Tasty salad happiness

Angelica Kiklevich-Verbitskaya – participant of the ENI-LLB-1-117 project “Green Agriculture without Borders” Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus Cross-Border Cooperation Program within the European Neighborhood Instrument at 2014-2020 gg.

https://robimrazam.by/vendors/salatnoe-schaste/

The local economy (TG): Angelica, tell us about your farming business? How long have you been doing your job?

Angelica Kiklevich-Verbitskaya (AKV): We founded the Salad Happiness family farm in 2019 year.

Our main goal is to grow quality and healthy products using organic technologies, observing the principle of environmental friendliness. We do everything with our own hands. Our three children help us..

Our production volumes are still small., but we put our soul into the quality of our products and strive to provide our customers with fresh and healthy products.

If you want to surprise your family, then we can make for you an original and delicious bouquet of vegetables and herbs.

We actively participate in exhibitions and fairs., further training at national and international seminars on organic farming, share experiences at thematic events, including abroad (Ukraine, Latvia and others.).

TG: Why did you decide to farm??

AKV: It all started with, that I wanted to grow clean and healthy vegetables, spicy herbs for your family, since these crops are widely used in nutrition, primarily in healthy eating. And health is the most valuable thing in people's lives, and you can’t buy it in the store.

And then there was a desire to share this product with people around. Then came the realization of the importance of caring for the environment around us., because as you gain knowledge, that agriculture has a huge impact on everything. And as a result, then, what was just a hobby - became the main activity.

TG: Angelica, what products do you grow?

AKV: Our main range: rediska, parsley, dill, arugula, salads, basil, spinach, coriander, green onions, green pea, as well as other vegetables, herbs and herbs.

TG: What support do you need as a farmer??

AKV: Since we are at the beginning of the journey, it is clear, that all kinds of support are needed. Finances to start from scratch really need more, than we imagined. Education, especially regarding agricultural technologies namely organic, also constantly need to engage even people, having specialized knowledge, and to us all the more. Marketing training is also very important., as little grow, must also sell. We seem to have sorted out legal issues at the moment., although it’s really difficult for beginners on their own, but when expanding beyond the boundaries of my site, as I understand it, we will again face them, like other agricultural producers at the start.

TG: Share your future plans?

AKV: Hone agrotechnology, increase area, to develop new directions - poultry farming. And I would also like to be able to carry information to the masses, so that people understand the importance of environmental friendliness! And this applies to both agricultural producers, both consumers.

TG: What would you recommend to novice farmers? What would you like to warn those, who is only at the beginning of the journey?

AKV: This is not an easy way, need to be ready, that not everything will turn out right away. But patience, perseverance and determination will bear fruit.