Volume 11 Issue 2 The International Society for Cow Protection 2001

raconian mass murder methods used to rid cows of the Foot and Cures for Cow Diseases Mouth disease were described in the last issue. This issue presents some homeopathic cures for this and other cow diseases. An aryuvedic cure has also been found to have astounding results curing Foot and Mouth disease in the Meerut area of India. Cow Protection means the engage- ment of the species in service as well as lifetime provision for their needs and comfort. The cow gives and the tills the field to produce food. The bull can also be an energy substitute for the tractor for numerable activities on a small scale. Hauling is one such activity as exhibited by the front- page photo of ox power on Mrs. Malik’s farm in Raigad, India. Even in this modern age there are many situations where the bull/ox can exceed the tractor in practical util- ity. Agroforestry is one such agricul- tural program where the bull becomes an asset. The value of the bull then becomes fully realized. Inside This Issue Letters: Oxen Plowing, page 2- Western Cows are Pigs? 5, 10 Etc. ISCOWP Update page 6

Ox Power and Page 7, Agroforestry 15 Homeopathic Cures for page 8, Cow Diseases 14 Ox Power Vs Tractors page 9, 11,13 Jaipur Cow Protection page 12

Ox Power Provides Practical and Spiritual Benefits Page 2 THE ISCOWP NEWS

International Society for Cow ISCOWP News informs its readers of cow protection activities worldwide. 7 Protection, INC. (ISCOWP) years in existence, the ISKCON COM cow conference offers a forum for ISCOWP Profile human-land relationship and utilizing the practical and philosophical discussions to ISCOWP was incorporated in the state principle of cruelty free, lifetime over 80 members from 18 countries. of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., March 1990, as a protection toward all God's creatures, http://iscowp.com offers a wide scope of non-profit educational organization. especially the cows and . information about cow protection. William and Irene Dove (Balabhadra das ISCOWP Outreach and Chayadevi dasi) are its managing 6) To establish and maintain a traveling, 5 years of travel with oxen directors. They are disciples of His Divine educational program representing the throughout the United States’ major Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami relevance of the cows and bulls in society cities and towns has resulted in Prabhupada, the Founder Acharya of the today. presenting thousands of people with the International Society for Krsna message of cow protection and ox- Consciousness (ISKCON). Through their 7) With a view towards achieving the power. spiritual master's teachings, they have aforementioned purposes, to publish and Developing Vrajapura Farm imbibed the practices and benefits, both distribute periodicals, books and other ISCOWP's headquarters, consisting spiritual and material, of lifetime cow writings. of 165 acres, provides a setting for protection. seminars, hands-on instruction, ISCOWP's primary concern is to 8) To receive, administer and distribute ISCOWP's office, and an example of ox- present alternatives to agricultural practices funds and all other things necessary and power and life centered on the land and that support and depend upon the meat proper in furtherance of the above stated cows. At Vrajapura Farm, twenty-seven industry and industrialized, petroleum purposes. cows and oxen are provided lifetime powered machinery. To this end, ISCOWP protection. Recently purchased, it is trains oxen (male cows or steers) to replace ISCOWP Activities presently in the beginning stages of farm machinery and thereby show an Ox-power, An Alternative Energy development alternative to their slaughter. The tenets of At ISCOWP's headquarters, cow protection and ox-power are universal Vrajapura Farm, fields for all crops are ISCOWP Contact and nonsectarian, available to all regardless prepared by ox-power. In the winter, USA Federal Tax Number of race, creed, or nationality. logging by oxen provides wood for All donations to ISCOWP within the heating. Due to the oxen's ability to haul USA are tax deductible. The tax number ISCOWP Goals loads, petroleum powered machinery is is 23-2604082.

1) To systematically educate all people in being replaced for farm chores and plans ISCOWP Mailing Address the practice of cow protection in order to are developing for ox powered machinery ISCOWP check the imbalance of values in life and to to provide electrical power. RD 1 NBU #28 achieve real unity and peace in the world. Ox-power Seminars Moundsville, WV, USA, 26041 Seminars are given in living

2) To bring the members of the Society classroom settings involving hands-on ISCOWP Phone together with each other, thus developing instruction at locations such as Russia, Phone:1-304-843-1658 the idea within the members, and humanity North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West

at large, the great necessity and benefit of Virginia, U.S.A. If you wish to partake in ISCOWP E-Mail recognizing the cow as the mother who such a seminar or wish to have one in [email protected] gives milk to the human society and the your area, contact ISCOWP for seminar [email protected] bull as the father whose labor in the field schedules. http://www.iscowp.com produces food for humanity in the form of Training and Oxen

grains and vegetables. Teamsters and oxen are trained ISCOWP 3x yr Newsletter worldwide. Prospective students are Within the USA: Send $21 check to snail 3) To teach and encourage peaceful dietary encouraged to contact ISCOWP for either mail address practices based on lacto-vegetarianism. individual instruction or seminar Outside USA: Send $25 bank draft or schedules. At Vrajapura Farm there are 6 money order to snail mail address 4) To establish branches of the trained ox teams available for the training

International Society for Cow Protection of students. ISCOWP T-shirts, videos, information Inc. and encourage any organization that Educational Videos, Newsletters, and Please inquire at above addresses. complies with this charter. E-Mail Network

"Training Oxen by Voice Commands" 5) To bring the members closer together for and "ISCOWP Travels to Belarus" are ISCOWP News Details in non- the purpose of teaching and establishing a videos filmed and produced by editorial articles do not necessarily simple agrarian lifestyle based on a cow- ISCOWP. 10 years in publication, the represent the viewpoint of the editors. THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 3

including rest periods and turning. pounds sterling per ton to give an in- Letters Usually they calculate one acre per centive to grow it with oxen. At the Oxen Plowing day. moment organic wheat grain sells for From: [email protected] The calculation is as follows: furrow about 200 pounds per ton. To: "Cow (Protection and related is- cut .23m width, speed 2500 meters ys syam sues)" [email protected] per hour, acre 4000 meters square. Subject: Oxen plowing 4000 divided by (2500 x .23) = 4000 From: Pan- Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 5:00 divided by 575 = 7 hours [email protected] AM ys syam To: [email protected] Here in Mayapur , India area, a team Subject: Oxen plowing of bullocks can plow only a little more From: [email protected] Date: Sunday, June 24, 2001 3:10 PM than .36 acre per day at a cost of Rs. To: [email protected] 450 per acre compared to a tractor Subject: Oxen plowing No, the tractors are not subsidized, but the diesel fuel is cheaper than which can do about 13 acres a day at a Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 petrol. It is not really subsidized, but cost of Rs. 180 per acre. 12:30 PM it is not so heavily taxed. The speed of the tractor is one of the Regarding the costs of tractor plow- major disincentives for using oxen on ing in Mayapur, India land. Does These are prices from local tractor the ISKCON land. They say they just that figure take into account pur- owners who rent their services, so I do not have the manpower and time chase price, maintenance, loss of assume they have factored in all the to use bullocks and get the large value etc. Is the cost of tractors sub- purchase price, etc. amount of land plowed in time. sidized in some way? > Is it possible for the Mayapur man- Can anyone here give me some simi- If the figures are a true comparison agement to buy into ox power by lar numbers for western oxen? then what is the plan to give the paying more for their food if pro- Pancaratna das oxen back their value. duced from oxen.>

Everything is possible in this world, From: [email protected] Is it possible for the Mayapur man- agement to buy into ox power by but there is no indication they are ea- To: [email protected] paying more for their food if pro- ger to do this. But there is also the Subject: Re: Oxen plowing duced from oxen? problem of getting all the ISKCON Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 6:59 land plowed quickly. At sowing time, AM I remember in Mayapur this year the the local teamsters are all working, so goshalla manager informed me that unless ISKCON develops its own What breed are you using to plow they were breeding 60 cows per year large crew of teamsters and also with? There maybe a breed that is and as you know this means over 20 keeps sufficient oxen, it is difficult to more suited to that type of work, that years there will probably be about plow the ISKCON land by oxen. can work at a faster pace or that may 600 male oxen of which about 400 be more economical to maintain. will be workable. > How much difference in the price ys, Rohita dasa of rice would there be if the food is How does Mayapur plan to utilize produced by tractors or produced by From: "Syamasundara (das) all these oxen if the land is being working oxen. Has such an analysis (Bhaktivedanta Manor - UK)" Syama- farmed by tractors?. been done?> [email protected] How much difference in the price of No, but I don’t think the price differ- To: "Cow (Protection and related is- rice would there be if the food is ential would be that much. My own sues)" [email protected] produced by tractors or produced crops of rice are costed like this: Subject: Oxen plowing by working oxen. Has such an Labor for cleaning the land 500 Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 8:19 analysis been done? Plowing (by oxen) 330 AM Water tax (govt.) 150 In the UK I have done some simple Labor for transplant, weeding, comparisons and I figure that con- In England and probably the rest of etc. 1250 Europe and America a team of oxen ventional wheat grain which ordi- Total 2330 can 1 acre in seven hours not narily sells at 85 pounds sterling per ton would have to be valued at 300 Page 4 THE ISCOWP NEWS

Yield about 420 kg paddy or about 250 tively loose, it might not need plow- (three blades). kg rice = cost per kg of about Rs. 9.25 ing and it might be sufficient to disc per kg. or harrow for weed control or to es- Just prior to planting we harrow and tablish planting furrows. cultipak (after seeding). Large acre- My rice is an indigenous variety which ages are done when establishing per- is not usually grown as it is not as high Deep plowing is hard work for the ennial pastures (50 - 100 acres), oth- yielding, although it requires low in- oxen. A multi-bottom plow might re- erwise small acreages are done puts (I use no fertilizer or pesticides). quire several teams of oxen to pull, throughout the year according to but it would plow a wider swath. A So, plowing by tractor would save me crop. All this is very much suited to disc or harrow which do not cut only about 10-15%. single teams or a solo animal. deeply, are easily pulled by a single Unfortunately, we have many ani- This winter I will be growing wheat team and also cover a wide swath. and I'll see how that goes too. mals that could be trained and about eight persons with more than a years Pancaratna das So there are lots of factors to take into account. You need to know about worth of experience each, a handful

your crop and the soil. Too often I see of people have worked animals for From: "Taraka (das) ACBSP (Gita Na- farmers who routinely plow deeply more than three years, but there are gari, PA - USA)" Ta- because they don't know any better. no teams working at present. We do [email protected] Often it is unnecessary and some- have a Gyr/InduBrazil ox who is To: [email protected] times counter-productive. If you used to pull a manure occasion- Subject: Oxen plowing plow in such a way that organic mat- ally. Everyone needs to support their Date: Friday, June 22, 2001 2:59 PM ter is turned deeply into the soil but families and have no time for oxen. our crop is shallow rooted, the plants We do have a vegetable garden (3 A few weeks back Bhakta Derek and I will never be able to take advantage 1/2 acres) but it is all done by trac- were speaking to Sarva Sidhi Ratha of the material you turned into the tor. dasa, a from many years back. soil. It will never get used until you Rohita das He indicated that he used to easily plant a deep rooted crop. Tilling the plow one acre per day with a walking soil to loosen it and to control weeds Ox-Plowing in Agroforests plow and a single team of oxen. He is often necessary before planting, From: "mark chatburn" mark- didn't mention which breed. For only but tilling does not necessarily mean [email protected] one team of oxen to do the work, there plowing. would have to be lots of breaks. To: [email protected] What are the soil conditions in Ma- Subject: Ox-plowing in agro forests yapura? Does it really require plow- Seems to me it's important to under- Date: Friday, June 22, 2001 7:27 AM stand some things about plowing. ing? What are the crops? What is the There are many different types of depth of their roots? I think in most My points: plowing and many different imple- cases simply harrowing would be ments to plow with. Depending upon sufficient and this is easy work which Quantity of land ploughed per day is the crop to be planted, plowing of a does not take nearly as long as plow- not necessarily the important quality certain type is necessary, or perhaps no ing in most cases. in the decision process here. This de- plowing is necessary. In some cases Taraka dasa pends a lot on what type of land use simply harrowing is sufficient. Imple- will be in operation and the plowing ments for harrowing or shallow plow- From: "New Talavan" tala- needs at certain times and in certain ing typically cover a wider track for a [email protected] conditions. given ox-power than say a single bot- To: [email protected] tom plow that cuts deeply. An ideal scenario for oxen is within Subject: Re: Oxen plowing an agroforest plantation, taking ad- There are various reasons for plowing Date: Saturday, June 23, 2001 3:50 PM vantage of cropping between trees such as: turning under organic material for the first 5 years before the trees to enrich the soil, aeration of the soil, In New Talavan because of the sandy shade out the crops too much. Dia- loosening compacted soil, elimination nature of our soil we normally disk, gram below: of weeds, etc. If you were planting a usually two or three times, when we trees O O O crops deep rooted crop in compacted soil, do plow (usually only on land that you would need to plow deeply. If the has not been worked in a few sea- trees O O O crops soil was regularly worked and rela- sons) a moldboard plow is used THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 5

trees O O O crops into a mixed agroforest with cultiva- [email protected] tion between trees at various stages of Subject: Re: agroforestry and ox For 5 years oxen can plough between development. I think in this situation power the trees and crops can be intensively the direct competitive advantage of Date: Thursday, June 28, 2001 9:30 managed to produce high yielding tractors would be seriously diminished AM crops, it could be also grains. Then, to the point where substituting tractors after 5-7 years, the end result is an or- with oxen would not effect the cost I thought I would include this para- chard or home garden structure greatly, or it may even be a graph that Balabhadra dictated for (permacultural) with silvo-pastoral positive substitution. On top of that, another letter. undergrowth, meaning the cows can the needs to the system are to use oxen graze underneath the trees. and added advantages both seen and "Many years ago in Mayapur when unseen need to be measured. One Kanva prabhu was in charge of all Tractors would not be suited to such could be the effect of tourism to the the gardens. He was trying to intro- an arrangement, except the type used farm for example, enhanced by an ac- duce a multipurpose tree to the area in Japan on their paddy fields which tive forestation and ox-power. and everyone laughed at him. I can't are very small and mobile. remember the name of the tree, but I So to conclude, it is not just simple can find out for you. It was a very So, the above situation places the quantity comparisons between oxen fast growing tree which meant that it quality of the work, in terms of de- would supply firewood. sign, above the quantity of land The leaves were high in ploughed. Land ploughed, cost of protein and could be fed plowing system - oxen or tractors, to the cows and the tree and labor needs are just 3 vari- was also classified as a ables that fit into a more complex legume which is a nitro- system of inputs and processes gen fixing plant. He did that yield varied outputs. If the plant quite a few and system is very simple like exten- when I was on the roof of sive grain production in the the guest house with him American Mid-West or on the Ar- one day he was telling me gentine Pampas, then tractors can this story. There was a easily beat oxen. If the system is number of these trees more diverse and complex then around the backside of the the tractor can loose competitive guest house and he advantage. pointed and said just see the local villagers now If one takes high-value products Many delicious meals have been made from this chard crop now growing in ISCOWP’s garden. Donated shredded paper they are coming to take like medicinal herbs, the cost of makes good mulch. (weed eliminator). seed pods to grow their land plowing is minimal to the own because the trees product. With lower-value prod- and tractor that matter, they are in fact themselves had proven beneficial. ucts like grains, plowing is a greater quite misleading at times. What is We had a good laugh." cost per product produced. needed is a comparison between two The use of this tree in your plan To make comparisons it is necessary very different systems, which involves might work? to see the needs of two competing measuring (quantifying) highly com- Chayadevi plex qualities. So, more than a quanti- systems - one simple and one com- plex. tative comparison a qualitative com- parison would need to be shown. From: [email protected] To: [email protected] To take the agro forest/home garden I still think it is possible to find an eve- Subject: Re: agroforestry and ox example, as that is the cornucopia en- ning out of the relationship between power vironment envisioned, then oxen oxen and tractors if the complexities of have serious advantages to tractors. two very different systems are studied. Date: Thursday, June 28, 2001 2:31 What I would need, and have looked PM Yours, Mark at, is a map of the two systems with The tree you described sounds like a land planning for the future of how to turn say a 1000 hectare grassland From: [email protected] (Continued on page 10) To: [email protected]; Page 6 THE ISCOWP NEWS

ISCOWP from the store and we hope to can and COW PATH Campaign and dry enough produce so we won’t Construction has begun on the barn Update have to buy any vegetables in the roof due to the generosity of some of winter. Our monthly donors will our members. We will proceed as far soon be receiving their canned food as the money will provide and keep ARDEN premiums. you informed of the progress. Most This season’s garden is now lo- likely next month we will inform all cated to the right of the new At Balabhadra’s work place there is of you. We hope to finish the roof be- much shred- fore this winter so the cows have pro- ded paper tection against the elements. We have thrown out hired two local West Virginia carpen- every day. ters who are competent and are learn- Balabhadra ing every day more and more about has been tak- cow protection. ing this “garbage” and Over the winter and spring the poles using it for settled because of the wet soft condi- mulch that is tions of the ground. So the first week put around of work on the barn has been re- the plants to plumbing-bopping the poles that the stop the roof will sit on. Part of this procedure growth of is framing the walls that hold the weeds. poles in the right position. Once this Madhava is accomplished the top plates are be- Gosh, our ing put into place. The next step will This year’s Top Crop bush beans have produced 10 bushels of fresh neighbor, has be running the rafters, that will start eating, canning, sale, and seed for planting next year’s crop. been receiving August 10th. Weather permitting the this paper framing and roof will be done by mid ISCOWP center. This area was cleared Septem- last year of the rose bush weeds. We ber. have planted: sweet potatoes, potatoes, chard, 2 types of kale, zucchini, sum- We have mer squash, bitter melon, 140 tomato looked at a plants, brussels sprouts, 3 types of lot of ma- beans, carrots, beets, hot peppers, terials for green peppers, cucumbers, marigolds, the actual tomatillos, lavender, sage, and egg- roof itself plant. Everything is growing well and and we we are already harvesting the toma- decided to toes, zucchini, squash, beans, kale, use a 27 chard, potatoes, green peppers and hot gauge tin peppers. Everything tastes even better roof. It is than the vegetables from our first gar- an indus- den. trial gauge that is We have canned tomato chutney, thicker beans, and relish, and we have dried Barn roof construction begins as the cows head for the barnyard. than was zucchini, squash and tomatoes. Large found in drying racks were donated which we also, and it has proven quite success- the local hardware stores. One of our are putting up in the attic. In addition ful for both of us. All the produce that neighbors. about 2 miles away, is a we have purchased an Excalibur dry- we are able to preserve and the pro- dealer for this tin roofing. It will have ing machine, which is very efficient. duce that we want to store will be baked enamel paint on it as well and We are selling the excess to local fami- placed in the root cellar located in the we have chosen green as the color. lies. We are not buying any vegetables ISCOWP house. He has given us a very good price. THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 7

Ox Power and Agroforestry Submitted by Mark Chatburn

rom: "mark chatburn" mark- at all levels. take turns in occupying most of the [email protected] same space. The systems generally To: [email protected] Trees can provide many products, start with crops and end with trees. such as: timber, food, fruit, nuts, fod- The time sequence keeps competition Subject: agroforestry and ox power der , fuelwood, poles ,fibers, mulch, to a minimum. Trees in a sequential Date: Sunday, June 24, 2001 8:20 PM medicines, cosmetics, oils, and resins. system should grow rapidly when I am including below the basics of Trees can also provide services: such crops are not growing, recycle nutri- agroforestry which can be found at as to provide food, security; conserve ents from deep layers, fix nitrogen ICRAF - International Center for Re- soils; enhance soil fertility; improve and have a large canopy to help sup- search in Agroforestry. microclimates; provide living fences press weeds. for crops and fruit trees; demarcate A few comments first: boundaries; sequester carbon; stabi- Simultaneous systems: boundary lize watersheds; protect biodiversity; plantings, contour hedges, live Agroforests, using protected or un- reclaim degraded lands; and control hedges and fences, hedgerow inter- protected animals, are an ancient way weeds. cropping (alley cropping), parklands of life. To reinstigate an agroforest systems , silvopastoral systems, landscape with the use of farm animal Using trees on is an ancient art. agroforests, shaded perennial crops, draft power could well be a viable life- For millennia, farmers have nurtured windbreaks, style option. Its feasibility lies in the trees on their farm and pasture lands complexity and diversity of the sys- and around their homes. Neither the Sequential systems: shifting cultiva- tems. Agroforests, or there variant concept nor the practice of agrofor- tion, relay intercropping, improved names of agroecology, home gardens estry is new. But agroforestry re- fallows, taungya systems, and and permacultural landscapes are a searchers are developing that ancient multistrata systems (this system can mirror negative of the present percent- art into a science. also be simultaneous) ages of land and tree cover. Presently, tree cover could be from 10-20% in Agroforestry systems A brief primer of terms describing many developed areas. The concept these systems: here would be for the opposite to be There are two basic categories of Simultaneous systems: Many simul- the case and have a 80-90% tree cover agroforestry systems: simultaneous taneous systems are linear arrange- with only a few areas of the opposite. and sequential. ments; the trees or shrubs all appear So, whereas now there are islands of In a simultaneous system, trees and in a row, or in strips if there is more trees and fields of space, in the agro- crops or animals grow together, at than one row. Boundary plantings forests there will be islands of space in the same time on the same piece of are trees used to delineate plots or a field of trees, of all sizes and all ages land. These are the systems in which farms. The trees forming the bound- abundant in their biodiversity. trees and crops compete most for ary can also provide wood, fodder or http://www.icraf.cgiar.org/ag_facts/ light, water and nutrients. other products. Contour hedges are ag_facts.htm#systems planted to prevent erosion and form Competition is minimized by spacing biological terraces. Living hedges, Agroforestry-the basics and other means. Trees in a simulta- live fences and woody strips are all neous system should not be growing variations on the technique of using Put simply, agroforestry is using trees fast when the crop is growing rap- shrubs or bushes to form a continu- on farms. ICRAF defines agro forestry idly, to minimize competition. Trees ous barrier. They are used to form as a dynamic, ecologically based, natu- should have roots that reach deeper animal paddocks, but they can pro- ral resources management system that, than the crop roots. They should vide feed and various other products through the integration of trees on have a small canopy, so they do not as well. Windbreaks or shelterbelts farms and in the agricultural land- shade out too much light from the are used to protect crops or animals. scape, diversifies and sustains produc- crops. These techniques also conserve soil tion for increased social, economic and environmental benefits for land users In sequential systems, crops and trees (Continued on page 15) Page 8 THE ISCOWP NEWS Homeopathic Cures for Cow in water and potentized by vigorous Diseases shaking or by bringing the bottle down on a soft surface a certain num- Excerpts from a speech presented to the Indian government by ber of times. Then again it is further Mrs. Rosalie Malik (Labangalatika dasi), B-6, Parijat, Raikar diluted and sucussed and so on till Park, Roha, Dist.: Raigad (M.S.) 402-109 the required potency is reached. The more this is done, the more powerful the medicine. y husband and I have a 30-acre reaction to the illness. Allopathy sup- presses symptoms but homeopathy farm near Roha in Maharashtra Homeopathy has very good preven- strengthens immunity. Homeopathy growing mango trees, cashew, guava, tive medicines, called nosodes, or has no side effects. sitaphal, coconut, bamboo and oth- oral vaccines made from actual dis- ers. We keep now 26 cows and bulls In our area the vet is not easily avail- eased material, rendered harmless by and we use slurry from the Bio Gas able, and besides we do not like the potentizing, but highly effective in plant together with straw waste and preventing disease and also in curing leaf-mulch as fertilizer, and diluted it if necessary. Many poisonous cow urine as a pest repellent spray. plants such as Belladonna and also snake venoms are rendered harmless We are of course interested in natural by potentizing and are extremely use- medicine for our cows and we have ful in treating serious diseases, with learned a few ayurvedic remedies, symptoms similar to those caused by but all herbs are not readily available, the snake bite itself, like Black Water they are becoming scarce and there- Fever, hemorrhages and are also anti- fore costly because of loss of forest dotes for the snake bite itself. area. Even garlic is costly which is most useful in treatment for . You take one drop of the original substance, a virus or poison and add I took up homeopathy, as I knew a 99 drops of water or grain alcohol, little about it for treating the family. shake it hard against a soft firm sur- Although it may not be considered face (the bottle) again take one drop an Indian tradition yet Mahatma of that and dilute with 99 more drops Gandhi recognized that homeopathy water or grain alcohol and shake it. was safe, affordable and very effec- Do this 30 times at least for it to be tive treatment for the people of India. harmless. You can go up to 200 C or 1M & 1000 times or more for higher For cattle practice I discovered a potency depending on need. So it book: “Treatment of Cattle by Home- becomes harmless but by shaking or opathy”, by George Mcleod, pub- “Sucussion” it becomes very po- lished in India by Jain Publishers in tent….highly energized ..It is actually Delhi, Tel# 777043, 7770572, 7536418 Neela (cowherd’s daughter) and Purnima atomic energy. The medicine is en- There is also another book: at Labangalatika’s farm in India. ergy pattern and whatever symptoms “Therapeutics of Veterinary Home- of illness the original substance pro- duced on the body this diluted and opathy” by B.P. Madreswar, an In- use of strepto-penicillin, sulfa drugs potentized medicine will cure. It does dian veterinary surgeon and is based and vaccines that have heavy side ef- amazingly. So in this way the Foot on George Mcleod’s book with ac- fects and do long term damage to the and Mouth virus can be used to pre- knowledgment of course. However, animal that may be worse than the vent and cure and since this virus there are some mistakes, which I can disease itself. And the cows hate such seems to mutate, it is good to get the inform you of if you wish. But it is treatment and may also become your exact one at the time. I don’t know still a very useful book as it covers enemy after being all tied up with a any manufacturers...I got no response diseases better known here in India. needle by force. when I tried to find out, but one can Homeopathy has a different ap- The medicines are all natural, made do at home without much trouble. I proach from allopathy, not to destroy from plants, animals or mineral told this to an agency in Gujarat who the bacteria but to treat the patient’s sources. The mother tincture is diluted (Continued on page 14) THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 9 Ox Power vs Tractors Submitted by Tab Mattler (Taraka das) Quotes from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

From: [email protected] for preaching. Make the farm the cen- Vietnam, send all the men to fight To: "Cow (Protection and related is- ter and go ten miles this side, ten miles and kill them. As soon as there is sues)" [email protected]; "cowz" that side, ten miles this side, etc., with overpopulation, they declare war so [email protected]; "Taraka dasa" tara- four bullock . Sell books and that people may be killed. [email protected] preach and live peacefully on the farm. People used to engage the bull for this Subject: Re: Use of tractors Ref. VedaBase, Morning Walk, February purpose. So there was no problem 3, 1976, Mayapura Date: Friday, June 22, 2001 3:39 PM which way to utilize them. First of all Prabhupada: Bull will not supply this artificial way should be stopped, milk, so there is no use. It must be Interview with Tejiyas dasa by Paraman- and the bulls should be engaged in killed. Otherwise they are ferocious anda dasa in Mayapura, 1982 (This in- plowing and transporting, and smash- animal. You have made this law. The terview appeared in the "Iskcon Farm ing the grains. To avoid machinery, cows may be given some Newsletter", Vol.2 No.1 time to be killed, but the Many times in Hydera- bulls should be killed bad Prabhupada talked immediately. This is about the tractor. He their law. said the tractor has spoiled the whole soci- Hari-sauri: Nor do the ety. He said, "Because farmers actually want to there is tractor then keep them anyway. there is no use for the Prabhupada: No. bull." So many times he Hari-sauri: They are use- discussed. And he said, less animals. "Then what are you go- Prabhupada: Simply ing to do, what to do, expensive. But here in what to do. And then India they know how to you will cut their utilize bulls -- for trans- throat." He said, "You portation, for plowing will see. It is sure to Teamsters going out to the fields with oxen to rake hay in Russia. and so many other come. If you do not use things. the bulls for plowing, petrol, machine oil, by nature's way. Tamala Krsna: Such a shortage of one day you will say, let us cut their Ref. VedaBase, Morning Walk, February fuel, but there is no shortage of fuel throats." And it is a fact. People will 12, 1976, Mayapura with a bull. get them and then they will send Hrdayananda: They think this is pro- Prabhupada: No, rather, it will sup- them away and sell them, kick them gress, everyone can lie down and the ply you gobar, fuel. Whatever he will out. It has to happen on our farms if machines will work. we don't use the bulls for plowing. eat, he will give you fuel. What will you do when you have Prabhupada: Yes, machine, inventing Tamala Krsna: In return. hundreds and hundreds of animals machine means one machine can work Prabhupada: In return. for fifty men. The banks are using this, and you are getting more and more Jayapataka: But now the government what is that, computer? animals? is trying to teach the people that they Hrdayananda: Yes, everyone is using should buy tractors and kill the computers. Ref. VedaBase, Letter to: Balavanta -- . Prabhupada: To save money. Machine Bombay 3 January, 1977 Prabhupada: Huh? means unemployment for many. Trac- So, take more land and engage them tor, they're using, they're unemploy- Jayapataka: They want to have..., in , plowing by the bulls ment for bulls and plowmen and then make tractors popular and then... instead of tractor. Bulls can be en- the bulls have to be killed. This is go- Prabhupada: Kill the bulls. They were gaged in plowing and transporting. ing on. Unemployment, then kill them. Nice bullock carts village to village (Continued on page 11) Page 10 THE ISCOWP NEWS

5 (Continued from page ) plants that grow in different parts of digenous breeds be maintained and typical multi-purpose agroforestry the world that can cure diseases that that crossbreeding with western tree. Fast growing, high protein pods are common in those same areas. It is breeds be discouraged. In fact, Srila and leaves for fodder, nitrogen-fixing, Krsna’s plan and arrangement since Prabhupada was quite proud of one providers of nuts, fruits, fuel wood, He is ultimately the creator of all cow at Gita Nagari in the USA. In the construction poles, easy to adapt to ag things. following conversation there is no in- practices, these are just some of the dication that Srila Prabhupada con- benefits the agroforest gives. To say that western cows are not sidered the western cow inferior, or cows is not common sense. But the To include such trees into an overall not a cow. crossbreeding of western cows and plan for cow protection is indeed a pri- Indian cows for the purposes of in- From Srila Prabhupada conversation ority, if not a necessity. Let's hope the creased milk, etc. has not produced with George Harrison, July 26, 1976 plan develops, and more than hope— an animal that is very productive in London plan for the plan's development. India. This crossbreeding is man Thank you for your encouragement. Prabhupäda: We have got one cow, playing God for his own selfish de- Mark. many cows in Philadelphia. The milk sires. Therefore, of course, the resul- bags, she gives hundred and two From: [email protected] tant breed is not as capable as the in- pounds daily. digenous breed in coping with In- To: mark- George Harrison: Of milk? Who owns [email protected];[email protected] dia’s environment and therefore this? Who the cows? gives less profit to the Indian farmer. Subject: Re: agroforestry and ox power Gurudäsa: Some of the Date: Saturday, June 30, devotees. 2001 1:30 PM Prabhupäda: We have got tanks for storing milk, The tree is lucaena (In In- tanks. dia known as subabul) George Harrison: Yes? Western Cows are De- Prabhupäda: Yes. All up-to- scended From Pigs? date refrigerator and every- thing. That extra milk they We, the editors of are selling. Similarly, in ISCOWP, would like to New Vrindaban we are get- address one article that ting one thousand pounds appeared in the last issue milk daily. One thousand of the ISCOWP News. In pounds. his paper “Cow Therapy, Mukunda: That’s our place A Glimpse” Dr. in West Virginia. Gaurashankar stated that western cows were de- In the very beginning scended from pigs and in- days of New Vrindavan ferior to Indian cows. Kurma Rupa prabhu feeds and cares for the cows that roam the streets there was a black cow by Our disclaimer on page 2 in Vrndavana, India. He believes that if every family took in a cow or the name of Kalya. Srila states we do not always two the stray cow dilemma in Vrndavana would be solved. Prabhupada liked her agree with the opinions of milk very much. He said But that is not Krsna’s mistake; it is the articles in the ISCOWP newsletter her milk was the best milk he had in man’s mistake. However, since the that are not written by the ISCOWP 25 years. That would be in the end of devotees in India have crossbred staff. Due to the inquiries concerning 1969, beginning of 1970. During that their cows they must take care of this article we are printing in this issue 25-year period Srila Prabhupada had these cows for their entire lives. a reply to the inquiry of one of our been almost exclusively in India. So Krsna sees all his children, both ani- readers. the best milk he had in 25 years was mal and human as his children and from an American cow. “It is common sense that indigenous worthy of protection. Just as a father breeds do best in their own locale. In- sees all his sons with love regardless dian cows are best in India and west- of whether one son may be more ca- ern cows are best in the western coun- pable than another. tries of their origin. Just like there are This Ministry recommends that in- THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 11

(Continued from page 9) Brahmananda: If you cannot what? Caitanya Mahaprabhu first chal- criticizing us because in our goshalla Prabhupada: It is dead loss if you lenged Kazi that "What is your relig- we maintain the male calves. cannot work with the machine. ion, that you eat your father and mother?" Both the bulls and the cows Prabhupada: Huh? What is that eco- Brahmananda: Yes, yes. are important because the bull will nomical progressing? So that means Prabhupada: But when you go to produce food grain and the cow will busy fool. Fool, they do not know how purchase you have to pay lots of supply milk. They should be utilized to satisfy the economic problem. That money. Now they will be rusty with properly. That is human intelligence. is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, water and gradually useless. How This is filling up with paddy or...? annad bhavanti bhutani: [Bg. 3.14] You much money you have invested? No? grow food grains. Then all economic Nityananda: Thousands. question... But why you are not pro- Nityananda: With food for the cows. Prabhupada: Just see. This is the de- ducing food grains? Why you are pro- This one has forage or fodder, and fect of machine. If you cannot utilize ducing iron stools and instruments that one has grain. it, then it is dead loss. and motor and tire and collecting pet- Prabhupada: So everything is for the rol far away from Arabia? That is... Brahmananda: Where are the tractors animals. Nothing for the man? kept? Krsna never says that "You do all this Nityananda: The cows give us milk. Nityananda: One's at the house, and nonsense." He said, "Grow food Prabhupada: That's all? And you are one's in the field. grains." Why don't you do that? That not growing any food grains? Why? Prabhupada: So they have to be util- means fools. After all, you have to eat. Nityananda: Er... We've been trying ized or rejected, these machines? So you are not busy in growing your to establish self-sufficient cow pro- food, but you are busy in producing Nityananda: Yes, they all have a pur- tection program first, to grow our tire tubes, motor cars, stools and in- pose. We use them from time to time. own food for the cows. struments. Then how you will get your Prabhupada: But now they are kept Brahmananda: There is no land food? Where is your economic? First open and the... available for growing rice or wheat? economic is, first necessity, you must Nityananda: Well, we are building a eat. Nityananda: Yes, but the number of shed to keep them out of the rain. devotees we have to do it... Pusta Krsna: But with the tire tubes Prabhupada: In the meantime it will and nuts and bolts they can make a Brahmananda: But you have so be finished. By the time you finish many machines. tractor. And the tractor can help pro- your shed, it is finished. Sastre sastre Prabhupada: All these machines re- duce food, they think, much faster. dal phariyaga.(?) "Some women were quire oiling and keeping nicely. Oth- Prabhupada: No, that is waste of en- dressing to go to a fair, and when erwise it will spoil. ergy. Because you are eating the bulls, they were dressed, the fair was fin- Nityananda: Down the road we have therefore you require a tractor. Other- ished." (laughter) Utilize them. Oth- fifteen acres of sorghum, grain for wise you don't kill the bulls. This ani- erwise, while they are in working the cows. mal will do the business of tractor. order, sell them. Don't keep in that Prabhupada: And everything for the Devotee (4): It will work. way, neglected way. Either utilize it cows, but what for the man? They Prabhupada: But you want to eat or sell it at any cost. Otherwise they will give everything for cows be- them, so you must find out... are useless. cause they will eat cows, other farm- Devotee: Srila Prabhupada? A mate- Indian man (1): Some other means. ers. But you utilize the animals for rialist or someone who wouldn't Prabhupada: Replacement. That's it. growing your food. know, he may say that when the bull Brahmananda: The idea is we should is not plowing, all he is doing is eat- Ref. VedaBase, New Orleans, August1, maintain the animals, but then the ing. You have to pay money to feed 1975 Walk around NEW TALAVANA him grain or to grow grain to feed animals should provide foodstuffs FARM the bull. for the men. Nityananda: We can go this way, here. Prabhupada: Yes. This is all our machinery here. Prabhupada: They will grow, and they will eat. Rather, they will help Brahmananda: And that way there is Prabhupada: Hm. So already some you for your eating. The father also cooperation. machine idle. You had to spend so eats, but he maintains the family. Prabhupada: Yes. The animals, bulls, much, but they are lying idle. That is Therefore the bull is considered as should have helped... instead of that not good. That is the defect of ma- father and the cow as mother. chine. If you cannot ply it, then it is machine. Then it is properly utilized. Mother gives milk, and the bull dead loss. (Continued on page 13) grows food grains for man. Therefore Page 12 THE ISCOWP NEWS

Jaipur,(India) You asked about the drought condi- Rajasthan and in the Thar region, Cow Protection tions in India. About 170 million peo- where our breed of cows originate, ple in 100,000 villages - more than they've had drought in 31 of the past by Ramanuja das one sixth of the country - have been 38 years. The Indian Railways has badly hit. The storage of water is at done 700 train trips just in Rajasthan, ur herd of 10 is exclusively Thar- its lowest in a decade, according to Gujarat and Orissa, transporting fod- parkars - no Jersey, no Holstein the Central Ground Water Board. der and water - more than 20,000 wag- and nothing in between. Pure, pedi- The groundwater table has dropped ons in Gujarat itself. gree, and with full papers on their line- two to four meters from last years age and milk records of their mothers critically low levels. Yes, we do have a biogas setup, in fact as well as the history of their fathers. a very large 35 cu/m plant which will Rajasthan (where we are located) is treat all the sewage from the temple (The Tharparkar a indicus breed is facing its third consecutive year of project. It's a night soil plant and was used for milk production and as draft the first of its animals. Thar- kind in Rajasthan. parkar are of The government the lyrehorned paid for the type of whole thing, 10 cattle. The lacs. I've been Tharparkar using the slurry came into on our fields and prominence it's potent stuff. during the first Actually it's so World War rich that at times when some it has burnt the animals were crops as the seed- taken to supply lings emerge milk for the from the ground!! Near East army We have to dilute camps. Here it a bit. The gobar their capacity we keep and use for production exclusively for under rigorous the vermiculture. feeding and Presently we get unfavorable around 10-12 tons environmental per year, but in conditions at the near future once became we'll be increas- apparent. These indigenous Tharparkar animals do well in the arid region of Jaipur, India. ing this to When left on roughly 40 tons yearly. The profit arid pasture the milk production is drought. Last year, 23,406 villages from the sale of compost is used di- approximately 1135 kg per lactation, were affected. This year the figure rectly for the goshalla. We only use the while those animals maintained in the stands at 30,585 affecting over 33 mil- castings at the moment as we're in the villages average 1980 kg. lion people. Social scientists attribute process of rebuilding our soil which is the rising debt and crop failures and highly alkaline apart from being Average animals of the Tharparkar the pressure of survival, to the rising mainly sand. After some time we will breed are strongly built, medium- suicide rate in the state. More than introduce worms directly into the soil sized, with straight limbs and good 700 farmers have committed suicide itself, but it needs a lot of work first of feet, and with an alert and springy car- since 1999. Over 8.9 million hectares all. The castings are first class, nothing riage. If they are not handled fre- of crops have been affected due to comes close. I was composting tradi- quently they are apt to be wild and this years' drought alone. Water stor- tionally before, but this method saves vicious. Thari cows are said to be very age in the state's three main reser- tons of work and is a better quality hardy and resistant to several tropical voirs stands at 17.5 percent. 16 of the product. diseases and are excellent foragers.) last 20 years have seen drought in THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 13

(Continued from page 11) are localized, there is no question of rubbish civilization, therefore one is And others, they cannot utilize these transport. You don't require petrol. required to go fifty miles for earning animals. Therefore, what they will do? Suppose in New Vrindaban, we stay, bread, hundred miles, hanging. Naturally they will send to slaughter- we don't go anywhere. Then where Dhananjaya: Like in Los Angeles. is the need of petrol? house. But we are not going to send to Prabhupada: Why Los Angeles? Eve- the slaughterhouse. Then what we will Bhagavan: Petrol they also use for rywhere. In New York they are com- do? They must be utilized. Otherwise heating. And electricity. ing from hundred miles. From the simply for growing food that the cows Prabhupada: No, heating. Heating other side of the island. First ferry and bulls we engage ourself? You are we can do by wood. By nature. steamer, then bus, then so on, so on. already feeling burden because there Dhananjaya: I remember, Srila Three hours, four hours, they spend are so many bull calves. You were ask- Prabhupada, you were saying that all for transport. ing me, "What we shall do with so we require is some oxen, and the Satsvarupa: Is this an ideal solution many bulls?" oxen can carry. or a practical one? Nityananda: Well, Prabhupada: This is when they grow up practical. we will train them as oxen. Satsvarupa: Because sometimes we say Prabhupada: No, that actually we what the oxen will cannot change the do? course of the... Nityananda: Plow Prabhupada: No, the fields. no. Our society will Prabhupada: Yes. be ideal by practical That is wanted. application. Transport, plowing Satsvarupa: If we fields. That is stopped all the wanted. And unless transportation in- our men are trained dustry, there would up, Krsna con- be huge unemploy- scious, they will ment. It would be a think, "What is the great... use of taking care of the plows (cows)? Prabhupada: No, Better go to the city, no, we are not going to stop employ- earn money and eat 20 years ago Balahadra spread manure with Jake and Duke and fam- them." ment. We live like this. Prabhupada: Yes. The oxen will solve the problem of transport. That You see. If you like, you live like us. Ref. VedaBase, Morning Walk, Rome, bullock . Just like Krsna, when May 27, 1974 Bhagavan: Example. He was transferred from Gokula to Prabhupada: Example. Bhagavan: Now, recently, in the last Nandagrama, so they took all the Satsvarupa: Not that we dictate to war in the Middle East, Saudi Arabi- bullock carts, and within a few hours the... Not that we are going to force ans raised the price of the oil over dou- they transported them, the whole ble now, I think, as a pressure to the thing, their luggage, family member, everyone. western countries to do things in their everything. Prabhupada: No, we are not going to favor. Now they realized that the mar- Bhagavan: How far can a bullock cart force anyone. "Our mode of living is ket for oil is in such great demand that travel in one day? like this. If you like you can adopt." they don't have to lower the price after Just like we chant Hare Krsna man- the war, but they are going to keep the Prabhupada: At least ten miles, very easily, very easily. And maximum he tra. So we are not forcing anyone that price. And actually the price is still "You also, you must chant." No. We increasing. So this is causing inflation. can travel fifteen miles, twenty miles. But when we are localized, we don't live like this. Prabhupada: So this problem will be require to go beyond ten miles, five Dhananjaya: So in fact, Srila Prabhu- solved as soon as we are localized. Pet- pada, we should start using bullock. rol is required for transport, but if you miles. Because we have created a Page 14 THE ISCOWP NEWS

8 (Continued from page ) of liquid yellow diarrhea after drinking and the vet did not come and it was are trying to help animals there with too much milk from her mother. It was said there was no vaccine available Foot and Mouth epidemic by trying the first for the mother and she anyway. The boy who comes every natural medicines. So let’s see if they was nervous about getting milked. In day to work for us, his bull was af- take it up. the confusion the calf drank too much. fected so I gave him a weeks treat- We gave 6 doses of Aconite (6C) 1- 1/2 ment of MERC SOL 200C and NA- Administration for cows I do by hours apart according to the prescrip- TRUM MUR 200C, 3 times a day filling a 1 dram bottle with sugar tion in the book, and she completely each, and I also gave him ointment pills size 30 and putting 10 to 12 recovered. ACONITE is also good for from Indian Herbs (Himax) to put on drops of liquid medicine in it. This is treating shock. his foot. He is fully recovered. For one dose. And then I give it by our animals I am giving weekly one mouth. It is immediately absorbed For calf scours I have found that AR- dose of each, MERC SOL 30C, ARSE- into the system by the saliva. It SENIC Alb 200C works well given 5 NIC ALB30C and VARIOLINUM doesn’t have to be swallowed and doses every 2 hours for water diarrhea. 30C. In Madrewa’s book he suggests digested. The dose can also be given MERCURIUS COR 200C 4 times a day to combine them, but I was advised in half a cup pf water by hollow for two days is good for bloody dysen- against combining such different bamboo or horn, but I’m not familiar tery. The two can be combined. medicines at once. So I gave sepa- with that. Most of our cows and rately at intervals. For mouth sores espescially calves are used to taking EYE DISEASE: After I had been away BORAX 30C is a remedy. So far our medicine in this way and are eager to for a couple of weeks, I found on re- herd is alright. We also wash their take sugar pills. In fact you have to turn an epidemic of eye disease in our feet in salt water. hold onto the bottle tightly. One two herd. It starts by watery eyes, then year old bull is always coming up to turns into red swollen eyes and pus COW POX: Cow Pox can be treated me looking for some medicine on discharge, and finally the eye turns with Variolinum 30C one dose daily sugar pills which he once had when white with corneal ulceration. One bull for three days will cut short the infec- he was a few months old. had reached this stage and his eye had tion and help prevent secondary in- become white . I followed the treat- fection from the pustules which are A 30 ml bottle costs about 26 rupees ment in George Mcleod’s book exactly. the worst part of it. If the pustules and for cow doses there are 60, so for The early watery eye stage cleared up look like craters and have yellowish them it works out about 50 paise a in a few days with Kali Hydroicum base and discharge then Kali Bich 30 dose. Homeopathy is relatively inex- 200. 3 times a day for four days. To the should be given also twice daily for 5 pensive. For humans it is much bull, Gaura, I gave Argentum Nit 30C, days. CUPRUM MET 6C can be cheaper of course as one dose would 3 times a day for a week to clear up given for pox like eruptions if there be about 4 pills only out of a 1 dram discharge and inflammation. And I are muscular cramps and spasms or bottle. You have to keep the medi- gave him SILICEA 200C once a day diarrhea. ANTIMONIUM CRUD 6C cine away from strong smells like for a week and the white ulceration can be given for pustular lesions es- garlic, peppermint, carbolic soap and disappeared like magic. SILICEA pecially if skin is dry and there is in- so on and never touch it with the causes reabsorption of scar tissue. In a digestion. RAUNCULUS BULBOSUS hands or the potency will be lost. week he became completely normal. is especially good for the pustules on the udder. Any one of these medi- The following are some diseases that MASTITIS: I don’t have experience cines, the most applicable can be I have cured by Homeopathy. with our cows, but one cow did have given along with the VARIOLIN. one quarter of her udder swollen for Also the VARIOLIN can be given as BLOODY MILK: Our cow Haripriya some reason and I found PHY- a preventative, a dose for each cow soon after delivery suddenly gave TOLOCCA very helpful, 4 doses every once a month for 3 months. The dose bright red blood from one teat in- 3 hours. There are medicines according is 15 drops of liquid either in water stead of milk. It was shocking to me, to the specific symptoms, for example, or on sugar globules available from but I was glad I had the homeopathic BELLADONNA is for acute mastitis, the Homeopathic pharmacies. medicine at home IPECAC 30C. I swollen red and painful udder, and gave her three times a day for four cow feeling hot. days for full recovery. The very next day the blood had changed to pink- FOOT and MOUTH Disease: It is going ish milk. on in the next two villages but doesn’t seem to be very severe, just a few have DIARRHEA: A new calf had an onset affected feet. They roam everywhere THE ISCOWP NEWS Page 15

(Continued from page 7) important in providing a wide vari- vested for poles or firewood. The crop moisture, give shelter to the farm home ety of foods and other domestic is planted again, benefiting from nu- and beautify the landscape. needs as well as some commercial trients and improved soil physical products. properties, while the trees begin to In hedgerow intercropping or alley coppice and resprout from seeds. cropping trees are planted on land Sequential systems: along with crops; the crops are grown Multistrata systems also involve in alleys between the rows of trees. The At certain times in the cycle of a se- planting annual crops with several aim is to maintain soil fertility by quential system, trees are the only species of trees, both at definite spac- planting nitrogen-fixing leguminous component. Crops or animals occur ings. Crops are dominant while the shrubs in areas where shortage of land in other parts of the cycle, either with trees get established and grow. Tree makes long fallow periods difficult or or without trees. Probably the best species of different eventual size, impossible. known system of this type is tradi- shape and use (fruit, timber) form tional shifting or swidden cultiva- two or more strata or canopies, with However, because of the competition tion, also known as slash-and-burn or without simultaneous cropping. A between hedge and crop for moisture agriculture, the most extensive farm- leguminous ground cover is often and nutrients, alley cropping has ing system in the humid tropics. planted to control weeds and is some- proved practical only in limited cir- Farmers cut, let dry and burn the for- times grazed by cattle or small rumi- cumstances. est vegetation, then plant crops or nants. pastures, using the ash as fertilizer to Parkland systems include combina- enrich (temporarily) the nutrient- Improved fallows are used in the hu- tions of trees and crops in which the poor soil. They stay for as long as the mid tropics as an improvement of woody component is a permanent up- soil can support their crops-usually shifting cultivation by shortening the perstory. The tree cover can be quite two or three cycles-and then let a fallow period and increasing its bio- open, as it is in the Sahel where sor- forest fallow grow for 15-30 years mass and nutrient accumulation. Im- ghum is grown under Faidherbia al- until sufficient nutrients accumulate proved fallows are also used in sub- bida. It can also be almost closed, as in the biomass. Then farmers return, humid tropics to occupy land that is shade trees in a coffee or cocoa planta- slash and burn the site, and the cycle not cropped for a few months or for tion. Multipurpose trees, such as fruit continues. two to three years, to accumulate bio- trees, may be scattered on the crop- mass and nutrients as well as to land. This traditional practice works well smother weeds. Improved fallow spe- and was sustainable for millennia- cies are normally planted shortly be- Silvopastoral systems also incorporate but it depends on low population fore or after the crops are harvested. a discontinuous tree story, over a con- pressures, where the farmers are few Fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing species tinuous grass cover. Animals, the chief and the forests vast. With increas- are used, as they do not compete with beneficiaries of these combinations, can ingly dense populations and shrink- crops. graze in pastureland under trees or ing forests, the cycles become shorter they can feed off tree fodder or browse. and shorter until they are no longer In the taungya system, the forest ser- The fodder from the trees can also be sustainable. The forest does not have vice allows the farmer to use land in a cut and carried to penned time to accumulate enough nutrients forest plot planted to young trees. The elsewhere. in its biomass-the fallow period is farmer cares for the trees and at the just too short. same time grows crops for several Agroforests are a special category of seasons until the trees grow big agroforestry. An agroforest is a plant Relay cropping is a very promising enough to cover them; then the forest community that resembles a natural system for areas with only one rainy service takes over the plots again. forest in that it is generally multistrata season a year. Both crops and trees

and contains large, mature trees and are planted at the beginning of the The back page photo shows Bhumi, Bhima shade-tolerant understory plants. rains, but the crops grow rapidly and and friends going out to the fresh green Agroforests are managed; an example the trees slowly, thus minimizing pastures of spring after a long winter. is the home garden, well know in the competition. The trees grow rapidly humid tropics. Usually grown near a after the crop is harvested, forming a homestead and smaller than other short-term fallow during the dry sea- agroforests, it contains many different son. Before the next rainy season, plant species of various sizes, types trees drop their leaflets, providing and growth cycles. Home gardens are mulch; they are then cut and har- Page 16 THE ISCOWP NEWS

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