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SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL. Eco-faming and Agroforestry for Self-reliance: Small-scale, Sustainable Growing Practices in Russia. Russian Agricultural Tradition. peasant economy small-size; family labor peasant-owned land non-capitalistic motivation subsistence growing

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SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

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  1. SMALLISBEAUTIFUL Eco-faming and Agroforestry for Self-reliance: Small-scale, Sustainable Growing Practices in Russia

  2. Russian Agricultural Tradition • peasant economy • small-size; family labor • peasant-owned land • non-capitalistic motivation • subsistence growing • cultural / spiritual dimension Alexander Chayanov

  3. Dacha Movement • in WWII to fight food shortages • 50% of urbanites own a dacha • 35 million families (70% of population) • 8 million ha (20 million ac) • 40% of Russia’s agricultural output

  4. Small size, huge importance • 92% of potatoes • 77% of vegetables • 87% of berries & fruit • 60% of meat • 49% of milk • plus hunting, gathering and fishing

  5. A typical dacha

  6. Land, capital and labor • LAND: median size 0.05-0.06 ha • CAPITAL: low-put • LABOR: 18 hrs / week • 555 hrs / growing season • travel (90% gardeners) – 1.5 - 4 hrs • plus hunting, gathering and fishing

  7. Crops & growing methods • potatoes & other vegetables & greens • fruit, small fruit & berries • cattle, milk, chicken, eggs • organic methods • manual, machinery-free labor • innovation & know-how

  8. Subsistence, market & spiritual • subsistence first • $1,000 worth of labor to produce $140 worth of produce • “dacha makes no economic sense” • connection to the Earth

  9. The Ringing Cedars Series • 8 books • 10 million copies sold in Russian • in 20 languages • Back-to-the-Earth movement Vladimir Megre

  10. The Ringing Cedars: Russian

  11. The Ringing Cedars

  12. Small homesteads, big aspirations • land-based diversified enterprise • trees & NTFP • spiritual connection to the Earth

  13. Spiritual? What’s that? “managing forests to protect the range of spiritual needs and values” Government of the United States of America, 1995 (Santiago Declaration – criteria and indicators for sustainable management of boreal forests)

  14. An eternal garden

  15. 19-century permaculure • the estate / apple orchard protected by Pinus sibirica windbreaks • maintenance-free for 100 yrs

  16. Déja vu? Russian XIX century estatewww.CenterForAgroforestry.org Intentional? Integrated? Intensive? Interactive?

  17. Karl Turmer (1824-1900) • “There exists a harmonious relationship between forestry and agriculture. If forestry is regarded as separate from agriculture, this harmony is disrupted.” [succession] • “The basic principle of agroforestry is simple: more grain, more timber, more income.” • Planted over 10,000 ac of forest & agroforestry trials in central Russia

  18. Kin estates

  19. “A new revolution…” “Over the last few years Russia, Byelorussia, and Ukraine experience a real eco-village boom: thousands of families are building their kin estates…” — Vesti Weekly, February 24, 2005

  20. Supreme Mufti of Russia “I love the Ringing Cedars books. I read them and derive a lot for myself…” —Talgat Tajuddin

  21. Dr. Viktor Medikov “I am building my own kin estate in an eco-village 20 miles from here…” Dr. Viktor Medikov at The Ringing Cedars Movement conference, Vladimir, June 5, 2004

  22. “Russia’s new national idea” “The Ringing Cedars will shape Russia’s future.” — Viktor Medikov, Member of Parliament, author of Putin, Megre and Russia’s Future

  23. The movement 200+ delegates. 48 regions. The Ringing Cedars Movement conference, Vladimir, June 5, 2004

  24. Re-settling villages — Eco-village “Grishino”, north of St. Petersburg

  25. New eco-villages

  26. Eco-building for eco-villages

  27. Growing food

  28. New communities

  29. Pine nut products • created mass demand in Russia and beyond

  30. New sprouts

  31. Sharash-kin estate

  32. Implications for the U.S. • gardening - $18 billion industry • know-how & potential for agroforestry adoption in micro-scale cultivation • landowners may adopt practices for spiritual or religious reasons, in addition to economic, social, environmental, or cultural considerations

  33. Images courtesy of: www.RingingCedars.com Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A.

  34. Don’t miss your turn!!

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