This year, OAO "Gvoznitsa" was the first in the district to complete the harvest. Six combines operated in the fields, with their crews harvesting approximately 1,110 hectares. The hot days of the harvesting campaign are over, but the agronomic calendar dictates its own rhythm: the combine operators are switching over to tractors to lay the groundwork for a new harvest.

On the day of our visit, the farm was sowing winter rapeseed. Gennady Datsik took a brand-new seeder out to the field. The experienced machine operator is involved in various agricultural work. A few weeks earlier, he and his son Maxim were harvesting grain with a combine. A student at the Belarusian Agricultural Academy, Maxim traditionally spends his summer productively: this is the family's fourth harvesting season, which the Datsiks have worked to the best of their ability. Hard work, multiplied by experience, produced a worthy result — they became the leaders at the farm in terms of grain threshed. Alongside the farm's machine operators, hired workers have also been laboring at the harvest for more than one year now — for example, MES employee Andrei Borisyuk transported nearly a thousand tons of grain using a MAZ truck. Another MES employee, Dmitry Sych, worked on a combine.

"We worked efficiently, we have small areas, so we finished harvesting in two weeks. Given that most of the combines are new, the equipment didn't let us down. The weather this year during the harvest also worked out quite well: the grain came in dry and practically didn't need any additional processing," noted Tatiana Naumchik, director of OAO "Gvoznitsa."

The agricultural enterprise is gradually renewing its material and technical base. The new sowing unit that Gennady Datsik operates is an acquisition made this year. Last year, using funds from the regional budget, the farm acquired a 20-ton MAZ truck and a trailer for hauling straw. This year, they received a trailer for applying organic fertilizer, a new MAZ with a trailer, and a baler.

This year, OAO "Gvoznitsa" allocated 200 hectares for winter rapeseed. "It's a profitable crop, and this year it showed a decent yield on our sandy soils. We're sowing hybrid varieties and applied fertilizer to meet the full requirement," said section head Nikolai Kasyanik.

By the way, the farm is fully self-sufficient in feed. OAO "Gvoznitsa" specializes in meat and dairy production and grows grain, leguminous, and fodder crops. "The main task of our crop production is to feed the livestock. We are actively re-seeding our grasslands. This year we also planted 25 hectares of sorghum — the crop has its advantages, so we decided to give it a try. Next year we plan to sow multi-cut rye, and we are also trying a new crop for us — winter wheat," said the head of the agricultural enterprise.

The production base of OAO "Gvoznitsa" includes three livestock facilities — the dairy farms "Gvoznitsa," "Khmelevka," and "Radezh." The total cattle herd is approximately 3,600 head, of which more than 1,550 are dairy cows.

— The "Radezh" dairy farm was put into full operation just a month ago. It was built in two phases and includes livestock housing and a milking and dairy block. It was built with state support. The "Radezh" dairy farm is designed for 800 dairy cows. The construction of the farm has allowed us to completely move away from tethered cattle housing. Currently, it is being populated: we are transferring cattle here from "Khmelevka," which we plan to reconstruct for heifer rearing. If previously they milked 16 liters per cow per day at the "Radezh" dairy farm, now it is 23.5 liters, — emphasized Tatyana Naumchik.

Tatyana Aleksandrovna took the helm of the agricultural enterprise not long ago. Before her appointment, she held the position of deputy director of OAO "Gvoznitsa," which was preceded by work at a number of agricultural enterprises in the region. "Thanks to agriculture, we live and depend on no one. We have our own meat, milk, and bread, and this is the country's food security, so it is impossible to overestimate the importance of the work of farmers," she is convinced.

Alyona SATSUTA

Photo by the author