Planting with the Stars

But at the University of Kassel in the central state of Hesse, esoterically inclined farmers can choose to study biodynamics based on the controversial teachings of Rudolf Steiner.

Stein, whose eclectic philosophies spawned the Waldorf schools where children learn to spell by dancing their names, also had some interesting views on agriculture.

The Austrian-born philosopher viewed the moon and the planets as cosmic powers that affect plants fertility.

"The whole starry heaven is involved in the growth of plants," he wrote back in 1924.

This explains why students in the Biodynamics Department in Ecological Agricultural Sciences at Kassel University have been running a study looking at growth rates of Tree Ivy according to the phase of the moon.

And for those Agricultural Scientists who are looking for something even more spiritual, they can examine "Cosmic Influences as Conditions for Cow Breeding" for their PhD doctorate under Professor Ton Baars, the department's head.

All in the name of science

The German government recently announced an "excellence initiative" to promote scientific research and competition at German universities.

With a bit more effort, perhaps the students at Kassel University could be up for some of the millions of euros (dollars) in lucrative research funding up for grabs as part of the initiative.

They could start by testing Steiner's belief that the best treatment against a plague of field mice is to scatter their ashes on the field.

"Catch a fairly young specimen, and skin it," he wrote. "When Venus stands in the sign of the Scorpion, take the skin and combust it. Now take the ash and pepper it out on the fields."

We'll pass on that one.