Vivcharskyi Khutir Sheep Farm, Synevyrska Poliana

"Vivcharskyi Khutir" ("Shepherd's Homestead") is an ethno-centre and sheep farm in Synevyrska Poliana, near Lake Synevyr. It was founded by local entrepreneur Ivan Yatsko, who set out to revive traditional sheep farming in the community. Today you can taste and buy sheep's cheeses made to old mountain-pasture recipes, learn how shepherds live on the pastures of Synevyr National Park and see exhibitions about nature and shepherd life.

The homestead's story

A few years ago Ivan Yatsko kept ostriches to attract tourists, but soon realised the Carpathians called for something else. In September 2023 he bought his first flock — 52 mountain-Carpathian sheep — and within a year it had grown to several hundred. The homestead is reviving the white local sheep that other breeds had pushed out of Zakarpattia in recent decades. The project was backed by the regional sheep-farming programme and international donors (including UNDP and the Government of Sweden), and the homestead became part of the community eco-brand "SynevyrECO", which unites local producers, craftspeople and green tourism.

What to taste: pasture cheeses

The flock grazes high pastures over a thousand metres above sea level, and the sheep are milked by hand. The milk becomes the classic set of a Carpathian shepherd:

• budz — fresh young sheep's cheese;
• smoked budz — lightly smoked over fruit or beech wood;
• vurda — a delicate cheese cooked from the whey left after budz;
• brynza — salty aged cheese, including "liuta" brynza matured for one to three years.

Guests are offered a sheep-cheese tasting: in 2024 a set of four cheeses (two pieces of each) with a glass of white wine cost about UAH 75. Cheese is sold by weight, and the homestead shop also sells mountain honey, herbal teas, jams, syrups, woollen goods and work by local artisans.

What else to see

The ethno-centre has a museum of nature (the forest) and a museum of sheep farming, with exhibits collected since 2018. Children can meet sheep, goats and rabbits in a petting corner. The homestead is also developing wool processing — felt and traditional items — and plans to restore an old house as a "Shepherd's House" museum. In summer there are guided tours and community events devoted to folk crafts.

Practical information

• Address: 296-h, Synevyrska Poliana (Synevyr community, Khust district) — the ethno-centre with its shop; the flock itself grazes higher up in the mountains, a few kilometres from the village.
• Opening hours: daily 9:00–21:00 (per the ethno-centre's Google Maps profile; book tastings and tours by phone).
• Phone: +38 067 773 12 78.
• Website: vivcharsk.com.ua; Facebook page "SynevyrECO".
• Season: flocks are on the pastures from spring to autumn; summer and early autumn are the best time to visit.
• Prices: tasting ≈UAH 75, cheese ≈UAH 400/kg (2024 data) — check current prices and hours by phone.

If you want to see the flock and cheese-making on the pasture itself, arrange it in advance: part of the way is driven on a forest track and part is on foot.

Getting there

Synevyrska Poliana lies in the Tereblia valley on the road between Mizhhiria and Kolochava, at the turn-off to Lake Synevyr. From Mizhhiria it is about 20 km along the Synevyr road; from Khust, via Vilshany and Kolochava. Buses run from Khust and Mizhhiria.

Website and social media: vivcharsk.com.ua · facebook.com

Photos: cdn2.goloskarpat.info; static.rayon.in.ua.