‘I come into the peace of wild things
…For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.’
(Wendell Berry)
A beautiful celebration was held in the barn at Lower Sharpham Barton Farm to mark the 100-year anniversary of the agricultural lectures given by Rudolf Steiner. Biodynamic (BD) farming grew out of those lectures and our Farm (Lower Sharpham Barton Farm) was run following these principles from 1994 until 2011.
The event welcomed back people who worked here whilst it was a BD farm as well as other BD farmers, growers, educators, and practitioners. They were joined by current residents and workers, as well as those learning about BD through the Apricot Centre course in Regenerative Land-Based Systems: Food and Farming. Connecting people on the land like this beautifully demonstrates the Farm being socially connected, which is a key principle of BD farming. This principle continues to influence the ethos and daily work at the Farm today, emanating from the seeds sown here during those BD years.
The Farm has evolved over the years and is now run as organic, and whilst it is no longer a BD farm, there are overlapping regenerative practices, such as not applying chemical fertilisers. The farm now offers a diverse range of opportunities for social connectivity, from people who have been dutifully working here for decades with United Response (formerly Robert Owen Communities), to community volunteer days, public events, Steiner school visits, and residential training in Nature Recovery with Ambios.
Whilst everyone at the Farm has a unique experience and we all find our own way to give to the land and take in reciprocity, there feels to be a special thread that words can’t quite capture. Purpose. Sanctuary. Haven. Energy. Community. Spirit. Anthroposophy? However we experience and try to describe this ‘something’, it’s something that is deeply rooted in people’s memories here and continues to influence people, both here and elsewhere. Stories were generously shared in the ceremony, in honour of the land, the living beings who have come before, and the people who have been practicing BD locally and further afield. There were fond stories told of singing to the cows and stirring the BD preparations.
As well as this deep sense of gratitude for what has come before, there was a second prominent emotion shared throughout the ceremony. Excitement! About what is happening here at the Farm as well as what is happening in the BD movement today, and for how they will continue to evolve going forward.
It feels an honour to have joined this ceremony; to experience and learn from the wisdom, knowledge, and emotions shared. We were each invited to offer the land blessings. With this sense of gratitude and excitement, I took a cup of water and blessed the garden. This felt like a symbolic way to conclude the ceremony before enjoying some delicious home-made goodies with everyone!
Leona Brennan – Apricot Centre & Ambios trainee in Regenerative Land-Based Systems: Food and Farming
