Full Time Courses
Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training - the Art of Farming
Course dates
17th September 2008 start – two years
For the PDF version of the Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training Brochure and an application form, please follow this link:
Biodynamic Organic Agriculture
Contact the course carrier at Arjen Huese
For images from the Biodynamic Training take a look at the gallery Biodynamic Gallery
The Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training at Emerson College is a unique combination of using scientific knowledge and artistic skills in order to create healthy balanced sustainable farms. We use the insights into the formative processes at work in minerals and plants to create life abundant soils that nourish crops on all levels. We use our observational skills to recognise of farm animals’ innate soul qualities in order to create the natural environment in which they thrive. And we use the latest scientific insights in life force research to assess the nutritive quality of the food we produce. The Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training is not just about learning how to drive a tractor – although that is part of the curriculum too! – it is about developing new ways of working with nature and increasing our knowledge of the supersensible world.
Biodynamic farming is the oldest form of organic farming, and the most advanced at the same time. Biodynamic farmers follow all the EU 2092/91 rules and regulations on organic production and always work to increase the fertility of the soil. Apart from that, biodynamic farmers use certain herbal preparations and homeopathic remedies to sustain the life forces on their farm on a supersensible level. If you work intensely with plants and animals you will realize that animals have their own character, or soul quality which is entirely different if you work with eg. a cow or with a chicken. In biodynamic farming we acknowledge these facts and work with them, creating a healthy environment for farm animals in which their innate behaviour can come to full expression instead of its being suppressed.
On a similar note biodynamic growers regard their soil and their crops as one unity, and aim to create a rich soil full of vitality to sustain plants in their development from seedling to seed. Genetic modification obviously doesn’t support the inherent coherence within plants and is strongly rejected. There is an increasing move in biodynamics towards more natural breeding systems, away from hybridization but using open pollinated varieties and traditional breeding techniques.
With the increasing manifestation of global warming and climate change, we need robust and sustainable farming systems, which increase soil organic matter – supporting soil fertility and buffering against erosion but acting as a carbon sink as well! Biodynamic farming is the most holistic approach to creating whole-farm systems, where soils, crops, animals and humans are made part of an integrated and coherent farm organism.
Biodynamic farmers need more than the conventional scientific approach that has created the problems that face the world at the moment. A problem cannot be solved with the same mind-set that created it in the first place – a paradigm shift is needed to solve the challenges of our time. To regard farming as an industry similar to manufacturing completely misses the point that we are working with living beings as opposed to raw materials. In the Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training you’ll develop techniques to experience the formative forces that manifest themselves in plants. Insects and slugs are conventionally being regarded as pests that have to be eradicated, but alternatively can be seen as indicators that the life forces in soil or crop are out of balance and need tweaking. In biodynamic farming the homeopathic preparations work directly on the level of the life forces, therefore making applications of chemical pesticides superfluous.
Biodynamic farmers need, apart from scientific knowledge, an artistic eye for the living world. Through inspired movement (eurythmy), observation, drawing and clay modeling classes, the students on the Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training develop an intuition for the forces at work on the farm and use this information in their farm management.
The Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training is a offered as a winter school: from September to March students study at Emerson College, working on subjects like vegetable and fruit production, animal husbandry, soil science, phenomenology and art. From April to August students do a placement on an organic or biodynamic farm. In September students come back for the second year of the training, with subjects like seed growing and breeding, farm business management, research in formative forces and social dynamics. In April the second placement takes place, and in August students qualify with a level 3 National Certificate equivalent to A level standard. This course is delivered in partnership with Plumpton College. After sucessfully completing the 2 years at Emerson students are then ready to take on a responsible position on an organic or biodynamic farm, or they can proceed to study further, for example on the two-year level 4 programme in Biodynamic Farm Management at Warmonderhof / Groenhorst College in the Netherlands.
Structure of the course
There are six areas of work and study on the training:
1. Agriculture
2. Science
3. Arts
4. Economics and management
5. Skills
6. Philosophy
The combination of these six elements guarantees an interesting and exciting course program with a strong emphasis on how to apply theoretical knowledge into practical work.
Financial help for EU-students
Check out the following websites:
Student Financial Support for the Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training (BTEC National Certificate in Agriculture)
The Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training is a full-time BTEC National Certificate (level 3) course, accredited by Edexcel. Emerson College offers this course in cooperation with Plumpton College in Lewes and you will register with both colleges.
Farmers’ Contributions
During the course you will do placements between April and August. We have a list of farmers who have agreed to either pay you an hourly wage or to make a £1000 (possibly £2000 in the second year) contribution towards your tuition fees at the end of your placement. This will depend on your performance during the placement.
Saturday Work
Many students work during the weekend. There are plenty of jobs in the village and the usual wage is approximately £5.50 per hour.
Students might be eligible for the following grant and loan schemes:
Adult Learning Grant
Up to £30 per week during term time.
Find out more at: www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/featured/alg/
Learner Support Fund
Find out more on: www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/featured/learnsf/
Fee waiving
If you are receiving benefits (Jobseeker’s Allowance, etc) you won’t be required to pay tuition fees at all.
Find out more from Arjen Huese at Emerson College.
Childcare Support Fund
Find out more on: www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/moneytolearn/
Career Development Loan
You can borrow up to £8,000 in the form of a Career Development Loan. You don’t pay interest during the time that you’re on the course.
Find out more on: www.direct.gov.uk/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/CareerDevelopmentLoans/fs/en
Other useful websites: www.dfes.gov.uk
Grant-making Trusts
There are hundreds of trusts that make grants for schoolchildren and students in financial need. Some have very specific aims (eg. awarding grants only to children of parents with a certain profession or students living in a certain city or county) but there are some more general trusts as well.
Find out your eligibility on the following website: www.egas-online.org.uk/fwa/trustsearch.htm
Student Fund Agriculture
The Student Fund Agriculture is a fund, based at Emerson College, which helps students with their fees if all other means have been unsuccessful. For more information and application forms please contact Arjen Huese at 01342-822238 or arjen.huese@emerson.org.uk
Agriculture Development Fund
The Agriculture Development Fund is a fund, based at Emerson College, which supports students from developing countries with grants to cover tuition fees and maintenance. For more information and application forms please contact Arjen Huese at 01342-822238 or arjen.huese@emerson.org.uk
Course Carrier
Arjen Huese trained in biodynamic market gardening at the Warmonderhof Training Centre in Holland. He has worked as a market gardener in Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, and has been a course carrier for the Biodynamic Organic Agriculture Training for the last five years.