Biodynamic agriculture developed out of a series of lectures given by Rudolf Steiner in 1924 in response to questions from farmers and growers who had already observed decreasing fertility in their soils, crops and animals. It is therefore the oldest form of organised organic agriculture. Biodynamic agriculture has a philosophical approach at its foundation called anthroposophy. Anthroposophy (anthro – human being, sophia – wisdom), also known as spiritual science, gives the fundamental approach for biodynamic agriculture. Using clear and accessible means for attaining spiritual knowledge, Rudolf Steiner offered insights that have inspired new approaches to medicine, education, the arts, architecture, agriculture, social reform and economics. As with the natural sciences, spiritual science employs objective methodologies that can be understood with rigorous thinking and empirically verified in practical activity.
