Biodynamic Preps and Compost Piles

I had the opportunity to put some of what I learned at the Biodynamic Associate Conference to work this week when I added the preps to my compost piles.  This year we built 4 piles at Brittan Vineyards, two for Winderlea and two for Brittan.  Our piles are a little different with Robert adding grape pomace to his piles and our pomace somehow getting diverted (one of a thousand harvest details to track). But, it created an opportunity for me to try an experiment  by adding the preps to one pile and not to the other.  Since my two piles have consistent materials and will otherwise be treated the same, we’ll be able to see what effect adding or not adding the preps will make.  We’ll send samples out to be tested and we’ll  also be able to observe differences in the structure, maturation, aromas, etc of the different composts.  One of the most important lessons I learned at the conference was to experiment, to think of Biodynamic Agriculture as dynamic.  Some people turn their compost and some don’t.  Some add preps once and some add them multiple times.  I’m excited to think about what we might do differently based on our own vineyard experiences.  Definitely more later. -Bill Sweat, Proprietor