Stefano explains Biodynamics…
Biodynamics is a farming method that stems from the indications that Rudolf Steiner gave in the 1920s. It is presently the best method for a healthy, living, agriculture able to enrich soils where it is applied, hence guaranteeing sustainability for the future. This way the soil gives tasty and authentically nutricious fruit that truly express its terroir.
Biodynamics is based upon sensible farming, conceiving soil, plants, and the farm as living beings forming a harmonious whole.
To this purpose there are a number of specially set up natural preparations that, potentiated and dinamized, are simple to use but have great effect:
- cow manure
- silica
- compost preparations
Of course, with this dynamic approach, the intimate connection between the person that practices it and the place is fundamental.
Cow manure – 500 spray preparation
It is prepared filling cow horns with fresh cow manure and then burying them from autumn to spring. When the horns are dug up the filling has completely transmuted into a unique substance, humus-like, elastic and good-smelling.
It is sprayed in autumn and spring, on damp soil, after it has been diluted in warm water (90 gr in 30 lt of water for each hectare) and dynamised. It boosts fertility and humification of soil and growth forces in roots and plants. 500 is linked to the elements of earth and water.
Silica – 501 spray preparation
Finely ground quartz (crystal silica).
In this case cow horns are filled with silica and buried from spring to autumn. It is sprayed on vegetation diluting 3 grams in 30 litres of water and dynamised. It is used to enhance ripening forces and quality of fruits; it helps plants to connect harmoniously with light’s forming forces. It is linked to the elements of light/air and fire.
Compost preparations – 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507
They are used to inoculate the compost. They are based on yarrow, chamomile, nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian. They stimulate formation, mobility and availability of basic elements in the soil, thus promoting plants’ health.
Fladen preparation
It is a preparation based on fresh manure, egg shells, basalt and compost preparation that is sprayed on soils when compost is not available.
500P
It is cow manure 500 mixed with compost preparations. It works as an enzymatic inoculum and energetic information.
Biodynamic dynamisation
Can be done manually or with a machine by creating a deep vortex in the water, then breaking it by creating a new vortex in the opposite sense and so on for exactly one hour. At this point we obtain the maximum power in the water and the information is impressed in it at its most. Spraying then should be completed within 1.5-2 hours from the dynamisation.
Spraying can be done with a backpack pump or mechanically, but in any case dedicated equipment must be used.
Find out more about Cascina degli Ulivi…
Terroir
Cascina degli Ulivi is located on the Gavi hills in South Piedmont and is part of the Alto Monferrato territory. This is historically a place of passage, a region rich in fortresses, fortified buildings and castles. It is also one of the most famous Italian wine regions in the world.
Works in the Vineyard
We have 22 hectares of vineyards and the biodynamic farming method applies to all of them. The cultivation method is espalier Guyot.
Our winery
Stefano Bellotti has always strived to produce natural wines, with no additives, using only the grapes from our vineyards, farmed with biodynamic methods.
Agriculture
Cascina Degli Ulivi is a biodynamic farm known especially for its wines. But we also work as a self-sufficient farm, growing our own vegetables and cereals, breeding animals for milk, meat and eggs, and making our own bread and cheese.
