Back to Basics
Not everyone has been so
passive in their response, however.
The first half of the 20th
century saw the publication of a number of influential treatises which rejected
chemical fertilizers and advocated more organic methods. We might pick out Rudolf Steiner’s 1924
lectures, published as Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture,
which responded to the damage he perceived had been done to agriculture by
‘modern cultural and intellectual trends’
Above image sourced from Wikipedia (Author: AlMare) under Wikimedia
Commons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steiner_um_1905.jpg
Steiner’s suggestion for a
more holistic approach, that emphasised the use of manure and planting
according to lunar cycles, resonates with the earlier agronomic texts of Roman
and Arabic writers. His treatise would become the basis of biodynamic
agriculture. This, together with the works of others, led to the formation of
the Soil Association in 1946, which remains the most important voice for the
organic movement.
In the post-war period, in
what might be described as a Malthusian ground swell, we have seen a return to
more natural practices. This largely unchoreographed movement from below lies
behind biodynamic farming, organic farming, local food, and slow food movement.
What articulates the practice and philosophy of this amorphous group of
individuals and organisations is a concern for the environment and the future
of the soil. As a consequence those involved are increasingly discarding the
chemical solution and returning to the very principles that guided farming
throughout the pre-industrial era.