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Just a few kilometers from Istanbul’s bustling center, the Pirincci neighborhood preserves a traditional village lifestyle. With buffaloes grazing on its pastures and goat and sheep farming also common, residents and visitors alike can enjoy fresh air while purchasing dairy products directly from local producers.
Originally established as “Birinci Koy” due to its proximity to the city, Pirincci reportedly adopted its current name after settlers from Thessaloniki arrived. Today, the neighborhood is home to approximately 3,600 people across 775 households. While a small portion of the area hosts industrial facilities, the majority consists of pastures where buffaloes, sheep and goats graze freely.
Local businesses along the roads sell fresh buffalo milk, yogurt, cream, goat cheese, red meat and sausages directly from the producers. Buffaloes graze during the day in forested pastures and return to the barn in the evening, where they are fed and milked by hand.
Omer Satici, a local buffalo farmer who has worked in livestock since the age of seven, highlighted the challenges of the profession: “Finding workers to care for the animals is difficult. Milking is done by hand, which is labor-intensive. Yet living here has its advantages; we are close to Istanbul but surrounded by nature.”
Goat farmer Cuneyt Ugras emphasized that Pirincci is still very much a village despite its administrative status. Starting with 20 goats, he now raises 300. “It’s not just buffaloes here there are cows and sheep but buffalo farming has recently become more dominant. Goat milk is in demand because the yield is lower,” he said.
Residents stress that livestock farming is a vocation, not just a business. Rasim Gure, a lifelong resident, said, “We are used to this place. The city feels crowded and stressful and we always want to return home. The air and environment here are incomparable to Istanbul’s urban atmosphere.”
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