Autumn 2019 Southwest Biodynamic Group Newsletter
- Sep 20, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 14
Autumn Ploughing
After the ranks of stubble have lain bare,
And field mice and finches’ beaks have found
The last spilled seed corn left upon the ground;
And no more swallows miracle in the air;
When the green tuft no longer hides the hare,
And dropping starling flights at evening come;
When birds, except the robin, have gone dumb,
And leaves are rustling downwards everywhere;
Then out with the great horses, come the ploughs,
And all day long the slow procession goes,
Darkening the stubble fields with broadening strips.
Grey sea-gulls settle after to carouse:
Harvest prepares upon the harvest’s close,
Before the blackbird pecks the scarlet hips.
- John Masefield
AUTUMN MUSINGS
The summer is slowly fading – days shorten, fruits ripen. Those fruits which we can now enjoy are packets of condensed sun forces, impregnated with diffused meteoric iron. They are often purple fruits – blackberries, damsons, plums, elderberries, sloes, but also apples and pears and autumn raspberries.
The meteoric iron, dispersed by the summer meteoric showers, heralds the coming festival of Michaelmas, helping to strengthen us in order to face the coming autumn and winter.
There are imperceptible clouds of Sulphur emanating from the decomposing foliage and vegetation. They gather in dragon like forms curling sinuously returning to the cosmos.
Time to make the preparations - there are trays of dried yarrow, dandelion heads having gone through the seeding blossoming withering stages harvested at their nadir and their etheric oils woven into the colourful fragments, then packed in their various sheaths and buried – medicine for our struggling soils.
Our food tastes and needs change with the cooling days – garlic and nettles, a thing of the past. Now we relish the sweet squash, sweetcorn, apples and pears, beans and roots.
I am currently making polenta soufflé pie which uses sweetcorn, sweet red peppers.
We have challenging times ahead and need to be strengthened both physically and spiritually.
Blessings on your gardening, your cooking and most of all, your friendships.
- Wendy Cook
Cinderella Pumpkin Soup – Serves 6
A traditional peasant dish from central France. From The Biodynamic Food and Cookbook – by Wendy Cook
INGREDIENTS
A whole pumpkin (5lb /2kg or more)
4oz/110g breadcrumbs (wholewheat or white)
2oz/50g roasted sunflower seeds or pumkin seeds
4oz/110g fresh walnuts, roughly chopped
2 pieces of preserved ginger, chopped small
3oz/75g Gruyere cheese, grated
3/4pt/425ml single cream
6 spring onions finely chopped
1tbsp parsley finely chopped
Salt and freshy ground pepper
Milk to top up if necessary
A little olive oil for basting
METHOD
Wash the pumpkin and cut the top off (the growing end with stem) and set aside. This will form the lid with a handle.
With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibrous parts and season inside with salt and pepper. (The innards can be used in the stockpot)
Mix all the dry ingredients with the cream. Season lightlynand ladle into the pumkin shell. Top up with milk until it is ¾ full. On the lid and brush the whole thing with a little olive oil.
Bake in a moderate oven for about 2 hours stirring the inside occasionally and topping up with more milk if necessary. (This is not a soup in the usual sense, it will be quite thick.)
To serve, sprinkle some roasted sunflower seeds on top and dribble a little cream. You can spoon some of the softened pumkin flesh into each portion.
Accompany with some crusty bread and a green salad.
News from some Growers
Apricot Centre at Huxhams Cross
We have our 4 day course - A Practical Introduction to Biodynamics on March 14th 15th and April 11th 12th 2020, The same course went very well last time.
Our lovely produce is for sale on Totnes market on Fridays and by delivery.
We have harvested our wheat and this will be made in to fully Biodynamic flour in the next few months.
Volunteer days on the first Thursday of the month.
Keep up to date with news on our website apricotcentre.co.uk
Velwell Orchard
The leaves are beginning to turn and fall, and the apples are dropping from the trees. The pumpkins are ripening well, the cucumbers are coming to an end, it’s that beautiful autumn time again.
Autumn Celebration - To celebrate the turning of the seasons, we will get the cob oven fired up on Saturday, 28th of September. Apple pressing will be from 10am onwards, pizza will be served at 1pm. Please bring apples to press if you have some, bottles to put the juice in, toppings for pizza, and your good selves! Please let us know if you are coming, and share transport wherever possible. Donations are always appreciated towards running costs.
Firewood - This year, due to financial difficulties, we are selling some firewood. It is 100% hardwood and seasoned and it costs £120 per cubic metre delivered locally. We only have around 4 cubes available to so if you want some let us know asap! - There will also be firewood available to volunteers through the winter.
Our volunteer days are Wednesdays. You can drop in any time between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm.
Our website is velwellorchard.org
Locally grown medicinal hemp CBD.
Organically & biodynamically grown, stirred/vortexed & toned with sound frequencies. A whole plant tincture to strengthen the bodies systems. Available from www.englishhemp.co.uk
10% discount for BD members quote BD10
- Nick Read
The Third Conference on Social Renewal
November 2nd and 3rd in
The Great Hall Dartington
We have included this information about this conference in the Newsletter for those whose interest in Biodynamics has lead them to ask questions about how the economic life relates to other aspects of society.
After positive outcomes from the two Conferences of 2017 and 2018, plans are well advanced for a further attempt to present Steiner’s ideas on Social Threefolding to contemporary audiences. Feedback from the earlier events has been well digested and new challenging questions from people in the Youth section,UK, have been woven into the programme.
One of the new themes suggested by the younger people is how can we begin in our efforts to create a society truly fit for human beings.
Our three main presenters, Terry Boardman ( author , translator and speaker.) Aaron Mirkin, (a priest at the Stroud Christian Community) and Richard Ramsbotham (author, director) will help us navigate the main themes. There will be ample time in the facilitated group activity to develop the themes.
The Saturday evening will be again a cultural evening with a Eurythmy performance of the Ancient Mariner poem and a concert of piano music.
The cost of the conference is £70, including refreshments and a light lunch on the Saturday, (concessions are possible) Accommodation costs are not included.
The timings are:
Sat 2nd Nov 2019 9am-5pm.
Cultural Evening is 7.30-9.30.
Sun Nov 3rd 2019 9-12.30pm with optional afternoon for further discussions.
The three main organisers are Derek Lapworth (01364 644010), Christopher and Raphaela Cooper (01803 866817).
The email address for enquiries is dereklapworth@gmail.com
We do hope you will spread the word about the Conference which addresses quite a number of the big Issues of today and penetrates them with new ideas.
South West Biodynamic Group News
From the Treasurer. Thank you everyone for sending you subscriptions. The finances now look look healthy.
I would like to remind members that if they want to attend a Biodynamic course or conference but are not able to afford it, we are able to give small bursaries towards this in return for a short article about what you learn for the newsletter. Please apply either by email or in writing to me, Diana White, 12 Apple Wharf, The Plains, Totnes TQ9 5QL dianawhite35@hotmail.com
Preparations are available from Velwell Orchard.
Please contact Jeremy Weiss 07962 432317, jeremydweiss@yahoo.co.uk
Dates for Your Diary
Please note, there is no SWBD Group Autumn Gathering this year.
Saturday 28th September 2019 10 am – Velwell Orchard Harvest Celebration .
Please see above for details.
2nd- 3rd November 2019 Conference on Social Renewal at Dartiongton Hall. See above for details
March 14th 15th and April 11th 12th 2020 - A Practical Introduction to Biodynamics at Apricot Centre, Huxhams Cross,, Dartington, Totnes
12th April 2020 – Spring Gathering at Huxhams Cross, Dartington. More details in next newsletter
20th September 2020 –Autumn Gathering at Huxhams Cross, Dartington. More details in Summer newsletter
The aim of this Newsletter is to help in the general development of Biodynamic agriculture in this area by informing you of activities, and bringing information and adverts that may be helpful to you.
This Newsletter has been prepared by Diana White. Please offer your comments and contributions for the next Newsletter by the end of November to dianawhite35@hotmail.com
Comments