The 60-acre Farrm Wines vineyard in Calverton, Long Island’s only 100% certified organic vineyard, recently added another accolade to its name. Of the roughly 60 vineyards on the East End, Farrm Wine is now the only one to receive Demeter Biodynamic Certification, recognizing four decades of clean, chemical-free farming and carefully tended soils.
The formal announcement from Demeter USA, the sole certifier of biodynamic farms in the United States, places the farm on a short list of just three East Coast vineyards practicing this unconventional form of environmental viticulture.
At a ceremony held inside one of the farm’s barns last week, it was evident that biodynamic farming is more than an agricultural practice for Farrm Wine owners Rex and Connie Farr — it is a way of life.
Celestial cues
Guided by the moon, stars and sun, their anti-synthetic pesticide and fertilizer approach — biodynamic farming — is often described as “farming by the stars.” Planetary guidance includes precise timing for field applications, pruning, harvesting and soil work, all orchestrated with the goal of regenerative farming.
The Farrs follow a monthly calendar of celestial cues, including the ascending and descending moon, to produce their five award-winning wines, sold exclusively at The Gramercy in New York City and The American Hotel in Sag Harbor.
“It’s not agritourism — it’s far from it,” Mr. Farr said. Instead, the approach relies on cosmic timing combined with farm-born fertilizers made from manure, horsetail, oak bark, stinging nettle, yarrow and ground quartz crystal. The resulting nutrient-rich slurry is sprayed on vines, foliage and roots with the goal of revitalizing the soil — influenced, followers say, by mystical and astrological forces.
To qualify for the Demeter designation, a farm must exclude synthetic pesticides and fertilizers entirely. The certification also applies to the entire property, with at least 10% of the acreage preserved as forest, wetland, riparian zones or diverse vegetation to promote biodiversity. Farrm Wines also met the organization’s livestock integration requirement, incorporating animal compost and green manure into a natural fertilization system supported by crop rotation. Biodynamic grasses serve as the cows’ sole diet.
‘Let the soil breathe’
When the Farrs purchased the property in 1984, they were farming novices. They transformed the former potato field into an organic vegetable farm, selling vegetables, herbs and fruits to New York City vendors. Six years later, the farm became the first certified organic farm on Long Island.
In 2005, the couple planted 8.5 acres of red Bordeaux vines without the use of synthetic chemicals. Guided by biodynamic consultant Steve Storch, the farm produced its first bottles of wine six years later, including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Reserve and Rosé varietals.
Now 80 years old, Mr. Farr, a Vietnam veteran, said he believes many conventional farms have become overly industrialized.
“Our type of farming sees the farm as a whole ecosystem that lets the soil breathe,” he said. “Biodynamics goes beyond organic and non-GMO.”
He described biodynamic farming as combining “bio,” meaning life, and “dynamics,” meaning change — using nature as a model to produce food with high vitality. Originating in Europe roughly a century ago, biodynamic agriculture is considered the oldest ecological farming movement. The philosophy traces back to Austrian philosopher and scientist Rudolf Steiner, whose 1924 lectures laid the foundation for biodynamic farming.
Storch said he has observed how plants respond to the moon’s elliptical orbit.
“When it’s in apogee, or farther away from the Earth, the new growth on crops stretches out,” he said.
‘The way we farm in America now’
With Farrm Wine in their glasses, about 60 farmers, friends and environmental advocates sat on rows of burlap-covered hay bales during the event. Addressing the crowd in jeans, work boots and a green-and-yellow John Deere hat, Mr. Farr acknowledged that biodynamic farmers remain in the minority.
“Look at the way we farm in America right now,” he said. “Only 1% of the farms here are biodynamic compared to 30% in Europe. Who cares about how food is processed? It’s how it’s grown!”Video: Spraying the fields at Farrm Wines in Calverton (Credit: Mollie Barnett, State and Signal LLC)
Mr. Farr then introduced Everett Lindquist, executive director of Demeter USA, whom he called “the number one man for biodynamic farming.” Lindquist, who traveled from Nebraska for the announcement, said that although biodynamic farming is a century-old movement, it continues to gain traction in the United States.
“To provide some perspective, across the U.S., only 140 farms have the Demeter designation, but worldwide, it’s 7,000 in 63 countries,” Lindquist said.
Farrm Wines’ award-winning wines Credit: Deborah Wetzel
‘Feel the vines’
The process for certifying Farrm Wine was rigorous, he added.
“We started reviewing and inspecting the Farr farm in the spring of ’25, and we focused on the biodiversity of the land, the integration of livestock here and how the Farrs have created a self-generating ecosystem,” Lindquist said. “It’s not an easy investment for the farmer.”
He explained that biodynamic farming relies heavily on the interaction between soil, animals and celestial cycles. One traditional preparation involves burying manure inside an animal horn for a year before mixing it with water into a spray believed to enhance photosynthesis, stimulate earthworm activity and enrich organic material in the soil.
Mr. Farr later invited guests into the vineyard itself.
“Take your glass of wine with you, stand in the field, feel the vines and feel what you’ve been sipping,” he told the crowd.
The future of Farrm Wine, the couple said, will center on preservation and legacy. The Farrs sold the property’s development rights to the Peconic Land Trust, ensuring the land remains protected. Last year, their stewardship efforts were recognized by the Long Island Sierra Club, which named the couple Environmentalists of the Year.