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6 The Portugal News · 21 Nov 2020 News

More than organic wine N Paula Martins

Although, in Silves wine production is common on many farms, it’s in Quinta Rosa that we are able to find a totally

different concept, where the sun, the moon and the stars influence the entire production through a holistic
approach: biodynamic agriculture.
because the process takes developed a spiritual science – property”, said the farmer.
time and results will only based on anthroposophy and Another example that
come in the next harvest. individuality. According to Jacobus Honekamp shared
For now, Jacob enjoys a his vision, agriculture is seen with us is made using the
wine with quality certified as an organism in itself with stomach of a cow: “We put
through the European everything that is necessary herbs inside a cow stomach
label that distinguishes it for its sustainability, making it and then leave the stomach
as organic. Next year, the entirely self-sustainable. outside for the summer,
brand wine Jaap will be There is a close relationship when it comes to the winter
more than organic wine; it between the soil, plants, we then use this product as a
will be a harvest resulting animals and the cycles of natural fertiliser”
from a biodynamic process, the earth and the cosmos Another example is the use
although in Portugal we as well as their active of manure which is stuffed
don’t have any certification forces, indicative of the into a cow horn for a year
that guarantees this yet. most favourable moments and buried underground.
for sowing, planting and After this period a small
What is the biodynamic harvesting. amount of this manure
agriculture? Additionally, Biodynamic is is activated in water and
Biodynamic agriculture a way of preparing ecological applied to the soil to activate
acobus Honekamp, In Quinta Rosa there are “It is to use all the resources began when a group of balances, improving the organic matter.
the owner of Quinta six hectares of trees – three that we have available on the farmers in Europe realised health of soils and plants This way of farming is
Rosa farm, heard that hectares of grapes and property”, explained Jacobus that the industrialisation and increasing the energy an activity that requires a
J biodynamic the rest are other kinds of Honekamp. of agriculture led to less level of food. lot of work, but Jacobus
agriculture results treessuch as carob trees, etc – This year, unfortunately healthy soils, less fertile Some examples... Honekamp and his wife
in better tasting wine, so and the process is the same: the farmer lost much of seeds, less nutritious crops, “When it’s full moon we put are up to the challenge.
he accepted the challenge biodynamic agriculture. his production due to and made their own health some seeds in the ground They work throughout the
and, since 2018, he has It doesn’t just result in an natural reasons, but he is more uncertain. and we find that we have property so that Jaap wine
implemented this process organic process in which still positive because “we This is a type of production faster and stronger growth, reaches their customers’
across his entire farm. And all fertilisers are certified as still have a lot of bottles was founded by the Austro- completely different from tables in the most natural
he hopes to see results next organic and approved by the of wine from 2019”. These German philosopher the normal way, we work way possible while
year in his grapes. institute, it is more than that. bottles aren’t biodynamic, Rudolf Steiner in 1924. He with what we have in our embracing spirituality.