While we are pleased with the results of our organic farming methods, we are always striving to improve. Through the Biodynamic movement, we have found a method to go “beyond organic” and ensure the long term viability of Rumar Farm. We recognize that in order for our trees to thrive, we have to focus on the farm as a whole. This means focusing on the soil and the balance of fungal and microbial activity that will allow our trees to take care of themselves.
Similar to our bodies, if the microbiome of our gut is out of balance, we face a greater risk of poor health outcomes. Our bodies are less able to ward off infection, we have trouble gaining full nutritive value from the whole foods we consume, and when we do suffer from illness, we take longer to recover. So if we take an antibiotic, many times we are affecting the balance in our bodies, eradicating some beneficials, along with the infection we are attempting to overcome. I am NOT saying antibiotics are unnecessary, just pointing out the well known side effects of using pharmacology to correct conditions that we can sometimes avoid through better lifestyle choices, including whole foods, as close to their original state as possible. In other words, unprocessed food.
So what is Biodynamics? It is attempting to treat the farm as a whole entity. An entire individual, so that each constituent part is critical to the health of the whole. An organism in and of itself. If we use an artificial pesticide or herbicide, we will be killing off the beneficial side, along with the pest we are trying to rid our orchard of. This is upsetting to the whole balance of the farm, and has repercussions beyond the immediate need to eradicate the unwanted pest, be it a bug, or a weed. We will be applying the techniques first hypothesized by the German philosopher/ gardener/scientist Rudolph Steiner in the early 1920s. Through the use of biodynamic preparations (primarily involving compost materials and native plant species) he illustrated that balance can be returned to a farm by focusing on the whole “organism” as I explained above. We will be seeking certification through Demeter, a well established and respected organization who will guide us in the proper application of the techniques I have described. As we take this journey (and it will be a journey) we expect to learn a lot about ourselves, as well as how nature is inherent even in a well maintained orchard or vegetable field. We appreciate the support of our members and our restaurant and farmers market clients. We look to you as the beneficiaries of the Biodynamic practice, as you seek to improve your lives by sourcing and consuming only the healthiest produce available. And for that, we thank you.
Note: We still have shares for the 2019 harvest available, please go to rumarfarm.ca/CSA for instructions on how to participate, or send a note to rumarfarm@gmail.com and we’ll help you through the process. Take care, and eat well. You deserve it!
