What is Biodynamic farming?

Biodynamic farming is the oldest form of sustainable and biological farming.  It was started in 1924 with a series of lectures given by Rudolf Steiner in Germany, as a response to the introduction of nitrate fertilisers. 

It is similar to Organic farming methods, but also uses a range of fermented preparations made from animal manures and herbs. These are  added to the soil. Long term studies have shown that this increases the soil biodiversity making it one of the most resilient systems to climate change, with soils that sequester the highest amount of carbon of all methods of farming. The increased soil biodiversity also supports the food chain and ecology from the ground up with at least 10% of the farm being put by to support biodiversity. On Huxhams Cross Farm we have 3 hectares of wetland meadow that is grazed by our Shetland cows Damson and Daffodil .  

Our registration is with the Biodynamic Association and our produce is sold under the Demeter logo. 

Biodynamic food is renowned for its high flavour and “terroir”.

What is Permaculture?

Permaculutre is a design methodology developed in the 1970 by Bill Mollison and David Holgren. It is a very powerful methodology for designing closed loop systems that are site and client specific. We have used this methodology to design Huxhams Cross Farm, and use its principles and ethics  to inform our business model.  (These principles are also identical to the Biodynamic principles) 

The three permaculture ethics are;

People Care, Earth Care and Fair shares.

What is Agroforestry?

Agroforestry is the integration of trees into a farmed landscape. It is an ancient farming system that has had a revival since the 1970s. We use “alley cropping “ in our farming systems to grow extra crops and to provide “environmental services” that is they help us to manage the water on the farm, they provide windbreaks and are a home to our predatory insects.

What is Regenerative Agriculture?

Woven together these farming methods  form a system of  “Regenerative Agriculture”. That is agriculture that repairs and regenerates soil and ecosystems, and economies.  This is over and above “Sustainable agriculture.”