10.11.2026 23:50
The hawthorn fruit, which grows naturally in the mountainous areas and valleys of Niğde, ripened with the arrival of autumn. Citizens who wanted to collect the fruit, also known among the people as "wild apple," set off for the mountains. Hawthorn, which grows in nature without any cultivation cost, is turned into fruit juice and vinegar in homes. Citizens living in the Çiftlik district of Niğde continue their winter preparations with the fruits they collect.
The hawthorn fruit, which grows naturally in the mountains of Niğde, attracts the interest of residents in autumn. Local people who collect the ripening fruits use the hawthorns in different ways.
IT GROWS SPONTANEOUSLY IN THE MOUNTAINS
The mountainous regions and valleys of Niğde host residents collecting hawthorn fruit with the arrival of autumn. Hawthorn trees, which grow in their natural environment without requiring any planting or special care, attract attention with their fruits ripening in this period. Hawthorn, also called "wild apple" among the people, is known for its unique sweet and slightly sour aroma. The fruits ripening in autumn are collected from nature and taken home. Residents living especially in rural areas go to the areas where hawthorn trees are found and benefit from this natural product of the season.
THOSE WHO COLLECT MAKE FRUIT JUICE AND VINEGAR IN THEIR HOMES
Residents living in the Bozköy town of Niğde's Çiftlik district use the hawthorns they collect from the mountains in different ways. Some of the collected hawthorns are consumed fresh, while some are used in making fruit juice and vinegar. Products prepared with traditional methods are stored to be consumed especially in the winter months. The local people collect the fruits that ripen in season and process them at home. Thus, the hawthorn that grows spontaneously in nature finds a place on tables both in daily consumption and in winter preparations.
SHE PREPARES ADDITIVE-FREE FRUIT JUICE FOR HER CHILDREN
Merve Tekeli, who collects hawthorn in the Bozköy town, also turns the fruits she collects from nature into fruit juice for her children. Tekeli states that she does not add sugar or any other additive to the beverage she prepares. Merve Tekeli said, "Children love the fruit very much. I boil and strain the hawthorns I collect, and I prepare natural fruit juice without adding sugar or additives. We drink it on cold winter days; it protects against illnesses. It is both natural and our own labor." In the method Tekeli describes, the hawthorns are first boiled, then strained and turned into a beverage. The fruit juice prepared in this way is used for the family's winter consumption.
IT IS KNOWN AMONG THE PEOPLE AS A SOURCE OF HEALING
Hawthorn attracts attention not only with its unique flavor but also with its traditional uses. The fruit, believed among the people to support heart and vascular health, has been consumed for many years, especially in rural areas. Scientific research is being conducted on some components of the hawthorn plant in terms of heart and vascular health. However, it cannot be said that hawthorn definitively balances blood pressure, treats heart diseases, or protects against infections.
IT IS COLLECTED IN AUTUMN AND COMES TO TABLES IN WINTER
The tradition of collecting hawthorn in Niğde continues every year in the autumn months. With the ripening of the fruits, residents go up to mountainous areas and take the products they collect home to process them.