> Our Wine Press

Our wine press, deftly decorated with a mosaic of Dionysus, the ancient god of wine, agriculture and fertility. When grapes ripen, we harvest them for crushing, which is still done in the age-old vats - trodden by foot in the traditional manner to produce the mellow wine of our farm.

Guests at the farm are more than welcome to join in and help with the treading!

> Farm’ s Raki Distillery

Grape-gathering, wine-making and tsikoudia-making are activities enjoyed in the autumn every year. Wine-making involves crushing the grapes in special stone constructions called patitiria. This can be done by feet. The remains in the patitiria, after most of the grape juice has been removed, is allowed to ferment and then distilled. Traditional distilleries are comprised of large copper boilers and include long copper funnels on top so that the steam cannot escape. The funnels, which pass through barrels placed on the sides of the distillation flask and are filled with cold water, end up on the outside of the barrels, on top of empty glass containers. Herbage is first placed on the bottom of the boilers which are then filled with stemfila and a little water or wine, hermetically sealed and finally placed onto the bonfires.
The entire process becomes a celebration in which friends and relatives take part by bringing food and sampling the drink as it is being made. Each step in the distillation process has a particular ritual and the presence of friends is a must!

> Windmill

In our farmyard the visitor will enjoy a rich array of fifty wide-ranging aromatic herbs in addition to organically farmed vegetables, fruit and flowers, set around a Lassithi-style windmill, which dominates the surroundings. The wooden parts of the windmill machinery were hand-crafted by "Uncle" Manolis, the last surviving miller in the village of Pines.

> Pottery

The art of working with clay has its roots in Minoan times. Chalepa in Hania was an important center for pottery, as was Margarites in Rethymnon and Kentri in Ierapetra. The best known pottery center, however, was Thrapsano in Heraklion, where the inhabitants have been potters since the time of the Venetians. They used to create large jars, in the main, which are very strongly reminiscent of Minoan jars, and which were used for storing oil. They also made other, smaller objects for use in the home; bowls, jugs, etc. Today, there are potters who produce more decorative objects.

Panayotis - our ceramist- producing a Cretan ceramic pot.

> Weaving

In every village house the loom held pride of place. Fabrics handwoven in Crete are distinguished by their tight weave, the harmony of their colours and the artistry of their decoration. Red is the dominant colour in hand-woven fabrics, while the decorations are multicoloured.
The material used is cotton, wool, flax or silk, depending on the item and its use. Women used to dye their own years, using vegetable dyes - the roots of plants, leaves, flowers, fruits, the bark of trees, etc - or even soot from the fireplace and indigo - usually employed for the dyeing of the material from which the men's 'vraka' is made.

> Farm’ s Olive Oil Press

Our farmyard is not the only attraction; the best surprise awaits us inside! Most preciously saved from being discarded, we retrieved a one hundred and thirty year old olive press at the village of Vrouha and carried it intact onto our farm's premises. On the left side of the entrance, is the olive storing space: eight huge, old as the hills clay pots, holding two hundred kilos of olives each and the wooden, handmade door 'nailed' onto the wall.
Everything has been re-assembled as found in its original environment; the threshing floor with its four stones and its elaborate rotating mechanism that catch the visitor's eye; the loft with the big basket that holds five 'muzuria' of olives; the old ladder,the yoke to which the donkey that makes the stones go round is harnessed and even the oil-lamp that used to light the factory (when production had to start before dawn) - its all there! Just beside these, is the 'winch' that turns the 'bozergatis' round, and with it, the press itself. Beneath the press, is the 'dgisviera' which is where the 'mantiles' the cloth flasks full of olive pulp are hung. In front is the cask to receive the running olive oil. On the right side, the space of "Ladas", the production supervisor, with his little table, dish, drinking glass, lamp and chair - all original items.

> Olive Harvest

The harvest usually begins in November and lasts until March. Many visitors to the island believe that the olives are picked by hand, but this is only true of certain types, which are not necessarily used for oil. In the past the trees were beaten with wooden poles. This method is still used today even though nearly every family owns a machine. This consists of a long pole with prongs on the top and which is connected to a motor. This makes the harvesting very much easier but it will always remain a time consuming process. Sharing of the work is usually the same and as family unity is held in high esteem every member takes part. They free the olives from the roughest leaves before they are packed in sacks and are ready to be transported to the olive oil factory.

> Olive oil

Technical development has not stopped at the oil factories. Where before the millstones were turned by hand, which afforded a great deal of strength, or by donkeys, modern machines stand there today. These days there are two different methods of production: either using machine-driven millstones or high-speed centrifuges so that fruit and oil are spun and separated.
One thing remains the same with both methods: the olives have to be washed first to remove the remaining leaves and twigs. Cretan olive oil has a first class quality, which has continually improved over the last 17 years. The consumption per person stands on average at 29 kilos a year. Olive oil is the main nutritional factor in Cretan cuisine and is held as the elixir of life. Today's research confirms that Cretans have the highest life expectancy of all Europeans because of the extensive use of the oil.
Olive oil has therapeutic effects on stomach ulcers, relieves stomach-ache and helps digestion.
Because of the excessive use of olive oil, incidents of cancer are very few.
The pro-vitamin A and vitamin E offer protection for the skin. Reduces the formation of gallstones and shows positive results in the relief of bilious colic. Has a positive effect on growth and bone structure in children. In the fight against Diabetes plays an important role in nutrition.

> Our Farm' s animals

Rabbits - "Roger & Jessica"
We will probably need help naming all their children!

Cockerel - "Hero".
This is our cockerel with his 'harem'. He keeps all five women happy and for that we feel he is aptly named!

Dog - "Blacky"
He is supposed to be our guard dog, but he prefers to just lie in the sun!

Donkey - "Dora".
She's the big boss. Her namein Greek means "Gift".