Welcome to this podcast series, Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia. The series was commissioned by Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. and produced by Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc. (Australia). The six episodes of this series contain interviews with a wide range of Australian biodynamic growers working in various forms of agriculture and horticulture and at different scales. From a one acre organic property producing herbs, vegetables, and pasture-raised chicken in New South Wales, to a horticultural operation of over 100 acres suppling botanicals and healing herbs to a natural skin care company with international reach. From biodynamic cherry and fruit tree growing in South Australia to mixed biodynamic farming in Far North Queensland. Though the locations and types of growing undertaken by our podcast guests differ it has been fascinating to hear of the similarities of methods and approaches to their growing work which have developed through their adoption of biodynamic practice principles and wider philosophy. Each guest story illustrates the environmentally protective abilities of biodynamics to regenerate the biological health of soil, supercharge organic growing, restore biodiversity and work in harmony with mother nature – and all in the process of producing well grown food of delicious taste and high nutritional value - and plant products beneficial to human wellbeing. We hope that you enjoy this podcast series, as well as the text based profiles of our interview guests contained in a companion booklet also entitled ‘Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia.’ Details are available on the website of Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. Andrew Nicholson - Producer of the series   

GUEST: Cherie Hutchinson, biodynamic farm manager for the Jurlique Natural Skin Care Australia company INTRODUCTION TO THIS EPISODE: My guest on this episode of the series, Cherie Hutchinson, is a farm manager for the Jurlique natural skincare company overseeing the production of over 35 different botanicals and healing herbs on Jurlique’s farm at Biggs Flat in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. Jurlique is a natural skincare company established in 1985 by Jurgen and Ulrike Klein. The owners were passionate about growing biodynamically which led to Jurlique’s farm receiving biodynamic accreditation in the 1990s. Working for the company Cherie fell in love with the ethos of biodynamic farming. She attended regional and statewide workshops on agriculture and horticulture and learnt about biodynamics on the job and through training providers and workshops including those run by the Biodynamic Australia Association. She holds a Diploma in Horticulture. A written account of Cherie's biodynamic growing experiences is contained in a companion text profile booklet of all the guests interviewed for this podcast series. Also entitled ‘Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia' details of this written publication are available from the Biodynamics Agriculture Australia Ltd. website.  INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS  - with approximate time elapsed in minutes. Guest foreshadow comment  - 0.00 Generic introduction of podcast series  – 0.30 This episode introduction  – 2.02 Guest self-introduction: description of  current work role at Jurlique – and farm profile - 3.16 Can you define and describe biodynamics in 2023 ? – 8.35 How do biodynamic practices contrast to more conventional growing methods in horticultural management? – 11.52 How did you first become involved with biodynamic horticulture in the first place? - 15.00 Can you tell us more about the biodynamic techniques you are use on the farm and the beneficial impacts they have ? – 18.47 What is your experience of the spiritual/cosmic aspects of biodynamic working philosophy? - 23.00 includes an example of a challenge experienced in Cherie’s past biodynamic work. What does the future hold for your managerial role and the farm you manage ? - 25.22 - includes Cherie’s comments on future human and leaner farming challenges to be overcome. Do you have a short take home message for listeners ? 31.30 Do you have any more advice for listeners who might want to find out more about biodynamic methods and practices ? – 34.28 Interviewer brief summary of some points covered – 36.33 Thanks to guest and acknowledgements - 37.10 Episode close – 39.28 GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS:  Guest: Cherie Hutchinson Jurlique Natural Skin Care Australia Podcast production: Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc.(Australia) Tel: 07 4639 2135  Email  WEB  Facebook  Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. 25 Nobles Lane, BELLINGEN, NSW 2454,Australia Tel: 02 6655 0566  Email  WEB  Facebook Production details:  Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on  2nd October 2023.  Interview questions developed by: Anna Kula-Kaczmarski   Incidental Music: James Nicholson BFGA podcast series - brief survey (2 – 5 minute) completion The Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners podcast series was produced for Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. Our short listener survey is available now on Survey Monkey. It consists of simple questions which should take less than five minutes to complete. The survey has been created to encourage our audience to give more feedback than is usually generated via podcast app rating scores and comments. We value any ideas, insights or comments listeners might have which could help us develop possible future podcast offerings. All feedback received will be treated as anonymous data and will only be used for the strict purpose of helping us better design possible future podcast medi

Developing biodynamic orchards in South Australia

Guest: Adam Collins, Kisima Farm, Evelyn Tablelands (FNQLD) Introduction to this episode: My guest on this episode of the series, Adam Collins, was born and raised in Kenya, and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in the United Kingdom. However he says that after five years of learning how to ‘kill’ everything he felt disillusioned as he believed that farming should be “about growing life, not killing it.” In 1985 Adam’s family moved to Australia and bought a 100-acre block in far North Queensland near Ravenshoe named Kisima Farm - the ‘place of peaceful water.’ After doing some soul-searching and travelling, Adam partnered with his father on the farm in 1999 and began his systematic  journey into biodynamic practice from that point on. A written account of Adam's biodynamic growing experiences is contained in a companion text profile booklet of all the guests interviewed for this podcast series. Also entitled ‘Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia' details of this written publication are available from the Biodynamics Agriculture Australia Ltd. website.   INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS  - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment  - 0.00 Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30 This episode introduction - 2.04 Guest self-introduction: description of current work and farm profile – 3.07 Can you define and describe biodynamics in 2023  – 5.22 How do biodynamics contrast to more conventional growing methods? – 8.57 (Includes description of biodynamic preparation work – 11.52 How did you first become involved with biodynamic growing in the first place? -21.34 Tell us more about the biodynamic methods you are use on your farm - and the beneficial effects they have. – 27.22 How do you go about teaching and training others in biodynamic methods? - 31.40 (Includes description of stirring work involved in biodynamic preparations – 36.26 How have you incorporated the spiritual/cosmic aspects of biodynamics into your work? – 40.22 (Includes discussion of the benefits of higher food quality and human health and wellbeing- 44.50 What are some of the challenges you have faced in your biodynamic journey? - 51.04 The key importance of long and thoughtful observation in biodynamics -54.56 What does the future hold for your farm and for biodynamic practice more generally? - 58.20 Guest take home message – 1.02.36 Guest parting advice to audience on biodynamic adoption – 1.06.06 Thanks, acknowledgements and episode close. – 1.08.16 End of episode – 1.10.44 GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS:  Guest: Adam Collins, Kisima Farm, Evelyn Tablelands (FNQLD) Email: adamcollins73@hotmail.com  WEB: Biodynamics FNQ  Tel: 07 4097 8126 Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc.(Australia) Tel: 07 4639 2135  Email  WEB  Facebook Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. 25 Nobles Lane, BELLINGEN, NSW 2454,Australia Tel: 02 6655 0566  Email  WEB  Facebook Production: Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on  9th October   2023 Interview questions developed by: Anna Kula-Kaczmarski   Incidental Music: James Nicholson  BFGA podcast series - brief survey (2 – 5 minute) completion The Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners podcast series was produced for Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. Our short listener survey is available now on Survey Monkey. It consists of simple questions which should take less than five minutes to complete. The survey has been created to encourage our audience to give more feedback than is usually generated via podcast app rating scores and comments. We value any ideas, insights or comments listeners might have which could help us develop possible future podcast offerings. All feedback received will be treated as anonymous data and will only be used for the strict purpose of helping us better design possible future podcast media. The survey is available at this link: https://www.surv

GUEST: John Hodgkinson – experienced biodynamic grower and multi-talented volunteer with Biodynamics Agriculture Australia Ltd. Introduction to this episode: ‘My guest on this episode of the series, John Hodgkinson, is a highly experienced and knowledgeable biodynamic grower who first encountered biodynamic methods in the mid-1990s and started using them on an existing 40 hectare farm he then owned and ran. So impressed was he with early results that he launched  into full-scale adoption of the biodynamic method on his property. After selling his farm in 2005 John moved to Bellingen NSW and has kept very busy with biodynamics ever since. He maintains his own container garden, has managed numerous rental gardens and he helped develop a veggie garden just outside of the town which supplied bunched salad varieties to a weekly grower’s market stall. John is also member and active volunteer with Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. which is headquartered in Bellingen. His work for the organisation has included making biodynamic preparations as well as editing and contributing to the News Leaf journal and performing an advisory and educational role. A written account of John's biodynamic growing experiences is contained in a companion text profile booklet of all the guests interviewed for this podcast series. Also entitled ‘Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia' details of this written publication are available from the Biodynamics Agriculture Australia Ltd. website.  INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS  - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment  - 0.00 Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30 This episode introduction – 2.03 Guest self-introduction – 3.51 How would you describe biodynamics in 2023  – 10.54 How do biodynamics contrast to more conventional agriculture – 16.42 How did you first become involved with biodynamic growing in the first place? – 23.12 Can you tell us more about your biodynamic work and its beneficial impacts? – 32.07 including on you personally – 40.13  with  comments on  the spiritual/cosmic aspects of biodynamics?  What are some of the challenges you have faced on your biodynamic journey? – 57.57 What does the future hold for your work? - 1.02.50 Guest take home message and biodynamic advice to listeners– 1.06.14 Thanks, acknowledgements and episode close. – 1.07:56 End of episode – 1.09:54                                                GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS: Guest: John Hodgkinson, Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd, Bellingen NSW. Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc.(Australia) Tel: 07 4639 2135  Email  WEB  Facebook Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. 25 Nobles Lane, BELLINGEN, NSW 2454,Australia Tel: 02 6655 0566  Email  WEB  Facebook Production:  Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 11th October 2023 Interview questions developed by: Anna Kula-Kaczmarski  Incidental Music: James Nicholson BFGA podcast series -  brief survey (2 – 5 minute) completion The Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners podcast series was produced for Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. And out short listener survey is available now on Survey Monkey. It consists of simple questions which should take less than five minutes to complete. The survey has been created to encourage our audience to give more feedback than is usually generated via podcast app rating scores and comments. We value any ideas, insights or comments listeners might have which could help us develop possible future podcast offerings. All feedback received will be treated as anonymous data and will only be used for the strict purpose of helping us better design possible future podcast media. The survey is available at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7HNFFBQ RESORCES MENTIONED IN INTERVIEW OR RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION: Anthroposophy: for an introduction to some key ideas such as spiritual sc

Smaller scale biodynamic and permaculture growing

Biodynamic methods for wine grapes, olive and fig growing in New South Wales, Australia.