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Demeter Certified Biodynamic® Farm
since 2005
Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm is a beautiful 38-acre property nestled in an old oak grove. It includes a 4-acre pasture for animals and a 2-acre vegetable garden that supplies produce to the school's organic lunch program, as well as to the farm stand serving the wider community. Since the farm’s inception, we have been sustainably working the land using Biodynamic® methods first introduced by Rudolf Steiner in 1924.
We received our Demeter Biodynamic® Certification in 2005, and are committed to producing the majority of our soil fertility through animal manure. This practice supports a closed-cycle farming system, where the farm sustains itself through its own resources. We also work closely with BDANC (Biodynamic Association of Northern California) to learn about and apply Biodynamic® Preparations to enhance soil health and overall farm vitality.
What Does 'Demeter Certified' Mean?
Biodynamic® celebrates 100 years (1924-2024)
Our commitment to sustainable agriculture goes a step further by choosing to uphold standards more rigorous than “Certified Organic” or even “biodynamically farmed” with our Demeter Certification. We proudly adhere to stricter requirements around imported fertility, greater emphasis on on-farm solutions for disease, pest, and weed control, and in depth specifications around water conservation and biodiversity.
Demeter USA is the only certifier for Biodynamic® farms and products in America. It is part of a world-wide organization, Demeter International, that was first formed in 1928–four years after Rudolf Steiner conceived the concept of this unique agricultural method. Named for Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture, 'Demeter Certified' remains the oldest ecological certification organization in the world, active in fifty countries around the globe.
View our Demeter Certificate here.
Biodynamic Association of Northern California
Additionally, Summerfield Waldorf became a member of BDNAC in September 2024. Their mission is to inspire social, environmental, and spiritual renewal through the cultivation of the art and science of Biodynamic® agriculture. Their member-run organization promotes the Biodynamic® approach to farming and gardening and often holds seminars and events for the community to inspire and education about Biodynamic® farming and practices.
Animal Husbandry and School Curriculum
Our animals live truly exceptional lives. The farm is home to 3 cows, 12 sheep, 4 goats, 60 chickens, 5 ducks, and 3 lionhead bunnies. These animals are an essential part of our holistic, closed-loop farming system, working in harmony with the vegetable garden to produce nutrient-rich compost. Students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 benefit deeply from their connection with the animals. They love them, learn from them, and help care for them through Farm Chores which is woven into their daily curriculum.
Flock and herd management is an essential aspect of farming here at Summerfield and is done thoughtfully and compassionately, honoring the natural cycles of birth through to harvest. Offspring from our sheep, cows, and chickens are locally processed & packaged and made available at our Farm Stand, offering community members a profound understanding of and appreciation for how and where their food was raised. There's nothing quite like enjoying a meal when you know exactly where the food was grown so we incorporate our vegetables, fruit, berries, and eggs into our daily school lunch program to provide our students healthy and sustainably grown nourishment, and to bring full-circle the students’ learnings from working on the farm.
Garden & Farm Curriculum
Summerfield’s Farm produces a seasonal bounty of fruits, vegetables and flowers, and is a core part of the curriculum for classes from Preschool through Grade 12. We are the only school in the state that integrates a working Demeter Certified Biodynamic® farm into our curriculum; protected by a land trust, the Farm is a foundational part of our campus and our ethic.
At the Farm, children have the opportunity to learn many basic skills that are rapidly becoming lost in today’s industrialized society. By tending soil, turning the compost, planting perennial gardens, harvesting vegetables for soup, caring for farm animals, and pruning and grafting, each child gains a deeper awareness of the natural world.
The school is deeply committed to preserving and maintaining the Farm and the open space. That commitment to the land was affirmed in 1982 with a legally binding Land Trust requiring the school to protect and nurture the land the wildlife refuge in perpetuity.
Tab view not available on mobile. Download Farm Curriculum By Grade PDF
Farm Curriculum By Grade
Preschool
Animal visits, carrot digging, seasonal walking and a snack. One hour each week on the Farm.
Tab view not available on mobile. Download Farm Curriculum By Grade PDF
Volunteer on the farm!
All this beauty and knowledge is shared every Tuesday morning from 9am–noon at the farm when volunteers can join us to learn more about the farm and lend a helping hand. Volunteers assist with harvesting, cultivating, and participate in the seasonal rhythm of the farm, including learning about Biodynamic® principles in action. To volunteer, please email our Farm Manager at birgit.landowne@summerfieldwaldorf.org for more details.
Support the Farm Stand
Stop in for an abundance of seasonally grown produce, eggs, fruits & berries, preserves, salsa, herbs, meats and more. The Farm Stand is self-serve (Venmo accepted!) and open whenever campus gates are open, 7am - dusk weekdays and 9am - 4pm weekends. Proceeds from the Farm Stand are reinvested to offset the maintenance costs of running the farm.
"The understanding that Mother Nature is now ailing and that humanity must take the responsibility to nurture our mother back to health is inherent in the Biodynamic® approach. It is this responsibility to the earth and this healing, holistic approach that can bring to education what is most especially needed in our age."-Rudolf Steiner