ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 12/01/2019
ECO-Vrindaban Board Meeting Minutes 12/01/2019
Mission Statement: ECO-Vrindaban promotes cow protection, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON New Vrindaban’s Founder-Acharya.
Participating Directors: Anuttama, Chaitanya Mangala, Jamuna Jivani (board secretary), Makara (chair), Ranaka, and Vraja.
1. Ranaka’s Monthly Report:
- Lalita Gopi (Temple Barn):
- There are eight cows being milked: Surabhi, Subhadra, Parijata, Cintamani, Vamsika, Sita, Jaya Radhe, and now Sriya, who came fresh with a heifer calf named Yasoda on October 23.
- Usa has been moved to Nandagram to spend time with the bull, Madhu.
- The milk production is between 18-20 gal/day.
- 20 gal of yogurt and 30 lb of butter are being produced weekly
- Lalita has replaced some of the fence in the back of the barn and is finishing the painting of the back area.
- There are five calves at the barn. Three (Satyabhama, Puspavati, and Prahlad) have been weaned at six months or older. Prahlad has undergone castration and is doing well. The other two calves, Dhruva and Narada Muni, are still nursing.
- There are five unconfirmed expectant mothers. Gopikatyayani, Lalita, Usa, Lakshmi, and Gaurangi
- There was a festival for the cows on Govardhana Puja. Nityodita gave a class for 10 children. The children made butter, which they used on their chapatis, and also cow dung patties. They helped milk the cows. There were also 30-40 other devotees in attendance.
- Some ECO-V representatives participated in the North American ISKCON Farm Conference: Ranaka, Jamuna Jivani, Kalakantha, Ananda Vidya, and Lalita Gopi. Many volunteers helped in the barn that weekend.
- Ray (General Farmhand):
- Finished attaching the side netting on Valley High Tunnel #1.
- Finished moving manure into and roto-tilled Valley High Tunnel #1.
- Spread limestone behind Valley High Tunnels.
- Cut, baled, and stacked an additional 25 second-cutting bales in the barns.
- total hay baled and stored in Valley Barn is now 492 first cutting and 147 second cutting 800-lb round bales
- total hay baled and stacked in Nandagram barn is 162 bales
- grand total is 801 bales produced in 2019.
- Moved the 26 cows, consisting of 17 females and nine males, from Bahulaban to the Valley Barn. Caitanya Bhagavat assisted with loading the cow trailer.
- Harvested potatoes from the Valley Bottom and the Community Garden with the help of Angie. 1,000 lb have been washed, bagged, and delivered to the temple kitchen. 125 lb have been sold to devotees, 700 lb of B-size potatoes were put in storage to be used as seed for next year’s planting, and 2,400 lb have been washed, bagged, and put into storage for delivery to the temple kitchen, as needed
- Finished brush-hogging Nandagram pastures.
- Winterized vacuum pump at Temple Barn by constructing an insulated box with heat.
- Caitanya Bhagavat (Nandagram & Bahulaban):
- Daily general cow care and monitoring the herd numbers for the 17 Nandagram cows (six females, 10 males, and one bull), plus the 26 Bahulaban cows (17 females and nine males).
- Daily feeding of hay to supplement the pasture for the Bahulaban cows.
- Facilitated veterinarian visits.
- Checked and maintained fence lines at Nandagram and Bahulaban.
- Mowed and weed-whacked at Nandagram and Valley Barn.
- Cleaned out the Nandagram barn for the winter with Tripada.
- Stocked the Nandagram feeding area barn with hay for the winter.
- Assisted the veterinarian in castrating the bull, Prahlada.
- Brush-hogged the Nandagram pastures.
- Repaired the Valley Barn fence.
- Suchandra (Community & Teaching Garden):
- Harvested dahlias, marigolds, zinnias, green peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, green beans, and squash at the Teaching Garden and Community Garden
- Pulled green beans, cucumber plants, squash plants, and the green beans that the deer had started eating from the Community Garden
- Mowed and weeded the Teaching Garden weekly
- Trimmed back lilies and pulled dead gladiola stems at the Teaching Garden
- Produce and Flower totals for September and October for both gardens:
- Zinnias – 105
- Dahlias – 234
- Big Marigolds – 5,370
- Small Marigolds – 7,600
- Bitter Melon – 6
- Bell Peppers – 3 lb
- Hot Pepper – 53 lb
- Tomatoes – 77 lb
- Green Beans – 45 lb
- Butternut Squash – 103 lb
- Angie (Vidya’s Garden):
- Vidya Garden Harvest Totals for the Month of September 2019:
- Carnations – 85
- Tuberoses – 25
- Small Marigolds – 11,240
- Large Marigolds – 15,805
- Zinnias – 96
- Sunflowers – 153
- Asters – 110
- Banana Peppers – 18lb
- Bell Peppers – 10 lbs.
- Habenero Peppers – 3 lb
- Green Beans – 44.75 lb
- Cherry Tomatoes – 2 lb
- Small Tomatoes – 9 lb
- Large Tomatoes – 126.5 lb
- Bitter Melon – 184 lb
- Loki – 5 lb
- Vidya Garden Harvest Totals for the Month of October 2019:
- Zinnias – 10
- Big Marigolds – 4,700
- Small Marigolds – 6,138
- Tuberoses – 165
- Carnations – 87
- Bittermelon – 79 lb
- Bell Peppers – 25 lb
- Banana Peppers – 5 lb
- Habanero Peppers – 6 lb
- Tomatoes – 8 lb
- Green Beans – 3 lb
- Cherry Tomatoes – 2 lb
- Valley High Tunnel #1
- Transplanted (Transplants started by Elena in her greenhouse)
- Marigolds – 288
- Radish – 144
- Lettuce – 144
- Kale – 216
- Transplanted (Transplants started by Elena in her greenhouse)
- Vidya Garden Harvest Totals for the Month of September 2019:
- Lila (Nandagram Garden):
- Took up ground cover and pins
- Removed tomato cages stored them for winter
- Removed old plants
- Readied beds for manure
- Harvested and delivered to the temple kitchen during September and October (all quantities reported in pounds):
- Zucchini – 14.5
- Apple – 18.75
- Green Beans – 40
- Cherry Tomatoes – 31.25
- Hot Pepper – 37.75
- Tomatoes – 385.5
- Butternut Squash – 308.5
- Ranaka (General Manager):
- Valley High Tunnel #1 is fully complete and has had marigolds, radish, lettuce, and kale transplanted in it.
- Progress has been made on the Bahulaban apartment project. Electric has been run into the building, along with water and sewer lines.
- Gintras rebuilt the exterior wall on the east side of the building which was in very bad condition.
- A 14-year-old Jersey named Yamuna died on 10/30/19 of old age.
- With the birth of Yasoda on 10/23/19 and the death of Yamuna on 10/30/19 the herd count remains at 66.
2. External Grant Request: $6K to ISKCON News
WHEREAS: ECO-V wishes to support ISKCON News with their ongoing coverage of ECO-V’s cow protection and local agriculture projects, as well as reporting on other similar efforts throughout ISKCON.
RESOLVED: The ECO-V board approves a grant up to $6,000 to ISKCON Communications for 2020.
3. Ishana Dasa as an Advisor
WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to maintain a team of advisors.
RESOLVED: The Board designates Ishana dasa as an advisor for a one-year term.
4. Olivia’s Resignation
WHEREAS: The ECO-V Board wishes to acknowledge the contributions made by one of its directors.
RESOLVED: The Board accepts Olivia’s resignation as a board member.
The Board expresses their deep appreciation for her three years of service to ECO-V, and plan to send her a letter of appreciation.
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