Here's a Krsna conscious project you might like to support or get involved in. We'll tell you what the goals are, who's involved, what's going on, what's blocking the way, and how you can give a hand.
Project
The International Society for Cow Protection (ISCOWP), incorporated as a non-profit charitable orgainzation.
Headquarters
Efland, North Carolina.
Project Leader
Balabhadra Dasa, 45, initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1969.
Goals
1. To educate human society in the practicality of cow protection by training bull calves as working teams of oxen, thus providing a natural and permanent alternative to petroleum-dependent tractors and farm machinery.
2. To use such ox-training programs and educational seminars to provide hands-on experience in living classroom settings.
3. To demonstrate the usefulness of the natrual by-broducts of the cow by encouraging the production of methane bio-gas from cow manure as a valuable alternative energy source.
4. To present the benefits of a lacto-vegetarian diet through educational literature, nutritional cooking classes, organic gardening instruction, and the production of cruelty-free dairy products from lifetime-protected cows.
5. To show a simple agrarian way of life, with a sound ecological relationship between man, cow, and earth.
6. To set up small farm sanctuaries, following the Vedic example of cow protection.
Details
Every summer for the last four years Balabhadra has traveled to major U.S. cities with oxen. Thousands of people, most of whom eat meat, have been able to see and pet the oxen and have received educational literature about vegetarianism, ox power, and cow protection. Balabhadra's travels with the oxen have attracted three hundred people from all walks of life to sign on as members of ISCOWP.
Immediate Plans
On April 19, 1991, ISCOWP, with funds provided by its members, saved two bull calves (Vraja and Gita) from the slaughterhouse. Devotees will train them as working oxen on the first ISCOWP farm, recently established in Efland, North Carolina. The farm will provide an example of a small, self-sufficient family farm based on cow protection and powered by oxen. Each spring, devotees on the farm will teach seminars on ox training, ox-powered field work, organic gardening, and vegetarian cooking.
How You Can Help
Membership is $15. Members receive the quarterly ISCOWP News as well as other literature and benefits.
Your tax-deductible donations support ISCOWP activities (federal tax I.D. number: 23-260-4082).
ISCOWP has land and wants people to help establish Krsna conscious farm communities based on cow protection.
For donations and information, please contact:
ISCOWP
4607 Timberwood Trail
Efland, North Carolina 27243
Phone: (919) 563-3643