Farrm Vineyard Recognized with Biodynamic Certification

Pennsylvania-based Demeter USA, the nonprofit organization that certifies farms that uphold the world’s oldest and strictest ecological farming standards, will formally recognize on May 14 Farrm Vineyard, which is dedicated to biodynamic viticulture, and serves as a living laboratory for regenerative practices.

“I’m 100% convinced I’m able to do my organic production because I’m ‘setting the table’ with this procedure,” Rex Farr, owner of Farrm Vineyard, said. “This method is proven for centuries, but if we were talking about it in the 1600s, we’d have all been burned at the stake. It’s weird — and it works.”

Demeter USA is billed as the ‘gold standard’ in organic farming with standards that the group says require the integration of biodiversity, soil health, and ecological integrity into a single, self-sustaining ecosystem.

Farr, who has been farming without chemicals since 1985, notes that unlike standard organic certification, biodynamics treats the farm as a living organism, utilizing specialized preparations and compost teas that Farr credits with the vitality of his soil and vines.

“Biodynamic farming is both a philosophy and a discipline,” Evrett Lunquist, executive director of Demeter USA, said. “Our goal is to bring as few inputs as possible that are not produced on the farm. It’s about weaving science, intention, and observation into a system that complements nature rather than trying to dominate it.”