Cover Story
Issue No. 41 - June/July 2008
Biodynamics: farming good ideas
by Pamela Brombal
Organic food production and produce is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global food industry, experiencing double digit growth in most developed markets, compared with 1-2% growth rates for conventional food products.
Locally, demand by consumers for chemical free, environmentally sustainable and organic food products has also increased, as consumers become more aware of where food comes from, how it is grown and health benefits.
With an annual turnover of $6 million, Adelaide-hills farmers and owners of biodynamic diary farm B.d Farm Paris Creek, Helmut and Ulli Spranz have found the perfect blend.
Helmut and Ulli migrated from Germany in 1987 and settled on a run down farm at Paris Creek as the idyllic place to set up their business and new life in Australia.
Previously, Helmut was a manager at the German Railways and Ulli was an award winning graphic designer, both of which quit their office jobs to stuffy agriculture at university in preparation for life in the country.
After converting the farm to biodynamic farming principles, their milk became increasingly popular, stimulating farm gate sales and local shop orders.
“Biodynamic farming principles enhance micro organism activity and stimulate soil fertility,” says Ulli. “This method is organic, chemical free and supports healthy growth of plants and therefore keeps the cows healthy.”
Biodynamic farming produces organic milk, which is not only environmentally sustainable and responsible farming, but provides various health benefits including 50% higher in Vitamin E, 75% higher in beta carotene, three times higher in antioxidants and higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids.
Top restaurants soon began ordering cream from the farm, which left the company with skim milk. From this Helmut and Ulli created a European product, Quark – a smooth and very healthy cottage cheese.
In 1996 they invested in a small yoghurt processing facility to initial...
