Winners of Aggtelek National Park Official Product Certification in 2016
Three years ago Aggtelek National Park announced its first four officially certified Park products, along with the other 9 Hungarian national parks. The primary purpose of awarding "official product" trademarks to local producers and businesses within the national parks system is to improve the image of these products and facilities while raising environmental awareness; as well as strengthening regional nature conservation, rural development and economic co-operation. Moreover, the system aims to expand business opportunities and increase market access. Purchase of products bearing the official "Aggtelek National Park Product" label contributes supports the local culture, local producers, sustainable agriculture and the local economy.
A full list of these products can be found at http://nemzetiparkitermek.hu/mainpage.html. Our winners in 2013 included The Koltay's jams and mushroom products in Aggtelek, the Fruktarium's brandies and guest house in Trizs and Béla Berecz's Kisház guest house in Jósvafő. While other national parks have regularly announced new rounds of applications since then, this is just our second round. What also sets this round apart is that the eligible area has been expanded to small producers and facilities in the Zemplén Nature Reserve and Tokaj-Bodrogzug Nature Reserve as well, since they come under Aggtelek National Park jurisdiction. At our colleague Kata Kapusi's suggestion, after the judges had concluded their official deliberations we also held a competition for a People's Choice Award. This year we received 13 applications that covered over 60 local products, handicrafts and accommodations. Conditions included ingredients having to be gathered within ANPI and/or Natura 2000 territory, utilisation of local or at least Hungarian materials, being representative of local Gömör-Torna cultural heritage, and being as environmentally-friendly as possible. All applicants also had to be able to give receipts for goods, which is not a difficult process, but still kept quite a few from applying.
This year's judge's panel consisted of:
- Jury President: Balázs Veress - Director, ANP
- Outside Expert: Róbert Kun- advisor to the B-A-Z Regional Chamber of Agriculture)
- Outside Expert: Ágnes Érsek Dériné - President of the Lace and Costume Maker Association
- Zsolt Bacsó: Head of Marketing Department, ANP
- ANP Certification Programme Coordinator: Dániel Swartz (ANP)
- Support: Gina Béres Szászné (ANP)
The winners for this round:
Accommodation
Irota EcoLodge, Irota
The Irota EcoLodge premises consist of three spacious, luxurious and well-equipped holiday villas and a shared natural swimming pool. Each house (170 m2) has its own style: The Lower House is the rustic, countryside type, the Middle House has a retro, 1960s feel, while the Upper House has a sleek and modern design. Irota EcoLodge is not just ecological by name:
- The walls are made of wooden-frames in which cellulose, made of used newspaper, has been blown as insulation material. On the outside, wooden soft board plates have been used to increase thermal insulation;
- The thick and damp-open insulation, combined with triple glazing, ensures a pleasant inside climate, both in winter and summer. Air conditioning is not needed!
- In winter, the villas are heated by a stove using locally grown firewood;
- Rainwater is collected from the roof and used to flush the toilets and to operate the washing machine. On top of that, we use rainwater in the central utility building to wash your bed linen;
- Each villa is equipped with a wastewater treatment unit that uses bacteria to clean the water;
- Hot water is generated by sun collectors, electricity by solar panels;
- The swimming pool has a separate reservoir in which plants clean the water. No chemicals are used!
Contact: Jeroen van Drunen,
Klunen Magyarország Kft.
3786 Irota, Petőfi Sándor út 42.
Tel: 06-48-349-260
Local Products
1. Goat and Ewe Cheeses, Gonda Cheese Workshop, Erdőbénye
The herd of 700 ewes and 50 goats graze on 80 chemical-free hectares within the boundaries of the nature reserve on the outskirts of Erdőbénye. A number of mountain springs and protected flora are found in the wooded pasture. The cheeses are made using traditional methods and formed by hand. Visitors may watch cheese being made on the spot, pet the animals and taste the cheeses.
- red onion goat cheese
- natural ewe cheese
- soft ewe cheese
- smoked ewe cheese
- natural goat cheese
- aged natural goat cheese
- chive goat cheese
Contact: Mária Kiss Gondáné
932 Erdőbénye, Mátyás király út 67
Tel: 06-30-580-1557, 06-47-336-005
2. Honeys from János Ambrus, Sajólád
- mixed honey
- linden tree honey
Contact: János Ambrus
3572 Sajólád, Dozsa Gy. út 55/A
Tel: 06-20-431-5134
3. Csicsörke Lekvár, Bodrogkeresztúr
- blackberry jam
- chilli jam
- Gönc apricot jam
- flavonoid 11
- nettle cordial with camomile
- raspberry cordial
- negligee dandelion syrup
Contact: Gyula Kovács
3916 Bodrogkeresztúr, Kossuth u. 114
Tel: 06-47-396-515, 06-20-667-2686, 06-30-275-1041
4. Jellies, Jams, Compotes and Fruit Juices from György Vajda, Kéked
- sloe compote
- blue grape (concord) jam
- Beszterce plum jam
- sour cherry jelly
- elderberry jelly
- quince jelly
- hawthorn jelly
- peach jelly
- strawberry jelly
- Gönci peach jelly
- sloe jelly
- apricot jelly
- rosehip jelly
- peach drink
- rosehip drink
- elderberry-blackberry drink
- sloe drink
- elderberry drink
- Besztercei plum drink
- hawthorn drink
- sour cherry-currant drink
- elderflower cordial
- rhubarb drink
- raspberry drink
- quince drink
- quince compote
- pear compote
- Beszterce plum compote
Contact: György Vajda
3899 Kéked, Kovács út 6.
Tel: 70-345-5206
5. Jams from Attila Szintai, Szendrő
- sloe jam
- strawberry jam
Contact: Attila Szintai
3752 Szendrő, Rákóczi út 96
Tel: 48-560-597, 06-20-350-8889
6. Fruktárium Jams, Trizs
- dogwood jam
- quince jam
- sloe jam
- rosehip jam
- concord grape jam
- quince jam (for adults - incl. brandy)
- sloe jam (for adults - incl. brandy)
- dogwood jam "for connoisseurs"
Contact: Ilona Danyi Ácsné
3724 Trizs, Petőfi u. 13
Tel: 06-30-625-6092, 06-48-504-230
7. Pickled Saffron Milk Cap Mushrooms, Martonyi
Contact: Vilmos Vécsei
3755 Martonyi, Fő út 90
Tel: 30-410-8384
vid64@freemail.hu, korcos@gmail.com
Handicrafts
1. Lace and Embroidery, Putnok
- Gömör Bobbin Lace: This technique came to Hungary from Germany via miners' wives that migrated to the highlands in the 15th and 16th centuries. At first, the lace was used on the clothes of wealthy women and to adorn altar clothes, but over time its use became more widespread, for example to decorate household textiles. The lace makers utilise a stuffed pillow lace and bobbins, with the pattern picked out with pins on the pillow. They also made border lace and lace inserts. The majority of the patterns can be found in Most of the items in the highlands sample treasures found in Rozsnyó, but some original pieces are also on display at the Gömör Museum in Putnok.
- Gömör Knot Embroidery: One of the oldest and almost forgotten historical embroidery techniques of the Gömör Region is knot embroidery which utilises goldwork embroidery patterns. However, the technique does not create the traditional smooth, flat stitches, but rather tiny knots which appear optically to loop through each other or stack next to each other like rows beads. White thread is used on a background of light coloured material. The craft requires very intensive, precise execution. We wish to preserve this very old embroidery technique, and also introduce it to a wider audience. To this end, we work the decorative motifs into modern clothing and organise exhibitions.
Contact: Éva Balázs, Gömöri Népfőiskolai Egyesület
3630 Putnok, Serényi L. tér 10
Tel: 06-20-479-2226
2. Hucul Horse Hair Jewellery, Gömörszőlős
I have been crazy about horses since my childhood. Consequently, I became a horse trainer and tour guide. In the meantime, I also perused another hobby - handicrafts. I tried all kinds of hobbies, but felt that I would like to do something different, something special. I combined my two hobbies and began to prepare jewellery made from horsehair. I attempt to satisfy modern fashions, and also create small pieces so that the jewellery is accessible to all. I incorporate only natural materials such as mistletoe, fruit seeds, bones, and of course the horsehair. Strong, long tail hairs from Aggtelek National Park's hucul stallions and geldings are collected from the herd in Jósvafő. The seeds are gathered from orchards scattered around the Gömör landscape. These beautiful pieces will help bring people together with ancient traditions and nature's beauty.
Contact: Katalin Fodor
3728 Gömörszőlős, Kassai út 37
Tel: 30-243-7497
People's Choice Award
Not all the local products were still on the table, having been taken home by judges, the national park director, or eaten. Of the 40 votes cast, the Gonda Family's red onion goat cheese was the clear winner. The farm received a 1-year free entry pass for all ANP daily cave tours as a prize.
