From a single heifer to a large farm: the business model of the Ishmyanov family that has been operating for 44 years.

      The couple from the village of Svetloe Ozero have kept a household farm since the day they were married. Their marriage and their first cow appeared in the same year. Since then their love for each other and for their work has only grown stronger.

      In our age of speed and technology more and more city dwellers dream of escaping the hustle and bustle to the bosom of nature. For Gennady and Galina Ishmyanov from the village of Svetloe Ozero, this is not a dream but a reality earned and nurtured through many years of hard work. Their story is a true chronicle of loyalty to their native land, to their roots, and to a sincere love for domestic animals.

      The path of exemplary smallholders began 44 years ago, just after they were married. The newlyweds, barely 18 years old, were not afraid to take on adult responsibilities; they already knew for sure: a cow in the household is a guarantee of a well-fed life. With money given by their parents and savings from the wedding they bought their first heifer. That purchase marked the beginning of their personal “agro-empire.”

      “We then understood well: with a cow you will always be well fed,” shares Gennady Nikolaevich.

      He also understood that with their farmstead no financial crisis need be feared. There are always fresh natural products on the table: meat, milk, sour cream, butter, cottage cheese. There is always the possibility to sell the surpluses and thereby supplement the family budget. Especially since products from household farms are usually affordable and of good quality, and most importantly — healthy. And a household farm is also an opportunity to keep yourself occupied if you lose your job.

      Livestock on the Ishmyanovs’ farm has never been lacking. Today it’s a whole mini-farm: two milk cows, Zorya and Zoya, calves — a total of 11 head of cattle — as well as horses, pigs and chickens. At times they even had as many as five cows. Milk, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter of their own production have always been in demand among customers.

      “When we didn’t have a car, we rode to town with hitchhikers. We took products to the market in Almetyevsk and to Zainsk. We acquired regular customers and took part in agricultural fairs. People have always liked our products,” the head of the family says proudly.

      But behind this idyll stands titanic, daily work. As Gennady admits, the hardest thing now is the rising cost of feed: grain and compound feed. And long trips are out of the question — the animals require round-the-clock care. Gennady Nikolaevich worked his whole life at the local dairy farm, and his parents always kept livestock, so a love for animals and an understanding of their needs runs in his blood. The head of the household recalls that he had cows that produced 20 liters of milk a day.

      Their life is not only chores. It is the joy of vegetables grown in their own garden, quiet pride in their children and grandchildren, and the pleasure of living in the village, away from the city bustle. In summer and autumn the couple never forgets to go for mushrooms and berries in the nearby forests. One year Galina Ivanovna pickled and salted mushrooms into 100 one-liter jars, some of which she sold at the agricultural fair.

      Looking at them, you understand that they are truly happy. They rejoice in every day, in the silence, in the singing of birds, and in living not in a noisy city but in their village, in full harmony with nature and with each other. The life of the Ishmyanovs is a vivid lesson that true wealth lies not in money but in the ability to work, to love and to appreciate what surrounds you.

      Photo by the author

      Roza Ilaltdinova

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      From one heifer to a large farm: the Ishmyanov family’s business model that has been operating for 44 years

      The couple from the village of Svetloe Ozero have kept a household farm since the day they were married. Their marriage and their first cow appeared in the same year. 15:37 31.08.2025 Zainsk News - Zainsk

      From one heifer to a large farm: the Ishmyanov family’s business model that has been operating for 44 years

      The couple from the village of Svetloe Ozero have kept a household farm since the day they were married. Their marriage and their first cow appeared in the same year. 14:55 31.08.2025 Zainsk-Inform - Zainsk