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Explore the challenges faced by ISKCON farm projects in Europe, from lack of support and funding to the declining practice of cow protection. Discover proposals to make farming prestigious, family-friendly, and financially sustainable.
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General Synopsis • Disaster unfolding or looming within farming projects • Self sufficiency and farming relegated to history • Preaching about the importance of the farm has not been prioritised • Sense of starting again. How have we come to this after 30 years • Our practiced social structure does not withstand leadership defection • Asking impossible things of farm devotees. No money, no support, no housing, no future • Dependant on new pool of volunteers, current system does not support families making it a career • Cows stopped being bred or herds expanded and Cow protection being given up by allowing national herds to die off • Oxen not wanted and thus few working • Farm production (where done) not supported by farms or other centres • Farm products only for the farm and not the rest of the projects • Farm assets sold for short term maintenance • Farm land not being increased but sold off piece by piece
The whole idea is that we are ISKCON, a community to be independent from outside help. (SPL to Yasomatinandana Dasa 28th Nov 1976)
Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk; then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. • (SPL to Rupanuga 18th Dec 1974)
How much milk do we need for self reliance in Europe • Milk need for farms alone is 319,000 litres per year • How much milk is needed for all projects • should we estimate twice as much thus 640,000 litres • Should we estimate thrice as much thus 1,000,000 litres per year
Expected Herd Size for Milk Product ConsumptionFarm Project Only-not Including City Temples and Other Projects
Estimated herd size for ISKCON European self reliance • Assuming need is 1,000,000 litres per year we would require to impregnate 120 cows each year. • Herd total over 15 years 1800 cows.
Challenge-Making Farms Fashionable • Insufficient vocal support of leadership • Not sure if farm projects are important • Not enough regular visits by GBC and other leaders • Little preaching on the importance of the farm
Proposal – Make farming prestigious • Leaders take every opportunity to glorify the farm projects and the endeavours for self sufficiency • Leaders visit the farms more regularly • Leaders meet with the farming devotees, encourage them and support them
Challenge – Finding carers for the cows and farmers for the land • Insufficient persons to care for the cows and the land • Expectation that farm devotees will be volunteers or independently financed • Where will farming devotees live • A lifestyle for somebody else
Proposal – Make farming family friendly • Provide key farm workers with a living • Pay the real price and find donor support • Two persons at least for milking, ox work and cover
Challenge – Funding for farms • Finances are difficult to find • Farms need a lot of capital and running costs • Food items cheaply available in market • Live in society of 9% spent on food using farming system that works with 70%
Proposals – look to our own • Farms made national projects for fund raising • Find 100+ members of congregation to donate 20 to 30 euros per month through their bank • Focused monthly donor raising for next three years at large gatherings, mail etc • Find an independent trustee for each farm • Milk and farm products valued at real price by ISKCON projects
Cow protection means good food and good trade. Srila Prabhupada letter 22 January, 1976 to Jayatirtha
Challenge – Valuing our own • If the farm has it we don’t want it • The food from the land has soil on it • Somebody else has eaten a bit already • It looks different this time than last • It takes more time to prepare it for the pot • I can get it cheaper from the supermarket
Proposal – Support it by using it • Buy it from the farm if it is available • Buy it at all cost (maybe a bit more each year though) • Tolerate (no, enjoy) the soil • Tolerate the bites (its actually edible food) • Give more time to its preparation (It’s for Krishna)
Yes! Go on acquiring the surrounding lands and in this way we will establish a local self governing village and show all the world a practical example of spiritual life as Krishna Himself exhibited in Vrindaban. Letter to: Kirtanananda Bhaktivedanta Manor 27 July, 1973
Challenge – Finding a place to live • I want to work on the farm but where do I live • Most projects have no spare housing • Most projects can build but don’t have capital
Proposal – Building more homes • Don’t sell homes or land to devotees or others • Build to rent • Tied homes. Here is your work, Here is your home, Here is your income • Lease OK • Build all that can be built
Five Point Action Plan for Farm Development • Make farming prestigious within ISKCON • Make farming family friendly • Find funding from our own • Support it by using it • Providing more homes
