eNewsletter

The Cows Want Out!

03/01/2013

Hare Krishna!

We couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks for making us a 2012 Constant Contact All Star. We wanted to share the great news and express our gratitude to you for receiving this honor which is given to 10% of the thousands of people and organizations who use Constant Contact for their e-newsletters. Our emails are made with you, our supporters in mind, so thank you for engaging and interacting with us. Thanks again and we look forward to more interactions in 2013!

The Wish List campaign is a success, thanks again to you our supporters. The bush hog attachment is getting repaired and when it is fixed we will be able to show you the equipment clearing the pastures. Now, another important need for the cows has arisen. Soon spring will be here and the cows will be able to go out on pasture to eat the green tasty grass. But much damage has been done to the fences, mostly due to this winter’s ice storms, winds and snow. You can read more about it in this newsletter and donate here in any way you can.

Take a look at the new shopping cart on the ISCOWP web page to see the cow products available to you and your friends. Even in the nasty weather guests came to visit.

Madhava is lonely with no adopter. Will you be the one to adopt him? Take a peek at this winter’s video update of him.

Your servant,
Chayadevi
ISCOWP Co-Managing Director

The Cows Want Out

The Cows Want Out and we need to fix the fences to keep them safe. Soon spring will come and the fresh green grasses will be beckoning the cows, but if the fences are not fixed the cows can roam away from the ISCOWP farm and either be injured and/or taken to be sold for meat.

Ice storms broke trees and their branches.
Ice storms broke trees and their branches.

This last winter has played havoc with our perimeter fences. Several big storms with high winds blew big trees down on the fences. In at least 6 locations trees have fallen on the fences and these were not small trees. These areas will need the trees cut off of them and the trees cut into smaller sections just to get them free from the fences. Then the old damaged posts will need to be removed and replaced with new seasoned locust posts. After the new posts are set in place new wire will need to be strung to close up the holes in the fence lines.

fallen tree
One tree, an example of several, fell and broke the fence.
uprooted tree
This tree was uprooted by the wind. It landed on the fence line destroying it.

We also have 3 sections of fence which need completely replaced. The first section needs 20 new posts and completely rewired. The second section is quite long and will need approximately 70-80 new locust fence posts and rewired. The third section will need about 20 new locust posts and rewired.

We anticipate needing between 110 and 150 seasoned locust posts for all the new sections and repairing of damaged fences by the time the cows are let out to pasture in mid to late April depending on the growth of the pastures.

All of the fence work is on perimeter fencing and cannot be reached by a tractor for pounding in the posts. All of the 3-4 feet deep holes will need to be dug by hand and the dirt around the holes tamped down by manual labor as well. From past experience we know that each hole dug and post set and tamped will take between 1- 1 1/2 hours. Very labor intensive.

Mikey & John clearing the fence line, digging the holes and putting the fence posts in the ground.
Mikey & John clearing the fence line, digging the holes and putting the fence posts in the ground.

We are estimating the expenses for the fencing to be as follows:

Fence posts 110-150 @$5 each $550-$750
Wire and hardware $500
Labor $5000
Total for these fencing projects $6000-$6250

Labor also includes marking posts for correct height of 4 lines of wire, stringing wire and stapling wire to each post. Corner posts and gate posts all need to be dug 4 feet deep instead of 3 feet to add strength to the fence line. All corner posts and gate posts need braces as well to give extra strength.We appreciate your help to get these projects funded so they can be accomplished timely in time for the cows to be let out on pasture.

How you can donate and our gifts to you.

Madhava is Lonely

https://youtu.be/4QzyOUEsUb4

Madhava is lonely with no adopter. Will you be the one to adopt him?

Guests Arrive

Wheeling college students visit ISCOWP
Danny Swan brought students from Wheeling Jesuit University to visit the cows and see Nara and Narayana in action.
Danny Swan training oxen
Danny is trying his hand at ox training.

We also had visitors from an alternative community in the Ozarks but we failed to get pictures. They are interested in cow protection and will be coming again at which time we will be sure to get pictures for you to see.

Cow Products for You

KissMyOx ISCOWPbag
Kiss My Ox is ISCOWP’s most popular t-shirt. We also have tote bags in red, black and green inked logos along with more t-shirts and organic products from our farm.
Take a look at the new ISCOWP shopping cart.

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