The high yield of potatoes made farmers sing folk songs.

As the harvest of potatoes known as ‘kartol’ in Bayburt and surrounding provinces comes to an end, the unexpectedly high yield has brought joy to the farmer named Bilgehan Sancar from the village of Çayırköprü. Sancar, who harvests potatoes while singing folk songs and ballads, does his work with love and affection.

Sancar, who stated that this year’s yield is high compared to last year, mentioned that he harvested around 30-40 tons of potatoes. He tasted the potatoes he harvested over the fire he lit in the middle of the field. Sancar pointed out that he does not deliver products that do not pass the taste test to consumers, saying, “Why should I sell a product that I wouldn’t eat myself? First, my wife, children, and I taste it together as a family. If we like the taste and flavor, I put it up for sale. When it’s like this, I can sell with peace of mind. This way, the product is also blessed.”

Sancar, who practices organic farming without using agricultural chemicals or fertilizers that harm human health and the environment, harvested the potatoes, which he brought together with the soil, through family labor. The high yield obtained this year during the laborious journey of potatoes from the field to the table delighted him, leading to more folk songs and ballads.

Father-daughter, mother-son all together in the field

Sancar, who expressed that he is a small farmer and a family farmer, said they work together in the field as a family. He harvests potatoes with his children, wife, nieces, and siblings, stating, “We are in the field, father and daughter. We are in a busy working environment. Mother and son are left behind. They are also collecting potatoes ahead.”

Potatoes cooked over a dung fire passed the taste test

Sancar, who first started his work by lighting a fire, set up a small stove with twigs, wood, and dung. He then cooked the gathered potatoes in the embers. The Sancar family enjoyed the potatoes cooked on the ground table they prepared next to the field, tasting them together. Bilgehan Sancar, who gave full points to the potatoes that passed the taste test, said, “Right now, we are in the testing phase of our potatoes. I am checking the taste, salt, and flavor of the potatoes. Before taking them home, I test them in the field. I do not sell or market products that I have not tested. They are organic, local potatoes. The taste is truly excellent.”

The price of potatoes starts from 10 liras and can go up to 25 liras

Sancar pointed out that the potatoes are categorized into types for frying, boiling, and cooking, emphasizing that the price per kilo of potatoes varies between 10 to 25 liras. He noted that the price per kilo of potatoes varies depending on their size and type, stating that cooking potatoes are preferred the most, with a price of 15 liras per kilo. Sancar mentioned that there is a difference between the price in the field and the price on the supermarket shelf, inviting consumers to buy products from the field.

“Those who do not leave footprints in the field will not leave marks on the table”

Sancar, who emphasized that he farms with hard work and sweat, continues his production by adhering to the slogan he has been saying for years. He stated, “Those who do not leave footprints in the field will not leave marks on the table,” emphasizing that he has been doing his job with love for 30-40 years and will continue to produce. He added, “I have been farming for 30-40 years. I am a small farmer, but despite being a small farmer, I produced around 30-40 tons of potatoes this year. This year, both the yield and the productivity are high. Last year, I had around 8-10 tons of potatoes. Thank God, we had a lot of potatoes this year. I do not present or deliver my products to consumers without tasting and testing them. In this respect, I am at ease, and I am very pleased. I can give it to customers with peace of mind. I have a slogan that I have been trying to uphold for years. I must mention this as well: ‘Those who do not leave footprints in the field will not leave marks on the table.'”