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By Madhava Smullen 

Non-profity entity ECO-Vrindaban, which works closely with ISKCON New Vrindaban in West Virginia on ISKCON’s first farm, is preparing for another growing season. Its mission statement? To “promote cow protection, local agriculture, and above all, loving Krishna, as envisioned by Srila Prabhupada.”

Typically, the season for outdoor gardening in the area begins around mid-May, after the last frost, and runs until October-November. However ECO-V’s high tunnel greenhouses, installed in Summer 2019, allow devotees to offer locally grown flowers and vegetables to Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra and the temple kitchens all year round.  

Two of the high tunnels, measuring 96 x 30 feet each, sit near the Valley Barn. The third, measuring 60’ x 30’, is in the personal garden of Vidya Dasi, a village resident who has served in the community for fifty years.

“One of the high tunnels at the Valley Barn was completely full all winter,” says ECO-V Garden Manager Analaksita Dasi. “In just a few weeks we’re going to be harvesting spinach, purple kale, green kale, red cabbages, Chinese cabbages, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, and radishes.”

While tomatoes are usually not planted until about May 20th, around 67 tomato plants are already growing in the high tunnel at Vidya Dasi’s property.

Plenty of preparation had to be done over the fall to ensure such success, including fixing irrigation and ventilation problems in the high tunnels, putting in exhaust fans, disinfecting, and prepping the soil. “We also have to cover and uncover all of the plants every day, when the temperature goes below 32 degrees,” says Analaksita.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/eco-vrindaban-prepares-for-another-plentiful-growing-season,7722/

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