Farmer from Lyman Keeps 60 Cows and Aims to Create a Museum in the Village
In the sparsely populated village of Lyman, located near the Tuzlivski Lymany National Nature Park, only four families reside. One of them is the family of Oleg and Irina Ponomarenko, who have dedicated themselves to the development of agriculture.
This is reported by AgroReview
The outflow of residents from Lyman began long before the full-scale war: some people moved to cities or larger villages. Oleg Ponomarenko also lived in Odessa for a while, where he ran his own business, but due to difficulties, he decided to return to his native village with his wife.
The Ponomarenko Farm: Cows, Pigs, and Poultry
Today, the couple runs a large farm: 60 cows, Vietnamese pigs, and various poultry. The farm also houses donkeys and ponies. Previously, the Ponomarenkos also had ostriches, but they abandoned that idea due to challenges in breeding them. They once kept sheep on the farm as well.
“Until recently, we had 130 cows, but due to a lack of feed, we had to reduce the herd by half. Everything has dried up; it’s a disaster. Previously, we harvested 800 tons of silage from 40 hectares, but now we only get 150 tons from a hundred hectares. There’s nothing to feed the livestock, and there are no people. But it’s good that there’s no shooting here, just flying overhead. We can live,” the farmer shared.
Zero-Waste Production and Museum Initiative
The Ponomarenko family produces cheese and cream from the milk they obtain, and they use the whey to feed calves and pigs. The finished products are supplied to 20 meat and dairy shops in Odessa. The farm has implemented zero-waste production: even manure is dried and used for heating the house in the cold season instead of firewood.
In addition to their agricultural activities, the Ponomarenkos are interested in the history of their native region and collect various artifacts. Their home already resembles a local history museum, and the owner dreams of developing this endeavor and welcoming tourists after the war ends.