Energy

For Rob, when it comes to growing biodynamic greenhouse crops, Demeter demands that heating is kept to a minimum. This means Rob has to plan his crops according to the season making optimal use of the warmth (and lack of it) throughout the year. For this reason, he has planted bok choy (Chinese cabaage). As Rob explains “obviously we try to keep energy consumption as low as possible by growing less energy requiring products during the winter months, our goals is to continue to reduce our energy inputs in the coming years”.

It is common knowledge that the production of chemical fertilizers (specifically nitrogen) and other agro chemicals like pesticides, insecticides and fungicides is a very energy intensive process.  Furthermore, the production and transport of chemical nitrogen for use as agricultural fertilizers comprises of around 2% of global fossil fuel consumption. Organic farming prohibits the use of agro chemicals and as a consequence in this regard is energy friendlier than non organic.