Page 82 - Spring2013

animals and due to their small size, do not have bon footprint and can provide you with healthy, rich raw milk.
a damaging impact on the land. Their manure Donations are needed to purchase more land for breeding stock in
does not smother the plant life in fields due to its this very crowded part of India, where open land is scarce and expensive.
shape and dry consistency. It is easier to handle Animal caregivers need to be paid and a high-tech facility for the freezing
than manure from large cows and it breaks down of semen and embryos needs to be established so that one day this amazing
easily into compost. Even their urine has special cow will be available for all who want one!
properties that make it ideal for For further information and to
growing culinary mushrooms! make donations go to: www.vechur.org
In this period of escalat- and/or write to patricelopatin@gmail.
ing climate change it is crucial com.
to preserve such animals for
current and future generations. Patrice Lopatin is a conservationist/
Vechur cattle are a crucial environmentalist, trained chef, organic
element in maintaining the gardener, artist, writer of commentar-
planet’s bio-diversity. ies. She studies nutrition, sustainabil-
ity, and animal behavior/intelligence.
OWNING A VECHUR Patrice has run a whole foods nature
Owning a Vechur is a step retreat in Goshen, Vermont called High
towards sustainability and in- Meadow and visited India for several
dependence from the denatured months as a volunteer assisting Dr.
food being turned out by factory farming with Iype and the Trust in any way possible. The author will be interviewed on
genetically altered, inhumanely treated, sickly local television in the next few months and a Youtube video will be made
animals that require antibiotics to be kept alive available with photos and film footage. To learn more about the history
for their short and miserable lives. of the rescue of Vechur cattle, visit http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/26833/
Corn and soy-laden grain exact a high cost vechur-back-from-brink-of-extinction.html.
financially, environmentally and are a detriment
to health. WEB REFERENCES
Here is the perfect cow for individuals and 1. http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article544392.ece
families, one that does not represent a huge car- 2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16403684
3. Video about the Vechur: http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/26833/vechur-back-from-
brink-of-extinction.html

TRADITIONAL POST-CONFERENCE FARM TOUR

Last year's post-conference Monday farm tour was a particularly beautiful one along the Pacific Coast. Along with our deli-
cious lunch by caterer Amy Glaze, the group visited and learned much from the farmers at TomKat Ranch (leftcoastgrassfed.
com), Early Bird Ranch (earlybirdranch.com) and Markegard Family Grass-Fed (markegardfamily.com) where the group learned
about pigs from a young and capable teacher, Lea Lee Markegard. Pictured left is a mini mobile milking parlor made from a
converted horse trailer, a brilliant idea, with modern pipelines and milking machines inside.

82 Wise Traditions SPRING 2013 SPRING 2013 Wise Traditions