A mother and her young daughter live high up in the Carpathians
Not far from Hoverla, right in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains, Maria lives with her young daughter, Nastya. She tends to nine cows, makes traditional cheese every day, and runs her household without electricity or modern conveniences.
On a mountain pasture near Hoverla lives a family that depends almost entirely on their own labor. Maria, along with her young daughter Nastya, tends to the livestock and makes traditional Carpathian cheese. Traveler and naturalist Vasyl Sarana shared stories about their life. He visited the mountain pasture and showed what daily life is like for this family far from the familiar urban environment.
Maria’s farm has nine cows. Caring for them takes up a significant part of the day. She also has to prepare food, heat water, keep the fire going in the stove, and make cheese. Her day begins at the stove. There’s no electricity on the mountain pasture, so she has to heat water for the livestock and household needs over an open fire. The most important task for the family is making cheese. Traditional Carpathian cheese is the main product Maria produces.
Every day, she processes dozens of liters of milk. The cheese is prepared in large cauldrons directly over an open fire. The process requires a lot of time and physical labor. Little Nastya helps her mother, too. The girl is gradually learning the art of cheese-making and absorbing the knowledge that has been passed down in the family from generation to generation. According to Vasyl Sarana, Maria’s older son grew up the same way. He also spent his childhood on this mountain pasture and learned to help with the farmwork.
Life in the mountains presents other challenges as well. The mountain pasture is surrounded by dense forests inhabited by wolves and bears. Therefore, the family must be cautious and mindful not only of the weather and hard work but also of the wild animals. A particular problem is the lack of electricity. Because of this, even ordinary household chores take longer. It’s harder to heat water, prepare food, and store groceries.
Despite this, Maria continues to live and work on the mountain pasture. Her daughter is growing up close to nature and has seen from a young age how the farm is run and how cheese is made. Vasyl Sarana admitted that what he saw made a strong impression on him. “Everything rests on the women’s shoulders and their daily hard work. Living in such conditions, all alone in the wild mountains, is a true feat,” said the traveler.
This way of life is very different from what most people are used to. There are no nearby stores, no household appliances, and no typical city amenities. Instead, there is livestock, hard daily work, mountains, and traditions that the family strives to preserve. Despite the challenging conditions, Maria and Nastya continue to live on the mountain pasture. Here they tend to their livestock, make cheese, and preserve the traditional way of life that has been passed down in the family from generation to generation. Traveler and naturalist Vasyl Sarana shared the story of this family in his video.
