Veggi gardens,anyone?

[Ak-Murza]

Does anyone grow their own veggies? I know it does sound silly in the USA,but( being Tatar/Ukrainian from Sakhalin Island) I don't care.I have 2,5 acres of land,and just about 1/4 of it is under my garden.Tomatoes,all kinds of peppers,cucumbers, greens,even potatoes.Raspberry,blackberry,etc.White & Black cherry,apple trees,etc.Thinking about putting a small wineyard on the southern hillside.

Anyone else?

[Zbyszek]

Originally Posted by Ak-Murza

Does anyone grow their own veggies? I know it does sound silly in the USA,but( being Tatar/Ukrainian from Sakhalin Island) I don't care.I have 2,5 acres of land,and just about 1/4 of it is under my garden.Tomatoes,all kinds of peppers,cucumbers, greens,even potatoes.Raspberry,blackberry,etc.White & Black cherry,apple trees,etc.Thinking about putting a small wineyard on the southern hillside.

Anyone else?

Murza, when I visited a little town Rorshecherberg in Switzerland on Bodensee (Lake of Constance) last year, I noticed people have little gardens on a hillside, almost in a town centre. I was surprised because I am sure they do not have a real need of sparing money that way.
In my country, taking care ow your own patch of land is a way of life for many. Even in some quarters of my city (Warsaw) people have well-kept little gardens in front of their 3-4 storey apartments.
I also have a few acres of land in the village, but because my time is limited, I predominantly grow fruit trees (mainly plums because they hardly need any chemical intervention) and bushes (a nice collection of blueberry). I selected the species having natural Polish climate in mind (resistance to spring frost is essential). I enjoy spending my time in rural environment, near the river, the meadows and fragrant pine forest.
At the same time I am an enthusiast about home-plant cultivation. I have a nice collection of Saint Paulias, growing them without soil, almost on pure water.
Greetings Kathy, I hope you keep good spring hope as the spring is giving us a kiss!

[Ak-Murza]

So you're a city dweller,but your soul needs some of that pure smell of fresh-plowed earth,mixed with primeaval frutility and cow sshhit.The optimistic rooster's solo rulade in an ungodly hour of the morning will remind you of a long-long-...-long to-do list of your daily rutine of a peasant.It's the most rewarding labor.Every year you put seeds in the dirt,and you make things grow.And all those backaches , and blisters,and sun-burned nose will magicly transform into the food you put on your family's table.You witness nature's creative might year in,year out.What can be better ,than this archaic way of life?

[Zbyszek]

Originally Posted by Ak-Murza

So you're a city dweller,but your soul needs some of that pure smell of fresh-plowed earth,mixed with primeaval frutility and cow sshhit.The optimistic rooster's solo rulade in an ungodly hour of the morning will remind you of a long-long-...-long to-do list of your daily rutine of a peasant.It's the most rewarding labor.Every year you put seeds in the dirt,and you make things grow.And all those backaches , and blisters,and sun-burned nose will magicly transform into the food you put on your family's table.You witness nature's creative might year in,year out.What can be better ,than this archaic way of life?

Dobryj dyen Murza, you reminded me one of former Tatar poster of golden times for this forum (2002-2004), named Batukhan. We, Ukraine.com forumers had a lot of fun exchanging views, digging up national stereotypes, sometimes disputing fiercely, but most of the times with respect to our opponents. Batukhan came from Lithuania and as he served in the Soviet army, he gathered plenty of experience he shared in a jovial way with us.
My parents do not live anymore, so I can visit them only in the cemetery. There is an old Muslim Tatar cemetery in Warsaw, neighbouring a big and even older, XVIIIth century Catholic cemetery where a lot of my relatives are buried. I enter this Tatar graveyard form time to time and I always find some interesting details. Tatars were good soldiers and they often pursued military career in the Polish Army, dating back to old times of Rzeczpospolita. There are still some little ethnic groups of Tartar inhabitants and there are still a few wooden Muslin shrines near the Polish-Lithuanian border.
Yes, open space offers irresistible charm, and smell of ploughed earth or that ripening grain is something I can hardly do without. I can only ask – what happened to horses, those wonderful animals, best human helpers and friends?
Thanks for your voice, Murza, stay with us for a while.

[Ak-Murza]

Zemlja puhom for your parents,Zbishek.

But I do need to correct your assumptions. Although I came from Tatar-Ukrainian Cossak ancestory,I ain't a Tatar or a Ukrainian.Sure as hell I ain't a moskovite!!! I'm a SAKHALINIAN.I have NOT one drop of Russian blood in me,but I am a Russian.Just like anyone,born on my Island.Koreans,Georgians,Czechs,Ukrainians,Kurds,Russians,Uzbecs,Mazovians,Polaks,Finns,Estonians,Ta tars of ALL kinds,you name it-we got it.We all have a common denominator-our ancestors fought mAAskva in one way or another.

[Zbyszek]

Murza, if you lived in Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, you probably know about the monument honouring Bronislaw Pilsudski, which was erected not so long ago there. B.Pilsudski (a brother of a Polish prewar leader) was exiled to Sakhalin and was important scientific figure in the field of environmental research.
BTW, is specific Sakhalinian identity really so strong that it can be compared to national identity?

[Ak-Murza]

Originally Posted by Zbyszek

Murza, if you lived in Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, you probably know about the monument honouring Bronislaw Pilsudski, which was erected not so long ago there. B.Pilsudski (a brother of a Polish prewar leader) was exiled to Sakhalin and was important scientific figure in the field of environmental research.
BTW, is specific Sakhalinian identity really so strong that it can be compared to national identity?

My hometown Korsakov(named after it's founder Rimskiy-Korsakov, brother of the famouse composer) is about 23 miles South from Juzhno-Sakhalinsk.B.Pilsudski is just one of many Pols,exiled to my Island.Village Otradna,near Korsakov was founded by Polish exiles.Many Pols,Galicians and Ukrainians from AK (Armia Krajova) ended up there(after WW2)

Sakhalinian identity,IMHO,can be seen as a subethnos,which is not quaet a NATION,but a distinctive ethnic group within Slavic nation.