Malinówka farm is primarily an apiary, which is run in such a way as to disturb the bees as little as possible – thanks to which the bees produce excellent honey.
Apart from bees, the owners, Magdalena and Sylwester Świderski, also have sheep – grey horned heaths, goats and various poultry. Malinówka is also a small forest bakery where they make real rye sourdough bread without any additives – it consists only of good thoughts, rye flour, water and salt. Mr Sylwester and his family try to seasonally process what nature gives them – they make various preserves, from herbal syrups, to preserves, vinegars, sourdough for sour rye and borscht, and mustards.
Tell us about yourself.Who are you, what do you do?
We are Magdalena and Sylwester Świderski. We live in the forest, in the village Drągowina by the picturesque Brzeźniczanka river. Malinówka is primarily an apiary, which is run in such a way as to disturb the bees as little as possible – thanks to which they produce excellent honey. Apart from the bees we also have sheep – grey horned heaths, goats and various poultry. Malinówka is also a small forest bakery where real rye sourdough breads are made without any additives – they consist only of good thoughts, rye flour, water and salt. We also try to seasonally process what nature gives us – we make various preserves, from herbal syrups, through jams, vinegars, sourdough sourdough and mustards.
Your region is amazing because…
It is a cultural melting pot. Because despite different views and customs, we can, or at least try to find a common language. It is also a culinary melting pot – thanks to family traditions, we can speak and think of nearby regional cuisines as our own. Because the bread that came with my grandfather and his mother has been entered in 2019 on the Polish List of Traditional Products of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
What are the biggest attractions of the region?
Forests forests forests forests. Beautiful Lubusz forests. It would be wonderful if they became an absolutely safe refuge for honeybees and pollinators. They should stop being sprayed. The traditional beehives should return. And that the robinia acacia, which “inhabited” these areas several hundred years ago, would no longer be treated as an enemy of the forest ecosystem, but as a distinctive feature of the region and a great friend of pollinators – and consequently of all of us.
Your favourite place in the area?
Well, Malinówka, obviously! We were looking for this place for 7 years, we were travelling all over the centre and the south of the Voivodeship, we also went north a few times. And finally, somewhat by accident, we found it. We still need twenty years and a lot of money for renovations to make it perfect, but we will make it!
Open mic, or a few words from you.
We invite you to visit our region! By the way, come and get us some hot bread (just call ahead to check if we are there), and if you have more time, we invite you to our beekeeping workshops – both for children and adults. If you need to breathe in the forest, you are also welcome. You can be active – with Sylwester, or static – with me (Magdalena) in the hammocks stretched between the trees.
