Seen At 11: Biodynamic Food Coming To A Table Near You
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Move over organic, now there's a new crop of food that claims not only to be healthier, but tastier too.
As CBS 2's Kristine Johnson reported, biodynamics is the latest trend in farming coming to a table near you.
"There's a better way; healthier way to eat and drink," said Rouge Tomate restaurant beverage director Pasqueline Lepeltier.
Caroline Phinney owns a biodynamic farm in Princeton, N.J. and said it's all about the soil.
"A biodynamic farm really is not just a strip of land where you cultivate as much as you can and get as much out of it as you can," Phinney explained.
Instead, it's a concept based on the idea that a farm is a living organism and needs to be nurtured. First introduced in the 1920s, biodynamic farmers also believe that every plant, animal, and insect on the farm plays multiple roles and nature is allowed to take its course.
"It is a complete circle, it's really exciting," said Suzanne Cunningham.
Cunningham, who teaches biodynamic farming, said the simplest way to understand it is to think of everything on the farm as being connected. The crops feed the animals, which in turn fertilize the crops, and the result is a soil that is incredibly rich in nutrients.
"We're really focusing on the ecosystem as a whole, and not just this particular plot of land," Cunningham said.
Click here for more information on biodynamics from the Biodynamic Association.
Experts say nothing comes in from the outside on a biodynamic farm. No seeds, no fertilizer and no chemicals -- similar to organic farming.
The diverse assortment of plants and animals work together to fight disease and pests naturally.
"You're getting a strawberry or grape that is naturally, beautifully ripened, has just the right balance of acidity and sugar, and just tastes really great," said Melanie Mann, with Whole Foods.
Which is why more stores such as Whole Foods and restaurants such as Rouge Tomate at 10 E. 60th St. just off Central Park, are now prominently featuring biodynamic products on their shelves and menus.
"It is about farming in a better way; better for everybody," said Rouge Tomate's Lepeltier.
There is a downside though. Most biodynamic farms produce smaller crops that don't grow out of season, so you may have to pay more.
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