“From the sun—through the Earth—for the human being, so that humanity may one day become a sun for the earth.” This leading thought is the inspiration for the 2024 Agricultural Conference, offering a path of development that leads from the macrocosm, through its work upon the Earth, to each individual human being.
Following this path, the leaders of the biodynamic movement will immerse themselves in the content of the Agricultural Course and explore how it can help with the tasks ahead. Ueli Hurter said, “There really are entirely new tasks. Taking a moment to pause after 100 years is more profound than after only ten years or even after one generation. We can now look back over four generations! This allows us to take a broad and deep look at these basic ideas of the Agricultural Course.
We want to find new inspiration from Rudolf Steiner’s course that speaks to our changed world situation.” Jean-Michel Florin commented, “100 years ago, there was plenty of biodiversity; today, we’re facing a great danger. So, Rudolf Steiner’s advice to breed birds and insects throughout the whole nature of our biodynamic landscaping is very relevant for today’s world. The Agriculture Course is a textbook for an imaginative understanding of the world. We are now working with indigenous peoples, who are familiar with such kinds of narratives. This gives us completely new opportunities to build bridges and develop new collaborations.”
Ueli Hurter added a third focal point. “100 years ago, social conditions supported our work; farming was a family business. Now, every farming community is calling for the creation of a kind of socio-economic biotope where, for example, customers will help to finance the farm directly.”
For the upcoming annual conference, celebrating the centenary of biodynamic agriculture, those responsible are taking up the Agricultural Course anew—asking new questions, seeking new understanding—in order to gain perspectives and receive inspiration for contemporary issues concerning the climate, culture, and economy. Since this task is reflected in all the other ten sections of the School of Spiritual Science, there will be a ceremony at the conference which invites all those responsible for the sections to make a contribution. Florin sees this as a further step towards interdisciplinary cooperation. We don’t just bring together our own points of view; we actually only find them when we work together. The Goetheanum World Conference laid the groundwork for such an approach.
The Agriculture Section’s Annual Conference will be held from February 7–10, 2024 at the Goetheanum.
Translation Joshua Kelberman
Image Fabienne Verdier: Se tu lo lasci far, 2020, 183 x 135 cm, acrylic and mixed media on canvas, Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co. et Waddington Custot
