Smaller scale biodynamic and permaculture growing

Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia

Guests: Luigi and Nidya Marasco-Bellido, The Patch Organics (Bellingen, NSW)

Introduction to this episode:

My guests on this episode of the series, Luigi Marasco and Nidya Marasco-Bellido are share farmers whose Patch Organics business cultivates an acre paddock using biodynamic techniques on what used to be a holding pen for dairy cows. Their Patch Organics cultivation produces herbs, vegetables, and pasture-raised chicken, and takes place within the bigger, certified organic, 500-acre Levenvale Farm situated within beautiful rolling hill country near Bellingen NSW.

A written account of Luigi and Nidya'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 mins.

• Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00
• Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30
• This episode introduction – 2.03
• Guest self-introduction – 3.31
• How would you describe biodynamics in 2023 – 6.15
• How do biodynamics contrast to more conventional agriculture – 9.23
• How did you first become involved with biodynamic growing in the first place? – 21.35 including Luigi’s story of mentorship and early workshop training.

• The generosity of the BD community linked to history of concern with healing the land – 32.35
• Can you tell us more about the biodynamic methods you are use on your farm - and the beneficial effects they have. – 36.28
• How have you incorporated the spiritual/cosmic aspects of biodynamics into your work? – 46.11
• What are some of the challenges you have faced in your biodynamic journey? – 1.00.42
• What does the future hold for your property? - 1.05.26

• Guest take home messages and parting advice to audience on biodynamic adoption – 1.11.02
• Thanks to guests and acknowledgements - 1.20.40
• End of episode – 1.23.37

GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS:

Guests: LUIGI AND NIDYA, THE PATCH ORGANICS (BELLINGEN, NSW)

Tel: [phone] Email: WEB: Facebook

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:

Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 27th 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

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN INTERVIEW OR RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION:

THE PATCH ORGANICS FARM Facebook page and Patch Organics on Levenvale Farm’s website with details of produce ordering, events, training and other matters of interest.

Anthroposophy:

For a short introduction to some key Anthroposophical ideas such as personal growth and development, interdisciplinary collaboration and spiritual science, see: the Anthroposophical Society in Australia website (2023) and Sydney Rudolf Steiner College (teacher training) article What is Anthroposophy?

Astral calendar use in biodynamic growing see the short article Working with the Antipodean Astro Calendar on Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd.’s website.

Masaru Emoto: researcher on water energies - for example see The Secret Life of Water (2011) Google Books listing and preview

Charles Massey: Call of the Reed Warbler: A new Agriculture a New Earth (2020 edition) Google Books review.

Peppering for pest control in biodynamic growing – webinar handout (2020 from My Food Garden.

Permaculture as a model of ‘organic gardening . . . and. . . a design system for resilient living and land use - based on universal ethics and ecological design principles.’ This wording taken from the Holmgren Design Permaculture Vision and Innovation website of David Holmgren the co-founder of permaculture along with Bill Mollison (now deceased)

World Permaculture Association website with definition of permaculture and quotes from Bill Mollinson and other practitioners.

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.

A range of quotes on life philosophy attributed to Rudolf Steiner.

The Sustainable Table initiative has a mission ‘to transform farming, food and fibre systems through regenerative ways of being, doing and knowing. ‘Its innovative Australian Regenerative Food and Farming Map shows the distribution of registered regenerative growers around the country https://www.sustainabletable.org.au/map

Vermicasts – a short video from ABC Australia on farming use of worm compost.

GUEST INFLUENCES MENTIONED IN INTERVIEW

Charlie Arnot – regenerative farmer – and Hamish MacKay biodynamics practitioner and educator. The Regenerative Journey podcast series mentioned below has an interview with Charlie Arnot and Hamish MacKay in Episode 21 (2020). There, MacKay is described as an ‘elder statesman of Biodynamics and Regenerative Farming.’

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 preparations and 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 organisation website contains links to information on training workshops, educational text and video resources on biodynamics. There is also a free e Newsletter available via their website.

Their Biodynamics Handbook comes free with membership of Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. Or can be purchased separately at modest cost. The organisation’s News Leaf Journal is a quarterly paid subscription publication that covers issues on biodynamic agriculture and farming both locally and internationally.

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

OTHER PODCAST SERIES - containing material relevant to biodynamics and regenerative agriculture.

• 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)