On the Tuesday evening, participants of the professional groups and other interested parties met ahead of the conference for a tasting to celebrate 100 years of biodynamic quality. The event was organised by the Section for Agriculture and the Speisehaus along with the associated biodynamic professional groups for fruit, wine, olives, and healing herbs, aromatic herbs and cosmetic plant growing.
The evening began with a little immune booster by tasting two different sea buckthorn juices as a contribution from the professional group for healing herbs, aromatic herbs and cosmetic plant growing. This was followed by news from the fruit growing group. During the tasting, hosted by the sommelier Leonie Bollinger, in addition to two well-known biodynamic apple varieties, she presented a new variety from the apple breeder Niklaus Bollinger. The biodynamic winegrowers and their colleagues also reported on some interesting features of their specialism. Terroir was explored in three white wines – from South Tyrol, South Germany and Alsace. Is the type of geology reflected in the wine? When tasting wine, is it possible to determine which vines grew on calcareous soils and which on more siliceous soils? This stimulated the senses and opened up the opportunity for further discussion.
In the second part of the evening participants were given enough time for networking and for a leisurely tasting of the many products provided by the professional groups. This was complemented by a large range of cheeses and dried meats from regional producers whose tasting samples were received with great enthusiasm. In the third part of the evening a high-quality hot supper was served: the Ukrainian speciality borscht from the Demeter Gastro-Light company Kozak Buvette from the Basel Markthalle (market hall), kernotto and polenta from the "Herzkoch" Stephan Bolt from Bern, and a dessert of sea buckthorn quark by Sabine Hagg from the Klinik Arlesheim. The local Acoustic Jazz Trio provided a musical complement to the evening, helping to create a relaxed and cheerful working atmosphere. The evening was a real celebration of the senses, of meeting up with old friends and of anticipation for the Agriculture Conference in celebration of 100 years of biodynamic agriculture. Our heart-felt thanks go to all who helped to organise the event and for all the contributions.