Zasów – tradition and experience
Zasów is a small village in the Żyraków municipality in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. It lies on a small hill on the road connecting Dębica with Radomyśl Wielki. It covers an area of less than 1000 ha and is inhabited by approximately 900 inhabitants. In the centre of the village there are traces of the former market square and a historic Manor Park occupying an area of 10 hectares, which is a remnant of the 18th-century manor house of the Łubieński family to which the village once belonged. You can also find there a 19th century Neo-gothic parish church. On the road connecting Zasów with Róża, there is also a historical military cemetery from the times of World War I (marked with the number 242), where more than 200 fallen soldiers of different nationalities are buried.
The history of nursery production in Zasów dates back to 1879, when the village of Zassów (as it was formerly called) passed into the hands of Witold Łubieński. He rendered great services in the struggle for Polish independence and it is worth mentioning that he participated in the January Uprising. He founded the first nursery of fruit trees in Zasów, in which he employed the local peasants. He also promoted such activities among the neighbors – he spread farming and knowledge about it among the local population. His only son, Tadeusz Łubieński, who led to the establishment of the Farmers’ Trade Union and the Agricultural and Trade Cooperative in Zasów, also promoted nursery production in Zasów. Tadeusz continued his father’s work, but he was not the last in the family to passionately develop the local nursery industry. Subsequent generations of the Łubieński family were also engaged in the development of nurseries in Zasów – Alfred Łubieński, born in 1902, ran one of the most modern rose plantations in Poland and Europe. He acquired knowledge on this subject during numerous foreign internships in prestigious locations, i.a. in Versailles, Paris. He is also the creator of the still existing park complex in Zasów. It should also be mentioned that every generation of the Łubieński family was actively involved in the struggle for Polish independence.
Today, numerous traces of the former activities of the Łubieński family still remain – a park, two ponds and the ruins of a manor house. But the greatest gift that Zasów received from this family is the passion for the craft of nursery production. Local residents constantly cherish the knowledge passed down from father to son and the tradition of working in nurseries. Thus, the cultivation of fruit trees and ornamental shrubs has become the main source of livelihood for the inhabitants of Zasów.
So much about the general history of this place because today Zasów is known throughout Poland and abroad for its plantations of fruit trees and shrubs. In the village, there are many nurseries, whose products are recognized by many consumers. The Subcarpathian Association of Nursery Material Producers, which brings together producers of nursery, orchard and ornamental material, is also based in Zasów.
Subcarpathian Association of Nursery Material Producers
The Subcarpathian Association of Nursery Material Producers is a self-governing association of manufacturers of nursery products. It brings together nurseries producing nursery, orchard and ornamental material, i.a. trees, shrubs and perennials. These are primarily producers from Zasów (Subcarpathian Voivodeship) and the surrounding area. The statutory duties of the Association include, among other things, representation and defence of the interests of affiliated producers, promotion of the knowledge about trees, perennials and shrubs, as well as environmental activities and promotion of greenery, exchange of experience and dissemination of knowledge about modern working methods in nurseries of fruit trees and shrubs.
In addition, the Association provides advice and shares experience with young adepts of the art of nursery production by imparting the knowledge necessary to run such an enterprise independently. Currently, the Association operates mainly in Poland, but it also undertakes activities outside the Polish Republic to achieve its goals.