Page 9 - C.A.L.L. #33 - Winter 2010/2011
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the winter, and painting eggs with her Each household contributes something
daughters, Angelina and Polina. to the common good at Land of Plenty,
members said. The family of Valery
“Since the day I moved to the Land of Popov, a former physicist, helps
Plenty commune, my new interests in newcomers build their log cabins. The
art, singing, science and agriculture Nadezhdins, a family of dentists, serve
wake me up every morning,” she said.
as the commune’s
Not everyone is bakers. Klavdiya
charmed by the Ivanova, a former
romantic music teacher, is
aspirations of famous for her hand-
these activists. The made, traditional
Russian Orthodox clothes.
Church has Her husband, a former
criticized the communes as Land Of Plenty is situated
north of Novosibirsk army officer, helps the
sects selling false Gods. commune recycle.
And some suspicious local authorities in
rural areas have challenged the “All my life, I’ve been a part of the
attempts of various communes to system: at school, as a university
establish ownership of the land they student, then as a faithful officer but
have homesteaded. the system fell apart before my eyes,
destroyed by liars, by thieves, by
Environmentalists at the Land of Plenty outrageously corrupt managers,” said
commune said they are not a threat, Dmitry Ivanov, offering a commonplace
and every house is open to guests who rationale for many people seeking a new
want to visit and sample the commune’s life at the commune. “We are here to
honey, pumpkin pies, and goat milk. create a new social model free,
They also stress their differences with professional and self-confident
some of the religious communes that individuals. And it is focused on
have also emerged in Russia at the decreasing our negative impact on the
same time.
environment.”
Organic farming forms the basis of the It is hard to get exact numbers of
vegetarian diet followed by the Russia who have moved into the
commune members. Families here also wilderness. But clearly the numbers are
believe in home schooling their children growing. Dozens of ecological
with members with particular expertise settlements have emerged in the last
teaching that subject area. Pystina, for two years in the Altai Mountains,
instance, teaches chemistry.
Karelia and on the Volga.
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