Barbara Fučec Borović from Ivanovec will represent the Međimurje County in the annual contest for the Most Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman, to be held on 3 October in Ilok. This is a young, qualified agronomist who has chosen to stay on the family farm and continue the agricultural tradition.
Together with her husband, she runs a farm where approximately 100 hectares are cultivated, and she is the head of a family farm on an additional 13 hectares. They grow wheat, corn, triticale, buckwheat, and pumpkin on their fields, producing pumpkin oil and buckwheat porridge.
The family is also involved in livestock farming – they have around 160 head of cattle. With the help of robotic milking, they produce approximately 1,500 litres of milk daily, and part of the milk is processed by Barbara into various types of cheese, which have already been awarded at competitions. The farm thus combines traditional living with modern technology, such as robotic milking and solar panels.
In addition to agriculture, the family is involved in the breeding of the autochthonous Međimurje dog breed – the Međi – while the husband’s family cultivates hazelnuts. Barbara is the secretary of the Međimurje Association of Young Producers and a member of the volunteer fire brigade, and she is also involved in making decorations and wreaths from natural materials.
The contest for the Most Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman has for more than two decades highlighted the value and contribution of women who, through their work, preserve the family, agriculture, tradition, and rural life. This year, 21 candidates are participating in the contest, and readers can vote for their representative via the 24s platform.
