On 6th January, our Kwendalo Gardens team applied the “Three Kings” biodynamic preparation around the boundary of the estate.
The Three Kings preparation in biodynamic farming has a fascinating history and holds profound symbolism and purpose. It was conceived by visionary farmer Hugo Erbe who, in response to the devastation of nuclear bombings in 1945, sought to heal the earth’s wounds by creating a preparation inspired by the gifts offered to Jesus in Bethlehem: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.
Gold – embodying worldly wisdom – symbolizes love, compassion, and divine energy. Frankincense – representing sacrifice and devotion, clears the atmosphere and invokes eternal values. Myrrh is a symbol of life’s victory over death, and inspires intuition and creativity.
Prepared during the midnight hour between the old and new year, the Three Kings oils are ceremoniously applied on Epiphany (6th January), the 12th day after Christmas. This ritual not only commemorates the Three Kings presenting gifts to the child destined to bring new consciousness but also serves as an offering to the elements and energies within Nature.
Beyond a routine, the Three Kings preparation signifies a commitment to a future where farms sustain themselves, scarcity yields to abundance, and peace prevails. As farmers stir and spray the preparation on the farm’s perimeters, they engage in a joyous activity that transcends the present; it’s a prayerful gesture for the future. This annual tradition – practiced by biodynamic farmers in unison around the world – is a celebration of life, a commitment to balance, and an assurance to Nature of a safe haven and spiritual nourishment through biodynamic practices.
In essence, this is a practice and preparation for the future: it embodies hope, renewal, and the enduring cycle of life on the farm, reminding us that every end brings forth a new beginning.
“In biodynamics, when we strive to produce fertility from within the farm, we are sowing seeds for the future, a gesture towards the kind of world in which we wish to live—a world where farms are able to provide for themselves and for the world, where scarcity wars are unnecessary, and where peace may reign supreme. In practical life, this is messier, but it is the motive that matters most.” – Stewart Lundy and Josephine Porter
Acknowledgements: We wish to thank Avice Hindmarch for these insights and motivating this preparation and its application as well as text from Stewart Lundy and the Josephine Porter. Source: Adapted from “Bio Dynamight” – newsletter of the Biodynamic Agricultural Association of South Africa (BDAASA). Images: Gift Lwazi.
