Articles

Do I need a visa to visit Russia? Yes, to visit Russia you may need to apply for one of the following visa types: tourist visa, business visa, student visa, work visa or e-visa. And you may not need a visa if you are a national of one of the 60 nations listed here. How long can I stay in Russi...

Ploskorez (Fokin hoe, flat-cutter) - permaculture tool from Russia The most important thing in the original tool is the quality of metal. Jenuine Fokin hoe (ploskorez, flat-cutter) is made of structural spring steel (steel grade 65G), which has undergone special processing - annealing, hardening,...

No dig (no till) sustainable gardening. Mustard grass is one of the best natural manures. In this article we are sharing our own experience of no dig sustainable gardening - planting tomatoes in a natural organic way.  1. Early spring (in March) we scatter mustard seeds on the surface of ...

      Birch bark crafts were in great popularity and demand in Russia since ancient times. Birch bark contains fungicidal and antiseptic substances like betulin that help preserve bark artifacts, and were ideal for long storage of milk or water, as well as dry goods.   &n...

Ivan-Chai: best herbal tea Since ancient times, our ancestors have mastered the method of manufacturing a healing, lovely flavored drink from healing herbs like the Willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) named "Ivan-Chai" or just, Russian tea.    The Russian name "...

Natural eco-friendly cosmetics This article was originally published in all-Russian monthly newspaper "Encyclopedia of human environment", №6 (11), November 2011. Svetlana, what was your life like before you decided to move to the country house? We lived in Krasnodar and had ...

DIY instruction for sustainable gardener Ploskorez (Russian flat-cutter)  - universal permaculture garden tool from Russia. The oversized length of a handle makes delivery cost so high that we counted for the best to offer you 2 options: 1. Make a handle yourself or with the help ...

Growing herbs indoors We have just tried an unusual way to start seeds without any soil at all.  It has worked so well that we can't resist sharing it with you. So, here is what you do. 1. Take an empty plastic bottle with no cap and cut it carefully lengthwise - you get 2 halves. ...

Planting from Seeds and Seedlings. You can plant vegetable seeds indoors or outdoors. If you plant seeds indoors, you transplant them into your garden later. With direct seeding, you skip the indoor step and sow the seeds directly in your garden. If you're serious about growing vegetables, yo...

Bio-fertilizer Baikal EM1 to grow heirloom plants Effective Microorganisms (EM) are mixed cultures of beneficial naturally-occurring organisms that can be applied as inoculants to increase the microbial diversity of soil ecosystem. They consist mainly of the photosynthesizing bacteria, lactic aci...