Alternative living: A look inside Victoria’s only Hare Krishna farm

Lacto-vegetarian farmers Keshava and Atulya Jenkins are part of Victoria’s only Hare Krishna movement farm.

Keshava and Atulya Jenkins are the only farmers of their kind in Victoria.

The Bambra couple are part of the one Hare Krishna movement-owned farm in Victoria – and one of just three in Australia – and keep their gates open for anybody curious.

Keshava said they strived for an agrarian lifestyle.

“The world was successful previously because there were villages all over the world, going back 500 or 1000 years. People would have their livestock and grow their food, but everything has become mechanised and industrialised,” he said.

Hare Krishna Valley farmers Keshava and Atulya Jenkins at Bambra. Picture: Rachel Simmonds

The group, International Society of Krishna Consciousness, was founded in 1966 with more than 350 temples globally, 60 rural communities, 50 schools and 60 restaurants.

“We’re Hindu-based, the idea is that the animals are born here and they die here with no fear of slaughter,” Keshava said.

“The whole ethos is instead of having a violent outcome, we try to show we can live with the animals, and sustainably, and do it on a much smaller scale.”

The property is also home to 29 cows, an organic garden, retreat accommodation and meditation garden. They planted 15,000 trees about a decade ago.

Hare Krishna Valley calves remain with their mothers. Picture: Rachel Simmonds

Their Brahman and Gir dairy herd have a natural earth cow barn, or goshalla. They often used AI to diversify the herd and prevent inbreeding due to the Gir breed’s rarity in Australia.

Atulya said Gir cattle had minimal disease, produced A2 milk, handled the cold and preferred the heat.

Cows are typically milked twice a day, and any calves remained with their mothers. They cut their own silage, and used milk solely on-farm with any excess milk sent to the Melbourne Hare Krishna community.

“Intensive farming is high stakes, there’s a lot of gamble,” she said.

“It’s not our sole business, we don’t have the pressure to have high yields. It’s all about putting the mother and the calf first, and we’re there to milk her if she’s interested.”

Atulya and Gir cow Revati at Hare Krishna Valley, Bambra. Picture: Rachel Simmonds

When cattle died on-farm, they were buried or cremated depending on the seasonal conditions and place.

Once a year, the cattle were honoured during the Festival of the Cows ceremony.

They often accommodated travellers looking for a rural experience, with up to 20 tourists during summer.

“We rely a lot on a volunteer base, we have a program where people come and stay. It’s been a quiet summer, we’re about to have an influx in the next week or so,” Keshava said.

Hare Krishna Valley farm at Bambra has 29 cows, of both Gir and Brahman breeds. Picture: Rachel Simmonds

He said their open days proved popular with between 100-200 people, and they regularly had visitors to the farm.

“We feel this is the answer to society’s problems,” Keshava said.

“People don’t agree with everything we may say, sometimes we say things that are quite extraordinary like ‘[our] God is a blue cowherd boy’ (Krishna).”