News Reports
Passive Construction for a Sustainable Future
Our key projects this year focus on facilities and fenced grazing land for a new goshala. Help manifest our buildings in harmony with nature, accepting and preparing for future fires and other weather extremes.
Post Wildfire Priorities
Rebuild fire-proof library in it's intended colony location
Collect Vedic Books
Print evacuation plan and maps with survival guide
Trailer full of supplies and food that can be pulled by ox
Fire safe structures and nourish forest with water lenses
Self Regulating Shelters and Cow Goshala
earth insulated, passive solar heating
underground + earth roof = fire proof
solar and hydro powered
walls coated with plaster and dung
hemp straw and clay walls/insulation
sparkless chulha replacing wood stoves and propane cooking
Campground for Volunteers
management and security office
common kitchen
common solar shower
tents available
animal enclosures and…
Wildfire Reflections, Lessons and Plans
A wildfire which measured over 200 square kilometres burned more than 20 structures in the Venables Valley, including at least six homes. Vedic Eco Village homes were untouched, but the library and books were destroyed. The Saranagati temple, goshala, and school are ok.
The fire remains out of control, but has subsided in our valley. Hot and dry conditions coupled with gusty winds have fuelled erratic and aggressive behaviour on the fire. 200 firefighters have been fighting this blaze.
Everyone including cows were evacuated. The fire then threatened the ranch where the cows were evacuated to, so cows were relocated to a very nice pasture in the mountains near Kamloops. The next morning, the cows escaped their pasture and started running down the road, hoping to arrive back at their goshala in Saranagati (150km away). We followed them and were able to corral the cows into a horse…
Innovations in Vedic Living
Our building techniques improve and evolve with every ecovillage project. Our traditional vedic mud-stoves (chulha) used for cooking and heating are available in 3 locations. Outdoor kitchen & solar shower facilities are under construction. Crowded trees from our forest are milled for ecovillage building materials.
Our weekly Dharma Discovery gives children deeper insights into the fundamental values upheld in the Vedic culture, namely the importance of cows, farming and natural building/crafts. We are starting plants in our greenhouse while harvesting lettuce & spinach greens.
Sunday GoFest @ Ahmisa Goshala creates a sattvic atmosphere to develop relationships with people who care about cows. Saranagati Village continues to attract pilgrims to their temple, goshala and pristine mountain landscape. Community & temple leaders are overwhelmed by the crowds, as they do…
13 Moons of Manifestation
We are seeking people to join our efforts to build a Vedic Eco Village and manifest a self-reliant spiritual community with food sovereignty. Farming, stewarding the forest, milling lumber, building infrastructure, farm planning and fire wood-based activities are ongoing daily. Dharma Discovery class features with building, cobbing, gardening and cooking harvested roots like carrots and potatoes. Chulha stoves are fueled by cow dung & wood chopped by kids.
Contribute to Growth
Eco Village Projects
Work Roles
Master plan & Maps
Jan 11
Rejuvenate and clean-up last year's manifestations
Feb 9
Govinda fence building
PlayStation enhancements
March
signs + work on living roof, ladder & doors
windows + take-out counter @ PlayStation
April
chulha upgrades @ PlayStation and Library
May
spring planting + cob oven on barrel top @ PlayStation
shelves for cooking and wood storage…
Dharma Discovery: Cow, Building & Farm Class
An opportunity to experience vedic living. Hands-on learning about cow care, ox cart & plowing, farms, forest, natural building, cob, arts, crafts & markets. Our first apprenticeship focuses on Vaishya': cow and ox care, farming and trade in markets. Vaishya knowledge is learned hands-on and not in class.
We have made great progress cooking on a hybrid chulha-mass heater. We have been cooking locally grown veggies, demonstrating that self-sufficiency in cold climates can be obtained with innovation and hard work.
The Vedas say that harvest, produce, and money should be used for self-realization. "So this Krsna consciousness movement is for spiritual enlightenment, not for how to get money, how to earn money. This is not Krsna consciousness" - Srila Prabhupada
Activities & Experiences
greenhouse maintenance & plant care
brushing & feeding cows
building with…