DACHALAND

Dachas are seasonal or year-round second homes located in the rural outskirts of Russian and post-Soviet country cities. Dachas were originally allotted by the Russian tsar to nobles, but became commonplace after the second world war as Russians squatted in the countryside and began gardening and farming. Today, they are used as allotment gardens to provide perishable foods to amateur gardeners and farmers on dacha plots that estimated to be owned by 71% of the Russian population. Dachas are not suburban homes, they are typically set in rural communities and visited by urban city dwellers during the summer months. While dacha plots are generally less than 6,500 square feet and cultivated manually, they usually have a diverse selection of crops, including fruit trees, vines, annual vegetables like cucumbers and cabbages, as well as flowers and herbs like dill; it's estimated that dachas grow 15-40% of Russia's perishable foods. There is an emphasis on perennial crops, with most dachas owners growing six fruit or more fruit varieties on trees and vines, and employing edible fences using fruit-bearing bushes and trees. In addition, large quantities of potatoes, a Russian staple food, are grown on dacha plots. While dachas are located in rural areas, Russians often own dachas near their city neighbors, and thus maintain a community. 2017 - ongoing
50000000 acres
5000 feet above sea level