CVPT – Agriculture, Cows and Self Reliance Minutes 10/17/11
Present: Bhalabadra, Madhava Gosh, Jaya Krsna, Jayadevi, Jaya Prabhupada, Lalita Gopi,
1. Refining the vision statement:
The New Vrindaban Community
- produces locally the necessities of life
- demonstrates a practical example of self-reliance and
- engages and protects the cows and the oxen.
2. Subsidies / Price Support:
Both the European GBC and the GBC have passed a resolution, which requests ISKCON entities to buy milk products, vegetables, and flowers from ISKCON farms up to their current purchases and at a price they can afford.
3. Decentralized production:
The temple would fix a contract upfront with the devotees to buy vegetables from them at a defined price (higher than the market price). The products would be delivered
3. How will the vision manifest in 10 years from now:
a. Mission/vision statement: Produce the necessities of life for devotees,
animals and visitors.
Prabhupada stated there are four problems 1) food, 2) shelter, 3) cloth, 4) medicine.
1) Food- vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, berries, milk products, honey, maple syrup, sorghum, dried beans, seeds for future crops. Establish a seed bank, possibly a future business.
2) Shelter-Housing/lumber could be used for building-clear former land used for farming that has been taken over by trees. Mine sandstone for housing. Straw bale houses would be dependent on freeze-thaw cycles. Cordwood with mortar would be more applicable. Prabhupada’s clay, rammed earth brick making machine. Recycled tires discussed as a possibility.
3) Clothing-Wool type three merino sheep. Llamas, alpaca. Linen from flax plant.
4) Medicine-Herbs (wild and domestic) cow remedies.
b. Demonstrate a practical example of Self-reliance
Whatever comes to the Deity comes from the Dham. Build a greenhouse, with an efficient heating system. An earth-bermed greenhouse would be easier to heat.
Engage devotees in guest facilities (bed and breakfasts).
Living on the land, producing our own food, housing, and medicines.
c. Engages and Protects the cows and oxen
Integrated into community life-families. Each village has its own oxen engaged in their own activities. Establish an endowment fund for families to have a lifetime commitment. Decentralized care would cost more. Centralized-reform the way people care for cows. Encourage small barns/farmettes. Establish a trade/barter system-production is necessary.
Prototype design, bank barn-solar panels. Oxen/cow plow dept. 4-6 calves a year, 10 oxen teams.
3 years-cows and oxen-composting and recycling systems. New barn at Madhubhana. Four fresh cows. Produce hay and grains for cows.
1 year-Madhubhana-ox barn and one house for teamsters. Milk production; buy, bred cows, cows that produce more milk. Discussed bulls vs. artificial insemination. Goal-buy bred heifers for spring 2012.
