Educational Offerings

The Biodynamic Workshop Series is held one Saturday a month for 8 months (September through May, excluding December), followed by a week-long intensive in June. Aspects of farming and Biodynamics covered include soil, biodynamic preparations, compost, seed saving, crop rotation, tree care, animal husbandry, cosmic rhythms and planting calendars, spring planting, weed management, herb growing, beekeeping and pest management.

Additional weekend workshops include the Backyard Garden Workshop Series which emphasizes Biodynamics in the home garden. The series covers design and planning, bed preparation, compost, planting techniques, and animals for the small garden. Meditative practices and plant observations are introduced and developed with each successive class.

The Beekeeping Workshop Series consists of three workshops based on natural, Biodynamic, small-scale beekeeping. The series covers studies of the bee organism and colony consciousness, housing, care and keeping of bees, harvesting of honey and wax, and seasonal management and support for bee's health.

The Apprenticeship Program offers four apprentices a season of hands-on work on the farm plus the educational offerings at the college. (see details under Apprenticeship Program)

Outdoor Classroom Farm Visits for both elementary and high school classes are available. (see details under Outdoor Classroom Farm Visits).

A study group meets one evening a week in the Fall (for 8 weeks) to study the Agriculture Lectures by Rudolf Steiner. Additional groups often form to continue studying other titles of interest to farmers and beekeepers.

For more information about our educational offerings see the Calendar of Events or download the Biodynamic Workshop Series brochure which contains details and dates for our offerings. For more information about our beekeeping series, please download the Beekeeping Workshop Series brochure.

Faculty

Harald Hoven is director of the garden, master gardener, faculty member and founder of BDANC (Biodynamic Association of Northern California). Trained in Germany, he received his certification in horticulture and has apprenticed on biodynamic farms and gardens in Europe. He has been here over 23 years and is well known as a regional and international speaker on biodynamic farming and gardening. Contact Harald Hoven at hhoven@steinercollege.edu.

David Basile, manager of the college horticultural gardens and grounds, received his training in biointensive agriculture from John Jeavons. For the past three years David has also served as the College's beekeeper for ten years. Prior to his work in agriculture, he trained as a Buddist monastic for ten years. Contact David Basile at david@steinercollege.edu.

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