In the beautiful rural hills of Sebastopol, California is Sophia’s Garden, a six-acre Demeter-certified Biodynamic/Organic medicinal herb farm. Sophia’s Gardens is dual-certified Organic and Biodynamic for the land, farming methods, and product preparation. These are the highest standards in the world for sustainable land use.
On the same property is Sophia’s Garden & Healing Arts Center, a not-for-profit scientific and educational repository for research based on Biodynamic farming principles. The center’s purpose and mission is to work for the healing and evolution of the earth and humanity. The local community is invited to observe and participate in sacred music, meditation, movement/dance, star gazing and yoga in the Sacred Circle nature temple and 24’ Sacred Dome overlooking the orchard. Classes in medicinal herb arts are offered in the Apothecary. Though a separate entity, the Farm teams with the Center, serving as a healing, teaching garden and setting for hands-on Biodynamic Agriculture instruction.
Omica Organics, the center’s primary benefactor, assists Sophia’s Garden & Healing Arts Center with financial contributions for special projects. In addition, each time an Omica Organics biodynamic product is purchased a portion of the proceeds is donated to the center.
For more than ten years Monique Camp has stewarded Sophia’s Garden. Her daily practice is three-fold: to ask what is needed, to listen and then to take action. This was the way in which Sophia’s Garden was set in motion and how it continues to evolve. Per Monique, “Sophia is the Greek word for Wisdom, used here in the sense of honoring the profound wisdom underlying nature and the cosmos. She is the Wisdom that underlies Nature. By honoring Sophia, a holistic healing approach to our interaction with the environment is adopted, employing the arts in support of this approach.”
Demeter International is the primary certification agency for farms and gardens using biodynamic methods. In fact, the term Biodynamic is a trademark held by the Demeter association. To receive certification as a biodynamic farm, the farm must meet the following standards: agronomic guidelines, greenhouse management, structural components, livestock guidelines, and post-harvest handling and processing procedures.
Organic and biodynamic ingredients from Sophia’s Garden are used in Omica Organics’ Botanica Mist and Omica’s newest product, Lavender Essential Oil (available soon). In addition, Omica is currently working on a new skin care and cosmetics line which will contain hydrosols along with other biodynamic components.