Association "Local Action Group - Elhovo - Bolyarovo" organizes a Transnational Mission for participation in partner meetings for knowledge transfer and exchange of good and innovative practices to partnering LAGs in Slovenia for a delegation from LAG - Elhovo - Bolyarovo in the period from 11.10.2024 to 15.10.2024 in connection with the project "Eco-basket, please!" under administrative contract No. RD 50-54/17.03.2023, in which it is a partner.

The delegation for participation in the first transnational mission in Slovenia included 12 people from the territory of LAG - Elhovo - Bolyarovo - members of the team, the Board and the General Assembly, local producers and a translator, and for several days visited the territories of the partners - LAGs from Slovenia.

On October 12, 2024, the group from the LAG - Elhovo - Bolyarovo participated in various events and meetings, during which the participants had the opportunity to get to know the hosts, exchange knowledge and experience, and information on innovative practices and approaches.

Kozyansko Apple Festival, Podsreda village

The delegation from the LAG – Elhovo – Bolyarovo visited and participated in the Kozyansko Apple Festival, which has been held every year in the second week of October, since 2000, in Kozyanski Park at the Podsreda market. Kozyanska apples grow in orchards, which are among the most important protected habitats in Kozyanski Park. They are the habitats of some endangered bird species, such as the green-necked woodpecker, the grey woodpecker, the European owl, the common redstart, the little owl and the red-backed shrikes. Because of them, the meadow orchards have been included in Natura 2000 under the Birds Directive. The apples in this area are of old traditional varieties. By holding this event, the local residents draw attention to the apples and increase their demand. In this way, the orchards are preserved, and hence the habitats for the birds.

Every year the festival attracts more and more visitors and producers.

A farmers' market with local products is also organized during the festival itself - both related to the Kozyansko apples, as well as typical foods, handicrafts and more. Participants had the opportunity to try local products and specialties and create useful contacts with their colleagues. Demonstrations and competitions in preparing traditional strudel were organized. Part of the program also included an exhibition of over 120 types of mushrooms that can be found on the territory of the park.

The Kozyansko Apple Festiva in 2024 was honored personally by the President of the Republic of Slovenia - Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar, and the participants were able to meet and talk with her. She shared her excellent impressions of her visit to Bulgaria a few months ago.

Visit to the village of Olimje

The group visited the small village of Olimje, which has only 250 inhabitants, but attracts tourists from near and far with several remarkable places.

The group visited the local Olimje Chocolate Factory, where chocolate products with a wide variety of flavors and shapes are prepared and sold.

The delegation from the LAG – Elhovo – Bolyarovo visited the Olimje Monastery located in the center of the village with the oldest pharmacy in Slovenia, which still operates the oldest pharmacy in Slovenia and the third oldest operating pharmacy in Europe. Only herbs are used to make the medicines, which are noted in the garden of the monastery. The monastery itself dates back to the 17th century, and before that was a castle. The church of the monastery is impressive with its rich decoration.

Visit to the Guest House Jelenov greben: In the same village-Olimje/Olimje there is a farm called Elenski greben: it is a complex with a deer farm, restaurant, shop and information center. There are wild deer in the vicinity that guests can feed.

During a transnational mission within October 13, 2024:

The delegation visited Eco Farm Habjan, whose owner, Tomaž Habjan, is a young organic producer. Together with his brother, he runs the family organically certified farm on the territory of several properties in the municipality of Celje. While still studying, together with his brother and his parents, they decided to lay the foundations of a farm that would be organically certified. It also contributed to the fact that in 2008 the state began to promote this type of production. The buildings on the site of the current farm can be seen on a map from 1750. This means that the land has been cultivated on the site of the farm for centuries. Tomaž and his family started with a small plot of land in 2013, which they converted from an old apple orchard into pasture for the needs of a small sheep farm. They gradually grew to about 300 decares, and today they have greenhouses (about a decare), vegetables and mainly meadows. The farm includes 6 cows, 80 sheep, chickens, ducks, and vegetables include tomatoes, cucumbers, salads, garlic, onions, radishes, cabbage, etc. To improve soil fertility, he uses organic compost, which is also formed by worms. Tomaž uses this compost himself and also sells it to other farmers. In addition to direct deliveries to schools and gardens, he sells products at local markets and during on-site visits to the farm. A tour and story at the farm is also a service that he offers to local tourists as a source of income. In the development of the farm, he relies on mechanization, because manual labor is a challenge. Tomaž is the vice president of the Slovenian Organic Association. He said that they receive support from the EU, against which, of course, it has to be checked at several levels - by a paying agency, by an organic certification operator, by a ministry, etc., but he takes this as normal and a guarantee that just as they check him, they check everyone else too and their products are indeed organically produced.

As the next destination, the delegation visited the tourist information center in the town of Laško, where the collective brand Okusiti Laško/ “Taste Laško” was presented. The work on registering this and 13 other such regional brands began in 2018, at the initiative of the Slovenian government.

One of the products that impressed the participants was Damascena rose jam. It was imported by the Slovenian Anton Askerc, who was impressed by the Bulgarian rose during a visit to Bulgaria and brought it to Slovenia. We had the opportunity to try it as a jam.

Visit and presentation of Eco-farm Očko /Ekofarm Očko: The delegation also visited the Ochko farm near the town of Laško. The owner of the farm is Katarina, who worked in optics for many years. However, for health reasons, at one point she had to change her lifestyle and she, together with her husband Tony, began to grow organic products. Now their farm covers several hectares. In Katarina's garden, the participants saw many vegetables - tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, etc. Her story about the sweet wormwood that grows in her garden without sowing it is also interesting. She learned from other people that it is very useful for cancer. That is why she does not uproot it, but makes a decoction from it. In addition to plants, they also have cows, ducks and chickens. Katarina was on a visit to Bulgaria under the project "Eco-basket, please!" and is very impressed with our country. What impressed her the most was the welcome with pita bread. That's why she welcomed the delegation with a pie, which she treated everyone to. The "Eco-basket, please!" project helped her with the creation of a logo and promotional materials, which she distributes at events and festivals.

Katarina is also active in the local association of women farmers, within which they carry out a number of initiatives aimed at the local community.

During a transnational mission on October 14, 2024:

Presentation of the Municipality of Šmartno ob Paki. Presentation of the programming period 2014-2020. Meeting with partners.

The group was welcomed in the Municipality of Šmartno ob Paki, where they were introduced to the projects the municipality is working on, as well as local products.

The participants then visited other places and got acquainted with several projects that were created with the help of the LAG Gorna Savinja and the Šalek Valley.

Visit to the Ecomuseum of Hop Growing and Brewing in the town of Žaleč.

There is an Ecomuseum of Hop Growing and Brewing in the town of Žaleč. There you can see the permanent exhibition, which tells about the birth of brewing in the region, about hop growing and about the best beer grounds. Excursions to the museum are held in two languages: Slovenian and English. Souvenirs can be purchased in the museum shop.

The delegation visited the "Beer Fountain", which is a facility of seven cylindrical shapes, from which beer is poured into a special mug with a microchip. The construction of the fountain was the idea of ​​the president of the Tourist Association in Žaleč. The beer fountain is fully automated and has strict sanitary rules. It offers 27 types of beer annually, which alternate during the individual months. The beer is produced from hops grown in the fields around the town. Hops have become its symbol, and the "Beer Fountain" is a new type of tourism, providing about 100 thousand visitors per year.

The transnational mission for the delegation from LAG - Elhovo - Bolyarovo was organized by the contractor under Contract No. 19.3 - 2023-08 of 06.12.2023 "VISTALIS" EOOD in the implementation of the project "Eco-basket, please!", Administrative Contract No. RD 50-54/17.03.2023, under procedure No. BG06RDNP001-19.607 for the selection of projects for intra-territorial and transnational cooperation under sub-measure 19.3 "Preparation and implementation of cooperation activities of local initiative groups" of measure 19 "Community-led local development" of the RDP 2014-2020.