Biodynamics is a form of agriculture that arose from anthroposophical science which was developed by the Austrian scientist, Rudolf Steiner in the early part of the 20th century.

This world view stemmed from a concern that industrialisation was resulting in damage to both the physical and the spiritual world, of which mankind is the custodian.

Later this gave rise to the Soil Association founded and promoted by Lady Eve Balfour and the development of the ‘Organic’ movement in the English speaking world. Her chief scientific adviser was Professor R. Lindsay Robb, 1885–1972 one of whose main interests was the preservation of soil structure in the face of growing world populations.

The Soil Association focuses on the prohibition of the use of petrochemical derived synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. However, this form of farming has come to rely heavily on frequent cultivation, in turn burning much tractor fuel and giving rise to concern about soil structure. Although Rutland is still an Organic farm, we are taking an increased interest in the relatively new science of Regenerative Farming, which offers hope to help the organic movement reduce damage to the land. For more, please see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regenerative_agriculture

Herbal medicine differs from conventional pharmaceutical medicine in a number of ways. The most fundamental of these concerns the holistic extraction of whole plants, as opposed to the purification of certain active ingredients. Generally, biologically active plant molecules are found to have varying, and often even opposing, pharmacological effects at different concentrations. Whole plant extracts may sometimes function at sub-pharmacological plasma concentrations of the active ingredients, and so generally reduce the unwanted side effects of medical intervention. In the correct hands, this may make them safer to use. The term used by herbalists to describe the way in which whole plant extracts achieve this is ‘synergy’.