Mission History Farming Diaries

Marian Farms is a 80-acre diversified Biodynamic horticultural enterprise located in the central San Joaquin Valley of California. The rich sandy loam soils, Mediterranean climate and Biodynamic practices produce food of superior quality.

Every year is different, as are unpredictable weather patterns. These uncertainties provide daily challenges to all farmers, and especially to the Biodynamic practitioner who chooses NOT to use chemicals to handle the difficulties that Nature presents. Marian Farms is stocked with remedies which seek to work with Nature and capture within the plant world the ever-present "life forces" given to us by the Cosmos.

Dynamic/Spiritual Practices Incorporated on the Farm
Biodynamic practices set themselves apart from conventional and organic practices in four fundamental ways: the incorporation of the "whole farm organism" concept, daily integration of planetary and cosmic rhythms, a continuous application of Biodynamic preparations, and the farmers’ relationship to the land. The integration of these four fundamental activities produces food products that possess LIFE forces which will enhance the spirit, soul and body. Marian Farms engages in the thoughtful and careful execution of Biodynamic protocols, which ensures that the products produced on the farm have been exposed to cosmic forces which make for "living" food. Additional practices, which set Marian Farms apart from other alternative farming techniques, include horticultural diversification, on-site composting, and the use of planetary and cosmic rhythms.

Biodynamic Preparations
A distinguishing element of biodynamic farming is the use of nine biodynamic preparations that were originally described by Rudolph Steiner for the purpose of enhancing soil quality and stimulating plant growth. The original preparations are numbered 500-508. They can be applied as ground sprays, foliar sprays, or placed in the compost piles.

Marian Farms is unique in that they have developed protocols using individual compost preparation as well as using combinations to assure desired on farm results. All preparations are non-toxic and homeopathetic in nature. Preparations are created on the farm with conscientious, careful and nurturing attention. The preparations are used in homepathetic quantities, meaning they produce an effect in extremely diluted amounts.

*Relationships are those etheric in nature. The herb preparations are carriers of mineral processes.

Festival Sprays
Gena believes in expanding and experimenting with new applications that go beyond those given by Rudolf Steiner in the 1924 "Agriculture Course". An important aspect of Marian Farms is discovering and incorporating new festival sprays and preparations which honor the four seasons and cater to Marian Farms' agricultural and spiritual needs. Applications aligned with Christian holidays, and are often guided by the Old and New Testament. For example:

Winter: The Three Kings Remedy: prepared on New Year's Eve and applied on the Epiphany in honor of the birth of Christ Jesus.
Ingredients: Gold, frankincense, myrrh, water and, glycerin.

Spring: The Exodus Remedy: prepared on Passover and applied on Easter \Monday in honor of the freedom of the Israelites from Egypt as well as the recognition and celebration of the greatest gift from the universe, the mystery of Calvary.
Ingredients: Sweet myrrh, cinnamon, sweet calamus, cassis bark and olive oil.

Mid-Spring: Pentecost Remedy: prepared on the Ascension and sprayed on Pentecost.
Ingredients: Frankincense and crushed tourmaline.

Summer: St. Johns Remedy: Prepared prior to and sprayed on St. Johns Day.
Ingredients: St. Johns Wort, 501 preparation, and winter mistletoe.

Fall: The Michaelmas Remedy: Prepared and sprayed on Michaelmas.
Ingredients: Exodus Remedy, meteoric iron, 504 preparation, clay and olive oil.

Pre Winter: Advent Remedy: prepared 28 days before Christmas and sprayed Christmas Eve. Ingredients: Frankincense, myrrh, fresh mistletoe berries, and olive oil.

Epiphany to Michaelmas: Applied January 6th to September 28th four to five times. Ingredients: Tourmaline, 501 preparation, 507 preparation, Winter Mistletoe and 508 preparation.

Ashing
Along with incorporating biological practices, such as cultivating and cover cropping to control weeds, Marian Farms incorporates the dynamic practice of ashing. This homeopathethic technique is considered a weed remedy. The practice includes gathering the seeds or roots of the problematic weed and burning them when the moon is in the fire sign, preferably Leo. The ashes are then carefully collected and ground in a mortar and pestle. Marian Farms dilutes the concentration with water and sprays the infected area. According to the teachings of Rudolph Steiner, ashing prevents the Moon from exerting its full influence on the weeds.

Biological Practices Incorporated on the Farm

Composting
Demeter certification requires that all farming operations make their own compost on the farm. It is permitted to buy raw material – but the actual aging control happens on the farm. At Marian Farms we use dairy and horse manure based compost. For our vegetable crops we use a blend of these manures, for our vineyards and tree orchards we use only dairy based compost.

Cover Cropping
At Marian farms we have an aggressive restorative soils program. We grow summer cover crops, usually a mixture of cowpea and buckwheat. During the winter, to prevent erosion and to build the soil structure, we grow vetch, oats and a pea mixture.

Seed Saving
Seed Saving is a unique aspect of Marian Farms. Seed saving is an old agricultural tradition which has been lost with the modernization and hybridization of seeds. For centuries farmers were able to control the quality and vigor of their plants by carefully selecting those seeds with particularly desired attributes. Seed harvested from hybrid plants produces seedlings which are unlike the parent seed, and in most cases are inferior to them. With seed saving the farmer ensures the quality of plants and products. Typically today's purchased seed has lost its vitality and the seed's germination and quality is inferior to that of on the farm saved seed. Moreover, most purchased seeds are treated with fungicides. Demeter certified Biodynamic practices require the use of untreated seed - one way to ensure that seeds are not treated is by saving the seeds yourself.

Biodynamic agriculture encourages the practice of seed saving on the farm. Marian Farms has implemented a program by which we carefully select the most robust and disease-free plants each growing season for seed saving. We choose strains which are uniquely suited and can withstand the extreme weather conditions of the Central San Joaquin valley. Marian Farms in their fifth year of saving seeds, and we have seen incredible results from this practice already.

Marian Farms' - A Summary Look