These are some of the ways rural Türks continue to live their lives unwavering and much less affected than the greater population by the changes in the world.
I would venture to say that most, if not all, village homes have their own vegetable garden and fruit and nut trees. This means that, in general, they grow their own produce and many neighbors will share what they have if the other is lacking, including seeds and cuttings. If they need produce, most villagers can procure said goods from a visiting greengrocer on a truck that will visit weekly by parking in a particular spot where villages come to shop.
Most village homes will also prepare their own dairy products, such as cheese, butter and yogurt, from herd animals that are either in their own care or, if not, the milk used will be purchased from a local cow or goat. The process may take a few days for items such as yogurt and butter, while cheese could spend months buried in caves or casings. In most cases, too, the cheese will be shared or distributed amongst members of the community.
Prepping seasonal items to be stored in the pantry is very much a continued tradition in rural areas. From the instant soup mix tarhana to phyllo dough, erişte noodles, pomegranate molasses, tomato and red pepper paste, and more, there are various traditional products made in bulk to save in the pantry for when called for. The best part about the custom is that it is usually a collective effort, offering the opportunity to socialize while preparing these necessities to be divided between households.
When rural Turks need to purchase specific items, they tend to do so in bulk. This could be flour, dried pulses, nuts, honey, sugar, etc. Villagers don’t tend to purchase single-use items or unhealthy snacks such as potato chips and candy bars and instead think of their long-term needs and what goods will be most healthy for their family when purchasing.
Many Turkish rural homes use the most natural products to clean their homes and other purposes. For example, vinegar and bicarbonate can serve as cleaning agents for countertops and more, while ashes have served as laundry detergent. Disposable diapers may not ever be purchased as reusable cloth can be used for the same purpose. Mamy in Türkiye will also know that due to the design of the toilets here that have a cleansing faucet, toilet paper is pretty much merely for show and not necessarily warranted.
Rural Turks rarely have trash in the way city dwellers do. One of the biggest complaints of foreigners or urbanites that move into traditional villages is that they are hard-pressed to find rubbish bins, but the thing is, the rural Turks hardly need them. Because they rarely shop for commercial products, they repurpose as much as possible and, if not, tend to burn or bury what remains. While some of these practices are admittedly debatable, some are certainly commendable, as tins for olive oil and huge vats that once held butter and the other aforementioned bulk purchases can instantly be turned into a plant holder or utilized in other ways rather than just being thrown away to become part of the ever-increasing plastic problem.
Most, if not every, home will have a fireplace, many of which are either outdoors or in the kitchen. This is because in addition to using wood-burning stoves for indoor heating and to boil things like water for tea or to prep soups and stews, what to the foreigner may resemble a fireplace is actually, in most cases a wood-burning oven to bake things like bread, pastries and cakes.
Many rural homes will procure their drinking water from natural sources, such as fresh mountain water that is made available by fountains for this very purpose. Turkish villagers will save any plastic water bottles they have to refill them at these fountains regularly. To provide water for their garden, many homes have wells or have been built in a way as to collect rainwater throughout the year.
“It takes a village to raise a child” is a phrase most of us will have heard and longed for. But the truth is in Türkiye, the villages truly are raising their children together. Have you ever noticed how every Turk and even young men are extremely comfortable with holding a baby? It’s because they most likely have been doing so all their lives.
Rural villages will also have areas in the neighborhood where kids congregate and play and the concept of babysitting is basically unheard of. Similarly, as Westerners worry about growing old and being left on their own, in Turkish villages, the elderly spend their time together either at the local coffee shop or even just sitting together on the street while their needs, if any, are tended to by the younger generations, whether they are blood relatives or not. Celebrations and duties such as holding weddings, sending off soldiers, having funerals, and even building homes are done in a style referred to as “imece,” which means volunteering to help assist the community.
As you can see, Turks tend to eat together, prep food together, celebrate together, and endure hardships together. Not only does this support their connection as a community, but it also means that fewer resources are being used or going to waste. From the electricity being on in every room of the house as in the Western world, or multiple televisions being turned in a single home, all of these concepts are null and void in a Türkish home as they tend to congregate in the same room and watch the same shows together. Similarly, most shopping is done in the neighborhood, from greengrocer trucks to other vans that show up peddling household and cooking items, Tupperware, textiles and more. Even items such as garlic are loaded on a truck and driven from village to village. And if not, most villages have a minibus service as public transportation that will take them where they need to be. But in most cases, their needs are met locally, which means less driving around in cars and a lower carbon footprint overall.
