Romania
By Tessa Bunney on 22 September 2008On my recent trip to Romania I visited as many people who appear in the Hand to Mouth book as possible to give them a copy. Sadly one old lady we called in on in Oncesti had died this spring, but here beekeeper Ioan Tivadar and his wife view the book at their bee hives in Glod.
At the moment the Maramures landscape looks much the same as it always has. The old people are still making hay, picking plums and growing vegetables. Everyone we spoke to has at least one child working in Italy, Spain, France… And tractors, quad bikes and grass cutters are appearing everywhere.
The Romanian government’s interpretation of EU policy has resulted in the banning of horse and carts and hand milking of cows. No animals are to be kept within 200m of the house. If they decide to strictly implement these rules it will be the end of the family farm. No animals will mean no hay and the landscape will change forever.
We then travelled east to Bucovina where the local women specialise in the tradition of decorating blown eggs using wax and dyes in various colours. They are an essential means of securing a small income for many families who must live largely from the small piece of land on which they live.
Noah relaxes in an egg decorators house!