NEWS
THE SWEET GOLD OF THE LAND
The Turkmen land is blessed. It always gives back to the work of the farmer with a generous harvest of cereals, vegetables, fruits and grapes. And a special place in the hearts of the farmers is given to melons and gourds.
Gourd field is a unique place on our land, where the peculiarities of the climate, soil, water and hot sun turned out to be the best helpers to the rural worker in growing their favorite crops - pumpkins, melons and watermelons.
All ancestors of the Turkmen knew that melons and gourds are not only tasty and nutritious, but also curative, therefore large areas were allocated everywhere in all corners of the country. Knowledge of the natural calendar, the secrets of preserving precious irrigation water, rational use of the land were passed on by melon growers from generation to generation. Here they have always been able to grow a rich harvest of sweet fruits, and preserve it until the next harvest.
Seeds of especially large and sugary specimens were selected for the next sowing. If there was a chance to taste a new variety of watermelon, pumpkin or melon, the Turkmen peasant did not refuse to acclimatize it on his plot. However, many documentary sources confirm the superiority of the local, Turkmen varieties of melons, among which are nutmeg pumpkins, and the well-known Zamcha and Vakharman melons, which are classified as the best in taste in the world.
From the "Review of the Transcaspian Region" - a kind of economic book published in the period 1881 – 1914, it follows that the Turkmens were engaged in melon growing to a much greater extent than in horticulture. Nevertheless, the general harvest of melons and vegetables in 1911 brought a large income to the treasury.
In Tejen and Merv districts, says the "Review of the Trans-Caspian region", large lands were allotted for melons after the flood of the Tejen river. The best harvests were obtained from virgin lands.
In the sands, where water was lowered for the winter, they sowed "zamcha", which surpassed the best early ripe melons in aroma and sweetness. Early varieties of melons were watered only once, or even dispensed from watering altogether.
In Ashgabat district, pumpkin and melon were sown after harvesting spring wheat using water left after watering the grain yield. There were large gourd fields in thirty auls. The crop was used by the local population, and the surplus went for sale to Ashgabat and Kizyl-Arvat. Pumpkins, watermelons and melons from the villages of Geok-Tepe, the villages of Bagir and Mirova were especially highly famous.
In the coastal sands of the Caspian, sowing of melons was carried out without irrigation, and in places with irrigation, from holes dug to a meter depth, in which rainfall remained fresh, without mixing with sea water.
In Mangyshlak, there were Turkmen melons in the Ak-Chukur area, where pumpkins and melons were bred, which were in great demand among local residents and settlers. The melons were watered here with chigir.
And today, in the markets of our capital, you can see an abundance of golden melons, amber pumpkins, emerald watermelons with a bright red filling. The eye admires them all, making it difficult to decide which shop to stop at. The seller comes to the rescue: "Take a watermelon - it tastes like honey, take a melon for change – be blessed with health and money!" I took a pumpkin, too: where can I do without it.
Vladimir Zarembo