Paper short abstract:

This report discusses the practices which are dedicated to preservation of vegetable cultures in traditions of settled agriculture. How local traditions can protect a landscape from social and economic changes.

Paper long abstract:

The modern Russian Northwest rural people are engaged in agriculture; they live sedentary lives. Social and economic changes lead to transformations of natural landscapes of these territories. The movement does change and undermine traditions of sedentary agriculture.

Rural people often regret for the loss of old plant varieties which their ancestors used to grow in this territory. The losses were connected with giving up the traditional practices of vegetable crop cultivation: self-produced seeds have been substituted by those which have been purchased in shops for the XX cent. Onions represent an exception (Allium ascalonicum). Old varieties of rustic onion hold pride of place on vegetable gardens. Seed material isn't bought in shops; it is kept in houses.

Field research which was carried out in the Northwest region of Russia has allowed to reveal some aspects of cultural practices which are associated with preservation of onion traditional varieties. Elements of practices ritualization connected with cultivation of this plant (magic texts during the planting and tendance of onions; local knowledge, family legends) points to a specific attitude to onions in olericulture of East Slavs. They're stored in cultural memory's archives of the group.

The ban on onions usage in practices of reciprocal gifts refers to the social factors aimed on protection of this plant. Dwellers follow the taboo which prohibits to pass onions to the stranger. The taboo has connection with mythological beliefs of farmers: "stranger hands/eyes", can exert negative influence on reproductive properties of a plant: onions will cease to grow.