

Janette Raven wrote: This way you may reasonably expect them to perform as Dr Steiner describes.

For those interested,

Bryant said, "Since you are posting in biodynamic I will approach this as if you prefer to use Steiner methods over all other methods.
First thing to do is make your preparations so you can inoculate the compost heaps you will use for compost tea sprays.
do understand that this means you will have at least 3 months wait and that is only if you purchase the preparations for the compost heaps.

https://permies.com/t/108952/Soil-health#895483

Another interesting thread:

https://permies.com/t/93100/Mixing-Korean-Natural-Farming-Biodynamics