This issue brings together a collection of articles on the topic of the preparations that we hope provides a variety of perspectives. Just as biodynamics looks from many perspectivs and in many different ways to understand the farm organism, so do we wish to offer various views of the preparations. This is hardly comprehensive, of course, and so we look forward to providing more information and perspectives on the preparations in future publications. FEATURES

Overview of the Preparations

Relevant Literature

Preparation Resources from JPI

Regional Voices

The Inland Northwest Biodynamic Group: Preparation Making and New Initiatives, Lisa Shock

Making the Preparations

Reflections on the Fall 2008 JPI Preparations-Making Workshop, Maria Milhok

Preparation 507

The Valerian Preparation: Correlating Sensory Experience and Physicochemical Properties, Jeffrey Endelman

Preparation 501

Stirring 501, Karen Davis-Brown

Preparation 506

The Dandelion Preparation, Kathleen Fenton

Medicinal Properties

Dynamic Plants, Avi Dannon

Preparation 500

Preparation 500, Beth Wieting

NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

In the News

Help Save Zinniker Farm

BDA Receives Grant to Support Zinniker Farm, Consumer Rights, and Associative Economics

Event Overview

Farm-Based Educators Retreat

Art and Biodynamics

School Gardening

Celebrating Michaelmas in the Garden

Books

Regional Voices

Community Supported Initiatives in the Green Mountains, Ron Krupp

The History and Challenges of CSA, Ron Krupp

DEPARTMENTS

Letter from the Editor

Nurturing an Impulse, Rebecca Briggs

Apprenticeship Perspectives

The Relationship Between the Garden and the Communities That Know It, Ellie Sherman

Seasonal Eating

White Bean Vegetable Soup with Herbal Sofrito, Anthony Lo Pinto

Winter Eating Fresh and in Season, Christy Korrow

Culinary Uses of the Preparation Plants, Rebecca Briggs

Envisioning the Future

Envisioning the Future, Heinz Grotzke

The Last Word

At the End of the Season: Not Your Average "C" Essay, John Bloom