17:44 10.03.2026
From seaside resort to their own business: Primorye family develops several businesses on its land plots
© Courtesy of Viktoria Shchogoleva’s personal archive
The Far Eastern Hectare program allows people from across Russia to implement their plans and to make their dreams come true. Someone wants to build a home, and others want to launch business ventures.
Viktoria Shchogoleva obtained several hectares on the Sea of Japan coast and got off to a new start in life. She and her husband Vyacheslav breed bees and grow willows; the latter is used for home décor purposes. This story, posted on the Developing the Arctic and the Far East website, shows how the couple’s stay at a seaside resort inspired them to tackle serious projects, and what subjects are taught at the Hectare Academy.
Three years ago, the Shchogolev family from Artyom in the Primorye Territory bought land plot s in the village of Bezverkhovo in the Khasan District and built a dacha there. At first, they came there to relax, enjoyed the Sea of Japan sights and admired the unique nature. Twelve months later, they decided that the dacha was a cozy nook, and that they wanted to stay here for good and to develop their own business.
Viktoria Shchogoleva, who is taking part in the Far Eastern Hectare program, and her daughter
© Courtesy of Viktoria Shchogoleva’s personal archive
“The development of the southern Primorye Territory began in the village of Bezverkhovo; and many historical personalities lived here. We fell in love with it and decided to obtain land plots here under the Far Eastern Hectare program,” Viktoria Shchogoleva noted.
She and her husband Vyacheslav obtained two land plots under this program and began to develop an apiary and a willow-growing project; the latter is used to make woven items.
What is better than vegetable patches?
They came up with a well-thought-out business plan. Prior to relocation, Viktoria actively studied and analyzed possible options of rural work.
The couple decided to set up an apiary. They addressed the issue quite seriously and enrolled at the Hectare Academy, a joint project of the Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic and the Primorye branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of the National Economy and Public Administration. They studied various concepts of agriculture and tourism development there.
Viktoria and Vyacheslav also decided to weave furniture and home décor items from willow twigs. Both of them liked the idea because Vyacheslav has prior experience of working with wood and metals, and Viktoria has wanted to do something more interesting than growing vegetables in a truck garden.
Willow cuttings (quillets)
© Courtesy of Viktoria Shchogoleva’s personal archive
“Growing cucumbers and tomatoes on vegetable patches is not my cup of tea. When we learned about willows and woven items, I decided that I liked this idea very much. This project has a creative aspect, and it allows my husband to unlock his potential,” Viktoria noted.
The Shchogolev family is now planting willows rather actively, and they have also started making woven vases, lamp-shades and bread boxes.
Caring for willows is very hard, Viktoria admitted.
“This is not a case of sticking a sapling in the ground and forgetting about it. First, one has to prepare the soil in advance and keep an eye on the saplings and care for them all the time,” she noted.
Vyacheslav, the husband of Viktoria, sprays the hectare with pesticides
© Courtesy of Viktoria Shchogoleva’s personal archive
Willow plantations are expanding gradually, with due consideration for weather conditions and financial capacities. The family needs an estimated 5.5 million rubles for planting willow saplings, being delivered from St. Petersburg, on one hectare.
Combining romantics and business plans
According to Viktoria, it is very important to fine-tune all processes, to ensure sustained growth and to obtain a good harvest. “We are working hard, and we must bring our business to perfection.”
After attaining sustained willow twigs’ production, the family would like to promote rural tourism on their land plots.
The North Palm Tree made of willow
© Courtesy of Viktoria Shchogoleva’s personal archive
Viktoria’s experience shows that romantic aspects of relocating to the seaside should go hand in hand with sober-minded business plans and a readiness to work hard.
“The most important thing is that we should move on and never give up. It is important to make all necessary calculations on paper beforehand and to start working later on,” Viktoria told everyone interested in joining the Far Eastern Hectare program.
