|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE ISCOWP NEWS Volume 5 Issue 1 Memorial Day Seminar
During the Memorial Day weekend in May, ISCOWP gave classes and demonstrations at New Vrndavana on the "why" and "how" of ox-power. Howard Lyman, director of the Humane Society of the United States' Eating With Conscience Campaign and former executive director of the Beyond Beef Campaign attended (see page 5). The top picture shows some of the participants at one of the ISCOWP ox-plowing demonstrations. Radek Kolar (Bhima das) pictured between Vraja and Cita is a citizen of Czech Republic. He was participating in a program hosted by the U.S.A. government for outstanding, third world, charitable organization leaders. His work supports the ISKCON Czech Republic farm. Another participant, Bob Roberts, took the photo.
The picture below shows Bhaktain Sara and her team Jaya and Nandi. She is presently among 6 other committed teamster trainees. Actually, our goal for this year (8195 - 8196) is to train 12 teamsters and 21 oxen. There are presently 3 teamsters and 5 oxen at new Vrndavana receiving instruction from Balabhadra das. Jaya and Nandi are the most advanced in training and after 3 weeks they have mastered the voice commands and are now pulling small logs. Bhakta Jeremy and his ox Pita have learned up to the command "Whoa." We are enthused that the increased numbers of teamsters and trained oxen is a most positive step forward in establishing ox-power as an alterative energy and a means of showing the usefulness of the bull therefore negating slaughterhouse practices.
The Importance of Ox-Power at New Vrndavana Back to Back Issues Page
MOO, Milk Outrage Organization, INC. I came across your Spring 1992
newsletter last evening and had to write to you to thank you for what I read. I
hope you are still in the Oxen/farming "business." Your newsletter was
the gentle, sane news of the day, if not the year! Kathleen J. Cummings I recently received a copy of your
Winter 1994 newsletter from Mr. David Peterson (Dayal Chandra das; the main
natural curd and yogurt supplier on the Island of Hawaii) and was impressed by
your publication and ambitious goals. The articles on straw-bale construction
and ox-power were great. Bruce W Mathews Recently, I was in our temple in
Beograd, I found your address in BTG from July/ August 1994. I refer to you
herewith because I need help. Magdalena Ristic ISCOWP REPLIES Taking care of cows is like having
children. Sometimes it is hard but never a burden. Without taking care of the
cows and bulls how can we show the example of cow protection? I read with great relish the article
"A Day With the Oxen" in the BTG! I have artistic inclinations and
talents, and have sold some artwork, yet I was so struck by the harmony revealed
through Vedic farming, that it is becoming more noble in my mind than artistic
endeavors! Janis Podesta ISCOWP REPLIES We are so glad that you appreciated the
article "A Day With the Oxen" in the BTG.
Information from ISCOWP's LINK/COM Cow Conference Aja Prabhu has asked certain questions; 'Your most recent text raised at least one most important question concerning methane digesters or biogas plants. How do you store & transport methane? It seems rather dangerous, especially if one is fabricating his own containers. Is bottling in small, convenient quantities practical? How about pipelining?" The following excerpt from a book we highly recommend on the topic should answer most if not all, these questions. The book is; BIO-GAS PLANT, Generating Methane From Organic Wastes & Designs With Specifications, by Ram Bux Singh, Gobar Gas Research Station, Ajitmal, Etawah(UP) India, 1975. This book is currently being printed by MOTHER'S Print Shop. P 0. Box 70, Hendersonville, N.C. 28739, USA. "Gas is collected in the small plants and in the two stage large plants by means of a metal drum inverted over the surface of the fermenting slurry. This is free to rise and fall inside the tank as gas accumulates and is withdrawn. The sides of the drum are inside the slurry, which seals it from the air and prevents the gas from escaping. The weight of the drum provides the pressure which forces the gas out of the tank (through a small valve hole in the top of the drum) to its point of use. The drum might have to be counterweighted. On a 5' diameter plant the surface area of the slurry is about 2,827,44 square inches (2.5 times 2.5times 3.1416 times 144). A gas holder for this size plant might weigh about 550 pounds, which means it exerts only about.2 lb. per sq. in. of pressure on the slurry surface. The radius of the drum should not be more than 3' smaller than the radius of the digester so the minimal slurry is exposed to the air. In a two stage gas plant, the gas collector over the secondary digester will not have to be very large as compared to the primary digester's collector. If gas is to be used regularly. The collector of any gas plant can be as small as 50% of the total daily production. If the gas will only be used at irregular intervals, the holder should be large enough to accommodate accumulation during the off period. .......... The drums should never be counterweighted so much that the yare at negative pressure with respect to the atmosphere. This will cause air to enter any leaks in the line and travel back towards the digester. Oxygen will destroy the anaerobic conditions inside. More serious is that the methane/ air mixture might become explosive. Gas lines (yes, Aja Prabhu pipelining is a means of transporting the methane gas) should not be longer than 100 feet from a holding tank. They should be at least 1 " diameter for small plants and 2" or 3" for medium or large plants. If it is required to take the gas more than 100 feet from the plant, a separate water scaled gas holder should be installed every 100" - 125" along the way. Gas maybe transferred from one to the next with valves opened going forward and closed going backward. This will force the gas from drum to drum towards the place it will be used. The intermediate tanks can be quite small as they will never be called upon to hold very great quantities of gas at a time. This system can be clumsy if gas must be transferred very great distances: for this, a special gas pump should be installed. " Another good resource on the subject is (Hare Krsna dd has given us this one): Updated Guidebook on Bio Gas Development, Energy Resources Development Series, no 27,United Nations, New York 1984 Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand. We will give information on bottling the gas in the next installment Yrs, Text 86433 (52 lines) During the growing season I am employed as a farm inspector in the organic foods industry. I verify that the farmers are growing according to established organic standards. In these standards there is some mention on the use of slurry, i.e. the by product of manure after it is being stored in an anacroble (without air) situation which is the situation with biogas digesters. Here it is stated that: "The composting process is much more difficult with liquid manure (slurry systems). While liquid manure can be valuable as a soluble fertilizer for spurring plant growth, it may have a long term deleterious effect on soil health. This slurry can be mixed with dry organic materials for composting, or aerated with an additional carbon source to create amore stable, biologically active product ...... Off the top of my head I cannot describe the effect of slurry on soil health, but it is something that I would encourage anyone who is considering digesters to research. Respectfully, PS. Jeff was quoting a long time organic farmer in Michigan, Joe Scrimger, and the article touched briefly on anaerobic and aerobic decomposition. I thought that those considering the use of biogas digesters may find it of interest. ENCOURAGING HEALTHY SOIL "Scrimger said one of his goals is to activate the soil biology to produce a more dynamic, effective efficient response to changing growing conditions. The concept of biological integrity implies completeness, balance and vitality in the organization and function of a living system. A healthy soil will naturally help buffer the crops from moisture and nutrient deficiencies while conferring disease and pest resistance without the need for purchased inputs. Scrimger's focus is on encouraging proliferation of the sod's living organisms. He believes that 'probably the reduction in the diversity and biomass of soil biology is the current situation in agriculture that has cost farmers more than anything else in terms of production efficiencies. Soils typically have one or two tons of total biomass per acre, but they should have more like five to six tons,' said Scrimger To improve the soil's carrying capacity for living organisms, the basic needs of air, water, food and shelter must be addressed. ENHANCES SOIL'S ABILITY Scrimger's fertility program for his soil starts by getting adequate calcium to release and be available for life processes. The flocculating (fluffing) effect of adequate calcium, or the base exchange of the soils, enhances the soil's ability to 'breathe,' he explained. 'Getting oxygen in and carbon dioxide out supports aerobic activity, but this occurs only to the depth air can penetrate the soil profile. Aerobic digestion of crop and cover crop residues is inherently more efficient than their anaerobic breakdown,' said Scrimger. Scrimger's ultimate goal is to maximize the assimilation of carbonaceous residues into stable humus, which in turn will also support a larger biomass. 'The inclusion of anaerobic decomposition anywhere in the farm productions system will short circuit the long term profitability of the farm,' he emphasized. Citing anaerobic manure storage as an example, Scrimger explained that even though more of the nitrogen is 'conserved' as opposed to composting, this nitrogen is mostly in inorganic water soluble form. Heavy losses from leaching, particularly at the time of application only creates pollution and waste. SHIFTING SOIL BALANCE 'Any surge of nitrogen release in excess of 70 lbs. per acre will negatively shift the soil balance and favor weed proliferation at the expense of crop vigor,' cautioned Scrimger. In contrast, organically stabilized nitrogen in association with the humified carbons of good compost are basically non-leachable, yet available to the plant over the entire growing season,' he said. 'The expression of biological efficiencies can only be achieved under a balanced fertility program where excesses, particularly, of nitrogen and potassium are avoided,' said Scrimger. It only makes sense to have the nutrients available at the time the growing plant really needs it but often the natural release mechanisms are made dormant with heavy fertilizer applications at planting time, he said." Of course, Scrimger is not referring to applying small quantities of biogas digester slurry on the farm but it is still best that caution should be taken on the rates of application for the slurry. It seems that the organic standard's suggestion of mixing the anaerobic slurry into the traditional compost pile as mentioned in my previous submission maybe wise advice. Certainly, biogas digesters can play an important role in fulfilling a community’s energy needs.
Howard Lyman is the director for the Humane Society of the United States' "Eating With Conscience" campaign. During this year's Memorial Day weekend in May, ISCOWP set up a cow booth and gave seminars on the "how to" of ox-power at New Vrndavana's Festival of India. New Vrndavana’s Goraksha Seva office, headed by Nrsingha Chaitanya das, invited Howard Lyman (one of the main spokesmen for the Beyond Beef campaign and the director of the Humane Society of the United States' "Eating With Conscience" campaign) and Geoffrey Guiliano (the original Ronald McDonald and now a devotee of Lord Krsna) to speak at the festival. Howard Lyman travels widely giving lectures on the benefits of a vegetarian diet and organic sustainable agriculture. The speech he gave at New Vrndavana was most inspiring and impressed many of the guests. He is always ready to speak at various functions and can be reached at 301-258-3054 for this purpose. During their 2 day stay, both Mr. and Mrs. Lyman spent much time with Balabhadra das, Chaydevi dasi, and their family discussing similar experiences and realizations concerning farming and cow husbandry. Vraja and Cita (ISCOWP's oxen) were the objects of attention and affection from the Lyman's as well as other visitors at the festival. Actually, we first met Howard Lyman through the Beyond Beef campaign of which we became a coalition member. Our interest in Mr. Lyman was based on his position in support of the small American family farm. He has written, "We need to make a transition from feed to food production by rewarding the nation's small farmers with higher prices for growing food for people instead of feed for livestock. Efforts by progressive farm organizations to establish fair prices for corn, wheat, and other crops have been consistently blocked by the giant agribusiness corporations that feed cattle in huge feed lots. The owners of these "beef factories" want to pay the lowest possible price for feed, and they don't care how many small and medium sized family farmers go out of business or which rain forest gets destroyed. Their only concern is maximum short term profit." Howard Lyman offered his help to both ISCOWP and New Vrndavana's cow program. We are looking forward to a productive and long-term relationship with him. The following information was sent to us by his office as his personal statement for our readers. "As a forth generation family farmer in Montana for almost 40 years, I speak from a background of personal experience when I say that chemically based agricultural production methods today are unsustainable and therefore ecologically disastrous. My experiences range from working in a large organic dairy to raising registered beef cattle to owning a large factory feed-lot. I have farmed thousands of acres of grain and have reproduced a herd of over one thousand commercial beef cows. In addition, I have raised chickens, pigs, and turkeys. I have also grown crops such as wheat, barley, oats, corn, alfalfa, and grass. I was involved in agriculture at a time when the message was, get bigger and better or get out. I was educated in modern agriculture, and I can tell you from firsthand experience it is not sustainable. I followed all the modern advice and turned a small organic family farm into a large corporate chemical farm with a thousand range cows, five thousand head of cattle in a factory feedlot, thousands of acres of crops, and as many as thirty employees. I saw the organic soil go from a living productive base to sterile, chemical saturated mono-cultural ground because of my so-called modem methods. In 1979 I was paralyzed from the waist down due to a tumor on my spinal cord. That changed my life forever. I had a slight chance through surgery to walk again. I promised myself that, whatever the outcome of the surgery, I would dedicate the rest of my life to doing what I believed to be right. Convinced that the modern agricultural methods I used on my farm were ecologically disastrous, I decided to become a voice for the family farmer and the land. The surgery proved successful and I was able to walk again. In 1983, I sold most of my farm and started working for farmers in financial trouble. This led me to work for the Montana Farmers Union and from there to Washington, D.C. as a lobbyist for the National Farmers Union. For five years I worked on Capitol Hill for America's family farmers. In that time we had some small successes, such as passing the National Organic Standards Act. But even after the act became law it took several years before the administration allowed funds for its implementation. I became convinced that the changes we needed had to come from the producers and the consumers at the grassroots level. Until that alliance is put into play, the big money interest will continue to control public policy in the Congress of the United States. My goal, is to see a producer consumer alliance controlling public decisions in North America. To that end, in 1994, I joined the Humane Society of the United States as the director of the Eating With Conscience Campaign. This campaign is designed to educate people about organic sustainable agriculture and the dangers of current methods of food production. Informed producers and consumers can help by making humane choices in their personal lives. My progress in achieving sustainable agriculture has been marked by some very interesting events. I ran for Congress from Montana in 1982 and was able to enlist over two dozen fulltime volunteers to carry the message through the political campaign. Although we lost (by less than 4 percent to six-term incumbent), we were able to focus the voters' attention on who was producing our food and how they were doing it. I was the executive director of the international Beyond Beef Campaign in 1992. We organized over twenty four hundred teams consisting of over ten thousand people who handed out over one million pieces of information in one day at over three thousand separate locations around the world. This information was to educate consumers about their food choices. While director of the Eating With Conscience Campaign, I have appeared on over one thousand radio stations, hundreds of television stations, and have spoken to thousands of groups from small audiences to an assembly of over twenty five thousand people at the Earth Day celebration in Oakland, California. The message is always the same: if there is to be a bright future for our children and grandchildren, it will come from consumer support of producers who work in concert with nature organically, sustainable, and humanely.
Internationally the need for ox-power is apparent. In many countries the cost of petrol is extreme. For increasing numbers of countries, acquiring petrol, tractor parts and implements is very difficult due to a breakdown and inefficiency in transport and communications. The ingredients for ox-power can be attained on a local level, independent of outside help. Therefore, what is the most needed is the "how to" knowledge which enables the local ingredients to be used efficiently.
It is ISCOWP's goal in 1996 to train 12 teams and their teamsters. Actually this is a modest number considering the numbers that are possible. However, our campaign is aimed to collect $30,000 which Is the amount we figure is needed to train 12 teams during a period of one year (please refer to page 7 of this newsletter for further details on what is entailed in training a fully competent team). We also have been invited to Perm, Russia, Czech Republic, Italy and France to train teams and teamsters. Vanamali Pandit das (Dr. V Mody) has pledged $3000, the campaign administrative costs. Another ISCOWP member has pledged $6000, the first 20% of the total. They are both looking forward to a successful campaign conclusion. Our most heartfelt thanks to these members for inspiring us to expand our goals for 1996. Soon after this newsletter we will be sending out a letter explaining the details. Look for it in your mail box!
The Importance of Ox-Power at New Vrndavana
New Vrndavana was the first farm community established by ISKCON. It consists of 4000 acres of rolling countryside near Moundsville, West Virginia. Actually, New Vrndavana is an incorporated village and can be found on your road map. As early as 1/12/68, Srila Prabhupada, the Founder Acharya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON), wrote to Kirtananda das, at that time the leader of the New Vrndavana community, 'We shall have to live there self-independently, simply by raising cows, grains, fruits, and flowers." In 3/30/69 Srila Prabhupada wrote to Satyabhauma dasi who was living at New Vrndavana, "If we can keep cows sufficiently and grow our necessary foodstuffs, then we shall show a new way of life to your countrymen - completely spiritual life in healthy atmosphere in divine consciousness.' In the early years of New Vrndavana's development these instructions were followed seriously and taking care of the cows, oxen, and bulls occupied a large part of the everyday lives of its residents. H. H. Radanath Swami who is now managing New Vrndavana with Bhaktitirtha Swami, spent 10 years, caring for the cows. Gargarishi das, resident of New Vrndavana for 20+ years and a member of the New Vrndavana managerial board, remembers rising early in the morning, before attending the temple's spiritual program to gather the cows for milking. After milking he would attend the temple program and then go out again to the cows to feed them. He said, "My life was very simple and blissful. I took care of the cows and attended spiritual programs. I was quite happy." H. H. Radanath Swami explained that the emphases switched from caring for the cows to building Prabhupada's Palace (also known as the Palace of Gold). This magnificent architectural building constructed by the residents of New Vrndavana in honor of their spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, has been one of the biggest tourist attractions within the state of West Virginia and continues to attract bus loads of visitors.
As time progressed, things changed, and the cows were cared for with a commercial dairy concept which is quite opposite the Vedic cow protection concept instructed by Srila Prabhupada and described by H. H. Radanath Swami and Gargarishi das. At first glance to our western minds the commercial dairy seems quite harmless. Actually, the western dairy program is dependent on slaughtering the bull calves and unproductive cows. Within this program there can be no profit unless the unproductive members of the bovine species are eliminated. Also the cow must be bred regularly, once a year, to keep her milk production high. Therefore there are bull calves in abundance who eventually must be slaughtered because they do not produce milk and are considered useless. The realities of the western commercial dairy program were not thoroughly understood and since slaughtering any members of the bovine species at New Vrndavana was out of the question, there is now an overabundance of cows, oxen, and bulls (280 cows, bulls, and oxen). It is the desire of the present New Vrndavana managerial board to once again follow the instructions that Srila Prabhupada gave in the early development of New Vrndavana. Therefore, instituting ox-power is the beginning of turning the cow program into a truly Vedic cow protection program. Utilization of the bulls and oxen negates the necessity for slaughtering them and turns their "useless" existence into one of usefulness. Not only is following a vedic cow protection program in tuned with Srila Prabhupada's instructions for New Vrndavana it is also attractive to many of the American youth. H. H. Varsana Swami, who is spearheading the ox=power self-sufficient village at New Vrndavana, has attracted young disciples to simple living based on the cows and land. They were already seeking a more natural way of life. And through. H. H Varsana Swami they heard Srila Prabhupada's instructions, consequently they became convinced and enthused to take up this lifestyle. According to H. H. Varsana Swami, Srila Prabhupada had a vision for New Vrndavana. He wanted it to be very much like Vrndavana, India. Anyone who has visited Vrndavana can testify that a majority of the transport is conducted by oxen and bulls, and almost all the agricultural activity is performed by ox-power. To help accomplish the materialization of Srila Prabhupada's vision for New Vrndavana, ISCOWP, remaining an independent non-profit charitable incorporation, will be working in cooperation with New Vrndavana. Balabhadra das, director of ISCOWP, is presently training 3 teamsters and 5 oxen at New Vrndavana. Bhaktin Sara, an aspiring disciple of H. H. Varsana Swami has selected Jaya and Nandi out of New Vrndavana's herd and has begun training with her team under Balabhadra's instruction. Bhakta Jeremy, also an aspiring disciples of R H. Varsana Swami, has selected Pita out of the herd and has begun training. Brikasanga das has selected an older team of oxen, Nsringhadeva (Dave is his working name) and Tilac. He has begun to wean them of some bad habits with a relationship of love and trust. Some of the others has chosen Bali, and Gaudiya and Bhakta Dave have yet to choose their teams. (Please refer to page 10 of this newsletter for more information.)
Actually, our goal for this year is to fully train 12 teamsters and teams. This not only means training the oxen to voice commands; it also means training them to be competent for preparing the earth for planting, hence plowing, disking harrowing and planting; summer is the time for cultivation and harvesting of crops; fall is the time to plow for winter cover crops and plant them, and winter is logging. And, in time, there will be irrigation systems, oil presses, grinding stones to turn, and hauling of different crops from the field. To come full circle with ox-power will take ongoing training of teamsters and teams. So, you can see there is a lot to learn (approximately one year of training) before one becomes a "working" teamster with a team. We envision several teams of oxen working at Madhuvana Farm. And, as you remember from our letter to you of July 7, the location of Madhuvana Farm (on the only accessible road to the Palace which attracts bus loads of visitors) will allow the working oxen to be viewed by many people. Thus Srila Prabhupada's vision for New Vrndavana will begin to materialize and untold numbers of people will be reminded that the bull has a purpose other than becoming the hamburger on their dinner plate.
In the month of May, 3000 sweet potato plants were planted at Sandy Ridge, North Carolina. As you can see they are growing nicely. In the beginning of the growing season we experienced drought conditions. Then there was a record rainfall. These weather conditions proved detrimental to some crops but not to the sweet potatoes, rice, and rye pictured on this page. The sweet potatoes will be mature in November at which time we will harvest them.
In the background of this picture you can see teamster Balabhadra leading Vraja and Cita as they pull a sickle-bar mower Baladeva is sitting on the mower's seat as he adjusts its blades. The area being mowed is a pasture area that over the last 3 years has begun to produce nice grass. This is an example of how when you continue to mow the weeds become less numerous. In the right foreground you can see the rice in its early stages of growth. In the left foreground can be seen the matured rye which was planted in the fall of 1994.
Here we can see dry land or upland rice growing very nicely. This rice was planted from rice seed saved from last year's experimental plot. The plot this year takes up 1 / 3 of an acre. The sweet potatoes pictured at the top of this page cover a 1 / 3 of an acre and the rye 1 / 4 of an acre. As you know the land was prepared for planting by ox-power. The rye was also planted by the oxen with the use of a three row grain drill. The rice pictured will also be ready for harvest in November.
This bread contains no yeast, a good alternative for those who can not partake of yeast breads. We like to make enough for a few days and reheat before serving. CORN BREAD PREPARATION TIME: 25 minutes Ingredients Heat oven to 400'. Put an oiled 10" iron skillet in oven to heat. Mix the dry ingredients well, stir in the milk and oil. Pour into the hot skillet (we don't have a skillet so we use a baking pan laying the dough in the pan not more than an inch high) and bake 30 minutes on the top shelf. You can run it under the broiler for a browner top. Cut into wedges and serve hot from the oven (or take out the pan and reheat later). For a spicy bread add 1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp. asofetida, 2cups whole kernel corn, 2 tsp. paprika. (we like this variation)
We very much want to thank so many of you for encouraging us with our move to New Vrndavana, It seems that you feel the increased visibility and increased help which New Vrndavana has to offer are very important to spreading the knowledge of cow protection. It's very wonderful to know that we have your support. Most of you got in contact with us personally, but we did receive some letters. The following three express some of your thoughts. "I've just read your letter 'Letter to Friends' with great delight and I am pleased to offer my wishes for all success. This is indeed a great opportunity, for both preaching of cow protection and association of great devotees like H.H. Varsana Swami and others. I am in full anticipation of overcoming my weakness of heart and lack of determination to engage 100% in devotional service to Srila Prabhupada and the cows. Your letters, and now this move is very encouraging to this end." (Parampadam das, Mason, WI.) I can appreciate your reasons for moving to New Vrndavana. It sounds like a reasonable step. Good luck in all the coining hard work it will take. I did take your latest letter (describing the move ) to the Detroit temple to post, but a copy was already on the bulletin board." (Bob Roberts, Commerce Twp., MI.) "Your latest newsletter is very inspiring, It sounds like Krsna has given you the opportunity you were waiting for since a long time. Best of luck and all blessings (if I have any to give). Hope to hear more about your new project in N.Y I think that you can do a lot there." (Ramiya das,Alachua, Fl.)
We would like to thank the following members who contributed to last issues' fund raiser. This has been our practice in the future we will be listing all donations from one issue to the next (not just those given for a current fund raiser) and the expenses for that time period. For the last 4 years, including the last issue (annual report for'94),we have listed all donors, donations, and expenses for the entire fiscal year and will continue to do so. Please tell us if we have mistakenly omitted your name from this list.
|
This site was last updated 10/23/07
