Background:
Kovcheg Family Homestead Settlement – one of the first settlements consisting of family homesteads, created in the last 10 years throughout Russia.
In the Kaluga oblast, such initiatives emerged and developed in at least four areas.
The basic ideas of the people building a settlement of this type – the creation of conditions for healthy life of families and future generations in harmony with nature and neighbors, conditions for the harmonious development of physical and mental abilities. Developing the abilities to negotiate and cooperate with each other – we are able to implement a serious business only through joint efforts.
Such settlement is a living and creative exploration of this way of existence, which connects the way of simple and healthy country life with modern knowledge and technology, used wisely and carefully.
The experience of existence in our community shows a large interest from large numbers of urban residents to this form of organization of life.
Territory
121 hectares, of which:
– 78 hectares are reserved for family homesteads size of 1 ha;
– 7 hectares – the total area in the settlement center, including a small pond;
– 21 hectares – agricultural land of common use;
– 15 ha of roads and driveways.
Residents
People of different ages, from students to pensioners, and a wide variety of professions: workers, economists, officers, teachers, musicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, programmers. Most of them have families and children.
Population Dynamics:
Winter 2002-2003: 5 families, 12 people;
Winter 2003-2004: 8 families, 21 people;
Winter 2004-2005: 14 families, 42 people;
Winter 2005-2006: 16 families, ~50 people;
Winter 2006-2007: 28 families, ~80 people;
Winter 2007-2008: 35 families, ~100 people;
Winter 2008-2009: 40 families, ~ 110 people;
Winter 2009-2010: 48 families, ~120 people.
Organization
All the villagers are members of non-profit partnership with equal rights and responsibilities.
Direction is carried out on general meeting of residents; decisions are made ¾ of the votes.
The land is leased from the state non-commercial partnership for 49 years.
Infrastructure and public facilities
Air power line 10kV to the settlement center, common transformer, underground wiring on the land.
Dirt roads within the settlement.
Common house in which meetings, appointments, seminars, concerts, playing with children (both at school and in addition to the programme) are held.
Sawmill.
Carpenter’s workshop.
Viability
– Cultivation of agricultural products.
– Beekeeping.
– Folk crafts.
– Forest management (harvesting, cleaning, restoration, monitoring).
– Woodworking (from sawing logs to finished carpentry and joinery products).
– Construction (both within the settlement and external market).
– Conducting of various seminars on the basis of experience.
– Remote work in various areas (programming, advertising, journalism).
– Work in the city on a rotational basis (several days a week).
– The improvement of homesteads.
– Classes for children.
– Sports clubs and activities for children and adults.
– Creative workshops (music, handicrafts, visual arts).
Other facts and figures
Seminars for those who interested in our way of life and experience are held more than 10 times per year – from 10 to 30 people in each seminar.
Guest days (open days) gather up to 70 people.
Over the last few years came out about a dozen TV shows on Central television channels.
My articles are published in national newspapers.
In the settlement were born 18 children over the past 8 years.
Currently we have about 50 children of different ages.
Kovcheg Family Homestead Settlement, Kaluga Oblast
