Maria Thun, 1922-2012

“Planting the vegetables when the moon was in different constellations, she discovered, resulted in their growing into different forms and sizes. Over years of research she concluded that root crops (including onions and leeks, which are not technically root crops) do best if sown when the moon is passing through constellations associated with the earth element; leafy crops do best when the moon is associated with water signs; flowering plants do best associated with air signs, and fruits did better with fire signs.”
 — German gardener Maria Thun, who put the “biodynamics” theory of cosmic, occultist philosopher Rudolph Steiner to test in her garden

and wrote a popular series of planting and sowing calendars based on the results, died last month at the age of 89. More recently, her ideas have been influencing the wine industry, as some people believe that wine tastes better when it is drunk on days that correspond to her calendar.