Welcome to the blog of Johnathan Grieve.
I am the proprietor of Avondale wine estate, and pioneer of the BioLOGIC® approach to sustainable viticulture. The transformation of Avondale from over-used and abused land into a thriving, robust vineyard ecosystem has been a personal learning journey of more than a decade long. This blog is where I share some of what I have learnt about promoting life on our farm and the wonderful impact this has had on our handcrafted premium quality wines.
Johnathan Grieve
What, and Why Biodynamic Preparation BD501?
BD501 is simply modern shorthand name for the Biodynamic (BD) preparation that Rudolph Steiner introduced as Horn Silica. The preparation involves packing finely ground quartz crystal rock into the horns of cows. The preparation is then buried in Spring on a Flower day with a descending moon, and then lifted in Autumn.
What, and Why Biodynamic Preparation BD500?
In our first article of this series on Biodynamic preparations, I briefly introduced BD500, the powerful soil activator which is used to bring the above ground energies to the soil at the onset of Autumn. BD500 specifically stimulates calcium and nitrogen relationships to foster abundant, balanced life in the soil.
But what exactly is BD500?
What, and Why Biodynamic Preparations?
Avondale’s innovative promotion of the Biodynamic Planting Calendar through our Luna Taste Test and our Biodynamic Luncheons have shown me just how many people are interested in how Biodynamic farming works. I’ve decided to start a new series of blog articles which will provide an overview of the Biodynamic preparations to explain what they are and why we use them.
Part 3 – What Kinds of Cover Crops?
In this series of articles about cover crops we’ve, so far, taken a closer look at cereals and legumes. The third major plant group commonly used as beneficial cover crops are the brassicas. The family Brassicaceae includes flowering plants that are generally known as the mustards and the crucifers.
How to create stable humus – protecting microbes
In this series of articles on humus we’ve highlighted the four main reasons why humus is depleted in our soils, including conventional farming’s failure to protect the microbes that live in the soil. For too long there has been complete disregard for the fact that soil is a living system. There is such an extraordinary diversity of life in healthy soil that includes multitudes of species we have not yet named. In addition, even the world’s top soil scientists understand precious little about intricate workings and interactions in this fascinating ecosystem.
Extraordinary Food Experience – ‘Mariscos com Fredi’ on the Algarve
It was time to take a break from the wintry Avondale vineyards, and spend a sunny family holiday in the Algarve. We stayed at a friend’s holiday house in Quarteira, a settlement which has transformed over centuries from a small, simple fishing village into a major holiday destination, famous for its golden beaches and superb seafood.
How to Create Stable Humus – Humic and Fulvic Acids
Their great benefit is that they are a quality food source for the microbial life in your soil. Luxury levels of humic and fulvic acid are therefore integral to supporting the abundant, vigorous community of life in the soil that you need for healthy crop growth. Both humic and fulvic acids are available as agricultural products, and can be added to the soil or used as a foliar feed.