it is more reminiscent of a ranch than a Lithuanian farmstead
All roads lead to America
Although the owner of the homestead, Ovid Shova, did not live in the United States (USA), he claims to have many ties to the country, so the building complex decides on the facility in a Western style.
The interlocutor’s grandfather was a colonel in the staff of President Antanas Smetona during World War II. withdrew from the Soviet occupation to the West. “He did not want to serve in the US army, because he served Lithuania all his life, not the Germans or the Russians,” O. Šova assured.
O. Šova’s father, born and raised in the United States, seduced Soviet propaganda, promised every job, returned to Lithuania, which belonged to the then Soviet Union, had to be disappointed – Columbia University diplomas did not have to be recognized here, although he managed to get an economist’s job. O. Šova’s father had the name of an “American” in Lithuania, who passed it on to his son.
“If friends from Vilnius came and asked the locals where Ovid lived, no one knew. And if they asked where to find the “American”, everyone knew, “the businessman laughed.
After spending his whole life in Vilnius, O.Šova decided to establish a homestead when a new hobby of his life appeared. After taking the children to ride to the Šilo stud farm, the interlocutor became more interested in the new activity than later: “The children did not get hooked, but the father got hooked,” the businessman recalls.
According to him, first a horse appeared, and after that the idea to create a homestead. Construction began in 2011, the seller had previously owned a sewing business.
“In Lithuania, sewing is a very catarrhal work. First of all, there are no tailors because there are no more vocational schools. Only elderly women work. Orders are very difficult because we only produced medical clothing for foreigners. You don’t earn much, people can’t pay much, everyone blames you. I decided that I wanted to retire, so I created rural tourism, “O. Šova recalled.
One-yard stand out
Although rural tourism seemed a promising field at the time, trends are now changing. “There was a time when people needed rural tourism homesteads, but even now they are not needed. Fashion has changed – in the past, people used to celebrate birthdays, weddings and baptisms in homesteads, now it is no more, ”O. Šova lamented.
It is difficult to tell the owner of the homestead about the changes in the whims of the holidaymakers. One of the explanations he suggested was to preserve a good quality of life: “People started living better, drinking less. No one wants any more holidays. Except for the young people here, because I let the noise. After all, you need such single-family farms, you could choose a lot, ”the businessman joked.
Although the homestead is well-groomed, success is hampered by several factors. First of all, there is no lake nearby, which, according to O.Shova, is a necessary attribute of a successful rural tourism homestead. Due to the requirements of a coronavirus pandemic, accommodation conditions are also inappropriate. The guests live in the homestead in a similar way, but now, due to security requirements, there would be separate cottages on request, which would give more space to the families living in them.
According to the businessman, a pandemic for rural tourism is an advantage, but only homesteads by the water and with a separate cottage thrive.
Understood the scammers
The road to difficulty and limited opportunities to disseminate information and attract visitors. Previously, they wanted to spend a holiday here in America in Aukštadvaris, they found the accommodation service website Booking.com, but the businessman noticed that Russians and Ukrainians who needed to enter Lithuania had to make reservations and had to show their place of residence.
“They made reservations, but they never came. It shows that he has a reservation, gets a visa and is attracted to his affairs, ”said about O. Šova and decided to limit himself to the website and Facebook.
Last year, the homestead did not operate for eight longer. “The state gave 260 euros a month,” he said. According to O. Šova, he managed to survive only thanks to his working wife.
Currently, the businessman rents the premises for camps and trainings: “The majority of holidaymakers currently living in the homestead are kayakers – they swim, return frozen, I offer them a hot tub, I spend the night and they look.” On weekends, the homestead is buzzing with holidaymakers, still empty on weekdays.
Burning love for horses
“Here are the cars I start with,” the owner smiled, pointing at the horses Balthazar and Echor. Other names that symbolize American names for horses include mares grazing on a twenty-acre plant in Chicago, Nevada, and others whose names are assimilated, if necessary, for several desired hours at the homestead.
“I survive from business, but I don’t earn, because I give everything to the horses,” the interlocutor admitted. – Previously, I tried to provide riding services, but failed to do so, because the Lithuanian people are very interesting – get drunk and then go horseback riding. After drinking, you can’t go to the animal. In order not to be tempted, I left only sport mares. It makes me so happy that nothing more is needed. I have ten horses and three foals, ”the interlocutor will find.
Horse breeding O.Shovas can also become a business, but it takes time and financial resources. “It takes five years for a horse to be sold – only then can it be measured. It has to show sporting results and only then will it be possible to sell. In order to be expensive to sell, a horse must have good blood, healthy. It is very difficult to make a horse business, ”the interlocutor lamented.
To his knowledge, a four- to five-year-old horse can be sold in Lithuania for 15-30 thousand. It costs 1 thousand to maintain a trotter per year. if the owner does most of the work himself. However, wanting to sell a horse, in five years need to invest in training what, which can detach up to 10 thousand. euros. So even after the sale, the profit is not high.
Most Lithuanians sell horses abroad. According to the interlocutor, the pandemic boosted demand: “People don’t seem to have the money, but they do. They don’t just have to let them go, so they buy animals: dogs, cats and horses. “
According to O. Šova, there are guests who have not seen a live horse before visiting the homestead. “There was a girl who was very scared to get even closer to what to say about touch. I offered her to sit on a horse and circle the square. I surrounded her, and she wept in joy that she overcame fear. And I almost cried, “the interlocutor recalled.
Searching for challenges and investments, homesteads O.Šova does not call business: “Not even business here. Life is here. “