Medicine, food and textiles are used in the cultivation of saffron since the Hittites in Anatolia

Buds are opening, bees are coming to collect. Collected immediately after the dunes ayıklıyor homes, such as shredded wheat fırınlıyor tray. This ritual will last for approximately three weeks. 

Eid is expected to reach a peak towards the end of flowering. Entering the houses of Safranbolu, a UNESCO World Heritage List, songs, traditions and local flavors of saffron is the time to explore.

"This year the rain came just in time. Product will be plenty, "says Scott Davutobası village, Emine (60). "To open the saffron flower like rain, sularsan decay ..." District 21 kilometers away from the village center, agriculture center of saffron saffron. After the 1970s, urban migration of young people in the villages because of kalmaması, even if the county holds safrancılık Davutobası'nda tradition was kept alive to be forgotten. Methods they have learned elders of the village women continued to grow saffron. Scott works in the field since the age of 10, it is difficult to farming for the production decreased over the years, he says.

"My grandfather once 60 cans with onions, saffron produces 11 kilos per year, took the Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul and sold it. Now our village a total annual production of six families find it difficult to five pounds. Kalitesizini from China, sell counterfeit bring cheaper, high-quality product we can not find buyers. "

SINCE the Hittites

Medicine, food and textiles are used in the cultivation of saffron since the Hittites in Anatolia. The Ottoman Empire, Iran and India, along with Keşmir'iyle was one of the world's three largest producers of saffron. At that time, İzmir, Tokat, Adana, Şanlıurfa, but also the training of 40 of the largest producers Safranbolu'ydu köyüyle. Silk Road is on the flower quality and the advantages provided Safranbolu. Product to be exported to Europe. Over time, took over the leadership of Iran and Greece, Turkey, came to the stage of the safrancılık reserve.

11 KÖYDE 37 families

The project was launched in 2002 under the Ministry of Agriculture began to revive safrancılık Safranbolu. Onions were distributed to farmers. Today, the Lower South, Davutobası, Yazıköy, Geren, nomad, sergeants, Duzce, Çerçen, Duzce, Shea, the miller's villages 37 farmers cultivating a total of 36 acres in the saffron. Of a policy of encouraging the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, the last two years, four more new producers, a total of six acres of land began to grow saffron. Surety with the office of the governor of the Chamber of Craftsmen and registration of geographical saffron Safranbolu took the initiative in January.

Food, textile, pharmaceutical industry sold in grams of saffron, a precious commodity. £ 8.5 Davutobası'nda wholesale price per gram, county retail market of $ 10. I want to labor and capital to agriculture. Provincial Director of Agriculture said in Ayvalik Cetin, a need to plant acres at least 200 kilograms of onions, which in turn cost of £ 10 thousand. One acres, compared to the year, 1-4 kilograms of stigma can be dry. 80-120 thousand flowers to grow one kilogram of saffron, the hills, they have to carefully select and dry.

The absence of clay soils can be cultivated saffron and the mole. To protect the wild pigs of the field around the wire, anchor the four times a year, once every three years to change the location of onions, used part of the field have to leave fallow 4-5 years.

COLLECTING, DRYING WANT MARARET

Pre-condition to get the maximum yield of saffron, flowers, buds on the collection. Pollen from the bees come out to the fields when the sun hit the flowers. Can you see damage to flowers, gathered in the drop-down hills.

For this reason, saffron harvest starts at dawn every day at the latest at 9.00 and finishes. The next stage of the real visual feast. The most senior safrancısı Davutobası'nın Hatice Özkul'a (81), according to the most difficult part of this stage and who want to skill. Because the size of a needle have to remove three red tepeceği Gently toss with two fingers. The majority, at the expense of lowering the quality of the three red mound of saffron in it adds: "We work İmece usulüyle. Which gathers together the saffron flower farm, a house and then extracts the dunes until the evening. Must be dried immediately. The bottom of the tray, sticking it takes for the wax, into the hills spreads. Across from the fire, turning the tray we kuruturuz like shredded wheat. This job can not make a good saffron is wasted. "

SPECIAL PASTRY Safrana

Prof. Dr. Buyukyildiz intelligent, bile is not an important place in local folklore, he says. Buyukyildiz, born in the village of Davutobası an eye doctor, researcher of folk music at the same time. Ataman's a student of folklore researcher Yaver Saadi. Teacher of the region as he compiles songs, bağlamasıyla, interprets the sound.

"However, harvest season has its own rituals. Çapalanırken Field, home owner mounds imeceye extracted product is offered attendees a special pie. Apprentices pastry, cheese, such as language is in tatters, to eat with pleasure. Women tells the local folk. As pilgrims and the people of nomadic Davutobası'nın Kayıboyu'ndan Turkmens. Guests to meet Turkmen hospitality. "

The local people and saffron pilaf using zerdede. Emine Scott, saffron tea to that list, he adds: "It's very tasty. Also healing. Lowers blood pressure. Even if cancer is said to be good. "

The Japanese, the Turks INTEREST IS MORE

Strange but true: saffron flowering, harvest and after the rituals very Uzakdoğuluların attracts the attention of the Turks. The Japanese harvest season each year, to witness this visual feast comes from the nine thousand kilometers of roads crossed the Safranbolu. District Directorate of Agriculture organized by the Saffron Harvest Festival The French, the Germans also are showing interest. Emine Scott, last year attracted the French documentary tells the villages. Judging Safiya said Eagle County Tourism Advisory Bureau Chief saffron observers also attended this year's Australian and New Zealanders.

However, harvest of saffron, yet dönüşemedi mass tourism theme. Bin's 22 counties last year, 160 thousand people from abroad and stayed there. Domestic tourists coming mainly from May to September. The weight of the Japanese, Taiwanese and South Koreans formed the foreign guests throughout the year except the month of January the district suffers. Saffron harvest, Safranbolu After most of the people excited about them.

HARVEST CEREMONY TO BE WEDNESDAY, festivals CANCELLED

Directorate of Agriculture of Safranbolu district two years ago and launched Saffron Harvest Festival. This year the festival will be made due to the Van earthquake. But the ceremony will be held Wednesday morning Davutobası'nda harvest. Safranbolu, coming to the festival will be walking in the village, and then participate in harvest of saffron, the event will end breakfast. An exhibition will be opened the same day in the town center Ilker Sarı Serap. Saffron harvest you can get information about the District Directorate of Agriculture. (Www.karabuk-tarim.gov.tr ​​/ 0370 712 11 84)

LOCAL TURKS Yemeniciler Bazaar, kept alive

Mehmet Pasha Mosque in the center of Safranbolu Bridge just behind the bazaar, in the past çarıkçılar market. Red, black-colored scarf is called none Platform çarıklara region. Today, the old fashioned shoe-producing Yemeniciler Bazaar had only one master. Handmade wood and textile products sold in other shops. Beads on the entrance to the bazaar Coffee, coal fired foamy Turkish coffee, a delicious syrup and saffron tea is famous kızıldut. Coffee is Erhan owner of the Sacred, in love with the local folk songs. 120 folk gathered in 10 years. Radio artist of Istanbul linking Erhan retired folk music community of the Holy and the region has set up a İrfan'la ozanlarından love. The members of this team every day at 19.30 local ozanlarıyla Bead Cafe, meet and organize folk songs in the evenings. Increased interest in folk song of the Holy excitement in the region. Ataman Yaver Saadi collects clippings of the 1930 "Songs of Safranbolu," and told the local traditions of "Old Safranbolu Life" books and Gural county in the district re-printed by the firm.

Boiler Furnace Zerde AND TASTING saffron rice

Nebile Özağartan, 2003 in February, since the former Çarşı'daki Boiler Furnace offers local delicacies. A year after opening the restaurant Saturday to Freedom entered the Top 10 list of tradesmen. Restaurant in the morning from 8.00 to 35 people from the evening until 20.00 the open. Restaurant menu offered flavors of homemade food özeniyle seasons are changing frequently. Zerde using saffron and saffron pilaf. Özağartan "In fact, we muharrem zerdeyi and funerals, when requested to do, but in the period of saffron rice with saffron We've added a menu focused," he says. Boiler Furnace, always ambitious pastry. Filtering instead of meat in yogurt, eaten yoğursuz peruhi ravioli-like, walnut noodles, bending some of these delicacies. (Fountain Mah. Butchers Street. No: 19) also is possible to taste local cuisine, boutique hotels of the district.

Whatever cologne SOĞANINA YES

Increased product diversity on the survival çarşıdaki Safranbolu tourism boom. Soap, candles, kolonyadan lokuma, saffron tea, many products are sold. Dear Mehmet four-acre field of shopkeepers in the bazaar Yazıköyü'ndeki grow saffron saffron soğanını has added to the product range. Small pots ready to bloom in 1 TL sells saffron bulbs. Safranlarına connected so deeply that, each patiently describes the terms of customer growth. Then "Take care of your soğanıma" he uğurluyor.

Diva Turca VILLAGE

Yörük'ü Turkmen village 11 kilometers east of Safranbolu about 30 thousand people visit each year. Reason for this interest, historical mansions. River, bird's eye view of the village located on the car 500 years ago people came and settled here. Suculuk Istanbul, börekçilikten earned has built magnificent mansions. Made of wood, covered mansions khorassan sıvasıyla rooftops, entries placed antlers. Libraries, study rooms, or even surprise people.

103 138 on the house in the village streets are paved with stone flooring yapı.Halkın demand area was declared a historic site in the village bbbb Foundation and Nomad Village Foundation, the initiative of President Metin Sozen streets, some buildings have been restored. One of these buildings, who died in 2008 at La Scala opera singer Leyla Gencer, known as La Diva Turca family. Construction works are completed on a quarterly Konagi converted into the Museum of Leyla Gencer. Workshops and concerts held in the building in the field of glory. If you want to stay down, and a path to the village board has five rooms. Necati Erdem Pension Nomad (0370 737 21 53) open throughout the year.

VISIT OUR HOST ON THREE

Boutique hotels in Safranbolu, as well as an example of traditional architecture is open to visitors all over the mansion. These structures are: Haci Mehmet Efendi Mansion District, Sipahioglu House, Emir Ahmet Hocazade House. The city converted the old Government House Historical Museum, spectacular structures in the historic Clock Tower. (Www.safranbolu.gov.tr)

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