The Austrian Slovenian border
Ok first surprise from my first visit for information about Slovenia prior to the trip I have just made was a corrective to my prejudices and a real history lesson. *** Please see map of Slovenia at the end of this post.
Firstly its recent past is connected to the breakup of Yugoslavia and the Eastern Bloc generally. Slovenia parted from Yugoslavia in 1991 and became a member of the EU in 2004.
The old Austro Hungarian Empire meant the borders kept moving so bits of Slovenia as of now had once been Austrian and bits of Carinthia, Austria have been heavily influenced/connected to Slovenia. An example of this is the name of my daughter's hamlet in Austria is from a Slovenian word.
The next thing was to look at a map – yes well, what does the odd mountain matter? Rather a lot actually and it wasnt until my penetration through a 7 kilometer tunnel through the Karrawanken range that I realised this to its full extent..
First impression from this northern route toward Bled,and its famous lake, my primary destination, was fruit trees in every garden. And every garden seemed to be a small holding. Second its so green! Then one remembers its long coastline, its other mountain ranges and it is not surprise to find diverse things happening with its borders.
My instincts are that Slovenia with its fascinating and interesting vistas into the past of Europe will be interesting to watch its hopefully green development from this point in time. In the past there have been lots stories of nasty chemicals being used in the forests.
For instance, hot off the press, a company specialising normally in orchids – they grow 1.3million of them – is starting to grow bananas within their tropical garden near Dobrovnik. They are also using renewable sources of energy including geothermal and solar energy. (Ocean Orchids). This company is also intending to go for pineapples as well.
Another interesting little story which brings some insight into the immediate past but has a direct connection to gardens and flowers is the Gorizia and Nova Gorica tale. You need to look elsewhere for the full story but here is a bit of it: -
Slovenia lost several major towns during the various wars the port of Trieste being very significant to Slovenia's survival and development. Equally Gorizia which had been known for its flowers had fallen to Italy. Tito having failed to get it back decided to develop a new Gorizia , city of flowers – hence Nova Gorica:
“...The two cities, Gorizia and Nova Gorica, existed side by side but worlds apart for nearly fifty years, much like East and West Berlin. Cooperation between them was rare, though after 1991 things picked up. Nevertheless, it was only in November 2003 that regular bus service was introduced between them. Though the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the fence between Italy and Slovenia remained firmly in place until 12 February 2004. ....“
when it was ceremoniously ripped down by the two mayors.
*****
The Capital: Lublijana –
this has a famed botanical garden, now coming up to its 200th anniversary..
I also found this interesting celebration of the Common Snowdrop and a great link to the botanical gardens here http://www.botanicni-vrt.si/content/view/1/3/lang,en/..
This site is a great entry point for those interested in botany and alpines both in Slovene and English at the very least.
Lake Bled in March 2009
The Juliana Botanical Alpine Garden in the Trenta Valley Slovenia http://www2.pms-lj.si/garden/excursion.html looks like a great find for botanists, alpinists, walkers and general lovers of the mountains and open spaces as well.
It is while visiting this site I found this quotation which hit the spot:
The lofty, glittering crests of Prisojnik, the Velika Dnina's mighty depths and the tower-like parapets of Lepa Špica gaze into the Juliana Garden. The panorama from the Garden extends far into both reaches of the the valley. This mountain jewel is bounded by the jutting rock walls of the golden alpine meadows and the steep forests, gigantic cushions lying against the soaring slopes and reaching down into the blue ravines. It is as if all the overwhelming beauty of Trenta was gathered around this mountain Garden, encircling it as a magnificent crown. May the benevolent stars continue to protect the Garden!
Julius Kugy: Toil, Music, the Mountains
- Julius Kugy – 1858-1944 Author, mountaineer, poet and botanist. His father was a Carinthian Slovene, his mother was a daughter of a poet. A definite tempter of things literary and well as botanical. Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Kugy. The entry is in a number of languages. He helped to create this alpine garden with Albert Bois de Chesne.
Ptuj – one of the oldest towns in Slovenia is well known for the Dornava Manor Gardens.
For Wine and vineyards -
Slovenia not only has its vast quantities of fruit trees but also has many vineyards. In some place s Italy and Slovenia share vineyards so closely are the geography and history of the two connected.
Brda -
”There’s a lot of the Secret Garden to rural Slovenia, nowhere more so than on the wine road in Goriska Brda. A popover-shaped bulge against the Italian border, Goriska Brda (Gorica Hills) is known throughout Slovenia for the quality of its cherries and peaches ("Brda grown" is a selling point in the markets of the capital, Ljubljana). But within Brda, the grape takes unquestioned pride of place. “
Skalce -
famous for its flowers and wine. In fact very good wines which have been in production for centuries. Along with good wines goes good food I understand.... mmm in north eastern Slovenia? A visit in the near future methinks.
Agricultural Traditions
Mistletoe on trees at Bled
Five interesting sites I have discovered:
Diana and her self sufficient small holding written up here:
http://www.self-sufficient.co.uk/Small-Holding-For-Sale-in-Slovenia.htm
Close to Nature Forestry – some information of Slovenian Forestry (Slovenia is one of hte most forest countries in Europe.) and some indications on the importance of the existing farms and farming.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7170e/w7170e0h.htm
An article sketching out history and change but also Slovenia's rising and glowing future
http://www.acp-eucourier.info/Ljubljana-a-gateway-to.157.0.html -
Wines gaining a global reputation -
"...Shelves in Slovenian supermarkets are not stacked with wines from the new world but ‘Produce of Slovenia’ fermented on home soil. Slovenian shoppers are loyal to wines from the country’s three main growing regions; Podravje in the north-east, Posavje in the south-east and sunny wines from the hinterland of the Mediterranean coast in the south-west.
There’s a chinking as visitors leave; the sound of bottles of great tasting finds uncorked during their stay. Wine growing has been going on for 2,000 years in Slovenia. There are all varieties of wines; dry to sweet, red to white and some that sparkle. “We have fantastic natural conditions for wine growing,” says Dušan Brejc, Director of the Commercial Union for Viticulture and Wine of Slovenia, at his office in Ljubljana.
Brejc says that Slovenian wines are on the wine lists of restaurants of New York, London and Berlin. So why are they rarely in major outlets in the EU?
Firstly, Slovenia cannot currently compete with the sought after easy drinking wines of the new world. “We could probably produce a blockbuster Chardonnay,” says Brecj, but neither the size of Slovenia nor its topography are in its favour.
Slovenia is a country of small-scale of producers, says Brejc. Some 20,000 wine growers have under 0.7 hectares of land, with only 400 owning over three hectares. “Sixty-six per cent of Slovenian vineyards are on steep slopes. It means that everything has to be done by hand,” explains Brejc. This raises the price per bottle above the UK sterling 4.99 buying barrier (approximately €7)*, which occupies a big share of the major UK market.
“State socialism was probably not a positive image for wine,” he adds. He says that wine producers in Slovenia are changing their marketing, including simple, clutter-free labelling with a more contemporary look.
Brecj adds that the fear of a fall in sales of Slovenian wine by 20% in the domestic market after EU membership did not happen, proving a loyal customer base at home. He now thinks the time is ripe to put Slovenia more firmly on the map as a wine buyer’s destination. And in 10 years time he says, why not a light, easy drinking wine to compete with the new world?
And this assessment from some years ago as Slovenia was preparing for entry into the EU:http://www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/eastward-enlargement-eu-endangered-agriculture/article-110217
“...Slovenia
At 3.6%, the share of agriculture in gross value added is similarly high to the Czech Republic, while the agricultural employment rate of 10.2% is average for the CEEC. Slovenia is one of the “wealthiest” accession candidates, with per capita income approaching that of EU members such as Greece and Portugal.
The farm structure is considered very unfavourable. Over half of Slovenia’s territory is wooded, making it one of the most densely forested countries in Europe, alongside Sweden and Finland. Moreover two-thirds of the remaining agricultural land consists of permanent pasture, which is extensively cultivated. Small, family-run farms hold around 90% of the acreage. Only about 20% of the farms are full-time operations. The low proportion of good soil and the mountainous terrain also reduce agricultural efficiency. While cereal yields in 1999 did at least reach 83% of the EU-15 level (107% in 1997), milk output at the end of the 1990s was equivalent to only 51 to 54%. Gross agricultural output posted growth of not quite 1% in 1999, compared with 2.5% in 1998. But bad weather conditions reduced the wheat crop by about 30%.
In 2000 the farm budget was increased by 37%. The major beneficiaries were recipients of farm subsidies, which were already approaching EU levels in 1999, at 47% of gross agricultural incomes. Payments are used mainly for guaranteed prices (milk, wheat, sugar beet) and support prices (particularly cattle breeding).
The complicated market price support and control system is driving producer prices for arable crops (wheat, cereals, oilseeds) way above the EU-15 level. Producer prices for livestock products such as pig meat, poultry meat and eggs are also significantly higher than the EU average, while for milk they are on a similar level. Only beef costs considerably less. Apart from with subsidies, prices are also kept high by severe import restrictions. As a result of this policy Slovenia’s farm sector is not competitive and the standard of living for farmers still low.
Unlike the other CEEC, following the collapse of the command economy agricultural output in Slovenia suffered only a comparatively slight downturn. Whereas the number of dairy cows was trimmed by only about 20% between 1989 and 1999 – with milk production almost constant – meat output and cereal growing have remained at roughly the 1989 level.
Accession demands in negotiations on the agriculture chapter consist of milk quotas beyond present output and premium caps for cattle and sheep. Slovenia is claiming direct payments in arable farming and transition periods for animal and plant protection....”
A personal postscript: -Two weeks ago I sat in an old watermill converted to a b and b at the edge of Lake Bled with local food, local wine and traditional cooking – it was smashing; it was real value for money.Slovenia is a garden in its own right.
Lake Bled and its forested hills
View Larger Map
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment