For those who move in green circles, biodynamics is not new. But over the last few weeks, this rather esoteric concept has snuck into public consciousness through the most unlikely of routes.

Many of the big supermarkets, not often known for their eco-goodness, have admitted organising wine tastings according to the biodynamic lunar calendar.

According to Nir Halfon, teacher of biodynamics at Emerson College in Forest Row, biodynamics is “an agricultural system that involves gardening and farming in a more conscious way”.

Meaning, essentially, one simply pays a bit of attention to natural cycles and the specific conditions of the land and then farms accordingly.

Founding father Rudolph Steiner, of Steiner School fame, said artificial fertilizers and pesticides were the cause of a reduction in soil fertility and various other problems associated with intensive agriculture. So far so sensible.

However, he also insisted observing the land is not enough – it is the spiritual side of plants and their spiritual manifestation that really need close attention.

“Preparations” for the ground include filling a cow horn with cow manure and burying it, or doing similar with the urinary bladder of a red deer stuffed with yarrow blossom.

The biodynamic calendar says the moon has a gravitational effect on the Earth, and this affects plant growth. For example, when the moon is at the peak of its elliptical orbit with a decreased pull on the planet, root growth is improved.

This gives rise to root, leaf, flower and fruit days, which signify the part of the plant affected dependent on the position of the moon.

A cheap bottle of plonk from Tesco allegedly tastes better on flower and fruit days.

Nir says: “Biodynamics has been quite dormant for some years now, but we’ve seen a growth in people coming to it with the realisation the way we farm today is not sustainable.”

Nir’s own journey started nearly ten years ago with the desire to grow his own food and it travelled via permaculture, then an organic kibbutz in his home country of Israel and finally brought him to Forest Row to study and teach.

The scientific veracity of biodynamics is questionable. Studies generally find yield and soil qualities are comparable to standard organic farming but there is nothing overwhelming about the results. Critics have labelled it little more than homoeopathy for plants, alchemy or geomancy.

Nir responds: “From a scientific point of view, it is difficult to measure if it works. It’s much more an individual thing and I didn’t have to think twice once I’d seen it and used the preparations.

“The feeling I had walking into the field the next day made me realise this was the way to create good quality, healthy food and enrich nature at the same time.

“It relies on feelings much more, than getting numbers out of scientists.”