Biodynamic Farming Diploma for Canada, 2025

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A Watershed Moment: Discovering the Vocation of Farming 00:00:28

When I was 19 years old, I had a watershed moment in my life. I had the opportunity to work on a biodynamic farm in Ontario. Without me knowing anything about agriculture, it became crystal clear: This is the real deal. I need to learn all of this. I want to become a farmer.

The Dilemma of Modern Agricultural Education 00:01:04

Now the calling is one thing. But where do you learn the trade? Where can you get the expertise how to run and operate an entire farm operation? One way is to go to university and study agriculture. There you can learn about soil science, plant science, livestock management and all kinds of aspects of the agribusiness. And when you've studied all this, you are either smart enough to look for something else, or you end up as a machine operator, or even worse, you end up running a farm like a factory.

Understanding Livestock Beyond Materialism 00:01:29

To raise animals, for example, requires so much more than just the cold, abstract, scientific, materialistic way of looking at livestock. First, they are ensouled beings. And their entire soul is merged into the animal's organism. So to understand the animal being, we need to observe what is it that the animal is doing. Because what it does is an expression of the soul.

Cosmic Forces in Nutrition and Life 00:02:03

When we look at ruminants, for example, we will find that they prefer to eat grass and hay. Lots of it. And those plants are alive. And what makes those plants alive is not the soil. It is the sunlight. No sunlight, no life. Well, I guess we will all agree that the sun is a cosmic entity. So by eating tons and tons of green matter, the cow takes a lot of cosmic life forces into her own organism. She becomes one with the entire cosmos.

Beyond the Physical: The Limitations of Conventional Methods 00:02:30

That is just one short example of what conventional agriculture simply lacks. And even organic, regenerative, sustainable, ecological, biodiverse farming methods don't bother looking at such important details. Only by extending our view beyond what we can see, measure, or weigh, we can get an understanding of what truly works beyond the physical matter. Those and a million other things are necessary to know in order to properly run a biodynamic farm. It is essential because it enables us to do the right thing in the right way at the right time.

The Urgent Need for Conscious Farmers 00:03:41

Here is the tragedy. Canada has over 150 million acres of farmland. Only a tiny fraction is farmed biodynamically by farmers who are aware of those inner connections that I just described. There is an urgent need for real farmers in this world. Of course this requires practical know-how and of course entrepreneurial skills. But even more, farming must become an act of art. We need to become aware of what we do. And most importantly, why we do it. When we look at agriculture from that perspective, building up and running a farm is a true school of consciousness.

The Search for Holistic Training in North America 00:04:35

Now let's say all what I say here resonates with you and you have the intention to become a real farmer. Where can you get to the core of agriculture? It's very hard to get some training in biodynamics. We have to master so many different things also like the spiritual aspect, the philosophical aspect, finance and how to run an operation. I would really want to have some better training about biodynamic but also the human nature. In Europe it is certainly much easier as there are a large number of certified biodynamic farms. They have apprenticeship programs and they even have extra schools where you can learn everything you need to know. Unfortunately it is all taught in German language. And here in North America where we have all these acres and acres of land, nothing.

The New Diploma Program at Rudolf Steiner College Canada 00:05:08

Well, that's not true anymore. The Rudolf Steiner College Canada is extremely proud to offer for the very first time a comprehensive biodynamic farming diploma program. This is a two-year distance learning class and it is approved under the Ontario Careers Colleges Act. Now this means it is totally legit. So in order to be a diploma program in Canada we have very high standards and you will get a high standard education in this program.

Curriculum Year 1: The Farm as an Individuality 00:06:04

When you take a closer look at the curriculum you will see that this class will cover every aspect of a working biodynamic farm. Let me explain. In the first year the curriculum focuses on the farm as an organism, as a true individuality. It becomes inevitable to first understand the configuration of man. In biodynamic agriculture the human being is the basis of everything. On one side we need to become aware of the similarities between our own human organization and the farm as a whole. And on the other side we need to understand how did agriculture develop from settling down until we finally had what is known as Old McDonald's Farm. If we don't understand where we are coming from how will we understand where we are right now and where agriculture needs to go in the future.

Curriculum Year 2: The Three Pillars of Soil Fertility 00:06:43

In the second year we will focus on the three pillars that support soil fertility. Lasting soil fertility rests on three pillars. And those three pillars are the art of soil cultivation, the art of crop rotation and the art of fertilizing. Of course each of these three subjects can be studied to infinity. And the most complex subject of those three is the art of fertilizing. We will learn to differentiate between mineral substitutes, plant-based fertilizer, animal manure and of course the biodynamic field sprays and compost preparations.

The Spiritual Foundations and Biodynamic Preparations 00:07:23

Those preparations are maybe one of the biggest riddles in modern times. They originate out of eight lectures given by Dr. Rudolf Steiner to farmers in 1924. And they are called Spiritual Foundations for a Renewal in Agriculture. The content of these lectures as well as the making, the application and the mode of action from the biodynamic preparations can only be understood with a solid understanding of Steiner's Anthroposophy. That is why the intense study of those agriculture lectures in combination with other material will be the foundation of the biodynamic farming diploma.

The Business of Farming 00:07:36

The second year will be rounded off with an excursion into the business side of a farm operation. Price calculation, marketing issues, business management, legal forms and financing options will need to be explored. As you can see it is a gigantic range of different subjects that an ongoing farmer needs to learn.

From Farmers for Farmers: The Expert Faculty 00:08:50

It takes a village to raise a child. Same is true for farmers. They don't fall out of the sky. They don't pass through a membrane from another reality. They are made. They are made by other farmers. And I am the best example for this. I was inspired, educated, coached, formed and shaped by other successful farmers. And that is why we here at the Rudolf Steiner College Canada lined up a gigantic team of expert faculty teachers. Somehow our director has managed to enroll the cream of the crop of our biodynamic practitioners in Canada. Farmers who have their hands in the soil every day and do not just talk theoretically. Are all agreeing to be on our faculty and presenting aspects of this program. Now this means that an aspiring farmer will participate in over 500 years of accumulated profound practical experience of the teachers. That has never been offered anywhere before.

Program Structure and Hands-On Experience 00:09:50

And this is how it works. Participants will join a weekly live zoom lecture about a specific topic by one of our expert faculty teachers. The intensive study of Steiner's agricultural lectures is an integral part of each class. And because they are so crucial and also so hard to understand in the beginning. We will not study these lectures once. We will study them twice. But it goes even further. To gain hands-on experience during the time of study and to improve practical skills. All students are required to do four different practicums on the biodynamic farm that is accredited by the Rudolf Steiner College Canada. The practical aspect of the program has been critical from the beginning. We're not interested in producing an academic program for the curious mind. Without practicums where you're actually on a farm all we're doing is talking.

A Unique Qualification with Global Opportunities 00:11:01

The biodynamic farming diploma is one of a kind. There is nothing else that's as comprehensive as this. You will get insights into agriculture that are not taught anywhere else. And last but not least at the end students will receive the biodynamic farming diploma. Which qualifies you to start, operate and work at any biodynamic enterprise worldwide. The biodynamic farming diploma is not just open to participants in Canada and the US. Wherever you are if you see this and you like to deepen your knowledge of biodynamic agriculture then this is the real deal. As a member of the board of the Rudolf Steiner College I give my greatest wishes to the program's success. And I hope that you find this video engaging and that you will reach out to us. We very much want this program to be a success from day one and to get farmers into our farms with biodynamic skills. The only question is are you ready for this? Well, that's up to you. Please visit the website of the Rudolf Steiner College Canada.

Links

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQxp1iT4Gqs

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