Boon tells Independent Journal Review that her family adopted the �no technology� rule after their eldest child attended a Rudolf Steiner school for a year. Steiner was a 20th century Austrian philosopher. He believed that �children�s creative, spiritual and moral dimensions need as much attention as their intellectual ones.� (Saturday July 30th, 2016 — Independent Journal Review - )

Here are five phrases that may not mean what you think they do: ... Biodynamic: Biodynamic farming is similar to organic farming but has additional requirements. It is an ecologically sound, sustainable and healthy food production system, but the benefits don�t automatically translate to a more nutritious food product. The regular version of Lundberg short-grain brown rice has 0 grams of sugars and 4 percent iron per serving. The biodynamic version has 1 gram of sugars and 2 percent iron per serving. (Friday July 29th, 2016 — Richmond.com - Richmond, Virginia USA)

The giant storm pipes out temperatures over 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit (Friday July 29th, 2016 — Smithsonian online -USA)

More than 800,000 volunteers planted saplings in public spaces in the state of Uttar Pradesh hoping to reduce greenhouse gases and reforest the countryside (Tuesday July 26th, 2016 — Smithsonian online -USA)

Summary: Natural objects, such as pebbles, sticks, wood, strings and boxes � referred to as unstructured toys in Waldorf education � make better playthings, she suggests. Unstructured toys eliminate the craving for materialistic entities, according to Divya B A, teacher and parent. Waldorf education, based on Rudolf Steiner�s ideas, has its origins in 1920s Germany. �My son owns both structured and unstructured toys but I barely see him play with the former. She has been following Waldorf education for six years. (Tuesday July 26th, 2016 — The New Indian Express)

Workers from 14 to 18 years old learn just how much work farming can be when they spend a summer on the Youth Farm Project, a 10-acre farm off Nelson Road in Danby. ... According to farm manager Ann Piombino, the Youth Farm Project is located on property owned by the Ithaca Waldorf School. (Monday July 25th, 2016 — ithaca.com - Ithaca, New York USA)

These were two of the takeaways from Napa Valley's 10th annual organic grapegrowing conference last week. Napa Valley Grapegrowers says it's the only annual conference of its type in the country, where growers can explain to each other how to give up the Roundup. More of Napa Valley's grapes are grown organically than is commonly realized. Some wineries are afraid to put the word "organic" � let alone "biodynamic" � on a wine label, even if they legally can. (Monday July 25th, 2016 — Wine-Searcher - Auckland, New Zealand)

The image above shows the galaxy cluster Abell S1063, which is �potentially home to billions of strange new worlds� according to scientists working with the Hubble Space Telescope. Visible near the center of the image, the cluster appears as it was four billion years ago. (Friday July 22nd, 2016 — Huffington Post - USA)

What is believed to be the first eurythmy performance in Malaysia will be held at the Performing Arts Centre of Penang in Straits Quay this weekend. ... Eurythmy is an expressive movement art combining music, poetry and storytelling that originated in the early 20th century. It has also been used as educational and therapeutic tools. (Saturday July 16th, 2016 — The Star Online - Maylasia)

It�s easy to talk about terroir when it comes to Quebec�s maple syrup, cheese, and honey, all products which have been made here since for centuries, but it gets a little trickier when it comes to wine. Despite already being home to 130 vineyards and 40 grape varietals, Quebec farmers only began experimenting with grapes in the 1970s and the province got it first wine growers association in 1987, meaning that the wine industry is roughly the same age as a Millennial. (Thursday July 14th, 2016 — Munchies_ Food by VICE )

Biodynamic farming is actually the precursor to organic and sustainable farming. It is from Dr. Steiner�s teaching of how to work with the earth and heavens to farm in harmony with nature. �Organic farming� was coined by those describing Dr. Steiner�s farming approach. (Monday July 11th, 2016 — Mother Earth News - USA)

... still the popularity of �moon gardening� endures. Maria Thun died in 2012, but her son Matthias continues to produce her lunar planting calendar, as do a host of others including the well-known biodynamic gardener Nick Kollerstrom. Will it give you better beetroot, or healthier roses? That�s the million-dollar question . . . (Saturday July 9th, 2016 — Irish Times )

Identical twins attending two of London�s top drama schools have thanked Ringwood Waldorf School for giving them the �curiosity and love of learning� to pursue acting careers. Former pupil Leah Gayer is studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) while sister Mhairi is attending Guildhall School of Music and Drama. (Thursday July 7th, 2016 — Bournemouth Echo - UK)

Waldkinderg�rten, translated as �forest kindergarten,� is a concept that began in Sweden. Its main purpose is to foster a learning environment through discovery and play in outdoor settings. There are now over 1,000 forest kindergartens in Germany, as well as schools in England, Denmark, and Switzerland. They have even found their way onto American soil. (Tuesday July 5th, 2016 — The Epoch Times )

Bonterra Organic Vineyards, Mendocino County, California ... What he lacked in grape knowledge, however, Brinkley more than made up for with 13 years� experience in biodynamic agriculture. �It�s about bringing everything into balance�the earth, air, and water,� Brinkley says. (Tuesday July 5th, 2016 — Modern Farmer - Hudson, New York USA)

Here are five reasons why everyone should be concerned about genetically engineered foods (Saturday July 2nd, 2016 — FoodAndWaterWatch.org - )

[Book extract] Free existence and absence of an authority is what is most distinctive about these institutions. (Saturday July 2nd, 2016 — DailyO - India)

According to a new report released by Environment America, five major animal agribusinesses � Tyson, JBS, Cargill, Smithfield, and Perdue � produce a combined 162,936,695 tons of manure every year. But it�s not just the manure that is threatening America�s waterways. The report also points to the huge volumes of grain that need to be grown to feed animals in factory farms, noting that the chemical-intensive farming often associated with the production of feed like corn and soy can also create runoff that threatens rivers, lakes, streams, and bays. Moreover, factory farms are some of the largest contributors to water pollution, dumping more toxic pollutants into waterways annually from their processing plants, by volume, than companies like ExxonMobil and Dow Chemical. (Thursday June 30th, 2016 — Think Progress - USA)

Biodynamic or bonkers? � is the question for today. Or, to put it another way. Does wine taste better on some days than others? atthias Thun, the man behind a book and app called, 'When Wine Tastes Best: A Biodynamic Calendar for Wine Drinkers', certainly thinks so and he's got some credible company. High street heavyweights, Tesco and Marks and Spencer, only present their wines to critics on days deemed favourable by Thun's biodynamic calendar and many seemingly sensible wine lovers are extremely wary of opening prized bottles on 'bad' days. (Wednesday June 29th, 2016 — Derby Telegraph )

Think about the last time you ate something that included wheat, soy, corn, rice, or palm oil. (Wednesday June 29th, 2016 — Think Progress - USA)