I give you thanks cold silent stone
And bend in quiet awe before you;
From you the plant in me has grown.
I give you thanks green grass and flower
And bend in reverence before you;
You let me win the beast’s swift power.
I thank you all, plant, beast and stone,
And bow in gratitude before you;
You led all three to me alone.
We give you thanks bright child and star
And kneel us down in love before you
For because thou art, we are.
Thanks flow from all the gods and lands
And from each god again expands;
In thanks all beings join their hands.
Christian Morgenstern, trans. Arvia MacKaye Ege
Hi everyone, I’m writing today to extend an invitation to our fall biodynamic workshop from October 18-20th in Accomac, Virginia.
At Perennial Roots Farm (PRF),
and I () have been learning to farm since 2010. We did not have an agricultural background; instead, we were attracted to agrarian life from the world of ideas and art. We run a four acre market garden, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription, attend farmers markets, and more. We raise Pineywoods cattle, a lovely heritage breed of cattle that has been adapting to this continent for over 400 years. While not as “at home” on this region of the earth as bison, these horned cows are ideally suited to our bioregion.As the season of Michaelmas approaches, those who are planning to to apply Hugo Erbe’s Three Kings Preparation (3K) — made of potentized gold, frankincense, and myrrh — would do well not just to send out an invitation to the elemental world to join the feast at the biodynamic garden, but to offer a special gift for the elemental world. I like to imagine the 3K preparation, which is sprayed outward around the periphery, as a beacon inviting the elemental world to the farm. This is why all of the biodynamic compost preparations should already have been well established on the land before the use of the Three Kings (3K) Preparation. Imagine inviting friends to a party, but they show up to find no food! The biodynamic preparations provide nourishment for the elemental world. If you want to go the extra mile, Hugo Erbe’s Harmonizing Preparatiom #9 is specifically designed as a gesture of gratitude offered to the elemental world around Michaelmas (September 29th).
If ordered at the same time, anyone who buys one unit of Hugo Erbe Harmonizing Preparation #9 will get an automatic 15% off one unit of the Three Kings (3K) preparation.
From Hugo Erbe’s New Bio-dynamic Preparations (available from Considera.org as a PDF):
“Scientific materialism has encouraged an attitude towards nature and towards the divine ranging from indifference to rejection, or even contempt. In so doing it has exposed people to the forces of death to a much greater extent than they would be naturally predisposed towards. To this is due the lack of respect combined with an arrogance towards all beings of nature. The need to re-awaken respect for all the kingdoms of nature – exemplified in Christian Morgenstern’s poem Die Fusswaschung (‘The Washing of the Feet’) - could, and perhaps ought to induce all those engaged in producing food to use this Harmonizing Preparation regularly. The time of Michaelmas i.e. around 29th Sept., would seem to be the most appropriate time for this to be done.”
As the seasons are changing over, now is the time to think about what you’re going to be doing with all your leftover plant materials. It’s time to plan for your compost piles! Get the Pfeiffer Compost Starter now. Here’s a video from Benjamin Bingham using the Pfeiffer Compost Starter:
We have been using biodynamic preparations on our farm since 2012 and this workshop is one of gathering together in fellowship and community to make gifts for the earth. From 2012 to 2019, I journeyed to Hugh Courtney’s gatherings each autumn, and now continue the work on my own farm. One thing especially stands out at our workshops: biodynamic food, expertly prepared from our garden. Even if nothing else was accomplished than gathering together, it’s worth the experience alone.
Tickets are being sold on a sliding scale from $150 and up. Please pay what you can afford — doing so helps keep costs down for others. If you cannot attend, anything you can do to help support the fall biodynamic work is greatly appreciated. Some friends are graciously purchasing tickets from afar and asking that they serve as a scholarship for those who wish to attend.
We are a small farm, so tickets are limited. Please sign up early to guarantee your spot! There will be presentations on the evolution of humanity and consciousness, the development of the cosmos, and the place of biodynamic preparations within this broader spiritual context. For a full schedule, please go here.
Camping and local lodging is available. A work-comp option is also available for those who wish to receive a 50% refund from their ticket price after contributing a day of extra labor helping with cleaning up and making/burying preparations after the workshop.
We look forward to seeing you there!