THE ISCOWP NEWS Volume 15 Issue 2  2005

ISCOWP began its outreach programs for this year by holding a booth at the Ambler Campus of Temple University on Earth Day (bottom photo). Another program was the Hare Krishna Youth Ministry spending a day in June at the ISCOWP farm learning about country living (top photo). Read about these and other outreach programs in the ISCOWP Update.

One outreach program yet to come will be the the 2005 Harvest Workshop to be held August 19-21 at the ISCOWP farm in West Virginia. Join in visiting with the cows and oxen, harvesting organic produce, preparing an organic lunch, learning how to can and dry garden produce, and enjoy a sunset campfire on the hilltop. Please let us know if you would like to attend. There are limited accommodations at the ISCOWP farm.

Hrimati Update, Farm Animals "need emotional TLC", How Do I Dry Bitter Melon?, US Seeks Source of Mad Cow Infection, How Long are Calves Allowed to Suckle?

Outreach, Earth Day, April 22, Temple University, Ambler Campus, Inspiration Festival, Cows, Hare Krishna Youth Ministry Workshop

(First article about Hrimati appeared in the ISCOWP News Volume 13 (2003) Issue 2 entitled "Who is Really Man's Best Friend?")

From: Hrimati.ACBSP@pamho.net

To: ISCOWP@pamho.net

Date: 2/21/2005 9:50:06 AM

First of all, I would like to announce the arrival of our new 4 legged member of our family. We named her Surabhi. Surabhi was born on Jan.13th, 2005 at our homestead in Sri Dham Mayapur, India.

Click on picture to enlarge

Surabhi

So far, we are not tying her up any time during the day or night. Surabhi is a very nice and gentle little calf. During the morning hours she sits down in the sun besides her mother Vishnupriya, her BIG brother Balaram and her sister Sundar Nandini. Surabhi drinks milk after milking time at 6:30 am, than again at about 9'o'clock and again at about 12'o'clock. At lunch time, we put up a small fence so that her mother can eat in peace. At that time, Surabhi comes and spends time by my side. She watches me do my chores and even comes in the house to see what I am cooking (although I don't really like her in the house so much) When I take a nap, she lies down right beside me on the veranda. At 4'o'clock All the cows go out 2 hours for a stroll into the forest. This is Surabhi's favorite time during the day. She gets to explore and meet other cow friends. At evening milking time we take a little milk for my boys and the rest Surabhi gets to drink. After she had her dinner she goes (by herself) in her little corner under her mosquito net and sits down for a night's rest. Surabhi is really a nice little happy calf.

From: balabhadra.iscowp@earthlink.net

Date:23-Feb-05 21:05 (16:05 -0500)

Cc:: Hrimati (dd) ACBSP (Mayapur - IN)

Congratulations on the arrival of Surabhi as an addition to your family. She sounds quite lovely and special.

I remember visiting your place not far from the temple in Mayapur.  It was one of the highlights of the Cow Protection class I gave that year.  The boys very much appreciated seeing Balaram plowing and also seeing the relationship that the cows and your family shared.  How is your bullock cart and Balaram?  If my memory serves me correctly, you had mentioned about getting some more land adjacent to your place.  Did that happen?                                                   

From: Hrimati.ACBSP@pamho.net

To: ISCOWP@pamho.net

 Date: 3/21/2005 8:50:06 AM

Yes, we acquired some more land adjacent to our place. We tried growing some oats for the cows this year. I think it needs to be grown in the colds season, because it is not doing too good. Do oats need a lot of water?

Click on pictures to enlarge

Top: Hrimate's new home

Bottom: Goshalla (cow barn)

We are just about ready to plant corn. Tomorrow Balaram will plow. If you know someone who is coming to Mayapur, who would like to bring some sweet corn seeds for us; please let me know.

Balaram has grown to be the largest cow in Mayapur. He still pulls the cart. We are using the cart a lot lately to get building supplies. Balaram can carry up to 1500 Kg.

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From: Hare Krsna dasi <npetroff@bowdoin.edu>

To: <iscowp@earthlink.net>

Date: 4/12/2005 8:37:00 PM

Subject: BBC E-mail: Farm animals 'need emotional TLC'

Hare Krsna dasi saw this story on BBC News Online and thought you should see it.

Farm animals 'need emotional TLC' 

March 18, 2005

By Julianna Kettlewell

BBC News science reporter 

Cows enjoy solving problems, according to researchers. Farm animals have feelings which should be respected and catered for, academics at a London, UK, meeting have said.

They believe animals should not be dismissed as simple automatons - cows take pleasure in solving problems and sheep can form deep friendships.

Delegates from around the globe were speaking at the Compassion in World Farming Trust (CIWF Trust) conference.

They shared ways of exploring the minds of animals, as well as monitoring their suffering and alleviating their pain.

"The study of animal sentience is one of the most exciting and important in the whole of biology," said Professor Marian Dawkins, of Oxford University.

"My plea is that, when we make decisions and regulations about animals and campaign for them, the animals' voices should be heard and heard strongly."

For whatever reasons, we humans tend to draw a charmed ring around ourselves - we suppose we are the only ones that think thoughts and feel feelings.

We are happy to ascribe emotions to a tiny flailing inarticulate baby, while denying them in a sheep or even a chimpanzee.

Talk of animal sentience is often brushed off as fluffy and sentimental - not the stuff of science or the real world.

Our eyes only?

But perhaps we have been too hasty in our dismissal - perhaps consciousness does not peer through our eyes alone.

 Farm animals are more productive if they are treated well

"They are not unfeeling objects," said Professor Marc Bekoff, of the University of Colorado, US.

"And what animals feel matters very much as they try to negotiate their lives in a human-dominated and often abusive world, in which they are mere pawns in our incessant and obsessive attempts to control their lives for our and not their benefit.

"I am incredulous that some skeptics actually question whether animals feel anything."

Now there is a growing weight of evidence to suggest animal minds probably do house emotions quite similar to our own.

Professor Donald Broom, from Cambridge University, studies the behavior of cows.

His team put them in a special pen which had a lever that, when pressed, would release the cows into a field with lots of delicious food rewards.

 Non-human animals probably feel emotions like fear and anger. The researchers found that when the cows finally "clicked" and worked out how to press the lever to reach the food, they showed signs of delight.

"When they learnt it they showed an excitement response," Professor Broom told the BBC. "Their heart rates increased and they were more likely to jump and gallop when they went down towards the food.

"It was as if the animals were saying 'Eureka! I've found out how to solve the problem'."

He continued: "We need to have a certain amount of respect for these animals, and I think most people have more respect for an animal if they feel it's aware of what's going on."

More milk.

Being kind to farm animals isn't just a moral duty - according to the CIWF Trust delegates; there is something in it for us, too. Cows, for example, produce significantly more milk if their handlers talk to them gently rather than shouting and pushing them around.

"The handlers don't have to be really mean and hit the cows," said Edmund Pajor of Purdue University, US. "It's just a slap on the rump in the way that many farmers would. But the cows don't like it and it makes a real difference.

Talk about animals' feelings is often brushed off as fluffy and sentimental

"It helps send a message about treating animals in a proper way. A number of dairy farms now have signs up saying 'please don't shout at the cows'."

The famous chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall, in her opening speech at the conference, said we needed to re-define the way we viewed animals, both tame and wild.

Dr Goodall, 71, who has spent 45 years studying chimps in Africa, told the CIWF Trust delegates that humans and chimps were strikingly similar - that both shared a capacity for barbarity but were also capable of great altruism.

She described how she had seen chimps come to the aid of others who had been frightened, orphaned or injured, demonstrating "a care and compassion indistinguishable from our own".

She said: "We have to understand we are not the only beings on this planet with personalities and minds."

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How Do I Dry Bitter Melon?

From: Diana Khan

To: iscowp@earthlink.net

Sent: 5/26/2005 10:33:13 AM

Subject: Help! How do I dry Bitter Melon?

How do I dry Bitter Melon?  I am diabetic and do not have the fruit year round.  So how do I dry it  to make it accessible.  Do I need special equipment?

Iscowp Inc <iscowp@earthlink.net> wrote: 

Cut the Bitter Melon in about 1/4 inch slices and put on a screen to dry in the sun if you have a lot of sun. They should be stiff when they are ready and fully dried. We use an Excaliber dryer which is very good. We can't depend on the sun here.

From: Diana Khan

To: iscowp@earthlink.net

Sent: 5/28/2005 8:37:38 PM

Subject: RE: Help! How do I dry

Bitter Melon?

Thank you Irene for your prompt help.  I am diabetic and find that if I manage to eat dried Bitter Melon three times a day, my blood sugar levels are very manageable.  However, my motivating force behind all this is that I read where British researchers have done research and report that if a diabetic Type II, manages to eat Bitter Melon three to four times a day for one whole month, symptoms of the disease do not reappear.  I hope it is not a hoax.  Bitter Melon does not interfere with medication so there is no harm done.

I am considering buying the Excaliber Dryer 2900, I know its big, but who knows where this road will lead me.

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 U.S. Seeks Source of Mad Cow Infection

From: holycow108@earthlink.net

To: iscowp@earthlink.net

Sent: 6/29/2005 11:45:20 AM

Subject: U.S. Seeks Source of Mad Cow Infection

ABC News

U.S. Hopes DNA Tests to Find Herd Where Diseased Cow Came From Can Lead to Source of Infection

The U.S. Agriculture Department said Friday it has confirmed the first case of mad cow disease in United States born animal after a retest of that animal at an internationally recognized institute in Britain.

By LIBBY QUAID Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON Jun 25, 2005 — The government hopes DNA tests to find the herd where the cow with mad cow disease came from can lead to the source of the infection, an Agriculture Department official said Saturday.

The United States confirmed what may be its first homegrown case of mad cow disease on Friday, seven months after officials first suspected the animal might be infected.

Pinpointing the cow's herd will help track the animal's feed and explain how it became infected. The only known way the disease spreads is through feeding infected cattle remains to other cattle, which the U.S. banned in 1997

"We're pretty confident that we have the herd, but we want to make sure," John Clifford, the department's chief veterinarian, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Testing is being done now on tissue from cows that may have been herd mates."

The effort is complicated by mistakes made after the animal was killed. The cow's type of breed was accidentally mislabeled, and its tissues were mixed with tissues from other cows, Clifford said.

Despite the delay in reliable results, the government says the food safeguards are working well.

"The fact that this animal was blocked from entering the food supply tells us that our safeguards are working exactly as they should," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said at a news conference Friday.

Still, the emergence of a native-born case could cast a shadow over the

nation's 96 million cattle, the largest herd in the world. Taiwan, which imported more than $76 million in U.S. beef in 2003, announced Saturday it would immediately reimpose its ban on U.S. beef. Japan, once the largest importer of U.S. beef, still has not lifted its ban.

The only previous U.S. case, confirmed in December 2003, was in a dairy cow that had been imported from Canada, where three other cases have been found. Even that 2003 case involving an imported animal prompted some 50 nations to ban U.S. beef imports.

While Johanns would not say where the cow turned up, he said there was no evidence it was imported.

Johanns said the new case was no surprise, given that the department is testing about 1,000 cattle a day. Since escalating its testing after the 2003 case, the government has screened about 388,000 animals.

An internationally recognized laboratory in Weybridge, England, confirmed the new case Friday after U.S. tests produced conflicting results.

The animal was a "downer" that could not walk and was delivered to a rendering plant for animals unfit for human consumption. The government banned downer cows from the food supply just days after the 2003 case.

The ban on downer cows is one of many safeguards aimed at keeping the disease from getting into the food or feed supply.

Also banned are tissues, including the brain, skull and spinal cord, from older cows believed to carry the disease. Those materials must be removed from slaughtered cows older than 30 months because it is believed that infection levels increase with age.

In addition, the U.S. and Canada banned the use of cattle parts in cattle feed in 1997 following the mad cow disease outbreak in Britain.

Officials have not said how old the infected U.S. cow was but said it was born before the feed ban.

The feed ban has loopholes allowing cattle to be fed poultry litter, blood and restaurant leftovers, all potential pathways for mad cow disease.

The new case was confirmed after a series of conflicting test results.

The department did initial screening using a "rapid test," which was positive. A more detailed immunohistochemistry, or IHC test, was negative. But the department did not conduct a third round, using the Western blot, until the department's inspector general, Phyllis Fong, ordered it to do so two weeks ago. Fong has not explained why she ordered new tests.

Mad cow disease medically known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE kills brain cells and leaves spongy holes behind. A form of the disease in people is variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. It has been linked to the consumption of contaminated meat. The disease has killed about 150 people worldwide, mostly in Britain.

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From: iscowp@earthlink.net

To: GraciaFaye@hotmail.com

Date: 7/16/2004 4:02:24 PM

Subject: how long are calves allowed to suckle ?

Dear Gracia,

On 4/29/04, I received a phone call from a God brother by the name of Madhusudana. He had met you at a program and you had inquired about cows and cow care according to the Krishna Philosophy.  He has asked me to respond to your inquiry. 

The issue of milk can become a heated debate.  Currently the exploitation of innocent animals commonly referred to as FACTORY FARMING has made many people into vegetarians and some into vegans.  On the Krishna farms in the early days, milk was the all in all.  However, after the math was done and all of the farms discovered that they had too many cows/oxen for them to take care of, the breeding of cows for milk was curtailed severely to just supply the farm community itself with its milk needs and none for sale to the city temples or outside neighbors. 

Each piece of land has what is called CARRYING CAPACITY.  This means that only so many animals can be taken care of from that given piece of land.  For example, the farm in Port Royal, Pennsylvania had a carrying capacity of 1 cow per 3 acres of land and the farm in Moundsville, West Virginia was 1 cow per 5 acres of land.  The farm in Pennsylvania stopped breeding, except for 3 cows every few years, in 1985.  At that time, there were 157 cows/oxen.  Now there are 24 cows/oxen on that farm.

In the Krishna philosophy there is no question of killing the cows.  The cow and bull are considered as one of the sets of Mother and Father and respected as such.  The term LIFE TIME PROTECTION is what we follow, and it must be quality care.  According to the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, cows’ milk is a perfect food in a material sense and in a spiritual sense; cows' milk is referred to as liquid religiosity.  The four legs of the cow represent the four pillars of religious life: TRUTHFULLNESS, CLEANLINESS, MERCY (COMPASSION), and AUSTERITY.  By killing the cow, the four legs of religious life are destroyed within society.

When the cow has a calf, the western dairyman takes the calf away immediately and feeds the calf by bottle (with commercial milk replacer) so the mother cow can get back into the milking herd and produce milk for $$$$$$.  The bull calves either go into veal operations or are allowed to grow to about 2 years of age and then sent to slaughter.  The first 2 years are the main growth years of a cow and they will reach upwards of 1000-1200 lbs. according to breed.

The eastern practice is different. After the calf is born and the mother has cleaned the calf and the calf has suckled its first milk from the mother the calf is then separated from the mother.  However, the calf and mother are kept within site of each other.  If the calf is left with the mother, the possibility of the calf taking to much milk is a constant concern.  The problem of a calf taking to much milk is commonly called scours, which is severe diarrhea that can dehydrate the calf and actually kill it.  So, the calves do need separated but not in the way of the western dairy mentality.

At milking time, the calf is brought to its mother and allowed to suckle which helps the mother let her milk down.  When the cow relaxes her milk, the calf is brought close to the head of the mother so they can lick each other and the milkman can milk the mother.  However, the milkman does not take all of the milk.  If the mother is a big milker, the calf is left 1teat or 1/4 of the cow’s milk.  If the cow is a small milker then the calf is left 2 teats or 1/2 of the cow’s milk for its nourishment.  After milking (usually about 1/2 hr.), the calf and mother are again separated until the next milking.  The concern is for the calf having enough milk for nourishment but not enough to cause scours.

The calf and mother interact this way for 12-16 weeks at which time the calf is weaned if in the West and longer in India as it is more of a cultural thing and the cows are reluctant to let their milk down without the calf coming to suckle.

In speaking with many vegans we ask them if they could get cruelty free milk from lifetime protected cows would they take dairy products as part of their diet. About 95% said that they would take dairy products if they could get cruelty free lifetime protected dairy products They don't want to support the factory farming by buying commercial dairy products or as some people say BLOOD MILK. 

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Outreach, Earth Day, April 22, Temple University, Ambler Campus

We are developing a slideshow to educate people about cow protection and ISCOWP. We now have a laptop and projector that allows us to be able to make these presentations wherever there is an interest. We completed the slideshow for its first presentation on Earth Day. We have yet to add music, disc label, and a few other things. However, it was a booth pleaser at the Earth Day presentation. We showed the slideshow from the laptop computer. The attendees were mostly  groups of schoolchildren who liked the slideshow a lot and put donations in the donation box. Given a good location, we openly explained about our vegetarian position of cow protection. The teachers were just as receptive as the children. Approximately 6000 visitors attended.

Inspiration Festival

ISCOWP’s class “Not Just Milk” and the ISCOWP booth were well received at the Inspiration Festival held May 7^th.  The class consisted of lively discussion, which continued beyond the hour and forty-five minute time limit. Our table displaying T-shirts, literature, photos and some dried organic produce from our garden was available Saturday. Sunday we had 6 groups of guests come to the farm to visit the cows.

Click on pictures to enlarge

  Bhakti & Kripa visit their adopted cow Vishaka          Atitaguna & Sita visit Vraja & Gita

Cows

The cows have been on pasture since April eight. They are all very happy to munch on the green grass.  Their winter coats have shed and they  look very sleek.  Krishna and Balaram (saved from the slaughterhouse) are learning the commands "Gee" and "Haw". They are trained a minimum of 3 times a week.  

Click on picture to enlarge

Krsna and Balaram having fun after a training lesson in March

 Fencing is important on any farm to contain and protect the farm animals. During the winter, ¾ of a mile of fencing on one side of the farm went down and we are in the process of fixing it. We have fixed ¼ mile of it. The hole for each post is dug by hand, so it is a labor-intensive project.

Hare Krishna Youth Ministry Workshop

On June 27,  the Hare Krishna Youth Ministry visited the ISCOWP farm for a farm workshop. There were approximately 40 attendees. The day began with meeting Krishna and Balaram and watching them demonstrate what they have learned in their schooling as a working team of oxen. They both loved the applause given by the youth when they successfully responded to their voice commands. Balaram was such a showoff in front of the cameras! Not only were we taking photos for you our members but the youth had a video camera. After the demonstration, the youth got a chance to be teamsters with Krishna and Balaram under the supervision of Balabhadra and Bhakta Dave.

Click on pictures to enlarge

Learning how to be teamsters under the supervision of Balabhadra

and Bhakta Dave

Let's see what it is like to be oxen!

Next, was a tour of  the ISCOWP garden, a class with questions and answers on the topics of varnasrama and self-sufficiency, and lunch. Lakshmi was the main cook . She prepared a lunch using the chard from our organic garden to make chard lasagna which also contained canned zucchini and tomato vegetable from last year. The canned vegetable was blended to make the sauce for the lasagna.  Dried pumpkin from last year's garden was used to make delicious pumpkin pie. Chard was also included in a big salad along with garden peas. Everything was delicious!

After lunch there was a contest between the boys and the girls to see who could pull some big logs a designated distance. This was to show what the oxen do and how by working as a team it is easier and more successful than by working with just one ox.

Two workshops were held. How to can kale was taught by Lakshmi.

Click on picture to enlarge

Lakshmi teaching a workshop in canning kale .

The students picked the kale from the front rock garden, cleaned it, cut it, cooked it down, and canned it. Each student got a chance to can their own jar to get a hands-on experience. The other class, how to make comfrey salve, was given by Balabhadra. Comfrey was picked from the garden, cleaned, the leaves separated from the stems and chopped. It was then soaked in olive oil. A batch made the day before by Jamie, a previous student, was cooked down and jarred because the comfrey has to sit in the olive oil at least eight hours. 

Click on picture to enlarge

The comfrey salve workshop separating the leaves from the stems

After the workshops, members of the Hare Krishna Youth Ministry weeded, made cages for the tomatoes, and mulched. Forty youth spent two hours in the garden saving Balabhadra eighty hours of service in the garden. Many thanks to the Youth Ministry!

Click on picture to enlarge

Members of the Hare Krishna Youth Ministry weeded, made cages for the tomatoes and mulched. Forty youth spent two hours in the garden saving Balabhadra eighty hours of service in the garden.

 Dave and Jamie Huntt, who own land bordering ISCOWP's , hosted the youth with a campfire complete with vegan marshmallows. Bhakta Dave was one of the students of ISCOWP's Train a Teamster Campaign in 1996. The youth had a great time dancing and singing around the campfire. They all left in the evening tired from a day of country living.

Garden

The garden is growing nicely.  Peas, Swiss chard and kale are being harvested. Other plants in the garden are Japanese eggplant, 3 varieties of  tomatoes totaling 400 plants, 3 types of peppers totaling 200 plants, 2 types of bush beans, urd dhal, tomatilos, 2 types of basil, cilantro, 2 types of zucchini, lemon cucumbers, 4 types of winter squash, a big patch of Jerusalem Artichokes, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and comfrey.  We have planted zinnias, marigolds, calendulas and dahlias as well.  Yukon gold is our potato of choice and this year again we planted 100 lbs. for family consumption. We have a nice group of volunteer yellow crook neck squash so there was no need to plant more of them. This year we have increased our bitter melon crop to 100 plants.

The garden is 3/4th planted as we do stagger plant some crops so not everything needs to be harvested at the same time.  Bush beans will have 2 more plantings and baby pumpkins will be planted soon.  The mulching of the tomatoes and peppers is finished and the tomatoes are almost all caged.

We are fortunate this summer to have help with the farm chores from two local boys Nirguna and Tulsi. They will be coming 4 to 5 days a week to do chores around the farm. We are paying them a wage that they need for their living expenses during their college summer vacation.  They just put in the poles for a fence around the extended garden. This saved Balabhadra a lot of hard labor as the holes must be dug by hand.

Click on picture to enlarge

Tulsi and Nirguna digging holes for fence posts     

Rudra Babaji

Rudra has caught 9 groundhogs and 3 rabbits so far this season. We are very proud of him and happy that he is turning out to be a very good garden protector. Recently, he had an accident and ripped a dewclaw that had to be removed. He had to be restricted for 10 days until the removal of his stitches. Although an affectionate fellow, he was not a good patient

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      Click on picture to enlarge

 Gaurangi considering another step to get from the loafing barn to the big barns. Last year the loafing barn, then a shed, had a similar problem with mud. Because of your donations, the loafing barn floor was cemented and  the building expanded. Now there is no mud problem there. Wherever there are big animals and rain there is bound to be mud. When the ground is cemented the mud is alleviated. Our practice is to put hay on the cement and then combined with their dung, a soft bed is created for the cows. In the warmer weather the cows are out on pasture and life is much more pleasant for everyone.

Click on picture to enlarge

                             Stuck in mud            Finally getting out of mud

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Click on picture to enlarge

No gutters on big barn

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