126
Subtle Agroecologies
and apogees (the point of the Moon’s orbit furthest from to Earth), he noticed a greater tendency for
male births close to the apogee and females close to the perigee, and more so when insemination
occurred within a day of either.
THE USE OF ASTRONOMICAL RHYTHMS IN BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE
In modern biology, chronobiology is the sub-discipline that studies the rhythms of life. It includes
not only lunar rhythms, but also the rhythms of the day and the Sun (Endres and Schad, 2002).
The conceptual basis of biodynamic agriculture embraces the concept of such unseen forces. The
farm property is seen as an individuality, an organism with its different components (including
soil, plants, animals and humans). Within this, the biodynamic method considers three basic factors: (1) the cycles of substances and forces (forms of activity), (2) the interrelations between the
components and the locality and (3) the organisation of the agricultural enterprise. The main goal
is the fertilisation of soils in a lasting way through the activation of biological activity to modify the
physical and chemical properties of the soil. To this biological aspect is added the dynamic aspect,
which consists of the use of biodynamic preparations, using organic and mineral substances in a
very diluted (homeopathic) form, and of research-based calendars on the infuence of astronomical
cycles on land and plants. Thus, biodynamic agriculture has its foundation not only in the practices
that it shares with organic agriculture, but also in the recognition that the health of the soil, plants,
animals and human beings depends on a broader relationship with forces that stimulate natural
processes (Koepf et al., 1983).
Biodynamic agriculture revalues the common knowledge on using the phases of the Moon in
agriculture and amplifes it, incorporating other rhythms of the Moon and the movement of planets
related to agricultural activities in general. Rudolf Steiner, in the lectures of his agricultural course,
addressed this cosmic infuence on life here on Earth: the infuence of the Moon, the Sun and the
various planets and their relationships with soil, plants and animals. According to the frst conference of Rudolf Steiner’s agricultural course (2001: 34),
Hence we shall never understand plant life unless we bear in mind that everything which happens on
the Earth is but a refection of what is taking place in the Cosmos.
One of the basic principles of the Maria Thun calendar is related to the movement of the Moon
around the Earth in its cycle of 27.3 days, and its passage through the 12 regions of the zodiac (i.e.
the sidereal rhythm of the Moon). On each of these days within the cycle, plants receive stimuli
that act on the development of their different constituent organs (root, stem, leaf, fower and fruit)
(Thun, 2000).
This calendar is also based on the tropical rhythm of ascending and descending Moon periods.
These periods should not be confused with the phases of the Moon at different times of the year.
Another principle of Thun’s calendar is to avoid agricultural activities in so-called unfavourable
times. These are periods of eclipses, positions of lunar nodes of the Moon (the draconic rhythm),
and perigee (anomalist rhythms) and the negative infuence of planets’ nodes. (Thun, 2000).
Case Study: Yield and Quality of Daucus carota L. under
Biodynamic Management, Related to Moon Rhythms
Jovchelevich and Camara (2008) evaluated the infuence of Moon rhythms (synodic, sidereal, anomalistic, tropical and draconic) on the yield and quality of carrot (Daucus carota L.) roots under
biodynamic management sown on different dates. This participatory research was carried out over
2 years on a biodynamic farm in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. The farmer already held traditional knowledge about sowing carrot on the waning Moon. The infuence of rhythms was tested
by observing the effects of seeding at different planting dates in spring. In 2005, carrot was sown
Subtle Agroecologies
and apogees (the point of the Moon’s orbit furthest from to Earth), he noticed a greater tendency for
male births close to the apogee and females close to the perigee, and more so when insemination
occurred within a day of either.
THE USE OF ASTRONOMICAL RHYTHMS IN BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE
In modern biology, chronobiology is the sub-discipline that studies the rhythms of life. It includes
not only lunar rhythms, but also the rhythms of the day and the Sun (Endres and Schad, 2002).
The conceptual basis of biodynamic agriculture embraces the concept of such unseen forces. The
farm property is seen as an individuality, an organism with its different components (including
soil, plants, animals and humans). Within this, the biodynamic method considers three basic factors: (1) the cycles of substances and forces (forms of activity), (2) the interrelations between the
components and the locality and (3) the organisation of the agricultural enterprise. The main goal
is the fertilisation of soils in a lasting way through the activation of biological activity to modify the
physical and chemical properties of the soil. To this biological aspect is added the dynamic aspect,
which consists of the use of biodynamic preparations, using organic and mineral substances in a
very diluted (homeopathic) form, and of research-based calendars on the infuence of astronomical
cycles on land and plants. Thus, biodynamic agriculture has its foundation not only in the practices
that it shares with organic agriculture, but also in the recognition that the health of the soil, plants,
animals and human beings depends on a broader relationship with forces that stimulate natural
processes (Koepf et al., 1983).
Biodynamic agriculture revalues the common knowledge on using the phases of the Moon in
agriculture and amplifes it, incorporating other rhythms of the Moon and the movement of planets
related to agricultural activities in general. Rudolf Steiner, in the lectures of his agricultural course,
addressed this cosmic infuence on life here on Earth: the infuence of the Moon, the Sun and the
various planets and their relationships with soil, plants and animals. According to the frst conference of Rudolf Steiner’s agricultural course (2001: 34),
Hence we shall never understand plant life unless we bear in mind that everything which happens on
the Earth is but a refection of what is taking place in the Cosmos.
One of the basic principles of the Maria Thun calendar is related to the movement of the Moon
around the Earth in its cycle of 27.3 days, and its passage through the 12 regions of the zodiac (i.e.
the sidereal rhythm of the Moon). On each of these days within the cycle, plants receive stimuli
that act on the development of their different constituent organs (root, stem, leaf, fower and fruit)
(Thun, 2000).
This calendar is also based on the tropical rhythm of ascending and descending Moon periods.
These periods should not be confused with the phases of the Moon at different times of the year.
Another principle of Thun’s calendar is to avoid agricultural activities in so-called unfavourable
times. These are periods of eclipses, positions of lunar nodes of the Moon (the draconic rhythm),
and perigee (anomalist rhythms) and the negative infuence of planets’ nodes. (Thun, 2000).
Case Study: Yield and Quality of Daucus carota L. under
Biodynamic Management, Related to Moon Rhythms
Jovchelevich and Camara (2008) evaluated the infuence of Moon rhythms (synodic, sidereal, anomalistic, tropical and draconic) on the yield and quality of carrot (Daucus carota L.) roots under
biodynamic management sown on different dates. This participatory research was carried out over
2 years on a biodynamic farm in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. The farmer already held traditional knowledge about sowing carrot on the waning Moon. The infuence of rhythms was tested
by observing the effects of seeding at different planting dates in spring. In 2005, carrot was sown