I visited Russia with my wife a couple of years ago. We travelled by river from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Along the way we stopped in a small village which I can't remember the name but was at the lower end of the locks and had a submarine as a museum. I was very impressed with how the people were proud to be as self sufficient in garden produce. It was at the start of fall in early October so Most garden were already fallow but talking with a couple of locals I was thrilled to see that nothing went to waste with all the harvest dry stored , bottled , pickled or sauced.