Guest: Adam Collins, Kisima Farm, Evelyn Tablelands (FNQLD) Introduction to this episode: My guest on this episode of the series, Adam Collins, was born and raised in Kenya, and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in the United Kingdom. However he says that after five years of learning how to ‘kill’ everything he felt disillusioned as he believed that farming should be “about growing life, not killing it.” In 1985 Adam’s family moved to Australia and bought a 100-acre block in far North Queensland near Ravenshoe named Kisima Farm - the ‘place of peaceful water.’ After doing some soul-searching and travelling, Adam partnered with his father on the farm in 1999 and began his systematic journey into biodynamic practice from that point on. A written account of Adam's biodynamic growing experiences is contained in a companion text profile booklet of all the guests interviewed for this podcast series. Also entitled ‘Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners in Australia' details of this written publication are available from the Biodynamics Agriculture Australia Ltd. website. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30This episode introduction - 2.04Guest self-introduction: description of current work and farm profile – 3.07Can you define and describe biodynamics in 2023 – 5.22How do biodynamics contrast to more conventional growing methods? – 8.57(Includes description of biodynamic preparation work – 11.52How did you first become involved with biodynamic growing in the first place? -21.34Tell us more about the biodynamic methods you are use on your farm - and the beneficial effects they have. – 27.22How do you go about teaching and training others in biodynamic methods? - 31.40(Includes description of stirring work involved in biodynamic preparations – 36.26How have you incorporated the spiritual/cosmic aspects of biodynamics into your work? – 40.22(Includes discussion of the benefits of higher food quality and human health and wellbeing- 44.50What are some of the challenges you have faced in your biodynamic journey? - 51.04The key importance of long and thoughtful observation in biodynamics -54.56What does the future hold for your farm and for biodynamic practice more generally? - 58.20Guest take home message – 1.02.36 Guest parting advice to audience on biodynamic adoption – 1.06.06Thanks, acknowledgements and episode close. – 1.08.16End of episode – 1.10.44 GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS: Guest: Adam Collins, Kisima Farm, Evelyn Tablelands (FNQLD) Email: adamcollins73@hotmail.com WEB: Biodynamics FNQ Tel: 07 4097 8126 Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Inc.(Australia) Tel: 07 4639 2135 Email WEB Facebook Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. 25 Nobles Lane, BELLINGEN, NSW 2454,Australia Tel: 02 6655 0566 Email WEB Facebook Production: Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 9th October 2023 Interview questions developed by: Anna Kula-Kaczmarski Incidental Music: James Nicholson BFGA podcast series - brief survey (2 – 5 minute) completion The Stories of our Biodynamic Farmers and Gardeners podcast series was produced for Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd. Our short listener survey is available now on Survey Monkey. It consists of simple questions which should take less than five minutes to complete. The survey has been created to encourage our audience to give more feedback than is usually generated via podcast app rating scores and comments. We value any ideas, insights or comments listeners might have which could help us develop possible future podcast offerings. All feedback received will be treated as anonymous data and will only be used for the strict purpose of helping us better design possible future podcast media. The survey is available at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7HNFFBQ IDEAS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION KISIMA FARM, EVELYN TABLELANDS FAR NORTH, QUEENSLAND – MORE DETAILS See guest entry in the profile booklet companion to this podcast: Stories of our biodynamic farmers and gardeners in Australia, Biodynamics Agriculture Australia Ltd (2023) Newspaper article on Kisima Farm bumper garlic crop harvest (March 2021) GUEST INFLUENCES MENTIONED IN INTERVIEW Peter Procter (died 2018) Book: Grasp the Nettle: Making Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Work (2004 edition). Google Books review Documentary: One Man, One Cow, One Planet (2007) a story of Procter’s teaching and training work in India - and the use of biodynamics by marginal farmers there to regenerate their lands as an alternative to the bio-colonialism of multinational corporations. Hugh Lovel: Book: A Biodynamic Farm, For Growing Wholesome Food (2000 edition) Amazon books review A recent video of Hugh Lovel...
