They met on a cruise ship that sailed from the United States (U.S.) through the Caribbean Islands to the Mediterranean countries on the European continent. The agricultural engineer and the journalist decided to continue their life together in the vicinity of Prnjavor, where they are developing their own farm.
Slaven and Ivy planted an unusual variety of strawberries for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). They are getting ready for the first harvest.
“This is an Alpine Strawberry Regina. It’s a type of plantation strawberry. It’s the same as our Wild Strawberry in taste and smell, it’s just a lot bigger. We have about a thousand bushes. This is their second year and we’re now expecting the first yields,” says Slaven Sibincic.
”Five years ago, when I arrived here, there was something but it was not a lot, but then Slaven and I decided that we will build our own paradise,” Nievira Ivy Sibincic stated.
They met while working on a cruise ship. She has been living in Slaven’s hometown for five years. Ivy completed her studies in Journalism for Human Development in the Philippines. Slaven is an agricultural engineer. They also have a small hazelnut plantation. The first hazelnuts are expected in the coming years.
“We have three children. For me, this was the least work related to hazelnuts for the first five years, and the price of hazelnuts is always good,” Slaven adds.
They themselves built a greenhouse where they prepare seedlings. Their lesser-known types of tomatoes already have customers.
“This is a travel tomato. An old variety. An old German variety. Try it,” Ivy said to Stana Tosic.
“Well, we’ll try it and see,” Stana Tosic said.
“It is interesting that those tomatoes are not cut and salted,” Slaven added.
“I see that they are hardworking, that they have achieved a lot, and they have seedlings that we don’t have. That’s why we came to them to try them,” says Stana Tosic.
The Sibincic family is expanding their business. Beekeeping is Slaven’s student passion.
“We are planning to expand production this year as conditions and resources allow. It is important for us that bees pollinate our plants and vegetables and thereby increase yields,” says Slaven.
”Many are telling us that we are young, educated, we have a better future outside BiH, and why do we stay here. I understand what they mean, but Slaven and I believe that there is something more here, and we want a simple life” Ivy explained.
But is this enough for them to live on?
“We don’t want to acquire huge wealth. It is only important for us to have enough for a pleasant, healthy, clean life, and to eat healthy, clean food, for our children to live in a rural environment, and enjoy a life with animals. That is much more important than achieving figures, careers,” Slaven
After returning from the cruise ship to his hometown, Slaven changed several jobs, mainly in sales, while he has now decided to dedicate himself entirely to agricultural work on the farm with his wife, where they want to complete organic production in the next two years, Slobodna Evropa reports.
E.Dz.
