Lamda Olive Grove was purchased between September and December 1999 and the first crop under new ownership was a superb crop of more than 400 litres. Normal fertilizer had been applied, and the grove tilled annually but the borders were overgrown, trees very large, and tall, tough grasses grew on the rich, shaded soil. Brambles and lush, shade loving plants, including "horsetail", grew on the lower ground and under the trees on the upper part of the hill.
When it was purchased Lamda grove had an air of mystery but lower trees were denied the space and air they needed. Subsequent work has revealed some of the history but it would be good to learn more.
Lamda grove needs careful maintenance to ensure that its character remains. The aim is to leave some mature trees and shrubs, even at the expense of a perfect crop, in order to maintain the habitat for wildlife and remains of history that make Lamda special.
Stabilising the soil
The soil at Lamda is rich and moist and when tractors go through to other plots they make deep tracks that make walking hazardous when the young plants grow in winter. To stabilise the soil the grove has been mown instead of tilled in 2009 and 2010, allowing the ground to remain firm; however, this might prevent the growth of annual plants as grass takes over as the main ground-cover.
Whcih fertilizer to use is another issue: In past times on traditional smallholdings, the goats and chickens would have roamed in the groves and naturally fertilised them. We have tried well rotted manure in 2008, organic fertilizers which contained chicken manure and leaving the branches for up to 3 months before burning, allowing leaves to fall to the ground. From 2001 to 2003, the use of fertilizer and Olive fly spray was suspended to enable the conversion of the grove to an organic grove - a process that takes 5 years. Organic ferilizer was used in 2002; it consisted of 3 types of fertiliser, applied at different times of the year. It proved expensive in terms of labour and production fell dramatically, as predicted by others who had tried it. In 2009 we reverted to the commercial fertilisers used prior to 2000.
Olives are evergreen and Olive harvesting includes the removal of leaves and branches as well as the olive fruit. There is no natural mulching of the soil under the trees by leaf fall. Branches are often burnt immediately after harvest when wood is collected for winter fuel.
2008 clearance work
By the stream was a wild area, of about 500 sq metres, consisting mainly of brambles. These were cleared in a €1,300 project in the spring of 2008.
The clearance project opened this dark area of the grove which will benefit the olive trees growing at the base of the grove by the stream, while exposing several very beautiful white poplar trees.
The clearance also exposed the full extent of the deeply cut hillside. I had assumed this was a man-made excavation some years ago, but it was not until December 2008 that I learnt there was a more. The mystery of the strange contours of Lamda was solved at a taverna in Methoni in December 2008. A fellow diner who grew up in Pidasos Village near Lamda, told of a small house that had existed there until around 1989. This also explains the presence of walnut trees, grape vines (now wild) and the well.
A Mud House at the Lamda Olive Grove
You will often see small buildings, in various states of disrepair, on plots of land in Greece. They are used as stores but often as shelter while working on the land.One type can be found at the lemon grove and is typical of mid 20th century breeze block and concrete construction. Another type. often in ruins now, is built of stone, with a pitched, tiled roof. The presence of a dwelling has now been confirmed by neighbours; however, the fact that the land is not stony and no ruins remain indicates that the dwelling was most likely to have been made of mud. This would not be unusual at that time.
2007 Clearance work
In 2007, lower borders were cleared and the stone well mentioned in the deeds was revealed along with a tree stump border which had been completely hidden. The well would have been dug by hand in the late 19th or early 20th century and is close to the stream, but has silted up over the years and is now dry. The deeds did not mention the presence of a dwelling but it may be possible to look at old aerial photos of the area and see evidence!
The quality and quantity of olive crops varies with weather conditions, fertilizer, pruning method and prevention of disease caused mainly by "dacos" the olive fly. Each tree produces a main crop on alternate years, unless pruned to produce a more consistent crop from half of the tree each year. Pruning is skilled work and there are different theories and many debates among growers!
From the first moment I saw it, Lamda seemed to hold secrets of a past life; Perhaps due in part to the size and variety of some of the trees, the presence of mature oaks and walnut trees along its borders and certainly to do with its strange contours close to the stream.
Each year brings new discoveries!
Delta Olive Grove
On December 8th 2008, Trigono-Lamda acquired a new grove! The grove is adjacent to the Lamda grove and has been named Delta.
Delta is 3,600 square metres (3.6 strema) and borders Lamda to the East, the stream to the North, the farm road to the West. It rises to the south, where a hedge separates it from an ajoining property. Delta has been beautifully maintained and gives a good crop from 61 trees dating from 1964. The trees are well spaced and the gently sloping hillside is sunny and very attractive with a view towards the peaceful village of Pidasos to the North-east.
Why Delta?
The Trigono-Lamda olive groves have been named according to their shape and the Delta grove has a straight border along the bank of the stream but a curved border rising up to the south, forming a D shape. The D also acknowledges the previous owner, Dimitris, who has a been a kind neighbour and friend. Purchasing Delta is important to Trigono-Lamda because it enables direct, flat, access to both main olive groves. Harvesting will be easier; it took two days in 2008 to harvest both groves with a 507 litre yield from 135 trees.