Garett Long has a superpower. He is a true believer. The energy he draws from that inspiration directly translates into the quality and nutrition of the crops he grows.

Garett’s true beliefs encompass two systems that many assume are mutually exclusive – Biodynamics and science. The intertwining of Biodynamics and science is the core of our daily agricultural practice at Troon Vineyard & Farm.

Almost every week, I run across another article that brings modern agricultural science closer to the concepts behind Biodynamics. The vocabulary may be different, but the problems they address are the same. One major difference is that commercial agricultural science is focused on patenting products to sell for profit. Other than investing your own time and labor, the Biodynamic preparations are free if you grow and harvest them yourself. It’s tough to get big companies behind products without an ROI.

Mycorrhizal fungi, soil and plant microbiome, silica for cell wall strength and pest resistance, the influence of the Moon’s reflected sunlight, and bio-stimulant products are slowly becoming common concepts and products used on conventional farms. Slowly but surely, more farmers are rediscovering that it’s easier to work with nature rather than trying and failing to conquer it.

In this episode of our podcast, Garett weaves these two practices together as he tells both his personal story and the story of our farm. After listening to this episode, Garett said he regretted forgetting to mention one of his mentors — nature. I think you will agree that nature is never forgotten in this episode.