Nadia - Village Farmer
In the Kostroma region I met with many villagers, but I'll always remember Nadia because she was different from the rest. First, she was younger than most of the other residents, who were typically pensioners. Second, she greeted me with hospitality that exceeded all expectations. Our car pulled up to the house, and out walked a pleasant, smiling woman carrying food. Sitting on the decorative cloth is fresh baked bread and dipping salt.
Nadia and I share many characteristics - a strong, independent and hard working woman. She doesn't sit around, waiting for a man to come along and rescue her, pay all her bills, or carry her off into the sunset. Each day, she rises early, goes out into the fields and engages in hard labor, with dirt under her finger nails to prove it. Nadia - a village farmer, the proud owner of many acres of farmland from which all of her family's material wealth and pride have arisen...
1. Bread and black salt, a specialty of the Kostroma region. I'm not sure why the salt is black, but it had a strange taste. However, the bread was delicious, and the decorative serving spoon I like very much. I collect these as souvenirs from a lot of Russian cities, and even have a few from Kyiv.
2. I visited Nadia after spending most of the day in the village of Astashova. She lives only a few kilometers away in a neighboring area, and it's necessary to cross an old bridge to reach the farm. We made a quick stop to stare at all the frozen wonder along the way...of course, in winter Russia it's necessary to watch where you're walking at all times for fear of slipping on ice or sinking into a huge mound of snow. I have not yet mastered this skill.
3. Lovely wooden house in the forest, well maintained and colorful.
4. Watch dog! I noticed on this journey that Russian dogs are very aggressive! Why? Every single time I encountered one angry growls ensued, mean face, and intense barking. The latter is ordinary behavior for almost all dogs, but none of the village canines were playful. Pity, because I typically love dogs and am not frightened of them.
5. Nadia stood in the open, frozen field and told us everything about her life. She's married, but spends most of her days at the farm alone while her husband goes to work. Nadia's job is to plant, sow and toil the land. Pointing to endless acres of snowy ground, she explained that this is where the potatoes grow, the main source of income for her family. Each year, they sell several tons of the vegetable for profit.
6. The farm also houses a few dozen animals for which Nadia cares, stored in a separate barn on the property. My mom grew up on a farm as a child, so for me there's no novelty in these farm creatures. I see them frequently in rural Virginia, and even milked a cow in Vermont! :)
7. They're especially cute when they pose and smile for the camera.
8. I think my father would be in heaven here, because he loves all sorts of tractors. Now they sit immobile, but when the spring thaw melts the snow, they will serve as normal transport for Nadia.
9. After a tour of the farm, it was time to go inside for yet another meal. In the village, guests are well fed!
10. Nadia laid out a huge feast, with everything on the table directly pulled from the land. I think this is typical when you're eating at the home of a farmer, no matter the country. Very tasty water with some type of yellow, sweet fruit crushed at the bottom. I don't know what it was, but I've never seen this fruit in the USA.
11. Meal consisted of three different kinds of mushrooms, mashed potatoes, tomatoes, shredded carrots, and some type of meat patty.
12. Oh, and the one Russian food I simply can't eat! Again, this meat in jelly! When I first expressed my dislike for kholodets, everyone told me the taste was awful because I ate it in a cheap cafe. Readers assured me I would like this traditional dish if a native Russian made it for me in their home. The day arrived, and I still don't like it! :)) So salty and an unpleasant texture. Everything else was delicious.
Unfortunately, there were language barriers so it was difficult to communicate at the dinner table but Alexander tried to translate for us. Nadia conveyed to us that she's worked hard her entire life, and has absolutely no desire to leave the village. Her soul is tied to the motherland, the farm on which she works each day, and her roots are deeply entrenched in the region. She can't understand other villagers who live in dirt, don't take control of their own lives or destinies, nor make any effort to improve their surroundings.
13. I respect this woman very much. She maintains a sense of femininity, despite the fact that she's engaged in work typically handled by a man. She contributes equally to the family, has a sense of self-pride and accomplishment, and a wonderful husband with whom she shares everything. Fathers - I think this is the best lesson you can teach your young daughters. To be able to care for and financially support herself. I don't think it's some radical feminist statement to say this. To sit, hoping someone will come along and save you, is never a healthy way to live. Better to have a man for the right reasons - for companionship, emotional support and encouragement, love, passion, sex...not his wallet. At the end of the night, when Nadia's husband returned home from work, I could tell this is the type of relationship they have. Pure and I anticipate life lasting. Do you see it also? I wasn't fast enought to snap a shot, but here's a very candid and heartfelt photo Alexander took.
14. When we were departing, she pulled out an old family album eager to show me snapshots of her life. I love these traditional, old school albums and still try to make them from each journey. Probably a sign of my old age, but I like to pick up something tangible, turn the pages, and relive memories from the past. A quick glimpse of her parents, wedding, and early version of the farm, and the men were anxious to leave. So, the nostalgic photo album was closed, and we left, onward to visit the last village house of the night.
There's one thing I found very puzzling about Nadia, and I'll never forget her answer to a simple question I posed. It was clear her love for Russia is deep, a real patriot, yet when I asked her why she loves Russia her answer was one word - "because." I couldn't understand it honestly. I asked her again to name one reason why she loves the country and she couldn't articulate a single thing. Again, "just because." As an American patriot, I can tell you numerous reasons why I love my country and am tied to it. So, this vague answer - "because" - I will never understand. For me, it's an extremely strange response.
Tomorrow, I'll tell you more about the Kostroma region and a big report on all the other villagers I met. Tell me - why do you love Russia?