Şifa Köyü ·
Merve Tüfekçi and Şifa Köyü, the Healing Farm in Şile
Şifa Köyü, also called the Healing Farm, is a farm in the village of Çengilli in Şile, Istanbul, founded by Merve Tüfekçi in 2017 and run today with her family and team. mervetufekci.com covers sessions, workshops, trainings and Healing Art paintings, while sifakoyu.com is the farm’s shop. To visit, write to the team; delivery information is on the shop.
Hello dear friends. I founded Şifa Köyü, our organic farm in Şile on the Black Sea coast of Istanbul, in 2017. Today we run it together as a family and a team. On this site you find my own work; the farm’s products are in the shop at sifakoyu.com. To me Şifa Köyü is far more than a farm; it is the home of my love for the soil, the seed and people. 🌱
If you have been wondering who is behind Şifa Köyü, also called the Healing Farm, and how the two sites connect, this post brings it all together.
What is Şifa Köyü, and where is it?
Şifa Köyü is a farm of about 70 dönüm, roughly 7 hectares or 17 acres, in the village of Çengilli in Şile, Istanbul. We grow with heirloom and local seeds, without chemical sprays, following the seasons. We work among green fields and clean air, in step with the rhythm of the soil.
Şifa Köyü holds an EU-approved organic farming certificate, and the produce we grow from heirloom seeds reaches you with that assurance. The shop shows the Turkish organic farming logo, the EU organic logo and the logo of ORSER, the control and certification body. You can check which products the certificate covers on the product pages, or ask us.
Who runs the farm?
Şifa Köyü is not one person’s work; the farm is a team effort. We look after the fields and the table together as a team. When you visit, it is this team that welcomes you, walks you through the greenhouse and sows seeds with you. Our guests spend time in beautiful nature, exchange affection with our animals, join our workshops during the day and can shop from the farm’s produce.
On healing meal days the table is set in the garden. The plates are filled with produce from our own fields, grown from heirloom seeds without chemical sprays. We sit under the trees for a long time, in the sun, and talk. For me, these days are the warmest side of the farm, and each time my heart fills with gratitude.
Who is Merve Tüfekçi?
I am Merve Tüfekçi Emre. I was born in Istanbul on 24 September 1986. I studied design and business at Parsons, two years in Paris and two years in New York. I then did a master’s degree in brand management at Marangoni in London. When I came back to Istanbul in 2011, I worked at Soyak Holding.
Since 2015 I have worked as a professional coach, personal development consultant, energy trainer and healing farming practitioner. My husband is Burak, and our children are Güneş and Barış. I record most of my videos about children and food together with them. Being close to the soil together with my family is something I am deeply grateful for.
What is the difference between the two sites?
Here is a short guide to what you find where:
- mervetufekci.com: my one-to-one sessions, workshops, trainings, Healing Art paintings, corporate work, speaking and this blog. Sessions are available in English or Turkish.
- sifakoyu.com: the farm’s online shop, in Turkish. Produce boxes, vegetables and greens, free-range eggs, handmade soy wax candles, crystals, books and gift packages.
- The Şifa Köyü book series: A Year Full of Surprises in Şifa Köyü, 12 months and 12 adventures, whose heroes are the farm’s real people and vegetables. There is an English edition too.
Some of my sessions are also listed in the Şifa Köyü shop. So the two sites are separate, but they are two parts of the same story: one looks at a person’s inner world, the other at the soil.
How do you visit the farm or order?
You can come to the farm for a day and pick your own produce. A vegetable you pick from the plant with your own hands smells like nothing else. Please write to us before you come, so we can get back to you and plan the details of your visit together. I explain how to get from Istanbul to Şile in a separate post. In which season would you like to visit Şifa Köyü?
If you would like to order, you can browse sifakoyu.com. For current delivery information, check the shop or write to us. The shop is in Turkish, so you are welcome to write to us in English. We prepare what comes from the field with care before it sets off.
I wish that your bond with the soil, the seeds and yourself always stays alive. I would love to welcome you at Şifa Köyü one day. With love. 🌿
Şifa Köyü: who we are (in Turkish) →
How to get to Şifa Köyü from Istanbul →
Frequently asked questions
Who is behind Şifa Köyü?
I founded Şifa Köyü in 2017. Today we grow there together as a family and a team.
Where is Şifa Köyü?
Şifa Köyü is in the village of Çengilli in Şile, on the Black Sea coast of Istanbul. It is a farm of about 70 dönüm, roughly 7 hectares.
What is the difference between mervetufekci.com and sifakoyu.com?
mervetufekci.com is where you find my sessions, workshops, trainings and paintings. sifakoyu.com is the farm’s online shop, in Turkish.
Can I visit the farm?
Yes, you can come for a day and pick your own produce. Please write to us first so we can plan your visit together.
Is Şifa Köyü produce organic?
Şifa Köyü holds an EU-approved organic farming certificate. You can check on each product page which products it covers, or ask us.
From my events
Moments from our events
Healing food at Şifa Köyü A table in the garden