Hare Krishna Youth Ministry Workshop

On June 27, 200, 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.

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Krishna and Balaram showing the youth what they learned.

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The youth getting a chance to be teamsters.

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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. 

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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. 

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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!

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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.