New Talavana (Tal·ah·vahn) farm community was begun as a project in June of 1974. This was done at the suggestion of His Divine Grace, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness.)

Talavana is one of the twelve forests around Vrndavana, a city in India where Krishna incarnated 5000 years ago. Krishna and His cowherd friends would go there and play, rest, eat and watch their cows as they grazed.

At first it was just a few devotees from the New Orleans temple who came out and slowly began planting gardens. They worked as time permitted and then returned to the New Orleans temple at night, a round trip of about 130 miles.

Soon some devotees began staying on the farm full time.

New Talavana was chosen as a name by the founder of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada while he was visiting the Honolulu temple on May 4th, 1976.

The first cow was purchased from a stockyard and the devotees named her Kunti. She gave the farm its first fresh milk as well as its first calf, named Subhadra. Later more cows were purchased.

The devotees also continued to purchase more land over the next 10 years. Eventually we reached a total of 1200 acres. This makes New Talavana the second largest Hare Krishna farm community.

Currently New Talavana is producing wheat, fruit, and vegetables. We also have about 60 acres set aside for hay and collect hay from another 100 acres not owned by New Talavana. Krishna's cows are also producing fresh milk from which the devotees supply our presiding deities with delightful milk sweets.