Agriculture : Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture. (Paperback)

In 1924, following repeated requests, Rudolf Steiner gave this series of lectures to a group of experienced farmers. His intention was not to teach farming but rather to supplement existing good farming practices with a spiritual understanding of the forces of nature. Considered by many to be the most remarkable lectures Steiner ever gave, they contain profound insights into the nature of the farm organism, the plant and animal world, the nature of organic chemistry, and the influences of heavenly bodies. Without devaluing the importance of the chemical constituents of substance, Steiner emphasized the greater significance of the forces that shape or form those constituents of living nature. He identified many of these forces and described specific practices and preparations that enable the farmer to work in concert with them.

This new edition, with extensive notes and appendices, brings together all of the material related to the Agriculture Course, including the lectures and discussions, Steiner's handwritten notes, diagrams and illustrations, color plates of Steiner's blackboard drawings, and further agricultural indications by Steiner. Included are several important sections that have not previously been available in English.

The biodynamic agriculture movement has grown up from these lectures and is putting the ideas into practice in hundreds of farms around the world.