From Tractor Driver to Businessman: The Story of a Belarusian Who Built a Farm from Scratch and a Church in a Village 

Vasily Matskevich News Topics Vasily Matskevich is a well-known figure in the Dokshitsy district. His fellow villagers unanimously call him a "Master" with a capital "B." He has good reason to be: our hero built a strong farm from scratch, built a church in his native village, raised five children, and never refuses to help those in need. 7 Days correspondents learned how this tractor driver managed to open an agricultural enterprise in the late 1990s and the reasons for his greatest success.  
"Where you were born, there you will find your way" 

- I was born in the village of Berezino in the Vitebsk region. "And, as they say, where you were born, there you will find your way," Vasily Alexandrovich said philosophically when we met. "My ancestors always had their feet firmly on the ground, so they knew the value of farming—until you sweat." My mother worked on the farm, where I would come from a young age to help her. I practically spent my childhood there: I'd run there in the winter after school, and even more often during the holidays.

What makes a real man? The boy learned from his father, who worked as a mechanic on a local state farm and, one might say, built his family's house himself. His son followed his example in everything. Later, when our hero started his own family, he also built a large, sturdy house with his own hands. 

After school, he entered the Lepel vocational school, graduating in 1980. Then he joined the army. 
"I saw how my parents lived and worked: honestly, from the heart, conscientiously. I liked it, so after demobilization, I decided to return to my native village," he notes.

At first, he worked as a tractor driver on the local Krasnoberezsky state farm, then transferred to one of the farm's most important sections— cattle fattening —where he worked for 16 years. 
In the late 1990s , agriculture , like many other industries, was going through hard times. The state farm was literally falling apart before the workers' eyes. It was painful for Vasily Matskevich to watch his once-robust farm crumble, along with the long-standing rural way of life. Over time, people began to abandon the large households, including the cows, which once comprised up to 300 head of the village herd. 
"Then I realized that life couldn't be lived like that. Only those who work will earn enough for themselves and their families. The foundation of prosperity is earned through their own labor, from their own hard work," he asserts.

The most reliable investor is the state.

So Vasily Matskevich decided to become a farmer. He contacted the executive committee and registered his future business under the name "Matskevich Peasant Farm." He decided to focus on livestock farming: he bought piglets and two cows. He also acquired the most basic tillage equipment. Incidentally, his first plot of land was 50 hectares. His father helped him build outbuildings for the livestock and a garage for the equipment.  

"To be honest, I had nothing to start with," Vasily Matskevich says today, referring to his lack of capital, including initial capital. "I summoned all my willpower and went forward. Once you've started a business, you can't stop halfway."

His wife, Zhanna Viktorovna, who worked as a nurse at the local district hospital, also supported him. She even left her profession to help her husband, who had decided to focus on milk production , on the farm . And with each passing year, the cattle herd on this farm grew, as did the milk yield. The quality of the white gold was always excellent. 
Seeing that the Matskevich farm was gaining momentum, local authorities allocated several more plots of land. State support for the purchase of agricultural equipment also  came in handy .
Today, the Matskevich farm's machinery yard includes several domestically produced MTZ tractors, Amkodor loaders, a Palesse-1218 grain harvester, and a number of other reliable machines. 
According to Vasily Alexandrovich, the state has been the most reliable investor for his farm. While the combine, which has served him faithfully for many years, was purchased at its residual value from the previous owner, most of the new equipment was purchased through government programs supporting agricultural businesses. That is, on lease at a very affordable interest rate of 3% per annum. 
Abandon and leave? Never thought so! 

Vasily Matskevich's fellow villagers are well aware of how his farm developed. He has decided not to reveal all the ups and downs he has experienced over the past 25 years. But he confidently states that he has never had any desire to give up everything and leave. 

"I always knew that I had to work the land until I had no strength left—until I won. My parents and wife shared my opinion and helped me with everything," he asserts.

Today, the Matskevich farm has about 140 head of cattle, 73 of which are dairy cows. And these cows are the farm's main asset. 

"Our cows aren't elite, but common ones—a Belarusian black-and-white breed that produces milk twice a day," explains Zhanna Viktorovna. She is responsible for the milking process.
In winter, the Matskevich farm's dairy herd produces about 350 liters of milk per day, and in summer, 700-750 liters. The farmer delivers his milk to the Lepel Dairy and Canning Plant, mostly in extra-large quality. 
"Our cows produce 3,500-4,000 liters a year each, and some produce 5,000-5,500. We've been keeping many of them for almost 20 years. One dairy cow even lived to be 23 years old," the owner says.
It's clear to us that the farm owner and his family prioritize not only milk yield and profit, but also animal welfare . The cattle's diet is carefully developed. Remarkably, the cows are not fed compound feed, as the owners believe it isn't always beneficial for their health . The feed trough is filled with pre-milled grains—rye, wheat, oats, as well as potatoes and hay grown by the farmer on his land. 

"Our golden man!"

Our hero has five children. Each has already chosen their own path in life. For example, the youngest daughter, Natalia, graduated from the Vitebsk Veterinary Academy. She returned to her home village and helps run the family business, overseeing the health of the livestock. She learned to drive at the age of 14 and quickly mastered almost all types of agricultural machinery on the farm. She even successfully completed tractor driver training. But she decided not to stop there and recently took the wheel of a logging truck. These skills came in handy, as the farm operates a small sawmill. The Matskevich farm purchases timber at the exchange for the subsequent production of boards and beams. In other words, Vasily Matskevich is skillfully diversifying his business. He doesn't know what will happen next, but one thing is clear to us: whatever Vasily Alexandrovich undertakes, it will be a success. At the same time, the head of the farm still manages to help others. 
"Vasily Alexandrovich is a golden man!" says Alyona Kondratenok, chair of the Berezinsky village executive committee, describing the hero of our project, listing his impressive list of good deeds: "When the grain harvest begins , the farmer goes to help those in whose gardens the grain has ripened. If we need to mow the grass on the street, install a fence in a common area, or touch up an existing one—we ask Vasily Alexandrovich again. We know he'll never refuse."
Concerned about the growth of his own business, Vasily Matskevich helps both his fellow villagers and residents of neighboring villages. He does this wholeheartedly, and often for free. After some consultation, the local residents elected him mayor of Berezino two years ago. 

Of Earthly and Heavenly Things:

However, our hero isn't only preoccupied with earthly concerns. He also thinks about the eternal: he maintains the monuments to those who died during the Great Patriotic War and the local cemeteries. Since his village is home to many believers, like Vasily Matskevich himself, who profess Orthodoxy, he began building a church in Berezino on the site of an old store back in 2009. However, a serious illness , which hospitalized him, prevented him from completing the construction. 

"If I survive, I'll definitely finish what I started," our farmer vowed to himself then. He recovered, and as soon as he got out of bed, he finished everything. Now the villagers have their own church, where the priest conducts services. We couldn't help but ask the farmer about his future plans, but Vasily Alexandrovich, a man who has experienced the wisdom of life, the futility of plans in the face of fate and the unpredictability of the future, merely smiled and said nothing. Such people do a lot, but say very little, yet they continue to move forward, never resting on their laurels. Vasily Matskevich is one of them. 
The project was funded by a targeted collection for the production of national content.

Tamara MARKINA,
photo by Vitaly PIVOVARCHIK, 
7 Dney newspaper.