World Ark Magazine - March/April 2009 - (Page 43) heifer Bulletin News From the Field Sheep-shape in romania Marrying tradition and modernity W heN romaNia JoiNed the european Union in 2007, the catchword in agriculture became “modernization.” The european Union and the country’s government stressed the importance of romanian agriculture becoming competitive in the market, making large-scale operations key to success. Small farmers were left to go it alone with plenty of regulations but little access to european funds. But small farmers in Tulghes, romania, now have a gateway to the market and will be able to sell their products. with help from This new, fully enclosed sheepfold in the Carpathian Mountains meets heifer international and the all EU regulations for sanitation and will allow local farmers to sell their milk local government, farmers in the to a larger market. heart of the carpathian mountains have balanced the present and the past, build- sheepfold in less than two months. ing a modern sheepfold, or shelter for the animals, The new shelter is proof that small farmers can moderndesigned to comply with eU regulations. ize without losing traditional skills and practices. Traditionally, a sheepfold was just an outdoor pen made of stone for corralling a flock. The modern sheepfold is Reporting by Corina Bucea, Heifer Romania program assistant. enclosed and designed to meet new eU safety standards, like installing electric cooling systems and using stainlesssteel vats instead of wooden barrels. on a Sunday in late September 2008, the entire commuOne cow helps a Chinese family nity, heifer romania team, media and guests celebrated cover medical expenses its opening. The media presented the sheepfold as a novel yet successful attempt to help small farmers. The event was iN 2007, he hongyou became a participant in a heifer broadcast by four national television stations and published project in his community, receiving a cow from another in more than 12 newspapers. group member through passing on the gift. Now, he The construction of the modern sheepfold is phase hongyou and his family are set to appear in a documentary. two of heifer romania’s carpathian project. The farmers, in october 2008, a hong kong film crew visited the family’s who received sheep in phase one of the project, received village to explore social changes at the 30th anniversary of the necessary equipment to construct the sheepfold and china’s opening to the west. after finishing their primary generous funding from the local public administration. recording, the crew was so impressed with the he family with this support, the community association built the that it conducted a special interview with them about how gift of health PHoto courtESy oF HEIFEr roMaNIa. w w w. h e i f e r. o r g march/apri l 2009 | worl d ark 43 http://www.heifer.org
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