Barefoot Biodynamics
How Cows, Compost, and Community Help Us Understand Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Course
By Jeff Poppen
Chelsea Green Publishing
April 18, 2024
In Barefoot Biodynamics, organic grower Jeff Poppen—“The Barefoot Farmer”—combines tales from his personal history in rural Tennessee with the practical applications of biodynamic principles and the deep aspects of the biodynamic methods that continue to make his farm a success today.
Jeff’s friendly, direct, and humorous writing will appeal not only to the biodynamic-curious, but also to farmers and gardeners who have experimented with the biodynamic approach and are looking for a deeper understanding of the practice.
Rooted in the teachings of biodynamic pioneer Rudolf Steiner, Jeff’s unique insights and deep reflections on “guiding lines” of biodynamic growing are an invaluable resource. Those “guiding lines” include:
producing a farm’s fertility using cover crops, compost, and other on-farm inputs
enjoying the renewing power of farm festivals
augmenting scientific knowledge with the power of observation and intuition
avoiding chemical fertilizers
understanding that carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen make up 95 percent of the physical structure of plants and are freely available in the air around us
