ABSTRACT

Rudolf Steiner, Austrian scientist and philosopher, introduced biodynamic farming methods in 1924. He developed the methods of this farming practice to resist the diminishing nutritional quality of produce and the cultural destruction being brought on through the mechanization of farming in central Europe. The concepts of this agriculture takes into account the macrocosmic forces that affect the vitality of the soil and the produce. By paying close attention to the forces that come down from the skies, and well up from the core of the earth the biodynamic farmer is encouraged to consider the farm in a holistic manner. To harness these subtle energies, a series of herbal preparations are used on the fields, plants and compost piles.

The first biodynamic farms were developed in the United States in 1986 as community supported agricultural (csa) enterprises. In this model, the consumer purchases 'shares' of produce directly from the farm, in a way similar to how one might buy stock options. This arrangement is entered because of three major reasons. By having money at the start of the season the farmer is able to efficiently plan the farming operation. The purchasing of produce ahead of its harvest time allows farmers to share the burden of risk with the csa members. The nutritional quality of the produce tends to be greater than that grown by conventional means and the detrimental effects on the environment are significantly less than that of conventional practice.

Since the introduction of csa in 1986, there are now between 600 and 1000 currently operating in the United States. This rapid growth in market demand is associated with a subsequent demand for the acquisition and preservation of appropriate land. Associations of csa participants with various regional farming networks are aiding in the organization of legal, managerial, planning and design networks. With an estimated 250,000 acres of land opening as csa farms over the next five years , the opportunity for landscape architects and planners to share their professional skills in the design and planning of csa's opens a new area for practice.

This study examines the design, management and ecology of seven biodynamic csa farms in central New England. The findings intended to be used by the landscape professional at three scales. At the site level, the findings can be used as a resource for the design of community and family scaled farms. Incorporation of these findings into master planning efforts yields the potential for whole systems design and planning. The landscape architect can base the development of institutionally scaled efforts, such as campus planning, resort development, and urban retrofitting, around the notion of community food security and sustainable agriculture. The third level is in landscape planning. The integration of sustainable food systems in the programming of master plans opens the door for the weaving of a foodshed concept into the landscape mosaic of a given region. As the urban population expands and people continue to populate greenfields and redevelop historic properties, the American Planning Association has recognized agriculture as a top priority in the planning of communities in the twenty-first century. The notion of agricentric landscape planning, based around the community supported agricultural model, offers the landscape professional a practical tool for advocating and affecting sensible, ecologically productive change in the nature of the places we will inherit as our future.