Radmilovac

History

The experimental agricultural farm of Radmilovac, a section of the Faculty of Agriculture in Belgrade is the original core of the neighborhood. Farm originated from the lands bequested to the Faculty by the industrialist, deputy and judge Milan Vukićević in 1941, when he died. His wife Radmila Vukićević was the first manager of the farm from 1941 to 1945 when she died, too.In 1947 the farm was named Radmilovac in her honor (Serbian for “Radmila’s place”).^[1][2] After World War II the land was nationalized, returned to the Faculty in the 1960s, taken by the state again and given to the PKB company, main agricultural supplier of the Belgrade market. In the late 1980s the farm was finally returned to the Faculty again. The reconstruction and expansion of the farm began in 2006, with new small fishponds and projected halls and covered areas.

Characteristics

Today the farm, mainly known for its orchards, covers an area of 86 hectares.^[1] It is the largest agricultural gene bank in eastern and southeastern Europe.^[2]

Orchards cover 15 hectares and are populated by apples, plums, peaches and pears, including one peach cultivar created here. Trees are planted differently from the usual way, with lesser space between them, only one meter apart (up to 3.000 seedlings per hectare). Anti-hail net is placed between the trees and a drip irrigation system is introduced. One section is reserved for the old local and new worldwide cultivars, including hundreds of unique fruit brands. Internationally known type of brandies are being produced here.

Vineyards spread over 13 hectares. Farm developed 23 new grape cultivars, 15 table and 8 wine varieties. Yield varies from 35 to 60 tons per year, with 20 tons internationally recognized brands of wines made of it.

Arable land covers 10 hecatares and includes several large greenhouses.

The farm also contains bees gene bank and 40 beehives. They produce several different types of honey: black locust, floral, sunflower, multifloral (“meadow”). Curiosity is honey produced from sophora (“Japanese acacia”).

Center for fishery and applied hydrobiology occupies 5 hectares. Formerly, a stream flowed through the farm. It received wastewater from the neighboring settlements and was so polluted that it was named Šugavac (Scabies stream). It was conducted underground into the sewage system and instead an artificial short clean stream, named Little Danube. It is 1.5 kilometers long and is a miniature representation of the entire Danube's flow, from the Black Forest to the Black Sea, including islands, peninsulas, hills, mountains and plains.Little Danube is populated with 40 fish species and plants were planted along its banks, both fishes and plants being characteristic for the "Big" Danube.^[3] A series of fish ponds were created. Main species include common carp and trout. Inside the Center, there are 40 aquariums with numerous types of fish: common barbel, huchen, brook trout, common minnow, eel, goldfish, European mudminnow, common roach, common bream, Wels catfish, zander and Northern pike, but also the genetically mixed fish population. The fishing of carp and catfish is allowed. One section is turned into the botanical water garden with 40 species of aquatic plants, with 15 species of ducks, 5 species of geese, swans and peacocks roaming between the ponds. In one pond a small artificial island is constructed and a fisherman’s house built on it that can be reached by walking over the short hanging bridge. In the house, the old tools used by the fishermen are exhibited, so as the model of tikvara, old type of the fishing boat.^[1]

Products of Radmilovac can be bought on the farm. They include wines, brandies, seedlings, but also some unusual products like a tomato jam.^[3]