Vegetable growing

Gardening was an important branch of the peasant economy. Gardening occupied the third place in importance after agriculture and cattle breeding. The peasants grew various vegetables in the gardens, but the main ones were turnips and cabbage. It is no coincidence that before they got acquainted with potatoes, Russians called turnips "second bread".

In the 19th century, potatoes became widespread in Siberia. Initially, potatoes were grown in beds, like turnips and radishes, then they began to allocate "dumps" for this culture — places where rye had not risen.

"Gardening is widespread till Obdorsk," wrote the researcher of the North A.A. Dunin-Gorkavich at the beginning of the twentieth century, "but only potatoes and turnips are planted in vegetable gardens, other types of vegetables can be found among some fans who have enough free time to take care of them." The peasants of Siberia did not have large vegetable gardens.

Under the influence of the settlers, the old-timers began to grow cucumbers Murom, Vyaznik, Pavlovsky, red fodder and yellow beets, "Russian" beans, radishes, lettuce. The new settlers willingly bought new varieties of wheat, Chevalier and Gann oats, Grenadian carrots, black "Parisian" radish, Henderson cabbage.

The spread of potatoes in Siberia began in the XVIII century. The peasants did not plant potatoes for a long time. Although it came to Russia in the eighteenth century and adapted well to our climate, the common people did not eat it everywhere, considering it a "damn apple". There were counties where peasants were even afraid to plant it, thinking to incur the wrath of God on their fields (they were sure that evil spirits were using potatoes; that potatoes would be born with a head and eyes like a man, so whoever eats potatoes eats human souls). The Old Believers claimed that potatoes are the forbidden fruit that the first people tasted.

At first, Siberian peasants planted potatoes in the beds and "raked" them with their hands, planted them a little. Then, under the potatoes, they began to allocate places where winter rye did not rise or died — "dumps". In the 19th century, potatoes became the main crop in Siberia. In the late XIX — early XX centuries, potatoes were grown everywhere in Siberia, except in the northern regions, where enthusiastic gardeners were engaged in them. It was possible to get good harvests, for example, in 1913, more than 5 million pounds of potatoes were harvested in the Tobolsk province. In Soviet times, potatoes were grown on collective farms and state farms, as well as in private gardens. Today, potatoes are one of the main crops in Siberia. It is grown over large areas and used for the production of chips, mashed potatoes, fries and other products.

Root crops play an important role in the peasant economy. They serve as feed for dairy cattle, contribute to an increase in milk yields and have a positive effect on the work of the digestive organs of the animal. In addition, the cultivation of root crops improves the quality of the soil, which further increases the yield of bread. The most common root crops in farms are beets, carrots, turnips (fodder turnips) and rutabagas. The old-time peasants in Siberia mainly grew turnips and radishes. Under the influence of immigrants in the second half of the XIX — early XX century, old-timers began to grow red fodder and yellow beets, radishes. New settlers willingly bought new varieties, for example, Grenadian carrots, black "Parisian" radish. In Soviet times, the planting of turnips, rutabagas, fodder beets and fodder carrots became very important. They were raised for livestock feed, especially in dairy farms. The acreage in the USSR amounted to over 1.4 million hectares, of which 85−90% were fodder beets, the rest were rutabagas, turnips and fodder carrots. Currently, root crops are grown everywhere in Russia, but when planting, they are based on the needs of farms for feed, depending on the number of livestock, for example, at least 5−6 tons of root crops per year are required per head of cattle.

Onion

Onions are one of the oldest cultures known to man. The peasants have always grown it in their gardens. Old people taught that onions had to be planted before Nikola Veshny. Onion harvesting began in the second half of September.

The peasants have many beliefs and superstitions associated with onions. "Whoever eats onions, God will deliver him from eternal torment," the peasants said.

If you do not eat raw onions with bread, salt and kvass on August 5/18, then you will be healthy and your face will be bright.

Onions, pounded with salt, were applied to warts. During an epidemic, bundles of bulbs should be hung in rooms, which is why the infection does not penetrate into the house and the air is cleaned. In the case of cattle, the bow was tied around the neck of domestic animals so that they would not get infected.

Garlic

The culture of growing garlic came from Ancient India. Garlic has been known in Russia since pagan times. In ancient Russian handwritten monuments dating back to the XIII century, it is said that the Slavs drank wine by putting garlic in a bowl. In the time of Vladimir Monomakh, peasants ate garlic with salt and black bread, and boiled jelly from pork heads on holidays. Garlic was attributed to the ability to drive away witches, unclean spirits and diseases. It was used as a means to prevent and treat diseases. In some villages, when the bride went to church, garlic was tied in a braid to prevent spoilage. The peasants grew garlic in their vegetable gardens along with onions. Currently, garlic is grown everywhere.

Cucumber

Cucumber is one of the most ancient cultures known to man. Its homeland is India. Cucumbers came to Russia from the Greeks from Byzantium. In pre-Petrine times, cucumbers occupied an important place in Russian cuisine. They were eaten fresh and salty. It is known about one interesting dish of that time, which is called "Hangover": slices of cucumbers and slices of cold boiled beef in cucumber brine. They used it the morning after drinking alcohol.

Cucumbers were planted on the day of the Falalei borage (May 20 / June 2): "Falalei has come – finish the cucumbers soon." Cucumbers should be planted secretly from all neighbors and even household members who do not take part in this work. It was especially necessary to conceal the first planted ridge from the curious eye, and even more so the first cucumber that grew on it. The planting of cucumbers was completed on Leontius borage (May 23 /June 5). Cucumbers were plucked from the day of Evdokia borage (August 4 / August 17).

Proverbs, sayings and riddles are dedicated to cucumbers: "A cucumber in the mouth, and a cucumber in the forehead!". "Without windows, without doors, the room is full of people" (cucumber). "The trough is full of people washed" (cucumbers).

Nowadays, cucumber culture is widespread everywhere and has many varieties and varieties.


Vegetable pepper

The word "pepper" refers to various plants and spices that are obtained from them.

The homeland of sweet pepper is Central and South America, where it can still be found in the wild. After the discovery of America, pepper was imported first to Spain and Portugal, and then to other European countries and the Middle East. In Russia, the appearance of sweet pepper dates back to the end of the XVI century, it was imported from Iran and Turkey, and it acquired industrial importance only by the middle of the XIX century. Large-fruited varieties of sweet pepper were bred in Bulgaria, which is why it is called Bulgarian. From Bulgaria, sweet pepper got to Ukraine, Moldova and southern Russia at the end of the XVII century.

Black pepper came to us from India. In ancient times, the Hindus used it as a seasoning and as a medicine. Later, black pepper was brought to the Middle East and for a long time was an item of trade with Europe. In Russia, black pepper has become famous since the end of the 16th century due to trade with Persia and Turkey. Pepper gained popularity as a seasoning only in the XVIII century. Since the middle of the XIX century, it has been actively used in the preparation of dishes, marinades, sauces, and preservation.


Pumpkin

The homeland of the pumpkin is Mexico, and in Russia it appeared in the XVI century. It is believed that the pumpkin came here either from the east, along with Persian merchants who came to Derbent, Astrakhan and other cities with goods, or from the west — from Moscow merchants who had established close trade relations with Western European countries by the XVI century, in which by that time pumpkin was a very popular vegetable. It became widespread on the lands of Russian landowners only since the XVIII century.

In different places of Russia, pumpkin was called differently: in Nizhny Novgorod — tebeka or kebeka, in Vladimir — kipeka, in the south — kabaka, bukharka, fool. This vegetable fruit was also called pumpkin, herb, pot. The Russian climate allows you to grow pumpkin almost everywhere.

Salad

Lettuce has not been planted in peasant gardens for a long time. Seeing those who used it, the villagers said that they ate grass like animals, and persuaded them not to eat green leaves so that they would not turn into cows or goats. By the middle of the eighteenth century, Russians had already become accustomed to lettuce, and at the beginning of the XIX century it became widely used not only in the capital, but also in the provinces. It was eaten by both nobles and commoners. Currently, lettuce is one of the favorite garden crops.


Dill

Dill has been known to people since antiquity. The Greeks generally believed that the scent of dill could protect against evil spirits, banish them from the house and even from the human body. In Russia, it appeared in the form of seeds in the V-VI centuries. After the adoption of Christianity, it was grown in monasteries, and during fasts it was used to flavor food and give it flavor. Peasants sowed dill in vegetable gardens on the beds, without paying special attention to it (if it grows, it will not grow). The dill was dried. Dried dill was added during cooking. The peasants put dill seeds when salting mushrooms and cabbage. Currently, dill is grown by both villagers and summer residents.


Cabbage

Cabbage belongs to the number of vegetable plants known to man since ancient times. It was grown by the inhabitants of ancient Russia. Back in the nineteenth century, up to thirty varieties of cabbage were known, today there are more than a hundred of them. Cabbage is cultivated as an annual plant in vegetable gardens all over the world, with the exception of the extreme northern regions and deserts.

In Russia, there was a tradition of collective harvesting of cabbage for the winter. It was cut down after September 27, immediately after the Orthodox feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. At this time, a series of cheerful autumn festivities began — cabbage or cabbage rolls, which lasted two weeks. Over time, the concept of "cabbage patch" was fixed for amateur theatrical performances. They are arranged in schools, universities, theaters, and enterprises. Some performances of KVN teams are based on the shape of the cabbage patch.

Watermelon was imported to Russia from Central Asia no later than the seventeenth century and spread widely throughout the south of the country. Watermelons began to be grown in Siberia in the 19th century. At first, this culture appeared in the south, and then spread even to the Irkutsk province. The Irkutsk writer E. A. Avdeeva-Polevaya mentioned the cultivation of watermelons and melons in Irkutsk at the beginning of the XIX century. She wrote: "In May, everything turns green, flowers bloom in the field, and residents plant vegetables, but they plant cucumbers in the beds at the end of May. Cucumber, cabbage, tobacco and pumpkin seedlings are sown in early May, in warm beds, upholstered with boards and cooked like greenhouses, because they are covered with boards from above, and at the end of May, what is planted in them is planted in ridges. Melons and watermelons grow only in greenhouses. There are no fruit trees at all in Irkutsk, although attempts have been made to plant them. The main obstacles are cold nights and morning frosts or frost, which last until half, and sometimes until the end of May. Haymaking starts in the middle of August." In the Tobolsk province, watermelons were very successfully grown in the Ishim district, on the border with Kazakhstan.

Watermelon cultivation in Soviet times was carried out in separate collective farms and state farms. Table and fodder watermelons are grown in Russia. The following varieties of watermelons are common: canteens — Melitopol 142, Rose of the South-East, Early Kuban, Astrakhan, fodder — Dischem. In Siberia, the varieties have performed well: Siberian lights, Ogonek, Triumph, Rusich, Bonta, Early Kuban and Top Gan. Watermelons are eaten fresh and salted, for cooking nardek (watermelon honey), cooking candied fruits, etc.