Annual report 2018

Past history

If you want to work with the Preparations, you need a personal intimate relation to agriculture respective to gardening. My life had many irregularities and disruptions, but as a consequence, it culminated in the engagement for Rudolf Steiners agricultural Preparations.

Like Rudolf Steiner, i grew up as son of smallscale farmers. (a vineyard, a goat, a pig, some rabbits, hens, a big garden) I have experienced many good things, but also poisoning by pesticides. Giving up agriculture was not easy for me. But with an own farm, I would not have been able to do what I have achieved in the field of the Preparations.
 
For some years I have studied social anthropology, history and German linguistics. I have seen the social changes under the influence of nuclear power plants. And I decided to concentrate on the essential.

Agriculture is the material basis of the life of everybody of us. We should not ruin it, neither from inside nor from outside. When I have read Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Course the first time, I knew that it contains a principle which gives an orientation for me and for the whole world. Specially the Preparations impressed me. Health problems retained me from going back to agriculture. For some years I worked in the natural food business to broadcast and to distribute Demeter products. As a member of the committee of a Demeter consumers association I met many Bio-Dynamic farmers.

When Demeter standards changed and Demeter farmers had to apply the Preparations on the whole area of their farms, many farmers and also advisers were overcharged.  

Much has changed since, but the fundamental problem is still the same. I expect that advisers also are willing to learn. My goal is a basic formation for advisers on the Preparations.

From 1994 until 2002, I helped farmers stirring and spraying the Preparations. For health reasons, I cannot do it anymore. It is very costly to be at the right tim at the right place. I have collected many valuable experiences. From 1995 on I also make Preparations. I care for all questions around the Preparations.

That led me to write my first little instruction manual for the making and application of the preparations. (2000)

In the last years, I continued my research. I often worked in libraries in Switzerland and abroad, I tested many methods on their suitability, I often participated in the making of the Preparations and other Preparation work.

At the Agricultural Conference February 2017 at the Goetheanum I presented the result: My compendium about the Preparations.

Afterwards I prepared for the next annual conference. I completed my collection of stirring devices.

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2018 - Conferences, meetings etc.

February 7 - 10, at the Goetheanum in Dornach:
The International Agriculture Conference about the Preparations.
We gave four courses about the stirring of the Preparations. The exposition with 20 stirring devices was always full of visitors.
Anke helped for the courses, for transport, installation and dismantling of the stirring devices.
Janine helped for the installation and dismantling of the stirring devices and also was present when the exposition was opened: Answering questions etc.
Ursula was in charge of my stall where we presented my book “Die Düngerpräparate Rudolf Steiners – Herstellung und Anwendung“.
The collection of stirring devices is piled up in a small garage again.

The International study group Bio-Dynamic Preparations was founded February 9, 2002. It is a loose congregation of people who are interested in the Bio-Dynamic Preparations. Until now, we met twice a year, once in February after the big Agriculture Conference, and once in late autumn. This year we only met February 11 - 12. We will see how this group will continue its work.

June 13 I participated in the presentation of the new Preparation Coordination of the Swiss Biodynamic Association.

September 5 - 8 at the first Conference on Biodynamic research, I gave a course on stirring the Preparations.
I have constructed a transparent stirring vessel of 50 x 80 cm. Illumination from below allows photos without reflexes on the vessel.

I already have a transparent vessel of 30 x 50 cm.
With these vessels and with my brochure I can give courses and conferences on the stirring of the Preparations.  

December 11, I gave a course on stirring for the Goetheanum Gardeners.

For future events see: Current events
Inquiries for further events are welcome.
Further themes are in preparation.

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Publications

As a preparation for my contribution to the Research Conference I have written a little brochure about the stirring of the Preparations. I compare Rudolf Steiners propositions for stirring and actual practices of hand stirring with the help of practical observations and the terminology of vortex theory.

Pioneers are dying

For Heidi Egg (22.3.1933 - 6.3.2018), my most important teacher for the Preparation works, I have written an obituary notice. With a little note about the death of our cooper Alois Scherer. I also have written a little obituary notice about the New Zealand adviser Peter Proctor whom I have met in India where he had spread Biodynamics.
More details, also about other articles, mainly in German, you will find in the bibliography.

Do not complain! Apply the Preparations!

Last summer, we had a severe drought in Central Europe. August 6, I published a bilingual e-mail circular letter „Präparate bei Trockenheit und Hitze. / Les Préparations dans la la chaleur et la sécheresse“. Demeter Switzerland put it on their website. The German version was published several times in advisers circular letters and in the journal „Lebendige Erde“ 6/2018 p.45. The French version was broadcasted by the association „Terre de ressources Léman“ in the French speaking part of Switzerand and also in France. Thank you Frédérique!
Präparate bei Trockenheit und Hitze (PDF) / Préparations dans la sécheresse (PDF)

Bilingualism

Switzerland has a small territory, but a great variety of climata and cultures. That leads me to comparisons with foreign countries: To understand the varieties in Switzerland means to me to understand the great variety on the world. And the other way round.

In the French part of Switzerland I feel an atmosphere of emergence. I try to be in contact with all initiatives also in the French part of Switzerland, to get acquainted with them and with their way to work. Some of my publications are bilingual in German and in French.
P.S.: And as you see, I also try to communicate in English.

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Investigations

I always try to be actual on what is published about the Preparations and their making and application.
I check regularly all the Bio-Dynamic journals I can get. I make regular research in the internet, in the Goetheanum library and in Darmstadt (Demeter Germany and Forschungsring)

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Practical Preparation Work

Application

I apply the preparations around the apartment house where I am living.
„La bouse de corne populaire“ is a project of ARB in the French speaking part of Switzerland. People stir together Horn Manure and go home to apply it to their own garden. It is a way to address to people who are interested in the method. Or to present the preparations at an Open Day at a farm. It also is a way to celebrate spring (or autumn) together.
This year I participated three times.

Making Preparations

I have different roles: I give courses, I am the specialist, I bring the tools, I am a spectator who gives a hand. And often I care for delicate work like the trimming of the animal skulls.

Animal organs

May 23, together with the veterinary Beatrice Hurni, we have explained the organs which we need for the making of the preparations for the association Terre de Ressources Léman. In my book I show colored photos.
We will publish an article about it in the journal Beiträge/Contributions.

Digging out the preparations

This spring I helped five times.

Making and digging in of the preparations

This autumn I was seventeen days out for preparation work.
Ten times we made Horn Manure. Eight times we made compost preparations.
Two times I was in Germany, four times in the German part of Switzerland.
And ten times I was in the French part of Switzerland. Last year I participated in the French spoken Preparation course of Ueli Hurter. I recommend it. But you must able to understand French.

Selling preparations

I do it. But it establish my priorites to help others to make good preparation work.

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Advice, courses

I insist that everybody has the possibility to decide how he/she wants to work. Although we want to get results and quality. Advisers should have a large spectrum of knowledges and experiences. Therefore I make great demands on advisers, and also on scientists and others who have responsibilities for the Preparations. Against single farmers I am flexible ad ready for compromises.