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