Farmland slipping away IRREPLACABLE farmland is slipping through humanity’s hands at an alarming rate, according to Ferdinand Vondruska. In order to rouse public awareness 10 the situation and reeducate people to its solution, the West Van- couver resident has spent the last 12 years in passionate promotion of bio-dynamic farming, a system of land usage that, instead of whipp- ing soil for maximum crop production until it becomes irreversibly exhausted, in- corporates natural fertiliza- tion, weed revitalization, and crop rotation to extend indefinitely the life of that soil. ‘*Farmers helped,’’ says Vondruska, “not just because dead farmland is their immediate must be loss, but because it is everybody's eventual floss. Food is something everybody needs.”” The roots of bio-dymanic farming extend back to 1925 and the agricultural philosophies of Dr. Rudolph Steiner. The Austrian scien- tist, developed bio-dynamics on the anemic post-war farmlands of East Germany where crop production had dwindled and farms were becoming wasteland. Vondruska says European farmers, unlike their North American counterparts, have long been faced with soils that have been over-farmed, ‘Janguage of medicine. used Settings in conjunction: with: the * &§ the human body" updated 10 include: § “What's new in medicine today... - The course starts. Tuesday, January Toe wale :For- more information ‘concerning registration please contact 986-1911, local By TIMOTHY RENSHAW over-fertilized with chemi- cals, and consequently strip- ped of their all-important layers of humus. Steiner documented the destructive effects wreaked on soil through monoculture (single crop growth) and the use of chemical fertilizer. In an attempt to reverse that destruction and return to the soil the bacteria and fungi vital to its existence, he for- mulated a natural fertilizer blend from = seven basic plants: stinging nettles, oak bark, valarian, yarrow, dandelion, camomile and horsetail. Steiner's fertilizer remains the nutritive base of bio-dynamic soil revitaliza- tion. Vondruska also pioneered the use of weeds in crop rotation to renourish and replenish abused and tired farmland. According to Vondruska, soil erosion and exhaustion, once virtually nonexistent on rich North American farmland, has now begun to reach epidemic proportions. Vondruska, who formed the North West Bio-Dynamic Agriculture Society in 1973 and is the non-profit organization’s current presi- 1985: até to 10 pm. 426. dent, says farms in’ places such as Washington State have been depleted at an ever-increasing and alarming rate. In its quest to promote the coexistence of man and earth, the NWBDAS is pres- enting German bio-dynamic farmer Traugher Groh at the toilet, sink, taps. viny! floor, and painted ma FREE ESTIMATES from $2495.00 Mon.-Fri. 8-6 Hours: Saturday 10-2 984-4111 9945 WEST 4st ij NORTH VAN. (next to HomeTown) 3 Days to a new bathroom including all new fixtures, tub. tiles, DRAINAGE PROBLEMS? All kinds of collision repairs. And our paint services start AS LOW AS $44995 EXPERT BODYWORK ¢ ICBC CLAIMS Vancouver Waldorf school, 2725 St. Christophers Road, North Vancouver. Groh's speech, Balance in Nature. Balance in Social Life as the Basis of Healthy Farm Or- ganisa, will begin ats p.m. For those interested in at- tending the Groh speech, call 985-7435 WE FIX THEM FAS FAST § - Sunday, November 24, 1985 - North Shore News West Vancouver Howe Sound Annual General Meeting Saturday, Nov. 30/85 3pm - 5pm Park Royal Hotel Guest Speaker: Peter Pollen, Prov. P.C. Leader Everyone is welcome Progressive Conservative Party § : Dat of British Columbia 3 Phone for more information Be Good To Yourself... 926-3954 Health | Club. Package * fully equipped. excercise room. -- : © weight training © “ oe swimming «30. ce whirlpool “ie Sauna © Jogging track 82 ¢ fitness evaluation — io “ (Piot at facies. Solarium: wae eatra cost Prone tar ates) “ 0. ur fitness congiiltants will assist you in” : developing. a customized program to suit your needs. : : h 00 | Messin, S250 Juniors $20.00 Saniors $20.00 Youtns 316 00 Ron Andrew: Pool 929-7314 986-2255 988-6166 Wm. Griffin Poot WV. Rec Centre