Preparations & Compost

Biodynamic preparations and compost resources detail the unique herbal and mineral preparations that distinguish biodynamic farming from all other forms of agriculture. The nine biodynamic preparations — numbered 500 through 508 — were described by Rudolf Steiner in the Agriculture Course and include horn manure (500), horn silica (501), and six compost preparations made from yarrow, chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion, and valerian.

Key texts include Pierre Masson’s detailed preparation-making instructions in A Biodynamic Manual, Christian von Wistinghausen’s The Biodynamic Spray and Compost Preparations Production Methods, and Hugo Erbe’s writings on the preparations’ spiritual-scientific foundations. You will also find practical composting guides and research summaries on preparation efficacy.

These titles serve practicing biodynamic farmers making their own preparations, Demeter inspectors, and agricultural researchers studying soil biology and humus formation. For a broader introduction to biodynamic methods, see Getting Started with Biodynamics.