The road to harvest

      The program of grading roads to garden associations, initiated by Oleg Valenchuk, Chairman of the Russian Horticultural Union and State Duma deputy, has been a real salvation for thousands of gardeners in the Kirov region for 15 years. Every year, this initiative brings tangible results, improving not only the quality of life of summer residents, but also contributing to the development of farming co-ops.

      The gardening associations Rassvet, Rassvet-1, Rassvet-2, Nadezhda, Energetik, Truzhenik, Driller, Builder-2 and Mashinostroitel were the first to receive road repair assistance this season. The grader put the dirt roads in order, opening the way to the suburban areas. However, the work did not stop there. On June 6, the grader was welcomed at the SNT "Zarnitsa", "Zarechye" and "Zarya", where hundreds of sites are located.

      Galina Gorodetskaya, chairman of the Zarya Gardening Co-op, emphasizes the great importance of this program for gardeners. There are more than 300 plots in her partnership, but currently only 120 are being processed. And a significant part of gardeners are retired, for whom every penny counts. The cost of planting materials, tools, travel and electricity significantly hits the budget. Therefore, Oleg Valenchuk's help is not just tangible – it is vital.

      "Road improvement is a huge undertaking for us," says Galina Ivanovna. – Every year we apply to the Horticultural Union, and they always help us. We estimated that we are saving about 70 thousand rubles per season on grading!"

      Good smooth roads, in turn, have increased the attractiveness of land plots: young families have begun to purchase them again, which contributes to the development and prosperity of the entire partnership. In addition, electricity appeared in this farming community in 2019, so Galina Ivanovna hopes that gradually all the abandoned plots will find owners.

      – Today, people on their six hundred square meters do not just grow crops, they gather here on weekends, holidays, relax with the whole family, communicate with friends, – says Oleg Valenchuk. – I would like to thank all the gardeners for their hard work, for educating the younger generation in love of their native land, and for their significant contribution to the country's food security. And we will traditionally help: this year, during the summer season, the Horticultural Union plans to put in order more than 500 km of dirt roads to the farm.