Cover crops & hedges for biodiversity & farm organism
The contribution, measured
Time horizon: 1–4 seasons
How it contributes
They are the living ecological infrastructure that gives body to the farm’s biodiversity and meets Demeter quotas.
What to measure for this pairing
Why this goal matters
The “farm organism” concept is at the heart of biodynamics: the farm as a living, diverse and as-self-sufficient-as-possible whole, with animals, hedges, cover and its own sources of fertility.
It translates into functional biodiversity and ecological infrastructure — measurable in habitat area, cover diversity and beneficial presence — and into integrating animals and producing your own compost and preparations.
Goal indicators
Market & certification: Biodiversity and the farm organism are explicit requirements of Demeter certification.
How to apply the practice
- 1Sow a diverse cover in the inter-row.
- 2Plant hedges and flower strips on the margins.
- 3Manage as part of the organism, in the calendar’s rhythm.
- 4Log the ecological-infrastructure area.
Frequently asked
Is it different from cover in regenerative viticulture?
The practices are similar; in biodynamics they integrate into the farm-organism concept and the work with preparations and calendar, and count toward Demeter quotas.
How much area for biodiversity?
Demeter sets a minimum quota; margins, hedges and diverse cover are the practical way to meet it.
Same practice, other goals
Same goal, other practices — Biodiversity
How GrapeFlow helps
The proof Demeter certification demands — logged by plot and date.
Biodiversity & ecological infrastructure
Hedges, strips and cover logged as ecological infrastructure, to meet and document biodiversity quotas.
Electronic field notebook
All operations — compost, cover, animals, dynamisation — logged by plot, ready for certification.
Biodynamic calendar
Root, leaf, flower and fruit days and the lunar phases in GrapeFlow, to plan preparation applications and work in step with the calendar.