Srila Prabhupada Uvaca:

Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work for the vaiśyas, and for the śūdras there is labor and service to others.
Bg 18.44

Man's activities in agriculture, mining, farming, industries, gardening, etc., were all on the same scale as they are now, even previous to the present creation, and the same activities will remain as they are, even in the next creation. 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 1.6.11

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has instructed in Bhagavad-gītā (18.44), kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma-svabhāvajam: "Farming, cow protection and trade are the qualities of work for the vaiśyas." Nanda Mahārāja belonged to the vaiśya community, the agriculturalist community. How to protect the cows and how rich this community was are explained in these verses. We can hardly imagine that cows, bulls and calves could be cared for so nicely and decorated so well with cloths and valuable golden ornaments. How happy they were. As described elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam, during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time the cows were so happy that they used to muddy the pasturing ground with milk. This is Indian civilization. Yet in the same place, India, Bhārata-varṣa, how much people are suffering by giving up the Vedic way of life and not understanding the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.5.7

With their wealth of grains, the fields gave joy to the farmers. But those fields created remorse in the hearts of those who were too proud to engage in farming and who failed to understand how everything is under the control of the Supreme.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.20.12

One might object that people sustain themselves by farming, industry and so on. But as previously mentioned, all human and nonhuman endeavor depends on food and drink, which cannot be produced without ample rain. By the word tri-varga Nanda further points out that the prosperity achieved through sacrifice for Indra is meant not merely for sense gratification but also for religiosity and economic development. Unless people are well fed, it is difficult for them to execute their duties, and without performance of duty, it is very difficult to be religious.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.24.10

The occupational duties of the vaiśya are conceived in four divisions: farming, commerce, cow protection and moneylending. Out of these, we as a community are always engaged in cow protection.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.24.21

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Now, we must take to agricultural work—produce food and give protection to the cows. And if we produce a surplus, we can trade. It is a simple thing that we must do. Our people should live peacefully in farming villages, produce grain and fruit and vegetables, protect the cows, and work hard. And if there is a surplus, we can start restaurants. Kṛṣṇa conscious people will never be losers by following the instructions of Kṛṣṇa. They will live comfortably, without any material want, and tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bhagavad-gītā 4.9]: After leaving this body they will go directly to God. This is our way of life.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => JSD 6.5: Slaughterhouse Civilization

"Farming, cow protection, and business are the natural work for the vaiśyas." [Bg. 18.44] It is at least the duty of the state to protect the cow, which is a special animal. It is the king's duty to protect the welfare of all citizens, including the cows. If the king or president does no more than sit in an exalted position, the people will not be happy. Even in America, the people dragged their president down when they were discontent with him. In any case, the head of state must be ideal and exhibit the ideal princely characteristics. 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Niccolo Machiavelli [1469-1527]

"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work. Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in battle, generosity, and leadership are the natural qualities of work for the kṣatriyas. Farming, cow protection, and business are the natural work for the vaiśyas, and for the śūdras there is labor and service to others." [Bg. 18.42–44]
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Karl Marx [1818-1883]

Prabhupāda: Yes. Farming, agriculture, that is nice. There is a proverb: agriculture is the noblest profession. Is it not said? Agriculture is noblest, and Kṛṣṇa was farmer, His father.
Allen Ginsberg: The cow.
Prabhupāda: Cow, yes. And in Vedic literature you'll find, a man is... Richness of a man is estimated by the possession of grains and cows. Dhanyena dhanavān. If he has got sufficient quantity grain, then he's to be... Formerly, even still in India, when a daughter is offered to a family, they will go and see how many morais[?] there are. Grain stock. If he sees that he has five, six, big, big grain stock, then he can..., "Oh, this is nice house." 
You see? "They can feed." So in India still, the arrangement is that every family has got at least two years grain in stock. You see? And cow at least one dozen. No economic problem. And actually, that is the fact. You keep cows and have sufficient grains, whole economic problem solved, eating. And sleeping, you can take some wood and four pillars.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => xxxRoom Conversation with Allen Ginsberg  --  May 11, 1969, Columbus

Prabhupāda: You can have many lands like that… 25 acres of land?
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: We can accept land anywhere provided we have got bona-fide preachers. That is our mission, we can start a centre anywhere provided we can preach. That is our mission, it is not our mission to own some land. What we shall do with the land?
Devotee: The land would simply be for farming and earning some income. [indistinct]
Prabhupāda: Anyway. Income is not our mission, our mission is to preach. Income is required to maintain, so suppose we get some land we must be a preaching centre there. Even we do farm we cannot avoid our preaching work.
Devotee: This land is situated by a small village it is not a populated area.
Prabhupāda: It may be. It may not be a populated here…area, but we must have a centre so that people may come there.
Devotee: Yes he wants a small temple there so that the local people may come and benefit by the temple activities.
Prabhupāda: Therefore we require a preacher.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- November 1, 1972, Vṛndāvana

Prabhupāda: You just work little, produce your food, eat, and save time, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. This is the nature's arrangement. Anywhere, any part of the world, you can produce your food. Simply you require a little land and some cows. 
Everything is complete. You take milk from the cows and just till the field and get some food grains. That is sufficient. Whole economic question solved. And save time for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the arrangement.
David Lawrence: It was interesting to see a recent television program in this country...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
David Lawrence: ...on farming, and it was talking about the so-called modern methods of farming which have destroyed the earth in this country, really, in great areas. And it showed an Englishman and his son who believe in the old methods, with cows on the land. And he is not only doing better economically, but he was so happy. The two men were so happy.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
David Lawrence: They were just working with nature, not against nature.
Prabhupāda: Just like so much field is there. You, if you take the all village people, you can produce enough food for them in this village. So much land is lying there. Simply you keep cows and till ground, get your food grains. Enough. And if you take the whole planet as it is, you can feed ten times population. There is so much prospect. Australia, Africa, so much vacant land. You can produce enough quantity of milk and food grains.
David Lawrence: Yes, I think this was the clinching argument in this program...
Prabhupāda: But they are doing... What they are doing? They're taking the milk and slaughtering the animal and sending to foreign countries for trade. New Zealand, Australia, they are doing that. Just see.
David Lawrence: Or they're throwing down the surplus milk down coal mines.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
David Lawrence: They throw surplus milk down coal mines.
Prabhupāda: That's it.
David Lawrence: When there are people without any...
Prabhupāda: How they are wasting! You see? And they're putting the overstocked grain into the sea, America.
David Lawrence: Dumping tomatoes, bananas, all these things.
Prabhupāda: What kind of civilization? And producing Nixon on the head. [laughter] Just see.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with David Lawrence  -- July 12, 1973, London

And here, these verses of Ṛṣabhadeva, he says warning. He's warning, He's speaking to His sons, but we can take the lesson, that He says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1]. Kāmān means the necessities of life. You can get your necessities of life very easily. By tilling the field, you get grains. And if there is cow, you get milk. That's all. That is sufficient. But the leaders are making plan that if they are satisfied with their farming work, little grains and milk, then who will work in the factory? Therefore they are taxing so that you cannot live even simple life—this is the position. Even if you desire, the modern leaders will not allow you. They'll force you to work like dogs and hogs and asses. This is the position.
But still, we have to refrain from such unnecessary hard labor. It may be that government may take action against me because I'm speaking something revolutionary. [chuckles] Yes. But that is the fact. Why you should work? God has made provision for the birds, beast, animals, ants, and if I'm devotee of God, He'll not give me food? What I've done wrong? So don't be agitated in that point. You will have all your necessities of life, but you remain fixed up in your determination in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't be agitated by this nonsense belief.>>> 
Ref. VedaBase => Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.1 -- September 8, 1973, Stockholm

Prabhupāda: No, he can live with his family. It is to take up the cause, not to give up the family. We don't believe in giving up. We believe in engaging them properly. That is our philosophy.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with Monsieur Mesman -- June 11, 1974, Paris

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, if there was a war, a large-scale war, I think that our farming projects...
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that the various farm projects that we have would be very good because, as you said, the cities would be bombed, but the farms would not be disturbed.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The farm project... Even some hundreds of years, it was so nice. Even there was war, they would not attack the farmers. Rather, they would ask, "Where the other party has gone?" So they will say: "Oh, we have seen some soldiers going this way." That's all. They were not affected. That was the principle. Farmers were not attacked, just like at the present moment, the law is the civilians are not attacked. The military target is attacked. That is the law. But they do all nonsense. Even at the present moment civilians are not attacked. Just like Kurukṣetra Battle. It was taken far away from the civilian inhabitation.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk [World War III] -- April 4, 1975, Māyāpur

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our next program is to organize farming. Let anyone come. We shall give him free food and employment: "Come on." Not that "I want to work as a clerk in the city." You produce your own food. I give you ingredients. I give you land. And work for five, six hours, and take your food and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Jayadharma: Anybody who comes to the farm has to agree to follow the four regulative principles? These people? Yes?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise you are not coming. Our main business is to make him Kṛṣṇa conscious.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- May 15, 1975, Perth

​

Prabhupāda: They are not cattle-raising; that was...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Cow protection.
Prabhupāda: Cow protection. It has to be corrected. It is go-rakṣya, go. They take it cattle-raising. I think Hayagrīva has translated like this.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hayagrīva.
Prabhupāda: No, it is especially mentioned go-rakṣya. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.44]. And then?
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago

Jñāna: ...to attain the necessary finances to support the programs here.
Prabhupāda: Beg. Sell book. That's all. Otherwise, how you get finance?
Jñāna: One idea is to have a farm that we sell fruit or vegetables, like that.
Prabhupāda: If you open farm for financial help, then it will not be successful. You should take to farming for supporting yourself, that's all. Grow your own food. Grow your own cloth. There is no need of financial help from outside. You get your food grains sufficiently—rice, ḍāl, wheat, vegetables, milk, sugar. Bās. You get everything. From these five, six items you should be economically free. That you have to do, not for trade to get money. Then it will be failure.
Indian lady: Can we purchase the house for our own staying?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because this is necessary. You must have some shelter; you must eat; you must cover. That is necessary. So you do it. Grow food first of all to feed yourself sumptuously. You must get strength, and that is needed. But not for trade. The policy should be that you should be self-sufficient and save time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Yavad-ārtha prayojanam. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-hā [Bg. 6.17]. You shall eat whatever you require for proper upkeep of the body, not eating too much and sleeping whole day. Don't do that. Eat only what is absolutely necessary. Then you'll never be in want. People are engaged in material civilization means they are increasing the bodily demands, unnecessary. Just like this park. Why we have come to this park? We like this atmosphere. So similarly in villages, everyone, if he has got some land, he can live simply without any gorgeous building. What is the use? Just have a cottage and have garden. You'll live very peacefully.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- October 28, 1975, Nairobi

So farming means if you live in a farm... Just like in New Vrindaban they are doing. Produce your own food, live peacefully, fresh vegetable, fresh grains, fresh milk, and prepare so many nice milk preparation, kachori, halava, and with ghee. Offer to the Deity. Eat sufficiently. What is the use of going outside? Simple life and chant Hare Krsna. If you can organize that, that will be very begnice.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- October 28, 1975, Nairobi

Prabhupāda: I have estimated if land lying vacant, if they used for farming, producing food, ten times as many people can be fed. 
Hari-śauri: Easily.
Prabhupāda: There is no question of scarcity. Your American government, "Oh, don't produce, don't produce, don't produce." If they'll produce more, "I'll throw it in the sea." "Produce motorcar. Produce motorcar, 1967 model. Don't produce food grains." This is government's position. Don't produce foodgrains, produce 1967 motorcar, so that there may be more and more accidents.
Hari-śauri: They pay the farmers not to grow crops.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just see. Why not produce enough? There are so many people starving, they have no land to produce food. Therefore the supreme father has to be accepted.
Hari-śauri: Just like when we were in Fiji, all they grow is sugarcane, so they have to sell the sugarcane to get money to buy crops that they could have grown there in the first place.
Prabhupāda: Yes, business. Why so much sugarcane? The islands of Hawaii, they grow more sugarcane. We have seen all the islands. Everywhere, huge quantity of sugarcane. The sugarcane is required for manufacturing wine. [break] ...diabetes... [break] ...drink tea. He's much [indistinct] of sugar, and from molasses, they manufacture wine. Unnecessary things. Misadjustment and they're philosophizing.
Hari-śauri: Even when they try to grow the grains, they can't guarantee it.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Hari-śauri: Like in Russia, they projected that they would grow so much grains...
Prabhupāda: Nature will punish them. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]. Nature is Lord's vigilant maintainer. He's observing, as soon as he disobeys the orders of God it will be...
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- May 27, 1976, Honolulu

Prabhupāda: But if I don't want it, either cheap or dear, who cares for it, if I don't want that? There was a statement by some Pope that "If the crown of England is offered to me at very cheap price, so why shall I accept it? What shall I do with it?" That is the..., that if I don't want a car... Suppose if we advance our farming program, who will want the car? Theoretically, accept it, that we shall remain in the farm. Then where is the necessity of car?
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit

Kīrtanānanda: Most of the winter not. We get maybe six inches during the whole winter. [break] ...farming a lot of land now that's not our land. We are farming a lot of land that is not our land. We lease it, or do it on shares.
Prabhupāda: Oh. What is the share? Half?
Kīrtanānanda: Sometimes half, more likely a third, sometimes a quarter. We like that.
Prabhupāda: Quarter for the proprietor?
Kīrtanānanda: Yes. There are many people that have a lot of land, and they don't want to do it themselves. But the hay has to be cut every year, otherwise the trees come, and then the land degenerates. So they like to have it cut. [break]
Prabhupāda: ...land can be cultivated also?
Kīrtanānanda: Yes, it could be. It would be very good land. [break] ...our own lumber now also. Cutting our own trees, and...
Prabhupāda: That is the nature's way. You cut the lumber and make cottage, and the land is clear, then cultivate, get your food, and cows, give them grass. [break] 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindavan

Prabhupāda: Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam.
ahastāni sahastānām
apadāni catuṣ-padām
nunam mahatāṁ tatra 
jīvo jīvasya jīvanam
[SB 1.13.47]
The handless animal is the food for the animal with hands. This is the beginning of life. Uncivilized man eats the animals. Apadāni catuṣ-padām: these grass, plants, they are for the catuṣ-padām, four-legged. Cows, deer, goats, they eat. And those who are weak, they are for the strong. In this way, this is the nature's way. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. One life, a living entity is food for another. [dogs barking] Immigration department. [laughter] We have got passport. [laughter] That's all right.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindavan

Prabhupāda: So improve this farming very nicely. So the cows, they should be given as much as possible pasturing. If you simply drink little milk, and little vegetables, that will supply all vitamins. You do not require to take vitamin pills. No, there is no need. It has got all the vitamins. That is admitted. Vitamin A, D, in milk, they say so. And fruits, vitamin C. In this way, in fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, all vitamins are there.
Kulaśekhara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if you take milk in other forms, like if you eat cheese, if you take curd or cheese, is it the same as drinking milk or... ?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Any milk preparation. And if you have got enough milk, then keep it as ghee and open restaurant in the city. Give them nice samosā, kachorī. So in exchange you get money. You require little money, so that money will help you. Actually, in India before these British, the poorer class of men, they were simply keeping say a dozen of cows, and that was their means of livelihood, that's all. From the milk they'll eat the, that, little milk, then yogurt, then..., what is called? It is another milk?
Devotees: Casein? Curd? Cheese?
Viśākhā: Buttermilk.
Prabhupāda: Buttermilk, yes. And in this way, after drinking and eating so many things, whatever balance is there, churn it and they get ghee, and that ghee is kept in stock. On the market day, they go to the city and sell it. You'll find in Vṛndāvana, so many cultivators, they have brought ghee. So the inhabitants of the city, town, they require ghee, they purchase, and with that money they get some necessities, just like some oil or some spices, salt, like this, which is not available. In this way...
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindavan

Prabhupāda: Those who are meat-eaters, why don't you inform them, when a cow dies, that "You can take it."
Kīrtanānanda: That would be illegal.
Prabhupāda: Why? Legal, illegal, that is their whims.
Devotee: Hmm. That's a fact.
Kīrtanānanda: But that will get us in trouble.
Prabhupāda: No, no. That is, they can give us. They are in power, they can do that. But legally...
Kīrtanānanda: Yes, you are right. If they want to eat, let them take the dead cow.
Prabhupāda: They take it. Free, they get without any price. They get the skin, they get flesh. Let them eat. We are not going to charge for the... You take it. Why maintain slaughterhouse? Take this.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindavan

Bhagavān: In our preaching this is good point, that we do not alienate the Communists and stress on the differences between us and them.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bhagavān: That can come later.
Prabhupāda: But they see practically that "We are theorizing while they're practically doing." So expand this farming project, self-help and peaceful life for spiritual culture. I saw that Philadelphia farming is better organized than all others.
Jayatīrtha: Yes, in Pennsylvania they have the best farm. It is the best farm. When they bought it, it already had all this equipment and best flat farmland, whereas New Vrindavan, they have such a...
Prabhupāda: Hilly.
Jayatīrtha: Hilly, and the place was originally not very nice. Everything they had to build from scratch.
Hari-śauri: The management in New Vrindavan is a lot more difficult as well, because they've tried to avoid machinery, so the whole concept of farming without any complicated machinery...
Prabhupāda: But they have got so many machine. In New Vrindavan there are so many machinery.
Hari-śauri: Not so much tractors and things, though. They've been trying to concentrate with just oxen and things like that, so it's taken a while to develop the whole concept, whereas in Pennsylvania they're using so many machines.
Prabhupāda: No, we are not [indistinct] various things.
Jayatīrtha: In our Vancouver farm, because we had machinery, we were able to put more land under cultivation in the first year than they had in New Vrindavan after so many years. Seemed very efficient.
Bhagavān: Thing is, we should not become dependent on machine.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bhagavān: This unemployment is to their discredit. In the karmis' society the unemployment is a great discredit. Now people sitting idle.
Prabhupāda: There will be great catastrophe. The unemployment will increase, and people will be very much dissatisfied, especially the black. They will create havoc. This is artificial. They are increasing the production of tire tube and [indistinct]. Then who will purchase? Nobody lives in tire tube. Therefore unemployment. So therefore reduce production. You cannot go on increasing. You very much trade this tire tube and so many artificial... It is very artificial civilization. [break] Here, so far milk and food grains are concerned, whatever sumptuously you want to eat, eat. Balance you can keep stock. The milk can be converted into ghee, then keep stock, and the grains can be stocked. Whenever you like, you just grind the grains and have to eat, halavā.
Bhagavān: It's very ecstatic.
Prabhupāda: If you have got excess, you can distribute free prasādam: "Come on." You make friends.
Bhagavān: You gave one argument before about this meat-eating. You say, "If you want to eat meat, that is all right. Why you don't wait until the animal dies naturally?"
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hari-śauri: Unless we get the farm, this farming scheme set up within the next...
Prabhupāda: We are getting so many.
Hari-śauri: We're getting the farms, but we haven't got the management, so...
Prabhupāda: Management, that is in your hands. You have to... Who will give you management? You have to manage local—local men. Bon Mahārāja was failure that he could not get the local men. But I did not try to bring men from India and preach in England or America.
Akṣayānanda: Hmm.
Prabhupāda: How it is possible? The British Empire was established on management. They did not bring men from England. Few managers, that's all. That is called management. One man can control hundreds and thousands of men, and that is management. 
[long pause] 
Prabhupāda: Locally attracted. These Britishers came here, they introduced this zamindarī system.
Haṁsadūta: The what?
Prabhupāda: Zamindarī system.
Haṁsadūta: Zamindar.
Prabhupāda: Landlord.
Haṁsadūta: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So any third-class man, if he's given some land, naturally he will be very much pleased. They created that aristocracy. So he selected some men that "You give me four annas per bīghā, and whatever you can collect, that is your." That is the old system in India, zamindarī system. So collector, collector, the local collector, he appointed somebody. They used to give one lease, that "You give government four annas per bīghā, and whatever you can collect, that is your business." So that created an aristocratic society, and they all supported Britishers, because they're obliged.
Haṁsadūta: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Similarly in business also, they appointed brokers, that "I am bringing cloth from Manchester, and if you can sell you'll get so much commission." So without any investment...
Haṁsadūta: They were in business.
Prabhupāda: A broker club business. So the businessmen, the zamindars, and gradually they started their factories, railways; in this way they started. And they are big politicians, so it is their management. And they failed when things were mismanaged. First of all they created friendship, and later on when they were in power, they created enmity. Then it is failed.
Devotee: Hmm.
Prabhupāda: First of all friendship, and that established them. And then they began to create enmity, Hindus against Muslim, Muslim... They wanted to stay. When they forgot this idea that if they wanted to stay for the benefit of the people, nobody could drive them away. But their policy was for the benefit of the English people. Therefore they failed. Lord Curzon, he says a statement that "If you want to stay in India, rule India for the benefit of Indian people. You can keep control over India. They are fond of kings, so one member of the royal family can become king here, and they'll earn respect and honor, these Indian people. But rule for their benefit. Then British Empire will stay." Very good advice, but his advice was not taken. You have seen Lord Curzon's statue near the.., in front of the Victoria Memorial Hall?
Haṁsadūta: Hmm.
Prabhupāda: He was a very good governor-general. Many gentlemen came, they ruled very conscientiously, and the last one, that rascal Chelmsford [chuckles], he created havoc.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vṛndāvana

Dr. Kneupper: There are farmers who produce...
Prabhupāda: Well, in your country there is some adjustment because it is very big country, and you are all intelligent people. In other countries they... But even though you have got resources, if you not properly utilize it, then the bad time is coming. You should expect. If your energy is all engaged in manufacturing tires and wheels, then who will go to the... Actually I have seen in your country. Now the farmers' son, they do not like to remain in the farm. They go in the city. I have seen it. The farmers' sons, they do not like to take up the profession of his father. So gradually farming will be reduced, and the city residents, they are satisfied if they can eat meat. And the farmer means keeping the..., raising the cattle and killing them, send to the city, and they will think that "We are eating. What is the use of going to..." But these rascals have no brain that "If there is no food grain or grass, how these cattle will be...?" 
Actually it is happening. They are eating swiftly. "The cattle will die. Before they die, let us kill and eat." Actually it is happening. In Italy they killed because the problem is twenty thousand cows. This is going on. They do not care that killing is sinful, because they don't care for God. This is going on. And sinful, sinful, sinful, everyone will be punished. The nature's law will act. [Bengali] There is a Bengali proverb, [Bengali], that "One man wanted to take statistics, 'How many thieves are there in this village?' So when he began to take statistics, he saw everyone is thief. Then he said that 'What is the use of making statistics? This is village of thieves, that's all.' " So it is... At the present moment this is the position. If you make a statistics who is sinful and who is not sinful, you will find all sinful. And because they are sinful, they decry the existence of God. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante... [aside:] Find out this, Seventh... Because they are all sinful, they deny the existence of God. This is the position. Read it.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vṛndāvana

"ISKCON is also building a model Vedic community in Māyāpur near Calcutta based on cottage industry and agriculture. The important principle is that everyone must be gainfully employed. In ISKCON's Māyāpur project hundreds of persons operate spinning wheels and more than a dozen handlooms, dye the cloth, and [indistinct] printed in popular design, process rice and dāl by hand, crush sugarcane for sugar products, and manufacture by hand wooden shoes and other items of daily use. On twenty-five acres of agricultural land in Māyāpur, ISKCON is developing and demonstrating scientific farming procedures such as crop rotation, organic fertilization, and using improved strains. ISKCON is also cross-breeding cattle from Canada and Australia with Indian cows to increase milk production. Thus the community provides its own cloth, food, and other daily needs, acts as an agricultural development and demonstration center, and additionally feeds thousands of people twice every week. Within the next ten years, according to ISKCON plans, the Māyāpur project will extend into a complete Vedic city with fifty thousand..."
Prabhupāda: We have applied for 350 acres of land from the government. The process is going on. If we get, then we shall spend crores of rupees for... The description is...
Jagadīśa: " Within the next ten years, according to ISKCON plans, the Māyāpur project will extend to a complete Vedic city with fifty thousand inhabitants, its own university, airport and stadium. It will also claim the world's largest planetarium, with 410-ft-high Temple of Understanding..." [break] ...civilization.
Dr. Kneupper: It sounds like a beautiful project. That is near Bombay, now?
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vṛndāvana

When I go to Delhi I see, from Vṛndāvana, hundreds and thousands persons are coming from the village on cycle to go to the tire factory, Goodyear tire factory. So now eat tire instead of getting food grains. So this is misdirected civilization. Kṛṣṇa does not say that you produce tire tube. Kṛṣṇa says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni: "You produce anna." This is practical solution. We have therefore started in Europe and America farming. And they are very happy. In our latest Back to Godhead the description is published about our farm in France. We have got a very palatial building. We have named it New Māyāpur. What is the place?
Hari-śauri: Chateau d'Oublaise.
Prabhupāda: I cannot pronounce this French word. [laughter] So anyway, our men, there are about three hundred men living there, last time, four months, five months before, I was there. It is very, very nice place. We are getting our own fruits, own vegetable fresh, and we are getting fresh wheat and milk. It is so happy life. You see?
So government is also advertising, "Go to the village." Actually that is life. Go to the village. Mahatma Gandhi also wanted to organize this life, but unfortunately you have changed. Now we have got place in Hyderabad about six hundred acres of land. We are also trying here. We have already done in Māyāpur. We are producing our own food, our own cloth, own milk, and we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the simplest life. This life is meant for not working like hogs and dogs. That is the instruction. Nayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1]. This is the business of the stool-eater hogs. But what is meant for human life? 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.1 -- December 25, 1976, Bombay

Prabhupāda: Up to that point, simply rubbish, all papers thrown here and there. People are living in... Now see here, how it is open and pleasing. Organize this farm project. Farm. [background talking obscured by train noise]
Hari-śauri: He's just saying that in the West one requires a great deal of capital. To start a farm, to get the land, you need a lot of money because land is very expensive. And also we have to use modern farming techniques because we have so few men to run the farms.
Prabhupāda: No, you show example. People will do automatically. When the people find it is very nice, they will take.
Hari-śauri: Should we try to make an effort to have our householders go and live on the farms, a special effort to persuade them to do that?
Prabhupāda: Why householders? Everyone. Hare Kṛṣṇa. [japa]
Rāmeśvara: In America there is a very big emphasis on getting people to join us by moving into our temples. The temple presidents are very eager to get as many people to move in as possible. But in the long run most people cannot come up to the standard.
Prabhupāda: Therefore I am... Farms.
Rāmeśvara: So they have to be encouraged to have a little bit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in their own home, make their home a temple.
Prabhupāda: No, let them go to the farm, New Vrindavan.
Rāmeśvara: But many people... Most people in the world, they are gṛhamedhīs, and they cannot give it up so easily.
Prabhupāda: "No, you remain... Come here with your wife, children. You remain gṛhamedhī."
Jagadīśa: New Vrindavan is very austere. If we build little bungalows with modern convenience...
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Jagadīśa: There has to be some modern convenience.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Then we shall do that.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India

Prabhupāda: Arrange all this. Our philosophy is "Eat nicely, live nicely and advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." First problem is eating. That we shall supply, no problem. Eating and clothing we shall give. And shelter. Make this propaganda. They put this logic, "If we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, who shall earn? Who will earn for us?" The Indians, they do that. Rascals, they do that. They do not know Kṛṣṇa provides. So we give them that "You... I give you shelter, food, cloth. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Bali-mardana: Full program.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bali-mardana: Everything provided. Wherever we open these farming communities, people then, they respect us.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bali-mardana: They say, "Oh, you are doing something."
Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa's order, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam [Bg. 18.44]. [break] ...not that the learned brāhmaṇa class is important and śūdra, he is not im... He is also important. He is giving you service according to his quality. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13]. And center is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I think from Africa also they can send, because...
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- February 25, 1977, Māyāpur

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is wanted. Farming is wanted. What is this nonsense industry? When I passed through Berkeley and New York, really hellish, these buildings. Some of them are finished, all broken. Similarly London also. This civilization has no value. It is a demonic civilization. Jagataḥ ahitāya. Find out this, Sixteenth. Ugra-karma, jagataḥ ahitāya.
Hṛdayānanda:
etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya
naṣṭātmāno 'lpa-buddhayaḥ
prabhavanty ugra-karmāṇaḥ
kṣayāya jagato 'hitāḥ
[Bg. 16.9]
"Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world."
Prabhupāda: That's it. This is going on. And what is their prakāra? Kāma. But simply sense gratification. But previous to this verse?
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with Svarūpa Dāmodara -- February 28, 1977, Māyāpur

Prabhupāda: No, he is a sincere worker. Therefore he approached me. From Vṛndāvana, Gwalior is very near, within hundred miles. So Viśvambhara can transfer, come, come there to..., to see. Let us first of all settle up. My this farming program, theoretically there is no comparison. But practically people are accustomed in different way. To bring them to the program it will take some time. Otherwise my program is assured happiness, happiness assurance, if they get... Have your own food grown. Keep cows. Have your own crops. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That goes for all over the world.
Prabhupāda: Don't go to the city. That is my determination. The hellish city. In city nobody has got the opportunity for living in such comfortable place. It is all Kṛṣṇa's mercy that we have got. Otherwise if you go to the Bombay city, even here, these pigeon holes, three small rooms... It is not expected that everyone will be able to live in such palatial building. That is not possible. Even they have no bathroom in Bombay. In the room, in the corner, there is a tap, and you have to go to the public well, latrine. This is the system. So whole family will take advantage of the corner tap and then have to go to public latrine. There is no bathroom.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay

New Zealand is first class dairy and farming country in the world, so if you can establish some nice asrama there for raising and protecting cows, that will be a great service.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Madhudvisa — Los Angeles 26 May, 1972

I know there are many weavers who daily go from this side of the river to Navadvipa side for working in handweaving enterprise. So if we can employ some of them along with our own men for manufacturing first class saris we can purchase all these saris produced by you. Such small scale industries are also supported by the Bengal Government. Tarundada is in charge of such industry. I have consulted with Karandhara that we can purchase the saris and the government will be glad to cooperate with us for exporting Indian goods to outside of India. Similarly we can import nice dolls here. Gradually as our men become expert they can manufacture the same thing here. So Mayapur inhabitants can be engaged in such a small manufacturing enterprise as well as farming to become self sufficient. Side by side increase our spiritual consciousness by attending to the temple routine work, Deity worship sankirtana, attending class. The idea is we must have the necessities of our life as far as possible independently. But we should not be business minded. Our main business is to develop our dormant Krsna Consciousness. Side by side we may take to such enterprises as will maintain us very nicely. There is no need of sending the artisan to U.S.A. better send our disciples from here and learn the art there. In this connection manufacturing the mrdanga shells as well as the skin work on it is very essential. If possible our men may learn how to make karatalas also. At Navadvipa, there are many artisans for this purpose.
The summary is that our men must learn these four things: doll making, mrdanga making, karatala making and if possible making saris.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Jayapataka, Bhavananda — Los Angeles 9 May, 1973

I have considered your proposal to go to California and start a farm if you can acquire some land. I have been giving instruction to Sudama Maharaja for development of Hawaii center, of which you are presently a member, and our plans include acquiring land here and farming flowers and vegetables. I find hawaii a very suitable place for Krsna Consciousness, and want that a very strong center be established here. Therefore I think the best thing, if you are inclined to farming is to remain and cooperate with Sudama Maharaja and Bali Mardan and Balabhadra and develop Krsna Conscious farming and cow protection here. The tendency for always changing is not good. So I hope these proposals will be agreeable to you. 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Devendranatha — Hawaii 16 January, 1974

under control of Gaurasundara. Now you require $5000.00 to cover expansion for cows, farming and unpaid debts of Gaurasundara. As for the devotee, Bhavatarini Devi, who is there, she has asked me what to do with her large inheritance of $41,000.00. I have asked her to deposit it in our Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust Fund which we have at the Liberty Bank in Honolulu. Now you can withdrawal $5000.00 required by you from this balance by the Mayapur-Vrndavana Trust at the Liberty Bank. The account number is 35785.* I am enclosing one withdrawal slip authorizing you to make the above withdrawal. 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Sudama — Bombay 8 May, 1974

So far the Nellore property is concerned, that is a nice proposal. Now, we should have self-sufficiency. This means to make our own food grains grow and to weave our own cloth—like in Mayapur. If we have food grains, milk, and cloth life becomes easy and we can save time for preaching and chanting. Not that everyone should do these activities of farming, but if one is less intelligent, or not intelligent enough to preach nicely, he can do. If one is capable, then he should preach. On the whole, our society should be divided into 4 divisions, but such divisions are not material. Just like Krishna belonged to the Vaisya community, but he is worshiped by the brahmanas. We shall utilize everything for Krishna's service.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Mahamsa — Bombay 19 January, 1975

Regarding the farm, our business is not farming. Our business is to spread Krishna consciousness. So in favor of Krishna consciousness whatever policy is suitable that we should take. Even if you move the farm, how will it be conducted if your devotees are not interested? No, it is not a good idea. It will mean our attention will be diverted. If you have got more men, then it can be tackled.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Hansadutta: — Vrindaban 9 September, 1975

We have to organize in the neighboring village from where the Raja Saheb came to offer his respects to me. He has promised to hold a meeting of the agriculturists of 20,000 people minimum and this will be a great opportunity. Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness. In India especially people are religiously inclined. They like to live in village and also like to love Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. This idealism is running through their blood and veins. We have to organize their natural tendency and elevate them again back to Home, Back-to-Godhead. Please think over these points very seriously and as soon as I return we shall take up the program. My beloved sannyasi disciple Swami Pusta Krishna has promised to give me a car, and as soon as I get it I shall move from village to village along with some selected assistants and organize this farming village development program.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Kartikeya K. Mahadevia — Johannesburg 19 October, 1975

Please accept my blessings. Since I have left India I am touring so many places. Now I am in Johannesburg and on the 25th of October I am going to Nairobi. Regarding our farming scheme, it is almost settled that we shall get some land. Now we have to organize carefully. In this respect, I am counting upon your good help. On my return to India I wish to hold immediately one meeting of Krisans or agriculturist society. The idea is that the land is there and Krisans may be engaged to grow food both for men and for the animals, namely the cows. The cow should be maintained very healthy so that they can give sufficient good milk. The Krisans shall live comfortably in the cottages. They should produce their food, their milk, and their cloth. Everything produced will be used by themselves. If there is any excess production then the question of trade will arise. That we shall see later on. All the products produced will belong to Krishna-Balarama. Everyday at least thrice, all the Krisans meet in the local temple of Krishna-Balarama, chant Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, and take prasadam. In this way they should live peacefully locally without going outside for their livelihood. This is the general program.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Digambar Singh: — Johannesburg 20 October, 1975

The farming and opening the restaurant are correlative—in farming you produce enough milk and milk products, at least ghee, and the ghee is dispatched to the restaurant in the city and with that you prepare first-class samosas, kacoris, vegetables, halava—so many things people will like very much. The principle is that not a drop of milk should be misused. 
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Tusta Krsna — Bombay 9 November, 1975

Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter dated 8/10/76 and have noted the contents carefully. You say the farm is only five miles from the city, so we will build our temple on that land. The farmers should be trained up to become devotees of Krishna. The same Idea I have already given for Hyderabad farm. Invite the local farmers to participate in Kirtana and prasadam distribution, engage them to work the land. They may keep whatever they require for their maintenance and the excess production may be traded or sold. But we are not going to develop a competitive farming enterprise for making money. The basic principle is to become independent of artificial city life, working in factories producing nut and bolts. Gandhi had this Idea, the one defect was that there was no Krishna in the center. So the same idea of village organization, but keeping Krishna in the center should be introduced on our farm projects.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Yasomatinandana — Chandigarh 14 October, 1976

The farm you describe sounds nice and if you can supply grains, butter, etc. to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa as you suggest, it is very good. From the photos it seems that it gets very cold there. Whether the weather will hinder the farming as happened at the Vancouver farm? There they were forced to sell the farm. The farm may be called "Subha Farm''. I have already given general guidelines for our other farms.
Whatever is available easily we can use. There is no objection to using electricity. But we should not be dependent upon it. Produce oil from castor seeds and stock the oil sufficiently. It can be used in so many ways—for burning, grease, cooking, and as a purgative to cure all diseases. And oxen can be used for driving carts and go preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success. He has traveled all over India and everywhere they distribute books, prasadam and perform kirtana. Each night they stop at a different village. We can introduce many millions of such carts all over the world.
As far as possible try to adjust to a natural way of life free from dependence on machines. But our principle should be that we are against nothing and for nothing. Only for Krishna. We want whatever is favorable for Krishna. From the farms we should get sufficient foodstuffs and these can be sent to be used at our restaurants. Along with the restaurants there can be "Bhaktivedanta Reading Room'' where all my books can be kept and people can come and sit comfortably and read. The people will like these restaurants and reading rooms. They will take them as non-sectarian.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Subhavilasa — Mayapur 16 March, 1977