Mandarin Farm Tour in Turkey: Visiting The7 Farm in İzmir

The Aegean coast of Turkey produces some of the finest citrus fruit 
in the Mediterranean. The combination of fertile river valleys, 
mineral-rich soil, long hot summers, and mild wet winters creates 
growing conditions that citrus farmers in other parts of the world 
can only approximate.

In the İzmir region — one of Turkey's most agriculturally productive 
and climatically favored areas — mandarin farming has a long and 
deep tradition. The orchards that cover the hillsides and valley 
floors of this landscape have been producing citrus for generations, 
and the fruit they yield has a sweetness, fragrance, and flavor 
that reflects the specific character of this particular place.

The7 Farm, located in İzmir and managed by Çise Ulus, is one of 
these orchards — a working mandarin farm that offers visitors 
a direct encounter with citrus farming in one of its finest 
natural settings.

THE7 FARM AND ÇISE ULUS

The7 Farm is a working mandarin orchard in the İzmir region of 
Turkey's Ege coast. It is managed by Çise Ulus — a farmer whose 
connection to the land she works is practical, daily, and direct.

The farm grows the Kepler Blue mandarin variety — a high-quality 
commercial cultivar known for its consistent fruit size, firm 
texture, excellent shelf life, and balanced flavor profile. 
Kepler Blue mandarins are medium to large in caliber, light 
to medium blue in color, and hard-textured — characteristics 
that make them well suited to both fresh consumption and 
wholesale marketing.

What distinguishes Kepler Blue from many commercial mandarin 
varieties is the combination of visual uniformity and genuine 
flavor. The fruit is not simply bred for appearance or shelf 
life at the expense of taste — it produces mandarins that 
are genuinely sweet, fragrant, and enjoyable to eat, which 
reflects the quality of the growing conditions at The7 Farm 
as much as the characteristics of the variety itself.

Beyond fresh mandarins, Çise also processes part of the 
harvest into value-added products — dried mandarins, 
mandarin chocolate, and mandarin cream — demonstrating 
how a working farm can create a complete range of products 
from a single crop and build direct relationships with 
consumers beyond the wholesale market.

THE FARM VISIT

The farm tour at The7 Farm takes place during the mandarin 
season — from March to April — when the fruit is at its 
best and the orchard is most alive with the activity of 
late-season harvest and farm management.

The visit begins with a walk through the mandarin orchard 
with Çise — a guided introduction to the farm, the Kepler 
Blue variety, and the cultivation practices that determine 
the quality and character of the fruit.

Çise explains the seasonal rhythm of mandarin farming — 
the pruning that shapes the trees and determines light 
exposure and fruit production, the irrigation management 
that is critical in the Aegean summer, the monitoring 
of fruit development that determines optimal harvest 
timing, and the harvesting practices that preserve 
fruit quality from tree to market.

Understanding the farming cycle of a citrus orchard — 
the decisions made months before harvest that determine 
what the fruit will taste like, the labor involved in 
maintaining trees that will produce for decades — gives 
you a completely different relationship with citrus fruit 
than any amount of shopping or eating can provide.

The visit also covers post-harvest handling — how 
the mandarins are selected, packed, and prepared 
for market, and how Çise's value-added products 
are produced from fruit that would otherwise 
be sold as commodity produce.

Depending on the timing of your visit, you may 
observe harvesting activities directly — one 
of the most satisfying and visually rewarding 
aspects of any farm visit, particularly for 
a citrus crop where the combination of 
the orange fruit against the dark green 
foliage creates a landscape of remarkable beauty.

The visit concludes with a tasting of fresh 
mandarins directly from the farm — and the 
fruit collected during the visit is offered 
as a gift to all participants.

THE KEPLER BLUE VARIETY

The Kepler Blue mandarin deserves a closer look 
for visitors interested in understanding what 
makes a cultivar selection significant in 
commercial fruit farming.

Variety selection is one of the most consequential 
decisions a fruit farmer makes. Different varieties 
of the same fruit — whether mandarins, apples, 
grapes, or olives — can differ dramatically in 
their growing characteristics, their fruit quality, 
their disease resistance, their harvest timing, 
and their suitability for different markets and 
uses.

Kepler Blue was selected by Çise for several 
specific reasons that reflect the commercial 
and practical realities of mandarin farming 
in the İzmir region.

The variety produces fruit with homogeneous 
size and appearance — an important factor 
for wholesale and retail markets where 
visual consistency is a quality indicator. 
Its hard texture gives it a low damage 
rate during harvesting and transport — 
reducing waste and extending the window 
between harvest and consumption. Its 
shelf life is long relative to many 
mandarin varieties — a significant 
commercial advantage.

And it tastes good. In a market where 
many commercial varieties are selected 
primarily for appearance and durability 
at the expense of flavor, Kepler Blue 
produces fruit that genuinely rewards 
eating — which is why Çise chose it 
and why visitors to The7 Farm 
consistently enjoy the tasting 
at the end of their visit.

THE İZMİR REGION AND TURKISH CITRUS

İzmir is Turkey's third largest city and 
the center of one of the country's most 
productive agricultural regions. The 
surrounding landscape — the fertile 
valleys of the Gediz and Büyük Menderes 
rivers, the coastal plains, the sheltered 
hillsides of the Aegean hinterland — 
produces an extraordinary range of 
agricultural products.

Citrus is one of the most important. 
Turkey is a significant producer of 
mandarins, lemons, and oranges — 
supplying both domestic markets 
and export destinations across 
Europe and the Middle East.

The İzmir region's combination 
of climate, soil, and agricultural 
expertise makes it particularly 
well suited to citrus production. 
The Aegean microclimate — warm 
and sunny but moderated by 
sea breezes — produces citrus 
with a balance of sweetness 
and acidity that is specific 
to this region and that 
distinguishes İzmir citrus 
from fruit grown in the 
hotter, drier conditions 
of southern Turkey.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

- Guided walk through the Kepler Blue mandarin orchard
- Introduction to mandarin cultivation and orchard management
- Explanation of the Kepler Blue variety and its characteristics
- Insight into harvesting and post-harvest handling
- Fresh mandarin tasting
- Mandarins picked during the visit as a gift

Duration: Approximately 2.5 to 3 hours
Start time: 10:00
Group size: Minimum 4, maximum 14 participants
Languages: Turkish and English
Location: The7 Farm, İzmir, Turkey
Season: March to April

WHO THIS IS FOR

The7 Farm visit works well for food lovers 
and curious travelers visiting İzmir or the 
Aegean coast of Turkey who want to understand 
the agricultural landscape beyond its surface 
appearance. For families with children who 
want a direct and sensory encounter with 
fruit farming. For food professionals 
interested in citrus cultivation and 
variety selection. And for anyone 
who wants to taste freshly harvested 
mandarins in the orchard where they grew.

No prior knowledge of farming or 
citrus production is required. 
Çise is a clear and engaged host 
who explains the farm accessibly 
and with genuine enthusiasm for 
what she grows.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The farm is located in İzmir — Turkey's 
third largest city, accessible by direct 
flights from most European destinations. 
Exact meeting point details are provided 
after booking. Comfortable outdoor clothing 
and footwear are recommended. 

The experience is available only during 
the mandarin season — March to April. 
Booking in advance is recommended as 
availability during the season is limited.

BOOK THE EXPERIENCE

The7 Farm mandarin tour is available through 
Farmiyo — a platform connecting travelers 
with authentic farm and food experiences 
across Europe and beyond.

Book the mandarin farm tour in İzmir → farmiyo.com