You know, in Soviet times the most widespread form of agriculture was "kolkhoz" (or "collective farm"). (The second one was "sovkhoz", "state farm", but there wasn't many differences between sovkhoz and kolkhoz.) After the USSR collapse, in Russia most of kolkhozes were disorganised. The idea was to replace them by western-like form of farms, based on individual farmers. But in fact this led to the decline of agriculture in general. Individual farmers did apeared, but the amount of them was very small. People in villages lost their job, many people moved to cities, countryside in general degraded. At least in so called "non-black earth economic region", where soils are not very fertile. In southern, more productive regions (so called "black earth economic region") the situation is a bit better. But in general, the situation in agriculture is not good in Russia, and the rural area depopulated very much for the last 20 years.
(In Belarus most of kolkhozes remained and, although they are not always economically effective, but agriculture in Belarus is now in much better sutuation, then in Russia. For example, have a look at the border between Russia and Belarus from space in this article: http://babkin-k.livejournal.com/172111.html )
But some enthusiasts found their own way of living in the countryside. I mean ecovillages and the same kind of settlements, where people grow organic food and aim to live a healthy lifestyle in harmony with nature. There are such settlements in Russia as well. And I find them more interesting then big agricultural enterprises, either "kolkhozes" or individual but not nature-friendly type of farms. At least, I think, such places are more interesting to visit and more homelike to stay at.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2013-07-19 09:04 pm (UTC)(The second one was "sovkhoz", "state farm", but there wasn't many differences between sovkhoz and kolkhoz.)
After the USSR collapse, in Russia most of kolkhozes were disorganised. The idea was to replace them by western-like form of farms, based on individual farmers. But in fact this led to the decline of agriculture in general. Individual farmers did apeared, but the amount of them was very small. People in villages lost their job, many people moved to cities, countryside in general degraded. At least in so called "non-black earth economic region", where soils are not very fertile. In southern, more productive regions (so called "black earth economic region") the situation is a bit better. But in general, the situation in agriculture is not good in Russia, and the rural area depopulated very much for the last 20 years.
(In Belarus most of kolkhozes remained and, although they are not always economically effective, but agriculture in Belarus is now in much better sutuation, then in Russia. For example, have a look at the border between Russia and Belarus from space in this article: http://babkin-k.livejournal.com/172111.html )
But some enthusiasts found their own way of living in the countryside. I mean ecovillages and the same kind of settlements, where people grow organic food and aim to live a healthy lifestyle in harmony with nature. There are such settlements in Russia as well. And I find them more interesting then big agricultural enterprises, either "kolkhozes" or individual but not nature-friendly type of farms. At least, I think, such places are more interesting to visit and more homelike to stay at.