GBC Meeting and Milk Issue - lease or not to lease

[Guest guest]

Ekabuddh (AT) aol (DOT) com wrote:

 

> Grants for young farmers.... First a pitch to someone who can produce a base

> funding. second- what about a kind of homesteading... devotees or temples

> with a surplus of land (at least for the present) give a temporary lease

> (donated or nominal) to sincere proven responsible devotees wishing to

> develop land. Sort of a feudal system could be established, with exchange

> for goods as part of the rent.

 

It may be that there has to be some type of lease -- because of lack of funds.

But I think we should have it in mind that this is *far* from ideal. Too many

times if a person has to come up with cash to pay mortgage, lease or rent --

the

first thing that suffers is use of ox power.

 

It is no longer practical to work the oxen -- so he uses a tractor or

roto-tiller

-- or he and his wife are forced to take jobs in town to earn the cash to pay

for

the land. That way different aspects of self-sufficiency suffer.

 

It may have to be done that way, there may be no alternative -- but we should

have it firmly in mind that this is not ideal

 

I believe that Srila Prabhupada explained to Yasodanandana that the ideal

system

is that the farmer pays 1/4 of what he produces -- without converting it into

cash.

 

With this idea in mind, if possible it might be better to have a few large

grants

rather than many small ones which would make it so that no one family could

whole-heartedly devote itself to developing Krsna conscious self-sufficiency or

self-reliance.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

 

 

 

> Because land in Iskcon is notorious for being in flux, a contract of 10 years

> (5?), contingent upon actual development and tangible production within two

> years time.

> Option to buy land at a set price within 5 to 10 years? This would require

> the landholders to be generous on a "good faith" ticket. (sometimes a

> difficult concept for devotees, unfortunately). Benefits to landholders -

> bring new blood to communities,

> create potential for entrepenurial (spelling?) enterprise (butter, ghee,

> preserves), good public relations (i.e. living what we preach), potential for

> attracting outside interest in our society (i.e. preaching potential), give

> our youth a ground floor investment in the societies and their families

> future... i could go on.

>

> Bottom line is need landowners (individual and temple) and donation of say

> $50,000 to start. oh yeah and a little extra sweat from Iscowp to help in

> the training.

> obeisances ekaBuddhi

 

--

Noma Petroff

Academic Department Coordinator

BOWDOIN COLLEGE

Department of Theater & Dance

9100 College Station

Brunswick ME 04011-8491

 

Phone: (207) 725-3663

FAX: (207) 725-3372

 

http://academic.bowdoin.edu/theaterdance/

[Guest guest]

>

> With this idea in mind, if possible it might be better to have a few large

> grants

> rather than many small ones which would make it so that no one family

could

> whole-heartedly devote itself to developing Krsna conscious

self-sufficiency or

> self-reliance.

>

> your servant,

>

> Hare Krsna dasi

>

>

>

yes, I agree