Sustainable Organic Agriculture

Tolcarne Farm is a small community of Krishna devotees following a lifestyle based on ancient Indian Vedic philosophy. It teaches a path of self-realization and simple living, according to knowledge provided by the Vedas and Puranas.

Srila Prabhupada instructed his followers and disciples to build self-sufficient farm communities practicing sustainable organic agriculture. He once said, "It is my ambition that all devotees may remain self independent by producing vegetables. grains, milk, fruits, flowers, and by weaving their own cloth in handlooms. This simple life is very nice." 

The goal of Vedic organic farming is to re-enliven natural law in agriculture, bring the farmer, the process of farming and the environment into complete harmony with each other.

At a time when the economic structure of the world is questionable, the Earth's resources are stripped to maximum capacity by an increasing population. We abuse the planet a living organism, poisoning her with the effluence of needless indulgence, and excessive use and waste of energy, mostly attributed to importing and hauling products long distance.

Modern agricultural technologies have burdened the environment and threatened our lives with harmful chemical fertilizers, non-degradable pesticides and herbicides, and genetically modified organisms. Chemicals have destroyed the life of the soil, causing wide spread erosion and sterility, disrupting the natural processes that bring vitality and balance to our food. 

An emphasis of modern farming practice is also centred on destruction, destroying weeds, destroying insects and eradicating bacteria. The destructive sentiment gets incorporated into the food and the destructive quality is there on a biochemical level of the inner intelligence of the plant. When we eat this type of food, it creates destructive tendencies both in the individuals and nation as a whole.

Vedic organic farming seeks to solve today's agricultural crisis and encompass the full range of life. The quality of the farmer's consciousness and his subtle relationship to his crops and the environment are taken into account. 

At the farm we appreciate how nature is moving, and how special nature is, nurturing the seed we sow which grows from leaf to plant to flower to tree, completing the cycle back to seed. No scientist on Earth can accomplish this natural phenomenon. In an attempt to minimize energy consumption and consider cause and effect in terms of the Earth's natural balance, devotees have evolved a cycle of moving with the seasons; sowing, growing, harvesting, composting and seed gathering, hence relinquishing any dependence sourced from an insensitive, pillaging, commercial system which often harbours ulterior motives - or cuts corners to produce quantity rather than quality. 

Our Vedic organic food will be fresh food, food that has been ripened on the plant or the tree for maximum nutritional value. Scientific research has demonstrated that vine and tree ripened food - food that is freshly picked - is higher in nutrients. Vedic food will be radiating freshness, vitality and harmony, Vedic food for Vedic consciousness.

A system where wealth is once again derived, directly from the land, produce is measured in terms of the quality and goodness of being organically grown. Complimented with grains and milk many wonderful healthy products can also be prepared, these include yoghurt, butter, cheese and cream. Offered with love and devotion to Krishna, Krishna is pleased and blesses the food and the devotee becomes doubly satisfied.

Jay