Сільськогосподарські практики в малих містах Північно-Східної України

Abstract

The article is dedicated to a poorly studied topic in ethnology: agricultural practices in small towns. For a number of reasons attention is paid to settlements of northeastern Ukraine, namely Chernihiv and Sumy regions. The phenomenon of household activities of people residing in urban areas in their ordinary everyday lives as well as in the realities of war is described in a new way, basing on historiography, various sources, and especially on field heuristics. The study of the research subject and the fulfilling of the objectives are carried out in the chronological framework of today, but the work also contains many retrospectives and historical parallels. The research has shown that agricultural practices typical for small towns residents – agriculture and animal husbandry – are historically acquired experiences. It has been proved on the example of one town that architectural and spatial landscape with its distinctive buildings and household objects is the typical feature of human activity. At the same time, a careful analysis of individual agricultural practices and animal husbandry managed by citizens allowed us to understand a number of issues which have not been considered before. In particular, the dominant industries in urban households were identified. It is determined that current agricultural practices are used not only for subsistence but also for commercial purposes, with special attention being paid to urban agriculture. The forms of its existence in recent decades are described. In addition, the models of individual agriculture and animal husbandry are characterized. As a result of studying various aspects of townspeople farming in wartime, the new facts have been revealed and introduced for the first time. The author has come to rather interesting conclusions, which project the way to further urban studies.