An added biodynamic
Biodynamic agriculture has been in existence since 1928 and had an uptick in the 1970s and 1980s. Biodynamic agriculture is a form of alternative agriculture very similar to organic farming, but includes various esoteric concepts drawn from the ideas of Rudolf Steiner. It treats soil fertility, plant growth and livestock care as ecologically interrelated tasks and at the same time emphasises spiritual and mystical perspectives.
In Germany, where biodynamics account for 45% of the global total of 187,549 hectares farmed biodynamically in 55 countries, it is gaining in popularity again. The Schrobenhauser family from Surberg is now the 10,000th Bavarian organic farm to receive the biodynamic “demeter” recognition from the authorities.
After the Schrobenhausers had received the promise from Berchtesgadener Land dairy in March 2017 to be admitted to the co-operative as a demeter farm, production began to be changed to biodynamic production. Berchtesgadener Land’s demeter milk is sold in brown, reusable bottles, and has been an integral part of the organic product range since the 1990s.
Increasing demand has meant Berchtesgadener Land, together with the Demeter dairy farmer community and Demeter Bavaria, has been seeking dairy farms looking to convert. However, conversions do take time – the conversion at the Schrobenhausers took a total of two and a half years.