Posted on Oct 24, 2023
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We are thrilled to share exciting news about the National Biodynamic Conference Crowdfund! Thanks to the incredible generosity of 27 donors, we have successfully raised $23,000 towards our scholarship fund. Your support has warmed our hearts and ignited our passion for the Biodynamic movement.
First and foremost, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of our donors who contributed. Your generosity has already made a significant impact, enabling us to offer scholarships to thirty-seven farmers, gardeners, educators, and enthusiasts who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to attend.
It's not just a sum of money; it's a beacon of hope and possibility. Each dollar represents an investment in the future of biodynamic agriculture and the betterment of our planet. We are deeply touched by your support and...
Posted on Oct 16, 2023
Hello All,
I’m Coree. I have been working behind the scenes to coordinate the National Biodynamic Conference , coming up very soon in Colorado (tickets, day passes, and all kinds of opportunities are still available, November 8-12, in case you need reminding). We just wrapped up our regional conference in the southeast at Jeff Poppen’s Long Hungry Creek Farm, and it sparked some thoughts for me that I hope will touch you.
In this increasingly fast-paced and virtual world, we are capable of meeting and doing amazing work with one another instantaneously across continents. People now form businesses and intimate partnerships over screens. But there is really no substitute for meeting face-to-face, and I think we all know it. At our local conference, I watched the faces of friends meeting again after a year or more apart – there was nearly a palpable glow as...
Posted on Jul 5, 2023
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Paul Dolan on June 26, a stalwart advocate of Biodynamic agriculture for over 20 years and President of the Demeter USA Board of Directors from 2014-2018. Paul inspired and mentored many and will be missed. He also left an indelible positive legacy from his time leading Fetzer Winery, Dark Horse Vineyards, and Truett-Hurst Winery.
For over 30 years, Paul Dolan led the way in improving sustainability in the wine movement, including helping to create the "made with Organic grapes" market in the 1980s and 90s, becoming the first Chairman of the Wine Institute's Sustainable Winegrowers Alliance in 2002, and writing "True to Your Roots: Fermenting a Business Revolution," in 2003, arguing that, "it's time for business, one of the most powerful forces on earth, to become a positive source for change."...
Posted on Jun 23, 2023
The Biodynamic Demeter Alliance reached an important milestone in the evolution of our organization! Frederick Smith joined our team as the Director of Economic Development this June. Frederick comes to the organization with an MBA from UC Davis School of Management and over ten years of experience in sustainable food systems and economic development, including serving as the Executive Director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, North Coast and Bay Area Coordinator for California Farmlink, and as a marketing and finance consultant for farmers, value-added food entrepreneurs, foundations, and nonprofits. He has also been supporting the Biodynamic Demeter Allianceʻs communications work for the last nine months, including managing the Allianceʻs social media and weekly e-newsletter and providing marketing and fundraising expertise.
Frederick will head up the...
Posted on Jun 13, 2023
“There’s no other type of agriculture as comprehensive as biodynamics.” “Biodynamics is a way I can create with all life around me towards healing”. “I appreciate the focus biodynamics brings to the care and development of all the beings on the farm, including the human being and the community.” These are some of the inspirations calling participants to join Biodynamic Demeter Alliance’s Biodynamic Foundations Farmer Training. A new cohort began in May, with 23 people hailing from across the US and Canada.
Each participant works on the ground with a mentor to get practical experience, forming relationships with the life of a place. We all gather together weekly via video conference for learning and community building sessions. In these spaces we meet to share experiences, questions, and encouragement.
We work with soil care, plant cultivation, animal health, and...
Posted on May 31, 2023
From July 27 to 29 at the Quintessa Estate in Rutherford, Napa Valley, the biodynamic masterclass series known as Cambium will unfold for its seventh edition – and for the first time on U.S. soil. We invite you to reserve your seat on the Biodynamic Demeter Alliance website .
Over three days, international wine producers and leaders in biodynamic viticulture will gather for masterclasses and tastings, building community and conversation around biodynamic farming and wine. The series is enriched by three iconic Italian producers who will share their experiences and practices for building vineyard health and resilience on both large and small scales.
Founded by Italian agronomist and winemaker Adriano Zago, Cambium Formazione is an immersive forum offering guests access to biodynamic and organic producers and farmers worldwide. Previous masterclasses held in Piedmont,...
Posted on May 23, 2023
For the last year, the staff and board of the Biodynamic Demeter Alliance have been working diligently to understand the role we can play in supporting and building the biodynamic community. How do we best support farmers? Businesses? Regional groups? How can regional groups support building a strong biodynamic movement? We are still learning.
Biodynamics can save the world. It’s true. If every farmer and gardener throughout the world grew food and fiber in a way that gave back more than was taken, cultivated fertility and biodiversity of the soil and saw each farm as a whole, interconnected organism, it would change our world.
If every home, business, and farm set aside 10 percent of the land for biodiversity, treated animals with compassion and respect, and perceived all who worked the land...
