How fascinating! The she that is me, the one who loves to commemorate & celebrate Festival & Milestone Events – The Spiritual Scientist – the connect the dots Researcher Self - the Star Gazer – Seasonal Supporter – the Mix Master Synthesizer – forgot our 1-year Anniversary! (Thanks M.T. for alerting me to this special occasion) I had been hinting about an imminent change to Substack as far back as August of last year when the focus of my esoteric work sharpened into a laser – motivated by the calling to put the Wisdom of Spiritual Science into Ritual Gesture with the MA - thru the practice of the ‘Misraim Dienst’ (translated as ‘Service to Mystery’) as given by Rudolf Steiner – for a modern path of Initiation into the New Rosicrucian Mysteries. And so it was that on 23 October 2023 the 1st post as the ‘Cognitive Ritual ~Confessions of a Modern Rosicrucian, was published, entitled Continuity.
This is in alignment with my other goal to serve the practical application of Spiritual Science, thru the initiative of Biodynamics – to Spiritualize the Earth = Spirit into Matter, Matter into Spirit…That the Earth may become, a Sun – every human being, a Star. I knew that by switching to Substack I could use this platform to help support Zinniker Farm, Biodynamic since 1943. And thanks to your backing in becoming a paid subscriber, The Zinniker’s have received almost $7000 - enabling them to supplement the herd so that the farm can grow & support more members! Thank You Dear Friends – it means the World!
A quick 1 ½ hour road-trip from Chicago, brings us to this sacred land stewarded by 3rd-generation farmers, Mark & Petra Zinniker. The Biodynamic methods that they apply are a holistic, highly nutritional, ethical approach to farming. It treats soil fertility, plant growth, & livestock care, as ecologically interrelated tasks. Biodynamic farming not only provides families with good healthy food, it offers a remedy for the healing & spiritualization of the Earth, thru the use of herbal & mineral preparations as organic compost additives & field sprays; along with the guide of astronomical sowing & planting.
And thru YOUR support, the Farm is better able to continue its legacy of sustainable, community-focused agriculture as we bring in a new young farm family: Aidan & Alisyn Benkowski - Brimming with innovative ideas, fresh energy, & a deep commitment to the Biodynamic principles that have made the Zinniker Farm a pillar of health & regeneration since 1943. In this Cosmopolitan Michaelic Age, our Earth has become smaller – everyone is affected by what goes on, here, there & everywhere; & so it’s important for the World-Wide-Community to help support the potent ‘Spirit of Place’ that has been cultivated here in the Heartland of America.
My beloved CG & I started the ‘Family Farm Initiative’ which has grown to become the non-profit: ZFSA = Zinniker Farm Stewardship Association - working to bring the innovation of Rudolf Steiner’s 3-Fold Social Order into reality. ZFSA is committed to transforming the economics of farming - pioneering a truly sustainable CSA Model by redefining community-supported agriculture to sustain not only Zinniker Farm but to also inspire & replicate this model across other small, local biodynamic farms. This approach ensures that members receive more than just food; they gain an active role in a thriving food ecosystem as co-creators.
For those looking for a more motivation for supporting ZFSA read-on to catch an inspiring glimpse into the history of this Farm, which goes back to the founder of Biodynamics, Dr. Rudolf Steiner, himself.
Max Zinniker traveled to the US from Basel, Switzerland, in 1920, on the sister-ship to the Titanic, which carried thousands of immigrants from Europe. Mathilde Aregger-Zinniker, arrived in 1922, from the area of Luzern, Switzerland. The story goes that after they were married Max got his first job selling wine to local Churches during prohibition. Matilda, one of 10 siblings from an old farm family, was a practitioner of Rhythmical Massage Therapy (RMT) used in Anthroposophic Medicine, through the impulse of Ita Wegman.
Max Zinniker, like Johann Steiner, Rudolf Steiner’s father, was caretaker on an estate; in Max’s case in Glencoe IL. a Northwest Suburb of Chicago, where he first began experimenting with the biodynamic preparations, which he learned about from a friend of Matilda’s.
Max & Mathilda had the tradition of attending the annual Biodynamic conference. Their son Richard (Dick) Zinniker, who had been learning the tricks of the trade, farming since the age of 12, would switch off with them, taking turns holding down the fort on the farm one year, & then traveling to the various conferences the next. As fate would have it, in 1958 it was Dick’s turn to go. And there at the Golden Acre Farm in Pennsylvania, started by Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, Dick Zinniker met Ruth Voegele.
Ruth Voegele (which means little bird) came to the US thru the sponsorship of an uncle. Her plan was to explore America for a bit, & then return to work with her father Immanuel Voegele on his farm, one of the centers for the ‘Biodynamic working group’ set up by Rudolf Steiner to do research. True to her name she was part of the Wandervogel movement which translates as ‘wandering bird’. She traveled all over, from the East to the West coasts, finding work on many Biodynamic Farms especially in California. But she fell in love with Farmer Dick Z & the Zinniker land. They got married in Ruth’s hometown, & for their honeymoon they went to the 1961 international biodynamic agriculture conference in Dornach.
Ruth’s parents, Hertha & Immanuel Voegele, were at Rudolf Steiner’s famous Agriculture Course held in Koberwitz (now Kobierzyce, Poland) at Whitsun in 1924. Immanuel managed an estate in Poland. In the 1950’s his friend, Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, who left Germany to flee WW2, came to visit the Zinniker Farm several times, bringing them some compost starter from his farm & training center in Spring Valley NY. To this day Zinniker is one of the few Farms growing ‘Pfeiffer Wheat’.
Besides Biodynamic farming, the Zinniker’s started Anthroposophical Study Groups, with close friends Christopher & Martina Mann, who brought Eurythmy, the First Class of the School of Spiritual Science, & the Biodynamic impulse to the Michael Fields Agricultural Research Center in Elkhorn WI, not far from Zinniker Farm. Together they developed a program for Detroit Waldorf School students to come to the farm. They even built a Chapel for the Christian Community on the Farm.
Their son Markus Zinniker stepped up as Ruth & Dick got older. And as fate would have it, Petra Duffner-Zinniker, found the Zinniker farm thru a BDA listing while she was at school in Germany, & came over as an intern. Before that she was interested in horticulture with an ecological focus, but after working at a nursey she knew she wanted to grow organic food. Petra remembers Grandmother Matilda, a famous yodeler, asking her: “Are you sure you want to be a Farmer’s wife?” Petra has gone on to become one of the co-founders & core members of the ‘Fellowship of Preparation Makers Association’. (I’ll be doing the opening for the 2025 Conference in Viroqua WI.)
When you stand on the Zinniker land you experience how connected the Earth is to the Stars, & how present & alive the elemental forces are. O there are so many stories. The biography of the Zinniker Farm is fascinating. And now as 2024 makes its transition into a New Year, we are asking: What is the future of one of the oldest Biodynamic farms in America? How does this third-generation, family-run Biodynamic farm deal with succession?
In answer to this call Aidan & Alisyn Benkowski have come into the picture. Aidan grew up visiting the Zinniker Farm as a child at the Milwaukee Waldorf School. He brings a background of entrepreneurship, & a passion to connect people with nutrient dense food. Alisyn graduated with her Masters in Acupuncture, & a Bachelors in Nutrition. They have a sweetie pie daughter, Vivianne. The family shares the vision to not only steward the land, but to reconnect farming & health-care as it once was, & is meant to be.
As part of our Michaelmas Festival this year Alisyn brought her crystal singing bowls to the farm!
Throughout the years, many of us are realizing that the CSA model is broken – Is community really supporting agriculture? As long as we ‘buy’ food from a farm, the farm loses, because they can’t possibly compete against agri-business in price. Contrast family farming with conventional practices - those industrial corporations with billions of dollars - experts in the science of fooling us with their false advertising; dominating the supermarket shelves so that we think poor quality, factory-food, filled with antibiotics & other chemicals dangerous to our health, is our only choice. This is the ‘new normal’. And unfortunately, too many ‘consumers’ don’t value nutrient-dense-food, because they don’t know any better. Since farmers don't have time to be educators, & because of the competition with agri-business, they feel compelled to sell their high-quality food at unsustainable prices. This story has been the downfall of many small family farms.
Imagine making it a priority to spend part of your food budget to sustainably support Farms growing life-giving food - Food that helps people think - Food that heals the human being - as well as the Earth - Body, Soul & Spirit! Imagine being part of vibrant communities of like-minded human beings making it possible to support farmers to do what they love - farmers who care deeply about the land, who are called to continue the legacy of Biodynamics in the Heartland of America. What does community around the farm look like in this age of Globalism? Coming together, even here in cyber space, WE can cultivate the culture part of Agri-culture. And on the inner planes, know that I am working the Cognitive Ritual in the renewal of the Craft Mysteries - Engaging Art, Science & Spiritualty, as a striving human being, to manifest the higher “I” in Selfless Service. The MA conducts these Experiential Rites in Sacred Community, to gain the Truth of Wisdom, the Piety of Beauty, & the Virtue of Strength – to reshape our World, as a reflection of the Countenance of Christ.
Thanks, dear friends, for your generous patronage & succor over this last year – Together we can make 2025 come alive! ~hag
18 November 2024 - “Speaking with the Stars”
UVA was born on 11/22/99 butt first on the Full Beaver Moon - In celebration of her Quarter-Century, Ultra-Violet Archer is giving us a gift! All are invited to join in on the experiential festivities! 11/22/24 Can’t make it?
Saturday 21 December - 1 pm CST - Winter Solstice w/ MA
MA will be observing the ‘Silence of the Elders’ during the 2024-25 Holy Nights
The Fellowship of Preparation Makers' annual gathering, to be held this year in Viroqua, WI. Registration and further info will be posted on their page as it becomes available: https://www.biodynamics.com/content/fellowship-preparation-makers .
If you want to support the Spiritualization of the Earth thru the Biodynamic Farming done on Zinniker Farm, you are invited to become a paid subscriber, with all donations going directly to the farm
Greetings Friend, you currently a free subscriber to Cognitive Ritual. Thank you for receiving my workings freely offered. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. ALL donations go to support Zinniker Farm - The oldest Biodynamic Farm in America! Together we can spiritualize the Universe. XOX ~hag
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Monday, 18 November 2024
Don't trip over the Milestones
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