Swystowy Sad is the first agrotourism farm in Ropki. When we started welcoming guests in 2002, Ropki looked a bit different than it does today. There were no bridges over the stream, the road was poorly maintained or not plowed at all in winter, and there was no telephone, let alone internet – where was it back then? Over time, new neighbors appeared, and the village became a bit more vibrant. And our houses also changed, but the old orchard still looks just as majestic. In the 1930s, in this cozy corner of the village, the farm of the Lemko gazda (a farmer) Petra Swysta was established. He planted numerous fruit trees, and this place quickly gained the nickname Swystowy Sad.

After World War II, all the inhabitants of Ropki were displaced to Ukraine and the Recovered Territories (Operation Vistula). The village became deserted, and Swysta’s orchard became overgrown with bushes until it came back to life after sixty years!

Since someone took Swysta’s house, only the cellar remained, so we moved two wooden log houses from nearby villages here. The wooden architecture was characteristic of our region. The houses were built with spruce logs and covered with shingles, and we did the same.