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a protected herd of family cows
 
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Equal Vision Cow Sanctuary
Equal Vision Cow Sanctuary provides information about the cows pivotal role in the sustainable agriculture systems of traditional cultures, wherein the cow provided a steady stream of resources in the form of milk, draught power to produce grain, and dung to fertilizer the fields and provide methane fuel, thereby ensuring employment and adequate access to resources for all members of society. In return the cow and bull-ox are given humane treatment and lifelong protection.

Equal Vision promotes contemporary applications of these ancient principles of wisdom and compassion in order to further of the goals of simple living, responsible stewardship of the earth, non-violence and social & economic justice.

Research Garden


Equal Vision runs a small research garden where we run trials each year to test certain varieties of heirloom vegetables and staple crops. This year we grew barley and 6 varieties of open polinated beans. We also participated in a potatoe trial for FEDCO Seed Cooperative.

This years garden was a big success.
View the Photo Album


We've Moved to a New Farm


Although the cows were very happy at the dairy farm where they had been boarded for the past two years, this spring the farmer let us know that he was ready to retire and sell his land. We had to scramble to find another place to keep the cows.

Fortunately we met a family that recently bought an Amish farm for the purpose of creating a Sustainable Living Center. They were delighted to have our cows come graze their pastures; and have our oxen help out with the farm chores.

The first week we were there it was time to bring in hay to use as winter bedding for all the animals. It was  a rather interesting experience, especially since we do not have any large farm equipment. But we managed to have fun anyway.  Just before dark, some Amish neighbors (with their horses) came to help complete the hayday!

View the Photo Album

 
Update on Goldie


Goldie's leg has finally healed and the vet says he can begin going for short walks. After a week of monitored exercise he will be given a chance to run loose in the pastures and to visit with the other animals.  


Kaitlin and I arrived at Farm Sanctuary just in time to accompany him on a walk around the grounds. Goldie was curious about the many kinds of other animals, but his favorite attraction was the black rasberry bushes...yum yum.

View the photo album

Stay tuned for the video of Goldies first free run.
A Visit from "Voice of America"

Deepak Dobhal of Voice of America
Outside the Voiths Home in July 2006


When Voice of America TV Station heard about our civil rights court case they decided to do a story about cow protection as part of a cultural renaissance in the United States. Deepak Dobhal followed us around for two whole days filming our activities with the cows, and showing on film how protecting cows is part of an ecologically sound, sustainable agricultural system. The story was aired internationally on August 18th. We will upload the video story here at EqualVision.org as soon as we get our copy.
Goldie

 This is little Goldie when he first came to us at Equal Vision. We adopted him because we needed a companion for our goat Roy, who was convelecing from a bout of seizures in Feb. 2006. Goldie helped Roy recover his strength and will to live. Goldie's antics kept us happy (and busy) all spring.

Unfortunately, Goldie had a bad accident and broke his leg while jumping over a wooden fence partition in the barn. His leg got stuck in a small knot hole while he jumped over. Goldie needed an operation to fix his leg and our medical funds had been seriously depleted from the few months before when Roy needed medical help.

Thankfully Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen agreed to take over Goldie's care and help with the medical expenses. We are very grateful to them for saving Goldie's leg ...and his life. He is adjusting to his new life at Farm Sanctuary.  We will post a n update on Goldie soon.


Goldie & Gloria at the Cornell Animal Hospital
just after his operation

A Postcard from Japan
 

May 20, 2006 Okayama, Japan
Dear Linda, Stephen and Kids,
I just wanted to let you knot that I am praying for your success in your fight to keep your cows in your yard. I am not Hindu, but I think you are doing the right thing by keeping cows. If the authorities tell yu you can’t have cows in your yard, ask them why people are allowed to have washing machined on their porches! All the cows in Japan moo for you!!

Amy Chavez  http://dailymoooo.blogspot.com

Chintamani goes to the Big Apple

Chintamani in Tompkins Square Park Sept. 2003

 Chintamani's Labor Day weekend visit to the festivities in NY City,  was a big hit with the crowds. Most people had never seen a cow up close. They shouted, "Hey look! There's a cow over there,"  and then came running to get a closer look. Chintamani mildly greeted all the onlookers with her gentle glance and allowed children and adults alike to pet her. It was an exciting day for all.

  View the Photo Album

A Few Only Can Live Lavishly by Exploitation

 An Ancient Prescription for Peace and Prosperity

Human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts and not by gigantic industrial enterprises. The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of a godless civilization, and they cause the destruction of the noble aims of human life. The more we go on increasing such troublesome industries to squeeze out the vital energy of the human being, the more there will be unrest and dissatisfaction of the people in general, although a few only can live lavishly by exploitation. The natural gifts such as grains and vegetables, fruits, rivers, the hills of jewels and minerals, and the seas full of pearls are supplied by the order of the Supreme, and as He desires, material nature produces them in abundance or restricts them at times. The natural law is that the human being may take advantage of these godly gifts by nature and satisfactorily flourish on them without being captivated by the exploitative motive of lording it over material nature. The more we attempt to exploit material nature according to our whims of enjoyment, the more we shall become entrapped by the reaction of such exploitative attempts. If we have sufficient grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs, then what is the necessity of running a slaughterhouse and killing poor animals? A man need not kill an animal if he has sufficient grains and vegetables to eat. The flow of river waters fertilizes the fields, and there is more than what we need. Minerals are produced in the hills, and the jewels in the ocean. If the human civilization has sufficient grains, minerals, jewels, water, milk, etc., then why should it hanker after terrible industrial enterprises at the cost of the labor of some unfortunate men? But all these natural gifts are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the laws of the Lord and achieve the perfection of human life by devotional service. The indications by Kuntidevi are just to the point. She desires that God's mercy be bestowed upon them so that natural prosperity be maintained by His grace.

Srimad Bagavatam 1.8. 40
Inspiration from Belo Horizonte, Brasil by Brian Halweil
Local food helps fight hunger
 
In their book Hope’s Edge, Frances Moore Lappé and Anna Lappé chronicle the “new social mentality” that took root in Belo Horizonte, Brazil’s fourth largest city, where one-fifth of the city’s youngest children used to be malnourished. The city decided to improve the way that the local food market worked. It started providing four nutritious meals each day to all students at the city’s schools. It set up more than 40 local farmers with produce stands around town. And it opened (and runs) the Restaurante Popular (the people’s restaurant), which serves over 6,000 meals a day at less than half the market price. Belo Horizonte’s “Green Basket” program links hospitals, restaurants, and other big food buyers to local, organic growers.


The foundation of this effort is a network of 26 warehouse-sized stores around Belo that sell local produce at fixed prices—often half of what nearby grocers charge. These stores are located on prime urban real estate that the city rents to entrepreneurs at rock-bottom prices. In exchange, the city reserves the right to set the price of produce and obligates the vendors to make weekend deliveries to poor neighbourhoods outside of the city centre that don’t have ready access to good produce.

The government is able to keep down the costs of these programs—they consume less than 1 percent of the city’s budget—by helping to improve the functioning of the free market, rather than running it. The school meal program, for instance, has doubled the amount of calories kids got by cutting out processed foods, buying more local ingredients with lower transport costs, and by expanding the number of suppliers to let competition bring the prices down. The government of Belo Horizonte sees these efforts as cost effective because it knows good nutrition means its kids do better in school and its citizens don’t get sick as often.

This article reprinted from Ode Magazine issue: 23

"Agriculture is the Noblest Profession"


A picturesque scene of green paddy fields enlivens the heart of the poor agriculturalist, but it brings gloom to the face of the capitalist who lives by exploiting the poor farmers.


With good rains, the farmer’s business in agriculture flourishes. Agriculture is the noblest profession. It makes society happy, wealthy, healthy, honest, and spiritually advanced for a better life after death. The vaisya community, or the mercantile class of men, take to this profession. In the Bhagavad-gita the vaisyas are described as the natural agriculturalists, the protectors of cows, and the general traders.

When Lord Sri Krsna incarnated Himself at Vrndavana, He took pleasure in becoming a beloved son of such a vaisya family. Nanda Maharaja was a big protector of cows, and Lord Sri Krsna, as the most beloved son of Nanda Maharaja, used to tend His father’s animals in the neighboring forest. By His personal example Lord Krishna wanted to teach us the value of protecting cows. Nanda Maharaja is said to have possessed 900,000 cows, and at the time of Lord Sri Krsna (about 5,000 years ago) the tract of land known as Vrndavana was flooded with milk and butter. Therefore God’s gifted professions for mankind are agriculture and cow protection.

Trade is meant only for transporting surplus produce to places where the produce is scanty. But when traders become too greedy and materialistic they take it to large-scale commerce and industry and allure the poor agriculturalist to unsanitary industrial towns with a false hope of earning more money. The industrialist and the capitalist do not want the farmer to remain at home, satisfied with his agricultural produce. When the farmers are satisfied by a luxuriant growth of food grains, the capitalist becomes gloomy at heart. But the real fact is that humanity must depend on agriculture and subsist on agricultural produce. No one can produce rice and wheat in big iron factories. The industrialist goes to the villagers to purchase the food grains he is unable to produce in his factory. The poor agriculturalist takes advances from the capitalist and sells his produce at a lower price. Hence when food grains are produced abundantly the farmers become financially stronger, and thus the capitalist becomes morose at being unable to exploit them.

Artwork courtesy of
The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International www.krishna.com

Letter from the Archbishops of the Essene Nazorean Church of Mount Carmel
  The Essene Church of Mount Carmel

The Archbishops Comment on  a  Civil Rights Lawsuit over the Protection of Cows           

March 5, 2005

Peaceful Greetings,

It is our hope this letter will touch you with peace, love, truth and compassion as these are some of the principles which encompass the boundaries of law.

Law and order is a very good thing.  Primarily, it allows us to live with each other and provides a method of settling disputes.  The sword of justice is to be wielded with compassionate judgment.  Although the parties involved here may have different ways of viewing this problem, their settlement must not negate the use of such principles as those stated above. 

If people really do want peace then they must be willing to sacrifice their point of view in favor of living together.  In this case no one is right or wrong but what we pray remains is tolerance and respect for the viewpoint of another.  We can’t really change this world unless we decide to change ourselves.  Of all things that must happen change is at the forefront.  It is what we do with ourselves when change comes that leaves us with a decision to accept or deny what we cannot control.

We believe in a concept called ‘Ahimsa’.  The universal principle of Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word which specifies a responsibility toward nonviolence and a commitment to fostering goodwill, respect and reverence, for all people, regardless of creed, color, culture, income bracket or nationality.  This stems from an understanding and compassion towards all living things.  This is something we feel was endowed to all people by our Creator as some tend to reflect upon life which is given so freely.  As mentioned before, this is a concept of great respect and reverence, for the compassion we show to the least amongst us depicts the quality of love and caring we would have for one another.

It is hatred and bigotry which block our understanding and act like a boulder on the road of change.  Far too long has mankind not been willing to treat one another as they themselves would want to be treated.  This practice is the foundation of our living together.  For if we can not live together what will become of us? 

We choose not to eat the flesh of slain beasts because compassion towards all living things tells us so.  We do not feel our lives are any less because we follow this path.  Instead we feel life has been enhanced and find a closer relationship with all creatures of creation.  We do know this is our choice and it is different than most people’s lifestyle.  Thankfully, we are allowed to do it with little objection.  People don’t really care what we eat.

On our North American continent, most people feel that animals require control.  It is important to remember there was little human control of animals for thousands of years.  Animals are now exploited, giving their very lives to supply an economically dependant population with many products.  In order to do this it is necessary to pen and contain the animals since most are but bred for slaughter.  Within this mindset it must appear quite strange to encounter people who do not share this point of view but that is what makes America a great country.  It is a place where people can be respected and protected under law for what they believe as well as the right to express themselves.  Should this ideal not be respected, then it must be appealed for America is a hope for everyone in the world.  A place where no matter what religion or what color or whatever a person believes they can come to prosper and to live in peace.

Thank you for your time and understanding.

Peace Be With You,

Archbishop Marlo Oosterhuis
Archbishop Paula Gott

(Essene Nazorean Church of Mount Carmel)

  NoMoreInjustice.org tells the story of a family's struggle to win the right to protect cows as part of their  religious practice.

 

Nritya Visits Grama Brown
 


"Grandma Brown," Allegany County's Premier Wise Woman and Herbalist, visited with Nritya, our youngest animal ambassador.  At just 2 months old, Ntirya is all ready to show everyone just how cute cows can be.

Ma Brown used to run a dairy back when her husband was alive. She misses her cows dearly and often thinks of them as she passes the many cow filled fields of NY's Allegany County.

She will often call out to them as she passes by, "Oh look there is Cassiopeia and the Milk Machine, and there is
A-Dollar-O-six-ninety-eight."  Nritya's visit helped to brighten a cold spring day for Ma Brown.
The Secular Cow Economy

  Chapter 1

DEDICATED TO MATWAS & MALDHARIS
(MUSLIM COWHERDS & HINDU COWHERDS)

This thesis attempts to bring out the most important phase of the basic Indian economy thrown overboard in its stride by the frenzied industrial tempo. Let me state clearly that I am not against industry but most emphatically insist that all industrial development must be in consonance and in conformity with the herein discussed basic Indian economy. Industry should support and not distort this basic cow economy of the country. V.M. Vasu

The recent anti-cow-slaughter agitation has aroused a worldwide interest in spite of the fact that both the agitator and the other side have, either from ignorance or on purpose, nearly ignored the most important aspect of the cow-issue, namely, its economy woven in the Indian life through centuries and centuries. Even the Muslim rulers of India. from Babar downwards accepted that the basic fiber of the Indian Economy is woven around the cow to the extent that even reportedly anti-Hindu Aurangzeb did not ado the cow-slaughter ban confirmed from time to time by Babar, Akbar and other Emperors.

The cow is the foundation of one of the greatest economies in the world. It is forgotten that the Hindu Religion, the Hindu Culture and the Indian Life are woven around the cow, and in consequence protagonists of cow-slaughter ban are dubbed religious fanatics, communalists and reactionaries by the foreign and the Indian vested interests whose vigorous propaganda has created an atmosphere of skepticism in the country, clouding the real issue. And yet the stormy scenes witnessed in New Delhi on 7th November, 1966 and the fasts of the Jagatguru Sankaracarya have aroused considerable interest in the world. A truthful picture of the issue may help those interested but the aim here is to bring the truth to the notice of the leadership of the country who should with a free mind study and consider the full implications of the issue discussed. Also the notice of the youths of the day is sought to be attracted to this basic factor of the Indian life for it is these youths and their progeny who will have to face the disaster envisaged on account of the cow slaughter.

Here it should be noted that the agitation for cow slaughter ban was not an election stunt; in fact a complete cow slaughter ban has been advocated from earlier periods of the British Rule as far back as 1857. Late Sheth Shri Goculdas, the pioneer of the famous house of Morarji Goculdas appealed to the British Government to enforce a cow slaughter ban. His son Sheth Morarji Goculdas did plan to go to England and agitate for the cow slaughter ban but unfortunately his early death foiled the plan. Thereafter his son, Sheth Narottam Morarji undertook his father’s mission and did present a case to the British Government in London. And throughout in the subsequent years this demand has persisted through different persons and institutions all over the country. Shree Jivadaya Mandli of Bombay has always worked for the implementation of the cow slaughter ban and its Hon. Secretary Shri Jayantilal Mankar has devoted his life to this cause.

To appreciate in full all the aspects of the issue, we have to go deep into the past. Here one point in respect of Hinduism needs be borne in mind, namely, that Hinduism as a religion is perhaps the most practical and earth-bound, i.e. material religion so far as material life is concerned as it is highly idealistic in respect of spiritual aspects. For centuries downwards our country’s economy is cow based, carrying on farming and transport with bullocks. and obtaining nourishing food from cow. So old thinkers placed the cow on a high religious pedestal to provide adequate protection to the cow and thereby to the economy This Essay attempts to bring to the notice of the people the basic facts of the cow economy which has so far been disregarded.

The total area of our country is 32.6 crore hectares having East to West distance of 2977 km. and North to South span of 3219 km. A population of nearly 50 crores is spread over this vast area. Of this 82% Is in 666878 villages, nearly half of these villages having less than 500 persons. And of course It Is this rural area that does the farming and so supports the cow. In the centuries-old cow economy of this country, nearly all basic necessities of life were woven around the pivotal cow.

to be continued

1. Farming and manure
2. Food and nourishment

3. Transport

4. Fuel

5. Housing

6. Medicinal usage

To view the complete article click here:

http://www.iscowp.org/Secular%20Cow%20Economy.htm
Light of the Bhagavata verse 27
    

After good rains the grazing ground for the animals was full of green pasture, and both the bulls and the cows sat down on the grass fully satisfied. The cows, followed by their calves, appeared tired of grazing, because of full milk bags. Calmly and quietly the cows and calves rested and ruminated, chewing their cud.

 Protection and grazing ground for the cows are among the essential needs for society and the welfare of people in general. The animals fat required for the human body can be well derived from cow’s milk. Cow’s milk is very important for human energy, and the economic development of society depends on sufficient food grains, sufficient milk, and sufficient transportation and distribution of these products. Lord Sri Krsna, by his personal example, taught us the importance of cow protection, which is meant not only for the Indian climate but for all human beings all over the universe.

Less intelligent people underestimate the value of cow’s milk. Cow’s milk is also called gorasa, or the juice from the body of the cow. Milk is the most valuable form of gorasa, and from milk we can prepare many important and valuable foodstuffs for the upkeep of the human body. The killing of cows by the human society is one of the grossest suicidal policies, and those who are anxious to cultivate the human spirit must turn their first attention toward the question of cow protection.

If we really want to cultivate the human spirit in society we must have first-class intelligent men to guide the society, and to develop the finer tissues of our brains we must assimilate vitamin values from milk. Devotees worship Lord Sri Krsna by addressing Him as the well-wisher of the brahmanas and the cows. The most intelligent class of men, who have perfectly attained knowledge in spiritual values, are called the brahmanas. No society can improve in transcendental knowledge without the guidance of such first-class men, and no brain can assimilate the subtle form of knowledge without fine brain tissues. For such important brain tissues we require a sufficient quantity  of milk and milk preparations. Ultimately, we need to protect the cow to derive the highest benefit from this important animal. The protection of cows, therefore, is not merely a religious sentiment but a means to secure the highest benefit for human society.