Small Farms Tour

Todor Dobrev, entrepreneur, member of the Dobrudja Association of Crafts and Arts

The tourism product consists in organizing a one-day tour of small Dobruja farms with demonstrations and testing of their production - vegetable production, fruit growing, animal husbandry, meat production, according to the possibilities of the producers to be visited and what is suitable for demonstration according to the season. In this way, small Dobruja producers and farmers (observing clean, traditional production practices; climate-resistant, climate-saving and ecological principles) will be directly supported to develop their economic potential and become competitive on the market. The way of presentation, promotion and demonstration of the product implies innovation by including the following elements: - Through on-site visits and live demonstrations, a direct connection between producer and buyer is created and dozens of small farmers from Dobrudzha are given the opportunity for realization and development. - Tasting clean produce grown without chemical fertilizers, artificial preservatives and enhancers will provoke demand and promote the region; - Supporters of clean food and local products will be able to try a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, honey and bee products, meat delicacies, cow, sheep, goat milk products - cheeses, yellow cheeses, yogurt, as well as sourdough baked goods, sweets and jams, juices and syrups, nuts, quail eggs, cold pressed and essential oils, fruit and classic wines. And all this served by the hands of the producers themselves. - Preserving and disseminating knowledge about some of the oldest ways of food preparation and the cultivation of authentic local animal species and fruit and vegetable varieties. The product envisages seeking out producers of authentic varieties of fruits and vegetables, as well as producers of dairy and meat products using methods and recipes characteristic of the Dobruja region. - Small local producers will become more competitive and find financial realization of their work. In addition to the local community, the products of local producers will be promoted to the tourism business in the region and beyond. This will be a prerequisite for optimizing local production and improving the quality of the tourist product through the added value of organic traditional agriculture and animal husbandry. CULTURAL HERITAGE - An essential place in the diet of the population of Dobrudja is animal products. It is very rare to drive cattle to feed the family. This happened only on the occasion of holidays or family celebrations, Kurban, funeral or name day. A lamb is driven only on Easter and St. George's Day. A ram or sheep is slaughtered for sacrifice. For the daily food of the family, birds are slaughtered, as there were in abundance in Dobrudja. - Cheese, fresh and yogurt milk, as well as butter are an important part of the daily food of the people of Dobruja. During the hot summer days of hard agricultural work, the main ingredient in food is yogurt. It was fermented in a ring pot, and in large quantities in bakers, chops. Yogurt is leavened with a spoonful of "old yogurt". In the summer, it is brought to the fields in special clay vessels with one handle, called "rakatki". Due to the large quantities of milk available in all households, they preserved yogurt for the winter as well. Around Petkovden, they fermented the yogurt for a week in a large jar. Oil was poured on top to isolate the access of air, and the jar was tied with a cotton cloth. This milk is used after Christmas.  The milk from which cheese is made is boiled in the evening, and in the morning the cream is skimmed from which butter is to be churned. For longer preservation, the cheese is filled in tulums or bellows. The tulum was a bag made of lambskin. The wool is clipped low, the skin is washed and bagged, leaving the hair on the inside. One tulum collects 12 to 20 kg. cheese. This tradition, although in fewer places, is still alive.