a summerhouse in the wild - trips to my "dacha"

[Andrew Veresay]

 

We (my family) have a summerhouse (rus."dacha") outside my city.

 

It is not permanent settlements - people usually have gardens there and use this to either grow their own crops or as a place to rest and relax. These people are city dwellers who were granted these small pieces of land by the state in the Soviet times.

 

There is nothing like luxurious cottages or swimming pools there - just small cabins these "settlers" managed to build with their own hands for their scant earnings. Sometimes just a shed on a piece of field where they keep tools and a small brick house (such as mine) at most.

 

This "settlement" (quite a lot of land owners) is outside the city, near the adge of natural and old forest, neighbouring a village.

 

There is no electricity, nor running water, not even to mention natural gas or centralised heating.

 

So i see this summer "cottage" as my survival site - only option that i can have at this time, and not bad at all.

 

Few years ago i assumed larger part of responsibility for this patch of land as my aging grandparents are no longer able to devote the effort needed. I am trying to learn gardening, and am doing carpenter choirs needed.

 

I want tro share my experience, and hope it can be an inspiration to others!

 

photoes:

 

http://s707.photobucket.com/albums/ww78/veresay/dacha/?start=0

 

http://s707.photobucket.com/albums/ww78/veresay/dacha%20vacation%20...

[Andrew Veresay]

hygiene

[Andrew Veresay]

no water goes to waste - water is precious! use it for watering the garden

[Andrew Veresay]

water source

firewood

[Andrew Veresay]

my amaranth patch

basil and other variety of amaranth

[Andrew Veresay]

garden

and my topinamburs (Heliantum tuberosus)

[Andrew Veresay]

i also made 'tea'
with

fresh (not dried)

cherry leaves and twigs
raspberry leaves and branches
black and red currant leaves and branches
strawberry leaves
and occassional remaining dried black currants still hanging on bushes

- all mixed together and boiled - superb!

[Andrew Veresay]

the area is practically uninhabited, and even though it is sort of an "extension" of the neraby village, these houses one of which is mine are summer houses where people come to tend their gardens - not permanent settlement. My cabin is on the far side of this "extension", near the forest. I in fact have forest across the road that leads to my cabin.

[Andrew Veresay]

So, it was pretty scary in the evening...

especially that wild dog packs are lurking in late evening and robbers have often invaded, our cabin too.

[Andrew Veresay]

but i had some self-defence: a baseball bat and real Brasilian machete!

[different axes and other garden remanent was also there, of course]

[3j8j2sziqsxgy]

Hi Andrew,
Thanks for sharing. I hope members know about the worldwide Transition movement, about survival skills and getting ready for change (though there are alot of variations in thinking about what change will occur); also check to see if there is a permaculture movement near you. Permaculture = permanent culture, not unlike indigenous life.

[Andrew Veresay]

overall it was really nice there - relaxing from stressfull job, from all the "benefits" of civilization and hurry it brings, living psychologically relaxed living, watching the sunrise.

[Andrew Veresay]

i also sew myself a rucksack from my old jeans