Biointensive for Russia

Welcome to Biointensive for Russia!

Biointensive for Russia is a people-to-people ecological gardening project, fiscally sponsored by Ecology Action . We promote GROW BIOINTENSIVE sustainable mini-farming (GB) through Russian-language publications and seminars hosted by environmental groups and agricultural colleges in Russian-speaking Eurasia. We also support experiments conducted by our partner organization the Grassroots Alliance PERESVET (Bryansk, Russia), in and near the Chernobyl radiation zone.

To help support our work in Eurasia, we have held fundraising events in Palo Alto and now in Ojai, CA. Often they have sustainable living themes, including GB, solar cooking, and food preservation workshops, as well as GB and Permaculture garden tours. Cultural events have included an Afternoon of Eurasian Music and Cuisine, featuring outstanding area musicians Daniel, Raymond, Montino, and Rod; and Songs of Nature and Love with Palo Alto soprano / lutenist Doris Williams, along with Eurasian buffet and orchard tour.

Our Russian partners continue to be active!

On June 3, 2011, Dr. Igor Prokofyev and his colleague Oleg Zavarzin of PERESVET will co-present a one-day seminar in St. Petersburg, Russia sponsored by the UK-based Eco-Schools organization. This program is spreading worldwide including to the US; see Eco-Schools USA.

The damage caused by Japan's earthquake and tsunami at the Fukushima nuclear power plant has inspired us to share further the experience our Russian partners have gained with those affected by the radiation leaks. BfR-supported experiments in the radiation zone show that GB compost and double-digging can reduce the radioactivity in the vegetable harvest by 30%. Reports and recommendations on what residents can do to reduce their exposure in various ways can be obtained by writing to Carol.

In May 2010, Igor Prokofyev attended the Latin American conference "Biointensive Farming: Sustainable Agriculture in a Changing Climate" near Mexico City. Participants included over 200 Latin American teachers, one Kenyan, and Igor, a Russian. Igor presented a well-received report on radioactive contamination (from Chernobyl) of the soils in his regions. For more information on GB work in the Bryansk region including many experiments in and out of the radiation zone, see our newsletters or write to Carol.

Our publication work

Currently we are actively working toward publishing excerpts of the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Basic-Level Training Manual in Russian in time for the June 3 workshop in St. Petersburg. A translation of Ecology Action's online self-teaching manual will also be posted on the Russian Web site, developed by our Russian partner Igor Prokofyev of PERESVET.

A second printing of a translation of The Sustainable Vegetable Garden by Carol Cox, and other publications, will follow. These will all require financial support when the time comes for printing, as will future workshops and experiments. Please click join us and get in touch if you'd like to help. In return, we'll keep you up-to-date with annual paper newsletters, and welcome even more your emails and calls!