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A Technical Guide for Wine Producers
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A CLEAN AND GREEN WINE INDUSTRY
Biodynamic viticultural practices
Rudolf Steiner’s lectures on agricultural practices are considered the source of biodynamics. Steiner had other ideas as well, for example that there were nine classes of supernatural beings, seven historic epochs and twelve star constellations that corresponded with twelve bodily parts. He did not believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution and ignored the existence of the planets Neptune and Uranus. It is obvious from these theories, together with the belief that local remedies such as human hairs or lion droppings can be used to prevent game from nibbling on budding vines, that opponents of biodynamic practices consider it a marketing gimmick that may be abused by sales staff or the presenters of wine tastings.
Conventional methods to limit damage by birds in vineyards are not very successful and the use of bird netting is in fact the only solution. Birds apparently have the ability to gradually ignore sound devices, they understand that rubber snakes and kites are harmless and if they are sufficiently hungry, they will even eat grapes that have been sprayed with an emetic. Biodynamic viticulturists have developed an unconventional biodynamic practice, known as peppering, whereby dead birds are used to deter live ones. The ashes of dead birds are used as a deterrent. In the Margaret River region in Australia white-eyes caught in nets are cremated and an aqueous solution of the ashes is sprayed in vineyards. Ashes are also mixed with sand and scattered around the vineyard. The peppering technique can apparently also be used to deter rabbits, mice and other pests. Particulars about these practices can be obtained from the Biodynamic Resource Manual, which is published by Biodynamic Agriculture Australia.
In the Murray valley of Victoria white, tame pigeons are used to deter darker fruit-eating birds. The tame pigeons usually have a fairly small habitat and if they forage for seeds during the day, the darker birds are scared off. The reason for this phenomenon is not known.
Radionic pipes, known as cosmic pipes, containing quartz crystals and copper, may also be used. The ashes of dead birds are inserted into the pipes which then send a “message” to the live birds to scare them (Smith, 2009).
Obviously such practices cannot be categorised with exact observations and conclusive scientific proof. Scientific purists do not simply trust the specific treatments to be successful, but demand reasons for the success; Steiner supporters on the other hand are satisfied to find solutions to their problems in an intuitive, philosophical way and measure success through sight, feeling and smell. They also believe his statements to have been scientific, but maintain that these were conveyed in layman’s terms instead of the correct scientific protocol. Even in France biodynamically processed vineyards constantly yield good quality grapes for supporters of the concept. They contend that the biodynamic and organic vineyards’ treatments are 60% cheaper than conventional chemical treatments, but that 30% more labour is required for the sustainable implementation of these practices. To compensate for the additional labour costs, vineyards become more disease resistant, a richer soil microflora and better soil structure are created, and natural herbs prevent erosion and ensure better soil aeration and drainage (Hilliard, 2009).
References
Hilliard, John. 2009. Why I do not farm biodynamically. Wine Industry Journal 24(1): 4 - 5.
Smith, Frank. 2009. Biodynamic producers trial the “weird and wonderful”. Grapegrower & Vignerons, January 2009: 30.
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