The Gita Nagari Yoga Farm

For more info on this amazing project, click here to go to their website.

Set in the scenic Tuscarora Valley, framed by mountain ridges, boundaried by the Tuscarora Creek on the east side, inhabited by melodious birds and other creatures, home to 9 joyful volunteers, 19 peaceful cows/oxen, and a carefree flock of about 40 peacocks, Gita Nagari Organic Farm of 350 acres of rolling green hay fields, pastures and diverse woods engages in compassionate farming, above all its other activities.

We are a small community set in cozy rural Port Royal, PA with a singular aim of integrating our existence based on the principles of love, care and respect for all living beings. Spirituality, Sustainability and Community Care form the basis of our activities.

The community residing at Gita Nagari Farm is an intentional community, which Wikipedia defines as:

"a planned residential community designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork than other communities. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and are often part of the alternative society. They typically also share responsibilities and resources. Intentional communities include cohousing communities, residential land trusts, ecovillages, communes, survivalist retreats, kibbutzim, ashrams and housing cooperatives. Typically, new members of an intentional community are selected by the community's existing membership, rather than by real-estate agents or land owners (if the land is not owned collectively by the community)".

The spiritual vision held by the residents is of understanding our identity as spirit souls and being engaged in a loving relationship with the Divine. The expression of this understanding translates into unconditional and uninterrupted service unmixed with any material or exploitative tendency. Understanding that the spirit soul is the basis of life, allows us to extend this mood of service to all residents - trees, animals, birds and  people! Non identification with the bodily/temporary/material designations, allows the community to over come barriers of race, color, creed, age, etc and work synergistically in a mood of service. Non-violence and peace are natural by-products of such a world view.

Bhakti Yoga

The residents of Gita Nagari relate to God through loving devotional service.  They practice bhakti yoga - the yoga of love and devotion.  They utlise their abilities, intelligence, talents in service to the Supreme Lord, and in this way they are able to serve each other and the needs of a farm community.

Growing our own Food

A key principle of self sufficiency is to grow one's own food.  At Gita Nagari Yoga Farm we cultivated an acre last year (2009) and harvested an abundant crop.  The harvest was offered to the presiding deities Sri Sri Radha Damodara.  This is an important principle for our community - to offer back with love to the source of everything.  We had to supplement our harvests with other sources because we do not grow everything we eat...yet!

Being inspired from last year's season, and due to requests for produce, we plan to cultivate 10 acres this year. Please join us in any manner that suits your schedule and interests, and experience the fulfilment that comes from working so closely with Mother Nature.

Organic Farming

At this point in time, 100 acres of the farm's pasture is certified organic. We currently grow hay on this parcel of land. This season, we will start an organic vegetable garden on about 20 acres of this land and launch our first ever Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program. We have now have 160 acres that are certified organic!

agriCULTURE

We have 160 acres of certified organic land, both pasture and cropland.  This year, we are growing 20 acres of a wide variety of vegetables and herbs. We are offering two primary services this growing season:
1. Wholesale Markets
2. CSA


1. Wholesale Markets

We have a commitment with a local organic growers cooperative to supply them with 20 different types of vegetables and herbs.  We are also on a search for more organic produce wholesale markets - if you are a wholesaler, please call us on 717 527 4101 to discuss your needs with us.  We have also introduced more exotic and speciality crops into our mix for various markets such as the Indian/Asian market! Once we have communicated with each other, log on to wholesale.theyogafarm.com and order online. Payments can be accepted via credit cards, checks, Google checkout and Paypal.

2. CSA - Community Supported Agriculture
What is it?

Our CSA program will provide you with 26 weeks of local, sustainable, certified organic produce grown with love and devotion on our 350 acre farm in Port Royal, PA. Produce is hand harvested and delivered weekly, life energy fresh to seven drop-off points, namely Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; two in New Jersey; and two in New York. 

As members, you pay $600 for the season (only $23/ delivery) by March 25th and in return you will receive a variety of organic veggies, farm updates, recipes, and invites to farm tours, vegetarian dinners and other events hosted on our farm!

What sort of produce will you get?

Okra, Bitter Melon, Variety of Tomatoes, Spinach, Calabash, Fairy Tale Eggplants, Mustard Greens, Asian Greens (Mazuna red & green, Tatsoi, Kamasuna, Golden & Red Frill Mustard), Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Peppers (sweet bell; mild; hot;), Chillies, Watermelon, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squash, Dillacarda, Beans (long green & yellow), Bok Choi (red & green), Cauliflower, Zucchini and much more!

Click [here] to download the 2012 CSA Program brochure

************* Sign-Up by April 8th, 2012 ***********

On-line signup for CSA

1. Shares run from ~May 13th through November 4th (26 weeks)
2. Cost of CSA Share: $600/season, pay by March 25th
3. Paying in Installments: Members who cannot pay the full share price up front are welcome to pay in 3 installments. $300/April - $150/May -$150/August - A $15 paper-work fee will be assessed. 

There are two ways you can sign up for the CSA online:

1. Sign-up using Paypal
Use the Paypal button below.
Right now, you can use this option only to make a single full payment.
You need not have an account with paypal. You can simply enter your credit card info and check out.

2. Sign-up Google Checkout:
Use the Google Checkout below to subscribe to our CSA using your credit card. You'll need a google-id (or create one).