Hashpar eco-farm (Fattoria Lombardia), Pavshyno

A family farm by the forest

Hashpar is the family farm of Oleksandr Hashpar in the village of Pavshyno, right next to Mukachevo, in an area called "Pid Lisom" ("By the Forest"). His father started it, and the son carried it on, turning a hobby into a craft maker of cured meats. Visitors know it as the Fattoria Lombardia eco-farm, and its sausages and cured meats are listed in the craft-producer catalogue of the Zakarpattia Regional Administration's Tourism and Resorts Department.

From above, the farm buildings sit among fields and vegetable plots, with the hill of Palanok Castle on the horizon — Mukachevo is just around the corner.

Why go: animals and a tasting

The farm raises Hungarian Mangalica pigs — curly-coated and rather sheep-like — as well as sheep, goats, cows, chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, geese and ducks. In 2017, with support from the Hungarian "Egán Ede" programme, it began welcoming visitors: adults and children can see the animals up close and even feed them. After the farm tour, guests are invited to a tasting in a cosy gazebo. The programme suits families with children who want to see a real working farm rather than a zoo.

Important: tours and tastings were held by prior booking only, and most information about the visitor programme dates from 2017–2018. Be sure to call in advance to check whether the farm currently receives guests and in what format.

What to try and buy

• "Piknytsia" — a traditional dry-cured sausage of pork (70%) and beef (30%) with plenty of red pepper; available plain, peppered or spicy;
• salami and mini salami to go with beer;
• cured Transcarpathian shovdar, bresaola (cured beef in a casing) and culatello — the cured heart of a pork ham;
• "Mukachevo Specialty" — a platter of five kinds of sausage and cured meat;
• goat's milk cheese.

Shovdar is Zakarpattia's air-dried pork ham, long prepared in local villages for winter; together with Hungarian-style paprika sausages it has become a symbol of the regional cuisine. Mangalica is an old Hungarian breed with tender, marbled meat that Hungary uses for its finest salami — combining this breed with Transcarpathian recipes is what makes Hashpar special.

If a farm visit isn't possible, call to ask about the products and how to buy them: small farms like Hashpar usually sell their delicacies directly, and dry-cured sausage and shovdar travel home well.

Practical information

• Where: "Pid Lisom" area, Pavshyno, Mukachevo district (no house number — ask for directions by phone).
• Getting there: Pavshyno adjoins Mukachevo, a few minutes by car or taxi from the centre. Mukachevo is easy to reach by train from Lviv or Kyiv, or by the M06 road.
• Visits and tastings: by prior booking only; prices not published.
• Phone: +38 050 317 83 62, e-mail [email protected].

Please confirm by phone before your trip.

Photos: tuca.com.ua.