By Radha Mohan das
At £3 a litre, New Gokul will be selling the most expensive milk in the UK. However, demand is already outstripping supply. Hailed as a blue-print for the future of farming, the cows at the New Gokul project have been described as living in the “Hilton of farms”.
The care received by the 44 cows and bulls, mostly dairy Short Horns and Meuse-Rhine-Yssel is unparalleled . For example, relaxing music is played to the cows as they are hand-milked, and they are allowed to live their full natural life-span.
“This premium milk will offer consumers the chance to avoid buying from an industry which is based around slaughter and suffering, and instead buy from a fresh, new and compassionate alternative,” said Sita Rama das.
The milk has been commercially branded Ahimsa Milk, meaning milk produced without harm to any living being.
On Saturday 6th November, from 10am, the opening of a fully sustainable farm project will be performed by thirty priests who will be chanting Vedic mantras . New Gokul, a farm on which no animal will be killed or harmed, stands as an iconic venture which protects both the animals and the environment.
The innovative concept of the farm which is part of Bhaktivedanta Manor, is regarded as a blue print for future sustainable farming. At its core is the ethos that treats animals and the environment with the highest respect. Having taken over five years to complete, it stands as a feat of accomplishment for the community. The project demonstrates the community’s respect of the earth and those with whom we share it.
New Gokul’s main features are its oak build, ox power in the fields and treadmill, ox cart rides, hand milking and humane treatment of cows and the full viewing facility so that all visitors can see the working of the farm. Already the farm has a wide range of visitors, of which ten of thousands of school children and public visit the farm annually.
During the opening ceremonies there will be ancient costumes, traditional dances, ox power demonstrations and cart rides, and devotional singing to the accompaniment of Indian drums and cymbals. Guests of honour include His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, Dominic Grieve QC MP the Attorney General, MPs, Mayors and representatives from the faith, environment and farming communities.
For more information, contact
For all enquiries before day of event:
Radha Mohan das (Secretary of Communications)
01923 851003 (w)
Radha.mohan@krishnatemple.com
Additional Notes
The blue-print for future milk branding: ‘Ahimsa Milk’
Most farms in the UK will slaughter their cows for human or domestic animal consumption after about five years of their milking life. However, the Ahimsa campaign is looking to collaborate with farms to take care of their cows until they die naturally. A pilot scheme has been launched where people can purchase Ahimsa milk.
You can learn more about Ahimsa milk on the website: http://www.ahimsamilk.org/
Hare Krishna.In Srimad Bhagavatam 3.29.15 Srila Prabhupada is instructing about the natural law of violence.We have to commit violence ,its a natural law The significant word Srila Prabhupada has used is “natihimsrena” meaning minimun violence rather than non-violence.Eating vegetables is violence and vegetarians are committing violence.Devotees,who are vegetarians are also killing.But for the human being that violence can be minimized as much as possible.
We should not commit violence extravagantly but only as much as ordered by the Lord.In the same way as Arjuna ,who was engaged in killing, if we commit violence as it is necessary ,by the order of the Lord,that is called natihimsa,minimum violence.We can not avoid violence,for we are put into conditional life in which we have to commit violence,but we should not commit more violence than necessary or than ordered by Krsna.
The context of this important instruction from Srila Prabhupada is in relationship to food,which is produced from Land by means of Agriculture and Horticulture.naturally this is violent.It is impossible to produce Food products without violence but we can minimize the amount of violence used.
When we market products from Iskcon originated farms on an Agricultural basis we have to brand them in the context of how they are produced according to Srila Prabhupadas definitions and instructions.Rather than romantic speculative notions of Non-Violent Agricultural products we would be wiser and more accurate and in line with Srila Prabhupadas conclusions to brand Iskcon products accordingly.
S.Bhag 3.29.15 directly deals with the production of Agricultural products and Cow protection being a component of Agriculture,producing Milk and Grains and other Food means we are commiting violence of some sort,we cant get away from this natural conditional Law.Perhaps with hindsight a brand name of personal qualities would have been a better choice rather than a functional inaccurate one after all Arjunas Bow ,Krsna’s Conchshell and His flute all have personal names so why not protected Cows milk as a brand having a personal name . your servant Dusyanta dasa.
Hare Krsna.
My first concern about the presentation was the contents of the article.Having seen the Video on You Tube and observing the practices and materials that have been used to assemble the project i see no reason why it can be described as “….a blue print for the future of Farming..” and ” …a fully sustainable farm.”
My reasons for objection are based on my farming experience and my understanding of sustainability and what the term”blue print” implies by definition.
1. The Goshalla flooring appeared to be constructed with Concrete,made from the most ecologically damaging material in the construction business,cement.Definately not sustainable and certainly not a blue print for the future,hopefully.
2The use of metal feeders and fencing and ancillary equipment made in industrial factories by heavy machinery at the expense of mother earth.
3The storage of Hay and Straw big bales made by tractors using deisel fuel,not sustainable and not ecological.
4The incorporation of factory manufactured European Profile styled roofing for the Goshalla,instead of locally sourced tiling.
5Plastic containers used for transporting food for the Cows,inappropriate “Hilton” 5stars containers .
6The overusing of electricity and dependance on this utility for a “sustainable””blue print for the future of farming”.
The author of the article presumably suffers from some kind of myopia or cataracts and the use of this inappropriate terminology and language exemplifies the inaccurate report and misunderstandings of the contents therein.
Secondly we cant possibly think to entertain such a project as a blue print for future farming in iskcon,this would be incredibly ill-advised.Why on earth would a “sustainable” farm make such a huge capital investment in buildings before the project was viable and there was a community that was integrated and dependant on Cow protection.Its like bolting the door after the horse has already gone.
The future of Farming cant be based on this example of farming at Bhaktivedanta Manor because it does not serve the defintion,nature and recognition of what farming is and how to process,package and market the products from the Agriculture and Horticulture.How it could possibly be described as a “blueprint” is beyond understanding.
Better to just be honest and describe what you actually have at Bhaktivedanta Manor rather than imagine what you would like to have .Honestly ,your servant Dusyanta dasa.