Reprinted from Southeaster Biodynamic Association's July 2025 e-newsletter.
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By Jeff Poppen
Hot diggity dog! What could be more fun? My California connection, Luke and Emily Frey, arrived Wednesday evening to help us prepare for the 10-day re-enactment of the Agriculture Course. Our Costa Rica connection, Chris and Jenny Karczynski, showed up the next day along with our New York friends, Emma and Hugh Williams. Gaby Gonzales made the trek from Mexico, and Jim Fulmer dropped in from Oregon. Add Brian Wickert, Mark Shepherd, and Mark Voss from Wisconsin and you know we’re going to enjoy a deep dive into biodynamics.
Friday afternoon was a grazier’s delight, with Greg Brann, Eric Smith, Dylan Kennedy, Derek Lawson from Kentucky joining Kelsey Keener from Sequatchie Cove on a 3-hour pasture talk. Back at the barn, a lovely and lively social was followed by a delicious banquet and a talk about developing our sense perceptions. We awoke Saturday to glorious weather and 150 people chatting it up before breakfast.
Permaculture presentations, land trusts models, and heart-felt discussions lasted all morning, while horn stuffing and a reading of lecture one took place in the barn. After lunch, Hugh described 40 years of holistic, biodynamic management of their orchard, dairy and vegetable CSA in the Hudson River Valley while Darron Joffe from Georgia talked about urban agriculture. Our friends from Virginia, Ben and Franny, were joined by Daniela from Colorado to lead well-attended sessions making the chamomile, oak bark, and dandelion preparations. We then buried them in different locations, along with the yarrow-filled bladder we made at our last gathering on Memorial Day weekend. Shabari Bird came up from Georgia to offer a creek walk to remember nature spirits and elemental beings while graziers continued talking, and Kenyon Kiely described the medicinal uses of the six compost herbs.
Steve Diver from University of Kentucky delivered an excellent talk on beneficial microbes, and it was a really special treat to have Dr. Mark Hancock from Georgia with us. Mark stayed throughout the whole 10 days, reading from Steiner’s medical lectures and seeing patients. We read the two youth lectures to enthusiastic young folks, who eagerly asked questions and felt free to express themselves in interesting, open-minded conversations with the elders.
Kally baked the birthday cake, and we circled around it before dinner, offering blessings and wishes on this 100th anniversary celebration. Luke and Emily brought Frey wines to accompany another fabulous meal. Then the infamous talent show followed, hosted again by Ben and Alan, which led us into the barn dance. Hugh opened up with “yesterday’s news” then rock stars Coree and Jeff, also disguised as conference organizers, not only helped everyone boogie, but then displayed their acting talents the next day performing the prologue to Steiner’s Mystery Plays.
Lecture two was read and discussed as we continued to enjoy the farm individuality hosting us. Many went home Sunday afternoon, but a few dozen stayed and read lecture 4, volume 7, of Karmic Relationships. We continued throughout the week, reading an Agriculture lecture in the morning and a Karmic Relationships lecture in the evening. A powerful week was punctuated by a rare display of the colorful Northern Lights on two evenings.
We had beautiful weather all week long, as we dipped into the Fundamentals of Therapy, Nutrition and Stimulants, and the Long Hungry Creek. The Southeast Biodynamic Association couldn’t have been more pleased with the way it all turned out, and we will conclude this report with our gratitude for the sponsors who helped make it possible, along with special thanks and appreciation for the cooks, presenters, and wonderful people who came and celebrated the first 100 years of biodynamics with us. We’ll see you all in the fall, October 3, 4, 5, for our 39th gathering.
We didn't quite get the whole crew for the 100 year re-enactment into this picture — but here's a few of the good people who spent the week exploring the readings together.