Thrilling Adventure Visiting Countryside

Now each corner of the rural house has its own attraction
Now each corner of the rural house has its own attraction

A new tourist attraction appeared in Minsk Region — agrarian tourism developments crafted by Pervomaisky and Co society. Chairman Sergey Luchenok agreed to guide us around the place. He said as soon as we arrived:

— Our agrarian society is similar to that of our neighbours. We produce grain, meat, flax, potato and milk.

At first, it seemed to me that Sergey Alexandrovich is shy about his love for agrotourism. But that’s just the illusion of the first impression.

A new business popped up spreading its wings: the villagers purchased geese, ducks, chicken, turkeys. Builders erected new attractive and cheap open-air cages. A deputy threw a joke:

— Sergey Alexandrovich, look at the pensioners: they have livened up. New aviaries adorned their yards. Now we can make a fortune on excursions…

Laughing for one, serious business for another. Indeed, city slackers have no idea about how poultry should be attended to and what perches hens use for hatching. As well, there is an equestrian station at Pervomaisky and Co.

It did not take locals long to implement the idea of arranging an agrotourism nest. Soon a courtyard and a tavern were organised on the territory of the central mansion. Ten hectares of land was allotted for the purpose. An ex-chief agriculturist and an ardent cognoscente of bee-keeping came up with the idea to open a bee-garden. Honey is in abundance now. One of the bee-houses is made of transparent plastic for tourists to witness the bee-making procedure. Local historians also decided to join the common effort. They have dug out ancient krosny (a weaving loom). The house, where the tool was placed, they decorated with an exhibition of masterpieces of flax weaving. Now tourists can find something interesting in each corner of the “peasants’ exhibition gallery”. If willing, they can try their hand in weaving — a weaver is there to show how to do it. Future tourism managers are selected from the workers of the agrarian society, who combine theoretical knowledge that they are acquiring at Minsk Academy of Physical Training with hand-on experience. Many ideas born to Luchenok and his team are still being mulled over. We chanced to have a talk with Valeriya Klitsunova, head of the Belarusian Association of agro- and eco-tourism, at Pervomaisky and Co. She said:

— Many associate the development of agrotourism with private farms. But look at Smolevichi District — they have found their own way of cultivating agrarian tourism. And they are doing well and boast results already.

Sergey Luchenok wants to make agricultural tourism a business that brings profit and that helps fulfil economic tasks instead of just being an ornamentation of the village. That is why the Pervomaisky and Co plans include setting up a pottery and cheese and butter factory, teaching how to smoke sausages and offer ancient sausage recipes. There is a plenty of other ideas that can be set in motion. Probably, many foreign tourists would like visiting the village of Sloboda in Smolevichi District, Minsk Region, no less than Hawaii.

Ales Karlyukevich
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