News Reports
Report on July 15, 2017
Our summer brings hot, dry weather. This week a lightning storm launched hundreds of fires in our dry province. The biggest fire started near our neighbouring town of Ashcroft, where the fire remains very active and continues to grow and burn out of control. Fortunately for us, the southern winds are blowing the fire away from our village. However, our valley is often filled with smoke which is being carried thousands of miles away due to the magnitude of the fires.
The best prevention for forest fires is to remove dry tree materials. Our Brahmacharis have been clearing and sorting through the forest debris every day, now with more reason. We are also running sprinklers to keep the area wet, in case a fire sweeps through. Another preventative measure is to create a buffer zone around our living spaces, removing trees for about 10 meters.
Summer is not only a time for fire, but…
Report on July 8, 2017
Srila Prabhupada explains that cow protection and brahminical culture are “the two pillars of spiritual advancement". The Govardhana Goshala in Saranagati Village is our source for cow service until the Vedic Eco Village goshala is manifest. Daivata prabhu has been training the young ox, Dharma mani and Ramanada Raya. Daivata prabhu has trained ox for many years, learning this skill at New Vrindavan. A yoke is put on the ox and between them is a weighted bag. The ox were very cooperative inside the smaller area, but when they got into the larger field, they tried to run away. More training is necessary! Daivata prabhu says that 1.5 years is the best time to start training, and the ox are only 1 year old, so we must be patient.
On the Purnima (full moon) we had a Go Puja, with nice offerings of local vegetables and kirtana to our ox.
"If the human society does not give…
Report on July 1, 2017
Varnasrama College activities are in full swing. This week was dedicated to clearing the Eco Village land, in preparation for building. Forest debris around the tool shed and greenhouse were moved into piles - 1 building materials, 1 chipping materials and 1 for building berms (wind blocks).
Both the new toolshed and new greenhouse structures will be adjacent to the existing Bhaktivedanta Library building and once the areas have been cleaned of debris, we will concentrate on beginning landscaping work in the east entrance of the Gurukula Colony where we have two plots of land on each side of the Raj Marg dedicated for gardens. We plan to start the construction for the toolshed and greenhouse very soon.
Devotees hold daily Srimad-Bhagavatam class in the morning at the cabin. Seen in the picture are Daiva prabhu giving class, and Bala Krishna prabhu’s guests visiting from the USA,…
Report on June 24, 2017
This week we setup a new home for our new Eco Village participants from Indonesia. Bala Krishna prabhu laboriously moved the trailer using his tractor, a process that took half the day.
Our two devotees from Indonesia, Kisora Krsna prabhu and Danavir prabhu, arrived in Vancouver on Thursday June 22nd and after spending that day at the ISKCON Burnaby temple took a bus to Cache Creek where Ramanath prabhu picked them up. They were shown to their new residence, a trailer conveniently placed near the log cabin. The very next day they were helping with some of the renovations taking place in the log cabin. The renovations included taking out the old bathtub (must have weighed 200 pounds or more) and shifting the wooden stove from its the south-west of the cabin to the south-east of the cabin. By the end of the day the yajna was completed and the devotees could finally rearrange the interior…
Measuring the Land
This past week has been a week of "measurements". We started by selecting the site for the greenhouse soon to be coming up. The greenhouse will be located to the east of the existing library building and will measure 20 by 40 feet using metal posts as the arches. It will be a similar model to the one constructed in Ramanath's garden. We will start planting when the soil is transferred and laid out. The greenhouse will provide food for the Eco Village from March until November. In addition to the greenhouse, we also measured out the future toolshed that will be located to the immediate west of the same library building.
The third project to be taken up in the days to come is in connection with the unfinished loft at the log cabin. Both Bala and Ramanath are seen measuring the length needed to add a 1/4-inch log to give support to the loft. We plan to relocate the wooden stove to the…