"Allergies Brought Me to the Village." A Mother of Many Children Moved from the City to the Village and Makes Exclusive Cheeses from Goat's Milk
Topic news Just seven years ago, she was considered a typical city dweller who had never been to a village and had never seen cows and goats up close. However, after the birth of her sons, she changed her life dramatically: she quit her prestigious job and moved to a village surrounded by forest. Today, Anna is a famous cheese maker, making an exclusive product using her own recipes. We asked her how quickly she managed to establish a rural life by getting a huge herd of goats, and whether she ever plans to return to the bustle of the capital.
"Allergies brought me to the village!"
it is less than 30 kilometers by car from the capital to the village of Kazelshchina in the MINSK region. It seems that we are only half an hour away from the noisy metropolis, and the picturesque views are breathtaking - autumn knows how to paint nature with different colors. The terrain here is hilly, so, having climbed a small hill, we saw a village framed by crimson foliage in front of us.
To the left of the road we notice a large pasture, where several dozen goats are nibbling the yellowed grass. Apparently, we have come to the right place! Our guesses are confirmed by three cheerful boys who, having run out from behind a wooden barn, rush towards us in a race. Following them, the heroine herself, the owner of the KFS "Red Goat" Anna Pobortseva, hurries to greet the guests. Blonde, slender, smiling... It is even difficult to imagine how such a fragile woman, at first glance, manages a huge farm, produces unique cheeses , and also raises sons and keeps order in the house.
- My main motive for moving from the city to the village was the HEALTH of my sons. They are the same age and all of them suffered from allergies, in particular to dairy products, - Anna recalls how her great business began. - We learned that goat's MILK is easier to digest, assimilate, and does not cause allergic reactions because its protein composition is closest to breast milk.
The interviewee admits that before moving, she considered herself an exclusively city dweller. In addition, she never had any relatives in the village. Therefore, Anna had never seen cows or goats up close. But, as they say, where there is a will, you can learn everything.
- You could say that allergies brought us to the village! The decision to move with children to the countryside and buy goats was made literally within a week. We immediately bought five female goats and a male goat. Can you imagine, at that time I knew nothing about them. When I asked the owner who sold us the goats to teach me how to milk them, she was shocked, like, who is she selling animals to, - Anna recalls with a smile. - So, step by step, I learned everything: I read a lot on forums on the Internet, studied books on animal husbandry, and asked veterinarians for help when the opportunity arose. In a word, when a problem arose, I immediately looked for ways to solve it.
"I swapped heels for rubber boots"
After 7 years of rural life, Anna Pobortseva already has about 70 animals on her farm, 50 of which are a dairy herd. All of them are well-groomed and so affectionate that they quickly make contact even with unfamiliar journalists.
- I didn’t get land for pasture right away, I had to tinker a bit with the documents. It is important that the plot is as close to home as possible, and, as you know, there is a very high demand for hectares in the Minsk region. But I was lucky! - she says. - I wrote a solid business plan and defended it at the district executive committee. Plus, I am also a mother of many children who dreamed of doing something useful. And our government always meets hard-working Belarusians halfway.
I had to work hard on a plot of 17 hectares: together with the children, we personally cut out the undergrowth, dug up and cultivated the land. Only after that did a barn with a pen for goats and milking equipment appear on the plot.
- Milking twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. On average, 50-60 liters of milk are obtained per day. However, there are still a lot of chores, because the animals need to be well fed. We make hay ourselves, and I buy the rest. We need at least 18-20 tons per year, and it needs to be of high quality, so that the return is appropriate. It is not for nothing that they say in agriculture that milk is on a cow’s tongue. The same applies to goats. I always make sure that the animals have enough water and SALT throughout the day, - emphasizes Anna. - In the spring and autumn, as soon as the dew melts, my goats are free to graze. They leave in the morning and return when it gets dark. On 17 hectares, they definitely have room to roam.
Now Anna knows literally everything about her charges: what diet is preferable, how to maintain their health. She has learned not only how to do pedicures, but even helps goats give birth.
- I'm expecting another addition in December-January. In fact, the process is absolutely simple, and often my help is not required, they give birth on their own. The main thing is to arrange a place for them and be nearby in case of an unforeseen situation, - the interlocutor clarifies and adds that she got used to rural life very quickly. - I adapted literally immediately, although before the maternity leave I held a management position in a construction organization. Every day in high heels and a suit, but by the time the goats appeared, I already had three children. Therefore, I knew what sneakers and comfortable clothes were. So, it turns out, I changed heels for rubber boots. By the way, children became friends with animals even faster than adults: all the goats instantly became "ironed out" and "loved in". Now Prokhor, Misha and Gavrila are their mother's most important helpers in the household. Moreover, they manage to combine caring for the animals with studying at school and participating in clubs. Previously, the boys studied at the Zaslavl gymnasium, but this year their mother decided to transfer them to a school in the capital. Every day she takes them to lessons and clubs and picks them up. Or the family stays overnight in a Minsk apartment.
- Proshe is eleven now, Mishka is ten, and Gavryusha is eight, but despite such a young age, they have more strength and ingenuity, perhaps, than I do. The boys are busy and, it seems to me, have become much more responsible. They run the farm themselves: they can clean the barn from manure, feed and water the goats, stack bales of hay ... Only our youngest is a joker: he twists apples on the goat's horns and lets her go. She runs, and the herd follows her and tries to take these apples away. The picture, I tell you, is humorous, - laughs the mother of many children.
"The demand for tasty products with the prefix "eco" is high today."
With the increase in livestock, when the milk became many times more, Anna thought about the process of cheese making. The basis of the herd is the Czech short-haired goat, which does not have a characteristic goat smell. All milk is tasty, creamy, and is sometimes even confused with cow's milk. By the way, the villager tried to keep cows, and bought two cows at once. But they turned out to be much more difficult than smaller ungulates.
She signed up for a cheese-making seminar with an experienced teacher and technologist from RUSSIA. She says that five classes were enough to learn everything she needed, and she learned some nuances during the cooking process. The woman immediately had to get acquainted with starters, enzymes, and buy special equipment. She recalls how she started in her own kitchen by cooking Adyghe blade cheese, which any housewife can cook. Now she has more than ten unique recipes in her arsenal. Anna's mother, who sells at one of the capital's farmers' markets, helps with the sale of the products.
- Now the basis is young, so-called quick cheeses, which are aged for about four days after cooking. The demand for such delicate, tasty products with the prefix "eco" is very high. I make them with fenugreek, cumin, Provencal herbs, cranberries and other natural additives. No less popular is halloumi - cheese for frying in OLIVE OIL or grilling. As for me, this is a very special product, perhaps one of my favorites, - the master notes and lists the various types of products: - Belper-knollet - these are multi-colored cheese balls in paprika, black pepper, cumin and other spices. Kurt - salted balls - can be stored for literally years. I also make mozzarella, chechill, suluguni, camembert and many, many others.
Anna Pobortseva considers the cheese Saint-Maur-de-Touraine, which has a cylindrical shape and is covered with a delicate, fluffy crust of mold and ash of fruit trees, to be exclusive. The product has a salty taste with a slight sourness.
The interviewee admits that in her work she always finds time and place for experiments: she makes and tries something new, and if the cheese turns out well, it definitely goes on sale. The master cheesemaker has huge plans. She would like to increase the number of points of sale for her products in the format of health food stores, they are in great demand.
- I don't look towards the city anymore. If earlier I couldn't even imagine life in the village, now, on the contrary, I don't know what I would do in noisy Minsk. I plan to try myself in plant growing, for example, growing grain. In the spring I will take up beekeeping, after all, I also have an apiary with hives. And I will also breed sheep, - Anna Pobortseva smiles and nods towards her sons. - I have assistants, with them and for them I can handle any task!
The project was created at the expense of funds from a targeted collection for the production of national content.
Marina VALAKH,
photo - Tatyana MATUSEVICH,
the newspaper "7 days".
"Allergies brought me to the village!"
it is less than 30 kilometers by car from the capital to the village of Kazelshchina in the MINSK region. It seems that we are only half an hour away from the noisy metropolis, and the picturesque views are breathtaking - autumn knows how to paint nature with different colors. The terrain here is hilly, so, having climbed a small hill, we saw a village framed by crimson foliage in front of us.
To the left of the road we notice a large pasture, where several dozen goats are nibbling the yellowed grass. Apparently, we have come to the right place! Our guesses are confirmed by three cheerful boys who, having run out from behind a wooden barn, rush towards us in a race. Following them, the heroine herself, the owner of the KFS "Red Goat" Anna Pobortseva, hurries to greet the guests. Blonde, slender, smiling... It is even difficult to imagine how such a fragile woman, at first glance, manages a huge farm, produces unique cheeses , and also raises sons and keeps order in the house.
- My main motive for moving from the city to the village was the HEALTH of my sons. They are the same age and all of them suffered from allergies, in particular to dairy products, - Anna recalls how her great business began. - We learned that goat's MILK is easier to digest, assimilate, and does not cause allergic reactions because its protein composition is closest to breast milk.
The interviewee admits that before moving, she considered herself an exclusively city dweller. In addition, she never had any relatives in the village. Therefore, Anna had never seen cows or goats up close. But, as they say, where there is a will, you can learn everything.
- You could say that allergies brought us to the village! The decision to move with children to the countryside and buy goats was made literally within a week. We immediately bought five female goats and a male goat. Can you imagine, at that time I knew nothing about them. When I asked the owner who sold us the goats to teach me how to milk them, she was shocked, like, who is she selling animals to, - Anna recalls with a smile. - So, step by step, I learned everything: I read a lot on forums on the Internet, studied books on animal husbandry, and asked veterinarians for help when the opportunity arose. In a word, when a problem arose, I immediately looked for ways to solve it.
"I swapped heels for rubber boots"
After 7 years of rural life, Anna Pobortseva already has about 70 animals on her farm, 50 of which are a dairy herd. All of them are well-groomed and so affectionate that they quickly make contact even with unfamiliar journalists.
- I didn’t get land for pasture right away, I had to tinker a bit with the documents. It is important that the plot is as close to home as possible, and, as you know, there is a very high demand for hectares in the Minsk region. But I was lucky! - she says. - I wrote a solid business plan and defended it at the district executive committee. Plus, I am also a mother of many children who dreamed of doing something useful. And our government always meets hard-working Belarusians halfway.
I had to work hard on a plot of 17 hectares: together with the children, we personally cut out the undergrowth, dug up and cultivated the land. Only after that did a barn with a pen for goats and milking equipment appear on the plot.
- Milking twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. On average, 50-60 liters of milk are obtained per day. However, there are still a lot of chores, because the animals need to be well fed. We make hay ourselves, and I buy the rest. We need at least 18-20 tons per year, and it needs to be of high quality, so that the return is appropriate. It is not for nothing that they say in agriculture that milk is on a cow’s tongue. The same applies to goats. I always make sure that the animals have enough water and SALT throughout the day, - emphasizes Anna. - In the spring and autumn, as soon as the dew melts, my goats are free to graze. They leave in the morning and return when it gets dark. On 17 hectares, they definitely have room to roam.
Now Anna knows literally everything about her charges: what diet is preferable, how to maintain their health. She has learned not only how to do pedicures, but even helps goats give birth.
- I'm expecting another addition in December-January. In fact, the process is absolutely simple, and often my help is not required, they give birth on their own. The main thing is to arrange a place for them and be nearby in case of an unforeseen situation, - the interlocutor clarifies and adds that she got used to rural life very quickly. - I adapted literally immediately, although before the maternity leave I held a management position in a construction organization. Every day in high heels and a suit, but by the time the goats appeared, I already had three children. Therefore, I knew what sneakers and comfortable clothes were. So, it turns out, I changed heels for rubber boots. By the way, children became friends with animals even faster than adults: all the goats instantly became "ironed out" and "loved in". Now Prokhor, Misha and Gavrila are their mother's most important helpers in the household. Moreover, they manage to combine caring for the animals with studying at school and participating in clubs. Previously, the boys studied at the Zaslavl gymnasium, but this year their mother decided to transfer them to a school in the capital. Every day she takes them to lessons and clubs and picks them up. Or the family stays overnight in a Minsk apartment.
- Proshe is eleven now, Mishka is ten, and Gavryusha is eight, but despite such a young age, they have more strength and ingenuity, perhaps, than I do. The boys are busy and, it seems to me, have become much more responsible. They run the farm themselves: they can clean the barn from manure, feed and water the goats, stack bales of hay ... Only our youngest is a joker: he twists apples on the goat's horns and lets her go. She runs, and the herd follows her and tries to take these apples away. The picture, I tell you, is humorous, - laughs the mother of many children.
"The demand for tasty products with the prefix "eco" is high today."
With the increase in livestock, when the milk became many times more, Anna thought about the process of cheese making. The basis of the herd is the Czech short-haired goat, which does not have a characteristic goat smell. All milk is tasty, creamy, and is sometimes even confused with cow's milk. By the way, the villager tried to keep cows, and bought two cows at once. But they turned out to be much more difficult than smaller ungulates.
She signed up for a cheese-making seminar with an experienced teacher and technologist from RUSSIA. She says that five classes were enough to learn everything she needed, and she learned some nuances during the cooking process. The woman immediately had to get acquainted with starters, enzymes, and buy special equipment. She recalls how she started in her own kitchen by cooking Adyghe blade cheese, which any housewife can cook. Now she has more than ten unique recipes in her arsenal. Anna's mother, who sells at one of the capital's farmers' markets, helps with the sale of the products.
- Now the basis is young, so-called quick cheeses, which are aged for about four days after cooking. The demand for such delicate, tasty products with the prefix "eco" is very high. I make them with fenugreek, cumin, Provencal herbs, cranberries and other natural additives. No less popular is halloumi - cheese for frying in OLIVE OIL or grilling. As for me, this is a very special product, perhaps one of my favorites, - the master notes and lists the various types of products: - Belper-knollet - these are multi-colored cheese balls in paprika, black pepper, cumin and other spices. Kurt - salted balls - can be stored for literally years. I also make mozzarella, chechill, suluguni, camembert and many, many others.
Anna Pobortseva considers the cheese Saint-Maur-de-Touraine, which has a cylindrical shape and is covered with a delicate, fluffy crust of mold and ash of fruit trees, to be exclusive. The product has a salty taste with a slight sourness.
The interviewee admits that in her work she always finds time and place for experiments: she makes and tries something new, and if the cheese turns out well, it definitely goes on sale. The master cheesemaker has huge plans. She would like to increase the number of points of sale for her products in the format of health food stores, they are in great demand.
- I don't look towards the city anymore. If earlier I couldn't even imagine life in the village, now, on the contrary, I don't know what I would do in noisy Minsk. I plan to try myself in plant growing, for example, growing grain. In the spring I will take up beekeeping, after all, I also have an apiary with hives. And I will also breed sheep, - Anna Pobortseva smiles and nods towards her sons. - I have assistants, with them and for them I can handle any task!
The project was created at the expense of funds from a targeted collection for the production of national content.
Marina VALAKH,
photo - Tatyana MATUSEVICH,
the newspaper "7 days".