[01] John Paull, Environment, Resources & Sustainability, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.

The Agriculture Course of Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) is the seminal text of biodynamic farming and the organic agriculture movement. It has appeared in 16 languages. The Austrian New Age philosopher, Dr Rudolf Steiner, presented his Agriculture Course in the village of Koberwitz, Germany (now Kobierzyce, Poland) in the summer of 1924. The course of eight lectures laid the foundations for the emergence, over the following two decades, of biodynamic farming and organic agriculture. There were 111 attendees at the course at Koberwitz, many were farmers, all were Anthroposophists. The Agriculture Course was presented in German. It was one of the final lecture series that Rudolf Steiner conducted in his lifetime. It was a course of what Rudolf Steiner called “hints”, to be put to the test, not prescriptions nor dogmas. The Agriculture Course appeared in print in German in 1926. It was initially available only to members of the Experimental Circle of Anthroposophic Farmers and Gardeners (until some time after WW2). Members of the Experimental Circle agreed to test Rudolf Steiner’s ideas and to report the results back to Anthroposophy headquarters at Dornach (on the outskirts of Basel), Switzerland, with the view to the publication of the results. The first translation of the Agriculture Course appeared in English in 1929. That translation was by George Kaufmann (later known as George Adams) who brought to the task his years of masterfully and extemporaneously rendering into English Rudolf Steiner’s lectures in German for audiences. There have been at least two other translations into English (in 1938 and 1993). The Agriculture Course has been translated into a further 14 (at least) other languages: French (1943); Swedish (1966); Italian (1973); Danish (1976); Dutch (1977); Spanish (1988); Hebrew (1989); Norwegian (1992); Romanian (1997); Russian (1997); Serbian (2004); Portuguese (2005); Polish (2007); and Esperanto (2009). As organic agriculture continues to increasingly attract consumers, advocates, practitioners, and scholars, interest endures in the seminal text of biodynamics and the organics movement.

Anthroposophy, Dornach, Experimental Circle, Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, Kobierzyce

[01] Paull, J., The Koberwitzers: Those who attended Rudolf Steiner's Agriculture Course at Koberwitz in 1924, World's foundational organic agriculture course. International Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 2020. 6 (2): p. 47-54. [02] Paull, J., Attending the first organic agriculture course: Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Course at Koberwitz, 1924. European Journal of Social Sciences, 2011. 21 (1): p. 64-70. [03] Steiner, R., To All Members: The Meetings at Koberwitz and Breslau. Anthroposophical Movement, 1924. 1: p. 9-11. [04] Steiner, R., Landwirtschaftlicher Kursus gehalten zu Koberwitz 7. bis 16. Juni 1924. 1924, Dornach: Herausgegeben von der naturwissenschaftlichen Sektion am Goetheanum. [05] Steiner, R., Agriculture Course. "Printed for private circulation only"; 1929, first English language edition; George Kaufmann Trans ed. 1924, Dornach, Switzerland: Goetheanum. [06] Whicher, O., George Adams: Interpreter of Rudolf Steiner. 1977, East Grinstead, Sussex, UK: Henry Goulden. [07] Paull, J., A history of the organic agriculture movement in Australia, in Organics in the Global Food Chain, B. Mascitelli and A. Lobo, Editors. 2013, Connor Court Publishing: Ballarat. p. 37-60. [08] Paull, J., The pioneers of biodynamics in New Zealand. Harvests, 2018. 70 (3): p. 38-40. [09] Paull, J., The pioneers of biodynamics in Great Britain: From Anthroposophic Farming to Organic Agriculture (1924-1940). Journal of Environment Protection and Sustainable Development, 2019. 5 (4): p. 138-145. [10] Paull, J., The pioneers of biodynamics in USA: The early milestones of organic agriculture in the United States. American Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2019. 6 (2): p. 89-94. [11] Steiner, R., The Agricultural Course. 1924, (This edition: 1938; Trans: [Marna Pease & Lili Kolisko]; "Printed for private circulation only"). London: Rudolf Steiner Publishing. [12] Steiner, R., Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture: A course of lectures held at Koberwitz, Silesia, June 7 to 16, 1924. 1924, (This edition: 1993; trans: Catherine Creeger). Kimberton, PA: Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association Inc. [13] Pfeiffer, E., Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening: Soil Fertility Renewal and Preservation. 1938, New York: Anthroposophic Press. [14] Paull, J., Biodynamic Agriculture: The journey from Koberwitz to the World, 1924-1938. Journal of Organic Systems, 2011. 6 (1): p. 27-41. [15] Northbourne, Lord, Look to the Land. 1940, London: Dent. [16] Paull, J., The farm as organism: the foundational idea of organic agriculture. Journal of Bio-Dynamics Tasmania, 2006. (80): p. 14-18. [17] Paull, J., Lord Northbourne, the man who invented organic farming, a biography. Journal of Organic Systems, 2014. 9 (1): p. 31-53. [18] Steiner, R., Cours aux agriculteurs: 8 conférences, une allocution, quatre réponses aux questions, faites à Koberwitz près de Breslau du 7 au 16 juin 1924 et une conférence à Dornach, le 20 juin 1924. 1924, Éditions Montenet: (This edn: 1943; trans: Ilse Démarest-Oelschläger). Genève. [19] Steiner, R., En lantbrukskurs: Åtta föredrag hållna i Koberwitz vid Breslau, 1924. 1924, (This edition: 1966). Stockholm, Sweden: Kosmos. [20] Steiner, R., Impulsi Scientifico-Spirituali per il Progresso dell' Agricoltura: Corso sull' Agricoltura. 1924, (First issue in Italian; published in 1973, tran: Ido Beni). Milano, Italy: Editrice Antroposofica. [21] Steiner, R., Bidrag til en fornyelse af landbruget på åndsvidenskabeligt grundlag: en række foredrag holdt i Koberwitz, 1924. 1924, (This edition: 1976). København, Denmark: Antroposofisk Forlag. [22] Steiner, R., Geesteswetenschappelijke grondslagen voor een vruchtbare ontwikkeling van de landbouw: acht voordrachten gehouden in Koberwitz bij Breslau, Pinksteren 1924. 1924, (This edition: 1977; trans: H. E. Casparét). The Hague, Netherlands: Nederlandse Vereniging tot bevordering der biologisch-dynamische landbouwmethode. [23] Steiner, R., Curso sobre agricultura biológico-dinámica. 1924, Antroposofica: (This edition: 1988). Madrid, Spain. [24] Steiner, R., חקלאות ביו-דינאמית : שמונה הרצאות שניתנו בקוברוויץ, שלזיה בתאריכים 7-16 יוני 1924. 1924, [Ḥaḳlaʼut biyo-dinami] (This edition: 1989, trans: Tomer Rosen-Grace). Israel: הוצאת המרכז ללימודים אנתרופוסופיים. [Title trans: Biodynamic Agriculture: Eight Lectures Delivered in Koberwitz, Silesia, June 7-16, 1924. Publisher trans.: Centre for Anthroposophic Studies]. [25] Steiner, R., Landbrukskurset: Åtte foredrag om idegrunnlaget for biologisk-dynamisk landbruk: Holdt i Koberwitz ved Breslau fra 7. til 16. juni 1924. 1924, (This edition: 1992). Oslo, Norway: Antropos. [26] Steiner, R., Bazele spiritual-ştiinţifice pentru prosperarea agriculturii curs de agricultură: opt conferinţe, o alocuţiune şi răspunsuri la întrebări Koberwitz, lângă Breslau, 7 - 16 iunie 1924 cu o conferinţă introductivă, Dornach, 20 iunie 1924. 1924, (This edition: 1997, trans: Delia Popescu). Cluj-Napoca, Romania: Editura Triade. [27] Steiner, R., Духовнонаучные основы успешного развития сельского хозяйства: Cельскохозяйственный Курс, Кобервитц, Бреслау, 1924. 1924, (This edition: 1997, trans. М. Н. Жемчужниковой и др.). Kaluga, Russia: Духовное познание [Spiritual Knowledge]. [Title trans.: Spiritual Foundations of Successful Agricultural Development: An Agricultural Course, Koberwitz, Breslau, 1924]. [28] Steiner, R., Poljoprivredni kurs Koberwitz, 1924. 1924, (This edition: 2004; trans: Anica Milović). Zrenjanin, Serbia: S. Nikolić. [29] Steiner, R., Fundamentos da agricultura biodinâmica: vida nova para a terra. 1924, (This edition: 2005; trans: Gerard Bannwart). São Paulo, Brazil: Antroposófica. [30] Steiner, R., Kurs Rolniczy: Podstawy całościowego myślenia w rolnictwie ekologicznym. 1924, Zielone Świątki: (This edn: 2007; trans: Dieter Johannes Durich). Bielsko-Biała, Poland. [31] Steiner, R., Kurso agrikultura: 8 prelegoj, Koberwitz ĉe Breslaŭ (Vroclavo), 7. ĝis 16. de junio 1924. 1924, Eldonita de la tradukinto: (This edition: 2009, trans: Willy Nüesch). Berno, Czech Republic. [32] Paull, J., The secrets of Koberwitz: The diffusion of Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Course and the founding of Biodynamic Agriculture. Journal of Social Research & Policy, 2011. 2 (1): p. 19-29. [33] McKanan, D., Eco-Alchemy: Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism. 2017, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [34] Pfeiffer, E. E., New Directions in Agriculture, in Rudolf Steiner: Recollections by Some of his Pupils, A. Freeman and C. Waterman, Editors. 1958, The Golden Blade: London. p. 118-129.