In 2009, he began practicing organic farming at the foot of the Strandzha Mountain, in the village of Polyana. The farm still bears the same name today. The foothills of Strandzha are exceptionally unique, characterized by low altitudes, small forests, oak groves, meadows, and, in some areas, farmland. How can the Polyana method help us address climate change? Martin Ganev, 56, is married with two grown children. He graduated from a French high school in Sofia and studied International Trade in Moscow. He is also a Chartered Accountant certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. An entrepreneur, farmer, industrialist, and Employer of the Year for Northwestern Bulgaria in 2017, Martin is the founder of Poliana, Bulgaria’s only certified biodynamic farm, established in 2009 at the foot of the Strandzha Mountain.
He describes himself as a civilized naturalist—an observer of nature and an advocate for a sustainable lifestyle. Martin believes in moving forward with nature, rather than backward to it, as part of a harmonious approach to progress and the environment.