Biodynamic methods in botanical and healing herb horticulture

Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia

GUEST: Cherie Hutchinson, biodynamic farm manager for the Jurlique Natural Skin Care Australia company

INTRODUCTION TO THIS EPISODE:

My guest on this episode of the series, Cherie Hutchinson, is a farm manager for the Jurlique natural skincare company overseeing the production of over 35 different botanicals and healing herbs on Jurlique’s farm at Biggs Flat in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia.

Jurlique is a natural skincare company established in 1985 by Jurgen and Ulrike Klein. The owners were passionate about growing biodynamically which led to Jurlique’s farm receiving biodynamic accreditation in the 1990s. Working for the company Cherie fell in love with the ethos of biodynamic farming. She attended regional and statewide workshops on agriculture and horticulture and learnt about biodynamics on the job and through training providers and workshops including those run by the Biodynamic Australia Association. She holds a Diploma in Horticulture.

A written account of Cherie's biodynamic growing experiences is contained in a companion text profile booklet of all the guests interviewed for this podcast series. Also entitled ‘Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia' details of this written publication are available from the Biodynamics Agriculture Australia Ltd. website.

INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in minutes.

• Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00
• Generic introduction of podcast series – 0.30
• This episode introduction – 2.02
• Guest self-introduction: description of current work role at Jurlique – and farm profile - 3.16
• Can you define and describe biodynamics in 2023 ? – 8.35
• How do biodynamic practices contrast to more conventional growing methods in horticultural management? – 11.52
• How did you first become involved with biodynamic horticulture in the first place? - 15.00
• Can you tell us more about the biodynamic techniques you are use on the farm and the beneficial impacts they have ? – 18.47
• What is your experience of the spiritual/cosmic aspects of biodynamic working philosophy? - 23.00 includes an example of a challenge experienced in Cherie’s past biodynamic work.

• What does the future hold for your managerial role and the farm you manage ? - 25.22 - includes Cherie’s comments on future human and leaner farming challenges to be overcome.

• Do you have a short take home message for listeners ? 31.30
• Do you have any more advice for listeners who might want to find out more about biodynamic methods and practices ? – 34.28
• Interviewer brief summary of some points covered – 36.33
• Thanks to guest and acknowledgements - 37.10
• Episode close – 39.28

GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS:

Guest: Cherie Hutchinson Jurlique Natural Skin Care Australia

Podcast production:

Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc.(Australia)

Tel: [phone] Email WEB Facebook

Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd.

25 Nobles Lane, BELLINGEN, NSW 2454,Australia

Tel: [phone] Email WEB Facebook

Production details:

Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 2nd October 2023.

Interview questions developed by: Anna Kula-Kaczmarski Incidental Music: James Nicholson

BFGA podcast series - brief survey (2 – 5 minute) completion

The Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners podcast series was produced for Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. Our short listener survey is available now on Survey Monkey. It consists of simple questions which should take less than five minutes to complete.

The survey has been created to encourage our audience to give more feedback than is usually generated via podcast app rating scores and comments. We value any ideas, insights or comments listeners might have which could help us develop possible future podcast offerings. All feedback received will be treated as anonymous data and will only be used for the strict purpose of helping us better design possible future podcast media.

The survey is available at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7HNFFBQ

IDEAS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION

PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING BIODYNAMIC GROWING IN AUSTRALIA

Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. is one of the peak bodies supporting biodynamic practice in this country and it financed this podcast series. The organisation website offers a wide range of products for sale to ‘home gardeners and farmers including soil activators, kits for home gardens and compost making, specialised pastes and liquid blends. These products are made in Australia ensuring the highest quality and shipped nationwide wide.’ The website also contains links to information on training workshops, educational text and video resources on biodynamics and a free eNewsletter.

Their Biodynamics Handbook comes free with membership of Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. Or can be purchased separately at modest cost.

Other organisations in this space include Biodynamic Agricultural Association of Australia and Australian Demeter Biodynamics

BOOKS AND RESOURCES SUGGESTED BY CHERIE HUTCHINSON

Norrie Pearce: A Bio-Dynamic Farmer’s Handbook: by Norrie Pearce (1989) possibly out of print (citation on Google Books)

Alex Podolinsky: Bio Dynamics, Agriculture of the Future: Alex Podolinsky (2000) pdf. available online

Rudolf Steiner:

The Agriculture Course Lectures (1924) – originally delivered in June 1924 and available in English translation on the Steiner Archives Website.

Recent research paper (J. Paull, University of Tasmania, 2020) offering a brief overview of the historical significance of the Steiner lectures, with a timeline of their various language translation dates.

Maria Thun: Gardening for Life - the Biodynamic Way: A Practical Introduction to a New Art of Gardening Sowing Planting Harvesting (1999) By: Maria Thun, Matthew Barton (Translator). See a review on Booktopia.

OTHER RESEARCH AND RESOURCES

The spiritual and cosmic elements within biodynamic practice

See a fascinating recent academic article (2020) on Spirituality and Soil care in Biodynamic Agriculture based on participant observation research work carried out by Dr. Anna Pigott on a Wales (UK) biodynamic farm.

Podcast series containing material relevant to biodynamics

• The Regenarration podcast with Anthony James (produced in Australia)
• The Regenerative Journey with Charlie Arnott (produced in Australia )
• The Regenerative Agriculture podcast with John Kempf (produced in USA)