Symbiosis, self-sufficiency, and a life for the protection of rare domestic animals
„ I met the Carpathian buffaloes for the first time in Romania in 2004. At that time I couldn't really believe it that water buffaloes live there, because to me water buffaloes have always been connected with Asian culture. In 2008 during my studies I did an internhip here in Ukraine to paper on the occurrence of the water buffalo in Transcarpathia. with Swiss colleagues we found 38 animals in Transcarpathia and immediately knew that it was very very urgent to take action to last Carpathian buffaloes.“
write a Together all of us save these Michel Jacobi
„ Transcarpathia is desolate and beautiful at the same time. It is sometimes almost impossible to reconcile the pot-holed roads and flat fields with the fast-flowing river and the mountains beyond, and yet there they are, side by side, creating a new concept of beauty. I have never seen clouds settle among the slopes like they do in Transcarpathia.“ Lydia Knoop
„ Water buffaloes become very very trusting and can live with a family for up to 40 years. When you keep them the way we do, and the way it is traditionally done here, that is in a stable directly beside the house, then they become real friends, you can ride them, they pull a cart and they will follow you anywhere.“ Michel Jacobi
„ Beyond that, this space with the water buffaloes offers space for new projects. We also started to breed a rare type of Huzul horses and support another farmer who breeds Mangaliza pigs, which are also a rare local breed.“ Michel Jacobi
„ Of course a dog is not a human and horses don‘t know decimal calculation, but I see it like Albert Schweitzer, that all animals have a dignity and a right to live. And therefore every living being can be my friend. Of couse it is very easy with humans because the communication is easy. With animals you first have to learn a new languange before you can become friends with them. It is very rare that animals learn the human language. It is the human who has to listen first and learn to be like the animal to understand the animal. From this perspective there are just as many humans who are dear to me, as there are animals, who are dear to me.“ Michel Jacobi
„ The buffaloes and horses mean … Saldobosch. The beauty of the farm is that it fits together: when the herds aren‘t out in the field they are directly in front of the house where we live. There are foals running around and Mischa the calf is eating the clothes on the washing line... it feels like there is no real divide between people and animals. The best is sitting in the barn at evening milking and seeing the sunlight come out of nowhere, falling through the windows and onto the buffaloes.“ Lydia Knoop
„ They are so incredibly peaceful, totally curious, very intelligent, and have a majestic charisma. Almost a bit mystic. I am very happy to have experienced them here and to have such a close relationship to some of them. For me it is fascinating time and time again that the buffaloes allow me to milk them. In fact why should a cow or buffalo do that? Well I give them a bit of apples and flour to eat, but it is nevertheless a huge gift to get 3,5 litres of milk out of a buffalo.“ Moritz Bor
„ I had no idea that each buffalo would have a completely unique character, and responds in such an intelligent and sensitive way. To form such a bond with an animal is something which does not leave when you leave the farm. That is what is so special about the buffalo, that you must form a bond with them before they will give you milk. Every relationship on the farm is responsive. The buffaloes and horses are the reason that the farm exists, so really...they mean everything.“ Lydia Knoop
„ Yes it is my opinion, that a resonable management of nature and resourses is only possible together. With together I mean between humans and nature and that is for me, if it is reasonable, a culture worth living. It is a symbiosis where we humans only take what we really need to live and be happy and give back as much as we can.“ Michel Jacobi
„ My local partners are the grandmothers, the babuschkas, they are the keepers of the culture. They are who I turn to to learn from them and to preserve their knowledge for the next generation because they tell me that many of their grandchildren are not interested in the historical tradition and the traditional way of working. Through my work I try to show the people here, that what they are doing in their traditional ways connected with the best insights of science can lead into the future. The traditional agriculture here is something that is worth keeping because it is an accummulation of old knowledge. If science is humble enough and tries to keep this traditional knowledge and integrate new insights, than I think firstly the people will feel honoured because their knowledge is appreciated and secondly nature and culture can be preserved. It is a win-win-situation.“ Michel Jacobi
„ Especially characters like Casten, Christina, Raya, Grovni, those are horses and buffaloes who don‘t fit in a scheme. If they had another appearance, you couldn‘t really tell what form of life they are. A dragon? A human? Falkor from the fairy tale? It is very exciting how the fairy tale world and reality merge when you take the time to communicate with the animals.“ Michel Jacobi
„ Well, we have here a connection of humans, culture and nature together with animals, and such a chaotic atmosphere that you often think you are in a film by Emir Kusturica.“ Michel Jacobi
„ Since 2009 I have been spending more and more time here in Transcarpathia with the animals, and I fell in love, I genuinely fell in love and I see this as my family now. Of course I also love my family in Germany. But this is my adopted home and by now I spend more time here than anywhere else in the world, because these animals depend on me. I found a fundamental happiness here, that I don‘t experience anywhere else in the world. This mixture of a reasonable culture and a sense of home, for me it is the strongest here in Transcarpathia.“ Michel Jacobi
„ For some reason a full bucket of milk in the morning is something totally satisfying or a beautiful sun rise, or the shooting stars at night, or a good meal together with the people, with who I work together the whole day.“ Moritz Bor
„ My immediate desire is for Saldobosch to develop into a state of selfsufficiency, which in turn will support the people who volunteer to work on the farm. I hope that organisations will continue to contribute towards and support the farm, and that word will be spread of what is being achieved at Saldobosch. The more people who dedicate themselves to working at Saldobosch, the more the animals there will benefit. I will return to Saldobosch in the spring. The vegetable beds we made are ready and waiting, and there are many small and large projects which I am excited to bring to fruition. It will be a long winter waiting to get involved in farm life again!“ Lydia Knoop
„ It is my goal to build up a cheese manufacture here or somewhere in the region to produce buffalo cheese, and to organise tourism projects with riding excursions and a small hostel or a project for backpackers and nature travellers. Also I want to start a resettlement project, or support other resettlement projects in other contries with our animals. I want to invite everyone, who gets to know us this way, to come for a visit and to make their dreams come true here on the farm. This is a place where you can unleash your creativity, just listen and contribute in your own way.“ Michel Jacobi
„ All I can say is that I had and continue to have a damn good time here and I am happy to discover that the most simple things are those that make us the happiest.“ Moritz Bor
„ It was a very special time for me and I found the farm really by accident. To be involved in the work and lifestyle at Saldobosch also forms lasting bonds with the people who share the experience.“ Lydia Knoop
You can find more information on www.karpaten-bueffel.eu
„ Of course it is always a bit sad for me when someone leaves and when I have to say goodbye to friends, who go back to their studies, who start a different life again in Europe. That hurts a bit sometimes, it is a bit of a loneliness somehow, even though you are never really alone here. Luckily there are many people who have been here once, with who I stay in contact via facebook or other social networks and who find the way back here in their holidays or after their studies and realise projects here. Those are the rays of hope where I can see that they are not only people you see just once in life, but friends who work together for a long time.“ Michel Jacobi