Location: Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Local Time: 10:01 PM
Madison Time: 1:01 PM
Hello again! I had a brief hiatus there after several days packed with meetings and travel. Sasha and I have had the chance to meet with a few wheat growers, and went on an excursion to see the experimental plots of the Don State Agrarian University with Prof. Zelensky, the Dean of their Agronomy Department, who showed us examples of some intercropping methods that he is developing.
From my time here, I've started to get a feel for the cropping systems through meetings and official interviews for my study, as well as through observation. One thing I've noticed through my travels in the Russian countryside is how widely fire is used to manage crop residue. While it is illegal, it is quite common to see both charred fields as well as some actively burning. I was surprised since this is not a common land management practice in Wisconsin, although it is in other parts of the US.
These intentional, prescribed fires differ from the forest fires that I documented in an earlier entry, which were the result of extreme drought and heat. However, other signs of this season's drought are visible across the landscape, and farmers are reporting significant wheat yield losses, often between 0.5 to 1 metric tons per hectare - which when you are starting off around 3 - 3.5 metric tons per hectare is considerable.
The drought is also pushing back the sowing campaigns of many farmers here, as they are waiting for rains to come so they can plant in moister soil conditions. However, farmers in some parts of the region have planted already, which was visible on the drive back to Rostov-on-Don today.
While research keeps me very busy, I have had some time to continue to explore some of the region's culture. Sasha and I happened upon a festival this weekend along the Don River in Rostov-on-Don that showcased dance performances from ethnic minorities found in southern Russia. We caught an informal performance by Cossack women - a martial group that has been inhabiting the region since at least the 15th century...
... as well as a beautiful Georgian performance...
Tomorrow we're off to investigate the wheat cropping systems of western Rostov near the Azov Sea. More on that later!
Local Time: 10:01 PM
Madison Time: 1:01 PM
Hello again! I had a brief hiatus there after several days packed with meetings and travel. Sasha and I have had the chance to meet with a few wheat growers, and went on an excursion to see the experimental plots of the Don State Agrarian University with Prof. Zelensky, the Dean of their Agronomy Department, who showed us examples of some intercropping methods that he is developing.
 |
| The greenhouse and vineyards of Don State Agrarian University. |
 |
| Sasha and Prof. Zelensky discussing a corn variety used on one of the experimental plots. |
From my time here, I've started to get a feel for the cropping systems through meetings and official interviews for my study, as well as through observation. One thing I've noticed through my travels in the Russian countryside is how widely fire is used to manage crop residue. While it is illegal, it is quite common to see both charred fields as well as some actively burning. I was surprised since this is not a common land management practice in Wisconsin, although it is in other parts of the US.
 | |
| Massive plume of smoke from a field burning in the distance. |
These intentional, prescribed fires differ from the forest fires that I documented in an earlier entry, which were the result of extreme drought and heat. However, other signs of this season's drought are visible across the landscape, and farmers are reporting significant wheat yield losses, often between 0.5 to 1 metric tons per hectare - which when you are starting off around 3 - 3.5 metric tons per hectare is considerable.
 |
| A harvested wheat field with weeds that would otherwise be green, but are dessicated from the drought. |
The drought is also pushing back the sowing campaigns of many farmers here, as they are waiting for rains to come so they can plant in moister soil conditions. However, farmers in some parts of the region have planted already, which was visible on the drive back to Rostov-on-Don today.
 |
| Winter wheat seedlings starting to sprout in a recently planted field in Rostov. |
While research keeps me very busy, I have had some time to continue to explore some of the region's culture. Sasha and I happened upon a festival this weekend along the Don River in Rostov-on-Don that showcased dance performances from ethnic minorities found in southern Russia. We caught an informal performance by Cossack women - a martial group that has been inhabiting the region since at least the 15th century...
... as well as a beautiful Georgian performance...
Tomorrow we're off to investigate the wheat cropping systems of western Rostov near the Azov Sea. More on that later!
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