At this point in time a great deal of emphasis is being placed on the need for humanity to respond to the earth’s environmental crisis.
According to Vedic literatures, mankind has seven mothers: one’s natural mother, the wife of the guru, the wife of a brahmana, the wife of the king, a nurse, a cow, and – last but not least – mother earth. The natural duty of each of these mothers is to nourish and protect their dependents. In reciprocation, each of us is meant to respect and serve their seven mothers.
It is the responsibility of every human being to lower their environmental impact on mother earth. Modern society has developed unsustainable habits in its use of the earth’s natural resources. The pattern that has developed in recent history has been one of expansion as opposed to moderation. In the last hundred years we have witnessed an industrial explosion that has not been properly managed in terms of its impact on the earth’s ecology. Now we are experiencing the results in the form of global warming, rising costs of food and fuel, a global economic crisis, etc.
At Hare Krishna Valley, our motto is ‘natural living, high thinking.’ We are committed to setting an example of a sustainable lifestyle for the rest of the planet.
In the past we have invested in solar energy. One of the buildings on the property is fully solar powered, and our goal is to increase our use of solar energy in the future. We have also recently invested in several new water tanks to harvest the rainwater collected from the roofs. We are recycling our rubbish and aim to gradually reduce our rubbish waste as we become less dependent on the industrial world.
Srila Prabhupada desired that ISKCON’s farms become self-sufficient. In order to become fully self sufficient, we would require a community of around fifty people working in co-operation to fulfill the community needs. This would include growing much of our own food, making our own clothes, building our own buildings and producing our own oils for burning in lanterns. Any excess necessities could be traded with farmers from the local region. We are gradually working in this direction to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s dream.
At Hare Krishna Valley we are using wood as the primary means for heating our houses. In winter, Veda Priya cooks on top of our wood-fired stove. The wood fire simultaneously heats our hot water system, warms our home and provides the heat for our cooking. In this way we save on costly electricity and gas bills, and simultaneously lower our greenhouse gas emissions. And I can honestly say that prasadam tastes better when cooked using natural fuels such as wood or cow dung.
And most importantly, we are close to beginning our organic farming. After four years of conditioning the soil to provide enough nutrients to grow vegetables, Manigriva Prabhu is ready to plant many varieties, beginning with broccoli and cauliflower. Srila Prabhupada pointed out that the real necessities of life are food and shelter. If we can provide these things for ourselves, then we have solved the problems of life. We can then use our valuable time to study the Srimad Bhagavatam and chant Hare Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada desired that ISKCON farms provide an example of the rural atmosphere enjoyed by Krishna and Balarama in Vrndavana. At Hare Krishna Valley we are attempting to fulfill this vision. In order to make this project a success, we require the help of many individuals. If you feel inspired to serve Lord Krishna in a rural environment, please contact Keshava das on 0405-577-453, or keshava.tkg@pamho.net.
We look forward to seeing you at Hare Krishna Valley soon!
Bio-dynamic farming