Sweet taste in the purple do flower forest
In a small wooden hut built on iron stakes in the middle of the forest, Hasan Kutluata, a local resident, gently squeezed the blowing pipe of a beehive. The band of white smoke spread, surrounding the volley of countless bees flying on the Kackar mountain slope.
SMOK calms the beehives, blocking pheromones the warning signals they give when they feel threatened, Hasan explained, gently lifting the hood of a round beehive made of linden wood. The noise of the bees increased but was not fierce. They are just angry because their honey is about to be taken away, Hasan Kutluata laughed, his voice was clear amidst the smoke.
The honey he harvested today is called "deli bal" - in Turkish, "bal" means honey, "deli" is crazy. A name that sounds dangerous. In the world, there are only two places that produce this type of honey: the Black Sea region of Turkey and the Himalaya Hindu Kush range in Nepal.
In spring, the whole mountain is bright purple with bean sprouts. Bees attract honey from there, and it is thanks to those flowers that we have this famous type of crazy honey" - Mr. Hasan said, looking up at the clouds on the top of the mountain.
Giay bean sprouts contain grayanotoxin - a natural compound with strong toxicity. The amount of toxicity in honey varies depending on the season, depending on the area of the bee flowers eaten. Just a small spoon, you will see people swirling as if they have just drunk alcohol. But if you eat a lot, you will have to be hospitalized, Kutluata joked half-time.
When he carefully collected the beeswax, the honey was as dark as amber and slowly flowed out. The sweet aroma is mixed with the flavors of dirt and herbs. Deli bal always has a slightly bitter and spicy taste in the throat - that is a sign of poisoning - Mr. Hasan explained. A tablespoon is enough. Two tablespoons is too much. Everything that exceeds the threshold is dangerous, including honey".
The history of the Kackar region also passes on the story of the secret to defeating the entire ancient Greek army. Historist Xenophon once recorded that, in the 4th century BC, his soldiers, when traveling through Trabzon, ate this honey and collapsed in large numbers: Those who ate little were as drunk as drunk; those who ate a lot were crazy, even looking like they were about to die. The whole army collapsed to the ground, as if having just suffered a heavy defeat".
Today, the honey that once caused the warrior to fall is sought after as a " folklore medicine" and has a very high value. People in the Black Sea believe that a small spoon every day can reduce blood pressure, increase vitality, and even help improve mood. However, in any house in the village, you will hear the words: "Just a spoon, not better".
Kutluata finished harvesting and quickly pulled the iron ladder up to the tent, explaining: "It's not afraid of people, it's afraid of bears." The pillars around the tent were wrapped in metal so that the bear could not move in. The tent was set more than 3 meters high, preventing the mother bear from throwing her own bear up to collect honey.
Bears are more addicted to honey than humans, Mr. Hasan said jokingly. Twenty years ago, he almost lost his life when a bear full of honey crashed into a beehive, a struggle that seriously injured him and caused him to be hospitalized, but now there are still scars on his hands and feet. "But no matter how scared we are, we still have to do this. Every time I go up the mountain, I meet bears. Here, the bear and the human have learned to avoid each other to survive, Kutluata shared.
The village of bees
From the mountain, the dirt road winding down leads to the Yaylacular village, where the Kutluata family lives. The village has only a few dozen wooden houses nestled in the forest.
Under the porch, Kutluata and his wife - Ms. Emine - set up a simple lunch with bread, cheese, honey and black tea. "Our village is very cool, the summer is pleasant, there are no mosquitoes, no noise. There is only nature here, Emine said, laughing while pouring tea.
She believes that it is this isolation that has created a different quality for honey in the Kaçkar region: No smoke, no chemicals, no residential areas. Only flowers, bees and mountains. It's all natural."
The Kutluata family has been raising bees for 3 generations. "After the purple bean sprouts, there are white chestnuts, then the white bean sprouts. If it doesn't rain, the bees can fill the nest in just 20 days," said Ms. Emine.
She explained that the quality of honey is measured by promille value - the concentration characteristic of thickness and nutrients. The higher the promille, the more valuable the honey. In other places, honey only reaches 500; here, it can reach 800" - Ms. Emine said, her eyes lit up with pride.
Turkish breakfast is indispensable for honey. The same goes for the Kutluata family. They mix honey with butter, spread it on a hot loaf of bread and serve with tea. Honey is good for health, Emine said, adding, If I cough, I use honey. If I'm tired, I use honey. If I'm sad, I look at the beehives."
As for Kutluata, bees are a medicine for the spirit: "When I'm depressed, I go to the bees. When I'm nervous, I open the beehive, taking care of them makes me feel relieved. All the worries and worries have disappeared.
In Turkey, wild honey is still sold legally, but the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers to avoid products labeled "mad honey". Eating honey contains a lot of grayanotoxins that can cause dizziness, vomiting, low blood pressure or poisoning. However, in the Kackar area, no one has given up their job just because they are afraid of poisoning.
In the sunset, the "deli bal" drops still sparkle in the bucket - dark red, sweet but dangerous. The honey is strong enough to make bears drunk and make people fall, but it also makes people unable to stop their passion for nature.
