Cow Quote #30

[Guest guest]

Room Conversation- Vrndavan- October 6 1977

 

Tamäla Kåñëa: "ISKCON farm report: Port Royal, Pennsylvania, report for year

1976. ISKCON Incorporated of New York owns a prime farm in Juanita County of

Pennsylvania. The land is nearly four hundred acres in size, valued at

around five hundred dollars per acre, or two hundred thousand dollars. In

addition the buildings on the property consist of the following: barn worth

$40,000; outbuildings worth $10,000; calf barn $25,000; equipment $50,000;

residential building $45,000; guesthouse and public kitchen and prasäda

pavilion $75,000; and silos $20,000. Total, including land, $465,000. The

purpose of this land is to produce foodstuffs to meet all the needs of the

farm community as well as the needs of our temples in New York,

Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

Another purpose is to demonstrate the principle of cow protection, as we are

strict vegetarians and do not believe in slaughtering cows. Our herd of cows

is Brown Swiss, and they are rated amongst the top one percent of dairy cow

herds in the United States. All of the cows are pedigreed. Our farm holds

fifty milk cows and fifty young cows, heifers. The milk cows milk an average

of 40 kilos of milk per day in their first month of lactation and average 25

kilos per day over the whole year. We have 140 acres of crop land and 30

acres of pasture, the balance being woods, primarily hardwood, which is

excellent for fuel. On our land we grow not only all the food for the

residents but also for the cows. The following is the yield for 1976:

corn-200 tons, soybeans-10 tons, barley-10 tons, oats-10 tons…"

Prabhupäda: What do you do with the soybeans?

Tamäla Kåñëa: The soybeans are ground and given to the cows.

Brahmänanda: In the winter.

Tamäla Kåñëa: In the wintertime. This way…

Prabhupäda: They're very nutritious.

Tamäla Kåñëa: Very nutritious. The cows give more milk according to how much

nutritious foods you give them.

Prabhupäda: Oh, yes.

Tamäla Kåñëa: So much of this, what we produce, is given for the cows,

because the cows cannot graze year round. Because for about four or five

months there's too cold weather. Four months. So they have to have stock of

food. "Oats-10 tons, wheat-10 tons." The wheat is… You tasted the cäpäöi.

Brahmänanda: Excellent.

Tamäla Kåñëa: Very tasty.

Brahmänanda: Nearby there's a mill, and they grind the wheat fresh.

Prabhupäda: Hm?

Brahmänanda: Near to our farm is a mill where they grind the wheat fresh.

Prabhupäda: Our mill?

Brahmänanda: No.

Tamäla Kåñëa: We are going to get one now. It is not difficult to have a

mill. "Hay-45 tons."

Prabhupäda: In India the practice was hand grind daily. The women will do

that. That's exercise for them, and they keep their body fit and beautiful.

Tamäla Kåñëa: Oxen can also grind, I think. Can oxen also?

Prabhupäda: No, there is no need oxen. Individually, small grind

ing-chapki(?). And in the morning they chant Hare Kåñëa and grind. (sings)

Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma

Räma, Hare Hare… This is very nice process. Whatever they require for the

day, they grind fresh. Very nice system. And actually, by this exercise,

they keep their body beautiful.

Tamäla Kåñëa: Keeps them well engaged.

Prabhupäda: And engagement. Yaçodämäyi was doing that, even she is the queen

of Nanda Mahäräja, what to speak of other women. Churning milk, grinding the

wheat, this is their household. We have got that picture. Full engagement.

Otherwise gossiping…

Tamäla Kåñëa: Trouble.

Prabhupäda: Trouble. And whisping for laugh. That's all. (laughs) Whisping

or whispering?

Tamäla Kåñëa: Whispering.

Prabhupäda: (chuckling) "Idle brain, devil's workshop." Then?

Tamäla Kåñëa: "In the year 1976 we cultivated 5 acres of vegetables,

including 24 tons of potatoes. We also have 25 beehives, which produce 100

pounds of honey per hive. There is also a fruit orchard with 150 trees,

including apples, pears, peaches, and plum trees. Lastly, we are fortunate…"

Prabhupäda: Those fruits are nice fruits.