A superfruit from Bocfölde
On a quiet hillside near Bocfölde, vibrant orange sea buckthorn berries ripen by September. This is home to Kiss Sea Buckthorn, a family-run farm where every part of the plant is hand-harvested and processed into juice, jam, oil, powder, and tea. Márta Lakatos-Kiss and Károly Kiss made the switch from livestock to sea buckthorn cultivation, inspired by their children’s idea to explore new possibilities with their land.
In 2015, they planted their first shrubs. By 2017, they were selling fresh sea buckthorn juice at markets, and by 2018, they were showcasing their products at festivals.
Sea buckthorn high in vitamin C are worth fighting for
Sea buckthorn is a hardy plant, but harvesting and processing it is labor-intensive and not for the faint-hearted. Its tiny berries grow densely on thorny branches, making mechanical harvesting impossible. Márta and Károly hand-cut the branches with pruning shears, then freeze them to make berry removal easier.
They ensure nothing goes to waste: the pulp becomes juice and jam, the skins are dried and ground into powder, the seeds are cold-pressed into oil, and the leaves are dried for tea. Sea buckthorn is a true superfruit — rich in vitamin C, sustainable, and fully utilized.
Nothing goes to waste
All Kiss Sea Buckthorn products are made exclusively from their own hand-picked, frozen berries.
Their first product was freshly pressed 100% sea buckthorn juice, still made fresh for each market day in their Bocfölde workshop. Over time, they expanded their offerings with sea buckthorn powder and cold-pressed seed oil. A standout favorite is their sea buckthorn jam — mildly tart and not overly sweet, loved by those seeking a more natural flavor.
Their cold-pressed seed oil, with its rich orange-brown hue, can be used both internally and externally. Drizzled over salads or taken by the teaspoon, it supports healthy skin, eyes, hair, and nails. Thanks to its high vitamin E content, it also serves as an effective anti-aging addition to natural cosmetics.
Sea buckthorn powder adds a citrusy twist to baked goods and blends perfectly into yogurt or oatmeal.
Visit the plantation
The farm is located in Bocfölde, near Zalaegerszeg. While they don’t have regular visiting hours, Márta and Károly welcome guests by appointment, offering tours of the plantation and on-site product purchases.
Product highlights
Sea Buckthorn Jam – Tart, Natural, Vitamin-Rich
Márta’s jam contains 80% sea buckthorn and 20% apple. The apple softens the tartness and helps achieve the perfect texture — the focus is on preserving nutrients, not creating an overly sweet spread.
After harvesting and freezing the berries, Márta steams them gently (without boiling), then presses them through a fine sieve to remove seeds and skins. The mixture is sweetened lightly with birch sugar and thickened with pectin. The jam undergoes careful heat treatment to retain its high vitamin content.
The result is a mildly thick, pleasantly tart jam — perfect on toast, with yogurt, in pancakes, or as part of a cheese board.
Where to buy
- Hévíz Farmers’ Market
- 8943 Bocfölde, Kossuth Lajos Street 53
- Google Maps
More information & Contact:
- Phone: +36 30 360 6480
Imagine a vast body of water — over 1,000 meters deep and more than 400 times the size of Lake Balaton — once rippling across this land. The story of the Pannonian Lake is not just a fascinating chapter of geological history, but a legacy that continues to shape the region: it left behind mineral resources, fertile soils, and even inspired legends. Discover how an ancient lake transformed Transdanubia — and why its impact is still felt today. An Inland Sea for Millions of Years At its greatest extent, the Pannonian Lake covered an enormous area, far surpassing the size of today’s Balaton. For millions of years (approximately 12 to 8.5 million years ago), it dominated the region. As surrounding mountain ranges gradually rose, the lake became cut off from the world’s oceans. Its water slowly turned fresh, and its basin began to fill with sediments. Because of its isolation, the lake developed a unique ecosystem with many endemic species. The Lake Didn’t Appear Overnight The Pannonian Lake didn’t simply “appear” in the Carpathian Basin. Its formation was the result of millions of years of tectonic activity and shifting climate. It emerged as an independent, enclosed body of water — no longer connected to the open seas. Deep Waters, Varied Shores In some areas, the lake reached depths of over 1,000 meters. Elsewhere, shallower zones supported lagoons, river deltas, and small, isolated lakes. During high water periods, rocky shorelines formed along the mountain fringes — traces of which can still be found today in the Keszthely Hills and the Mecsek Mountains. The Lake’s Retreat — and Sediment Legacy Despite its size, the lake was eventually filled in by immense volumes of sediment, carried mainly by rivers flowing from the Alps and the Carpathians. Over the course of 6.5 million years, it gradually disappeared from the landscape. What did it leave behind? Its sediments — composed mostly of sand, clay, and fine silt — became the so-called “Pannonian formations,” which today hold key mineral resources (such as petroleum) and aquifers. These formations define much of the surface geology of Transdanubia, including the Zala Hills. Fertile soils later formed on the laminated silty and clay-rich deposits of the Somló Formation. Even the legendary “Tihany goat’s hoof” fossils — actually worn shell fragments of the Congeria ungulacaprae mollusk — can still be found embedded in these ancient layers. The Final Lakes and a Gradual Goodbye Because most of the sediment entered from the northwest, north, and northeast, the lake slowly retreated toward the south and southeast — as if it were “withdrawing” from what is now Hungary. Small remnant lakes persisted for much longer in areas of present-day Slavonia (Croatia) and northern Serbia, but due to their different scale, character, and fauna, they are not considered true successors of the ancient Pannonian Lake.
