Future of Business
THE GARDEN OF BORUSAN CAT!
We are all connected to the earth. In my opinion, this is typical for all people.
Last year, due to COVID-19, both workload and working hours were reduced. This had a negative effect on people. One day, on a break, I saw that all my friends were busy with their mobile phones. Nobody was talking to each other. During a conversation with ERS Team Leader Furkan Çakır about how we could build a small hobby garden in the green area in front of us and spend time there during breaks and lunch time, ERS Technician Yakup Avcı, who overheard our conversation, said: “I will help you too". ERS technician Furkan Turan also said: “My brother has planted a new seedling; I can bring it if you want”. Later, other colleagues, who were with us, started talking about gardening, the types of vegetables to plant and their own experiences. Some said: "I do not understand about gardening, but I will help as much as I can". With this, our gardening adventure began. With the garden, we have seen many times that touching the ground has a positive effect on everyone.
Beginnings Are Always Wonderful: Our First Steps
The first job was to clear the bushes in the garden and with the help of Yasin Akın and a 349D, we did, so the hobby area gradually began to take shape.
In our first year, our colleagues brought some seeds from home, while some seeds we bought. As you know, you cannot plant the same seed to the same area in the following year. In our second year, we received some ancestral kernels again, but they were not enough. I express my gratitude to our Borusan Cat Turkey General Manager Hasan Tahsin Güven and to our CEO Özgür Günaydın, who said: “My dear colleagues, get whatever you need”. Then we bought new seedlings and planted them with the same enthusiasm as on the first day.
Everyone who had some spare time came to the garden. Colleagues from the office hoed and watered during their lunchtime. As our plantings slowly began to bear fruit, we were pleased and proud of our success. They all tasted delicious too! The watermelons turned out to be bigger than we expected. So huge so that the sown area was not enough for them. Then some barrels were placed in front of the garden, and a wooden pallet was put upon them. By growing watermelons on this pallet, the result was much more productive. With the encouragement and support of our managers, the hobby garden quickly became known from everywhere. People came to our garden to see or taste the fruit and vegetables. During one of his visits, Özgür Günaydın, showed his support and wished, that next year we should continue more professionally by slightly expanding the territory. Our adventure for second season was inevitable with the support we received from our managers and colleagues.
More Experienced: Season 2
We literally rolled up our sleeves to make our garden dream come true. First, we expanded the area with the support of Cengiz Yılmaz, Supply and General Services Leader. Later, with the help of Nurdan Öztezcan, we brought 2 trucks of soil from our clients. We got fertilizers for the soil from nearby farms, and then, like last year, seedlings began to arrive from our friends and family. Since the garden is large, we also bought some seeds. The ground was hoed, the soil aired, fertilizers applied... Overseas Service Technician Selçuk Keçeci, who was in charge of the Tüprak project at the time, saw that the seeds he bought from Uşak had sprouted, so he planted them in the garden too. Now we had a lot of seedlings from different regions. You can even say that everything that was on the market you could now see in our garden: eggplants, cucumbers, watermelons, sunflowers, strawberries, spinach, various types of peppers, and tomatoes... Over time, the varieties will increase but never decrease.
Our New Target - Drip Irrigation System and Greenhouse
The idea, conceived in the minds of just two people, was picked up by the whole team; everyone came in their free time, even created free time for the garden. In the beginning, those who had time would come to do the gardening. Sometimes we went out late for one or two hours in the afternoon and watered the plants, depending on the softness of the soil. We strived to water in the evenings so that the plants would not burn, and the water would not evaporate in the daytime. In the second year, we began to work more professionally, we were even going to make an irrigation system, but we couldn’t make time for it. One of our goals for the new season is to provide efficient irrigation and decrease water use by putting together a drip irrigation system.
Our hobby garden has become a place where everyone who sees it smiles, says how beautiful it is, and supports it. We know that people miss the garden. Our colleagues, currently working from home, call and ask: "How are you, how is the garden?" Those who enter the garden say that they feel like they are in their native village. For our colleagues in the office, the garden has become a relaxation zone. We created a place where we communicate instead of looking at our phones. We share our experience as we receive questions from other cities and regions. And, we are looking forward to the new season, the irrigation system, and our greenhouse.
We Are A Very Big Family, Thank You All!
At this stage, on behalf of my colleagues and myself, I would like to thank Özgür Günaydın, Hasan Tahsin Güven, Volkan Yaman, Cengiz Yılmaz and Emre Karahan. Many people are working or visiting our hobby garden, and I believe that our team spirit is the main reason why our garden is so productive and beautiful. Definitely, there are those who have contributed to our garden, and whose names I forgot to mention here; I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
It is a pleasure to say that all Borusan Cat employees built this hobby garden together because we are a strong, beautiful and a big family. Looking forward to seeing you all in new season!
Ali Günay
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I have been working as Borusan Cat Gebze CRC MS Team Leader since 2012. I can describe myself as warm hearted and friendly. I love spending time with my family, outdoor sports and gardening.