Panchavati farm community as of today has three Grihasta families, four brahmacaris, three cows, two oxen, and two male calves. We are focused on the Vedic concept of simple living and high thinking. We aim to achieve food self-sufficiency primarily using Subhash Palekar’s Zero budget natural farming methods that advocate the use of cow dung and cow urine for agriculture. We also grow tapioca (sabudana is produced from tapioca), turmeric for commercial sale to temples, devotees and others.
By Lord Govinda’s mercy our cows (of Kankrej variety) Nandini and Surabhi bore male calves. Their names are Bhima and Arjuna. Both the calves and their mothers are doing well. The grhasthas involved in agriculture have been given a cow each to serve and get their mercy. Both Nandini and Surabhi are giving around 6-7 liters of nectarine milk after feeding their calves happily every day.
Our oxen Kanai and Balai are of Hallikar variety and help us plow the land, prepare the patches, weeding, and other agricultural activities.
This year we are blessed with a good rainfall that is helping our agriculture, unlike last year. Both our wells are now full.
Our Grhastha farmers Madhav Gopal Prabhu and Gaura Nataraj Prabhu got a yield of 110 kg and 60 kg sesame respectively. Our brahmacari team got 70kg sesame. Thus the community will be self sufficient for edible oil this year. Our Brahmacari Srinivas got a yield of 20 kg native variety rice in June from a small patch of 20 cents. This July as the agricultural season began the devotees cultivated of Ragi, Bajra, Rice, Tuvar Dal, Mung Dal, Urad Dal, cow pea and corn. Most crops are coming up well. The brahmacari team has already harvested 50 kg corn, 25 kg cow pea, 7 kg Urad Dal, and 15 kg Chili.
In May this year Madhav Gopal Prabhu got a yield of 250 kg turmeric from 5 cents, Gaura Nataraj Prabhu got 1000 kg turmeric from 25 cents and the brahmacari team got 2000 kg from 50 cents.
In July this year Madhav Gopal Prabhu got a yield of 5.8 Tons of tapioca from 63 cents, Gaura Nataraj Prabhu got 5.9 Tons of tapioca from 70 cents and the brahmacari team got 31 Tons of tapioca from around 8 acres.
The community was further blessed with 400 kg bananas across six varieties, 4 tons of mangoes across five varieties, 300 kg papayas, 50 kg jackfruit, 10 kg guavas and pomegranates.
We are also blessed with profuse growth of pumpkins, sponge gourd, bottle gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, carrot, radish, beetroot, okra, egg plant, local beans variety, chili, etc.
We go on Harinam Sankirtan twice a week and hold preaching programs in twenty nearby villages regularly. We feel fortunate to serve numerous guests who visit us throughout the year from all over the world. We celebrated festivals such as Janmastami, Govardhan Puja, etc., with the local villagers.
Overall serving the cows and trying to live based on the land and cows is giving us great enthusiasm and time to read, hear, chant and cooperate better.
We are very thankful to Srila Prabhupada, HH Bhakti Vikas Swami Maharaja, HH Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaja and all the devotees who are guiding and inspiring us.
Your servant,
Shyama Gopinatha Dasa
