As you might have noticed, many of the preparations require a specific part of an animal to be used while buried in the ground. Each part of the animal used was chosen for a very intentional reason. Biodynamics views soil as a living organism and there is some anthropomorphizing of plants and soil taking place in the ideology. The cow’s horn is chosen because of the cow’s incredibly complex digestive system and the way a cow horn is shaped, which is supposed harness the power of the earth to transform the manure and the quartz in 500 and 501 respectively. In 502 the bladder of a stag is used because there are high levels of potash in the bladder. 503’s use of the cow’s small intestine is due to this being the area where calcium processing first begins in the cow. 505 uses the skull of domesticated animal because the head of an animal correlates to the roots of a plant, in biodynamic theory. In 506 the mesentery of a cow is used because the its nervous system is also a part of the digestive system, which is tied into the human consumption of chamomile. Think about how you enjoy a soothing cup of chamomile tea before bed to calm your nerves.
It’s also important to note that each animal used must come from a reliable source, where the animal is raised using holistic practices. I was talking to Federico about where he acquires these animal parts because the only animals he has on his farm are chickens, donkeys, a rabbit, a dog, and at least two cats, nothing of use for these preparations. He said he has to order them from a nearby farm, but in Katherine Cole’s book Voodoo Vintners, she writes about how people are able to order tablets of these preparations online that are Demeter certified. From what I’ve seen and read so far, biodynamic farming has so much to do with the closeness of the farmer to their land, so ordering something online feels a bit like distancing oneself from the process. That being said, I am not a biodynamic farmer and I’ve only helped stir one preparation, I am by no means an authority on this subject.