Summerfield Waldorf is one of only a handful of Waldorf schools worldwide to have a working Biodynamic® farm on the same campus as the school, Demeter Certified since 2005.
Demeter Certified Biodynamic® 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 “Demeter Certified” means
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.
Biodynamic® celebrated 100 years (1924–2024). View our Demeter Certificate.
Biodynamic Association of Northern California
Additionally, Summerfield Waldorf became a member of BDANC 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.
More from the Farm
- Farm Curriculum by Grade — what your child actually does on the farm, from Preschool through Grade 12.
- Visit, Volunteer & the Farm Stand — how to volunteer and what’s available at the self-serve Farm Stand.
“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
