Early years and the original access to Trigono
Trigono (meaning Triangle), had originally been part of a larger rectangular plot which was cut in half by the formation of the new road. The farmer had been compensated of course, but was left with two small triangular plots which he did not require. Adjacent farmers did not wish to purchase the plots for the sum requested, but we thought Trigono was perfect for siting a caravan for holiday use, albeit that there was no water or electricity on site, nor any other houses close by.
A neighbour kindly allowed use of his well and his access road so that we could live intermittently at the caravan from February 2000 to May 2001 while working on the land. Other neighbours also gained access to their land via Trigono. In 2004, the neighbour decided to enclose his plot with walls in order to keep livestock and grow vegetables as well as grovw olives and by 2006 the wall was completed. We therefore started the formal request process to re-open the otiginal access route. In the meantime, temporary access was made (costing €600 to fill a ditch and clear shrubs) below the original access route. Although the neighbours affected by this were consulted, a misunderstanding led to the partial closure of the new opening so that access to Trigono for the past four years has been only by foot.
Lifes has been made much easier than it was by the concreting of the farm road which runs from the main highway to Foiniki, via St Georges Chapel, the Lemon Grove and Petra. The steep slope was dificult to navigate by car during winter but was concreted as far as the stream just beyonf the Trigono in 2008 and is enhanced by fir trees and oleanders. The original access road to Trigono crossed this road and the upper part is still used to access properties and a chapel further inland.
Road Access Update 2010
During the March 2010 visit to Methoni some progress was made on gaining access to the Trigono grove. Following discussion with the town engineers, a visit to the site and explaining that the re-opened road would serve not one, but three properties, and that the land used is already owned by the state, it is hoped that the road will be made soon. Of course it is a matter of priorities in a tough economic climate; however, the road cannot be built privately because to do so might lead to mistakes close to a main road. Half of the old road is still in place but soil would need to be added to fill the lower part of the gradient and two or three wild trees and some shrubs will be lost.
How we lived at Trigono
It is wonderful to live by the sun and seasons rather than the clock. In 1999 we spent holidays at Trigono and we lived there from February to May 2000 and again in Winter 2001 when the road to the Lemon Grove was impassible by car. It takes 30-40 minutes to walk into Methoni but only minutes by car, cycle or moped. Lampes Bay is much closer but in those days there was only one summer taverna and no other homes very close by. That is all changing now though!
A single gas lamp was enough to light the caravan and provided heat as well. We used some of the first commercially produced solar lights to light our path to the caravan as there was ( and still is) no street lighting along that portion of the main road. Mini calor gas stoves provided hot water for drinking - always using mains water or bottled drinking water! Well water is not suitable for drinking but we used it for washing and watering plants.
We bought shower bags made from black polythen, filled them with water and hung them in full sunlight during the day to provide warm water in late afternoon. Clothes were placed in large bowls of cold water with washing powder added, and were also warmed by the sun, then rinsed and hung to dry on lines between the olive trees. They dried quickly and needed no ironing. Olive oil soap is very effective for washing clothes and olive oil can be used as a light source equivalent to a candle. Half fill a small glass tumbler with water and add about 2 cm depth of oil which will float on top of the water. Add a small wick ( bought locally and made of cork and aluminium with a pink waxed wick). Light the wick which draws oil and burns with a small flame. Place the tumbler in a safe place away from any inflammable objects or draughts. We also used battery torches and now there a wind up torches which are very effective and widely available, as well as stick-on battery wall lights which were not available to us in 2000.
We spent winter evenings in local tavernas by wood-burning stovesw and saved for siesta time when we had daylight and warmth. Sometimes we cooked using a mini barbecue made out of an old metal water tank or baked potatoes and courgettes in foil in the embers of a wood fire. Many people collected driftwood to feed their wood stoves, as well as using wood stored after the olive harvest and pruning.
The Night Sky is beautiful and Full moon on a clear night gives a surprising amount of light. Winter can be cold, and very damp at the low-lying Trigono which is close to the sea. Buildings with thick walls which retain the heat are fine and caravans are ideal as they are well insulated and off the ground surface. We had a canvas addition to the caravan but in winter the ground got wet and muddy and we've now surrounded the van with gravel on a base of special black polythene sheeting.
The traditional tools we used
The "agria" was still very common in 2000 but is rarely seen now as most farmers have pick up trucks and tractors. Agrias consisted of a diesal engine on wheels with handle bars and an attachment for a cart. They replaced donkeys as the general farm vehicle for carrying wood, olive branches, fruit and livestock etc. We had a small Kubota tractor for a while but then used a car for transport and hired larger transport at harvest time. Tilling is now contracted out.
We never felt the need for a generator at the Trigono. The need to carry fuel for the generator and the noise as it echoed through the valley at the Lemon Grove put us off and we considered bottled gas an easier option.
The most commonly used tool in 2000 was the "axina", with a wooden pole handle and a head shaped like a large, deep, unrounded hoe. It is still used at Trigono as the clearing tool and is very effective, with a chopping action which can rapidly clear undergrowth. Elsewhere it is being replaced by strimmers, but they don't get to the root of plants as the axina does, are less effective against tougher stems and require fuel! If required we hire a professional and it certainly saves time as it takes no more than 3 hours to have the Trigono strimmed.
Other traditional tools are the long-handled scythe and the hand saw for pruning. Most work at Trigono can be done using these basic tools. The noisy chainsaw makes harvesting olives and pruning considerably faster, but the nicest experience was the year when two of us harvested by hand.
Traditional tools and crafts are similar throughout the world, but their use is declining as speed is increasingly important in order to keep labour costs down.
We can't do without modern machinery but working the land by hand can be very satifying, when it is a hobby and not essential.
The Future of Trigono
The beauty of the Trigono lies in its misty mornings and rural location while still being close to the main road and "civilisation". With no street lights as yet, the starry skies are magical and the sounds of birds chattering in the bamboos at dawn and dusk were a great pleasure. The barking of neighbouring dogs was welcomed as our neighbours were helpful and friendly when they came to tend their land.
With larger projects ongoing, there has not been much time or funding for the Trigono in recent years, bit it is tended three or four times a year and gradually being zoned. A semi-circle of yukkas, of varying ages since they are taken from two original plants, borders the stony area around the entrance to the caravan. This faces East and towards what was the entrance to the site in 1999 and 2000.
The present entrance is to the rear of the caravan and this was the focus of attention during the December 2009 visit. It may be possible to move the van or provide a new one closer to the East wall. That area is sunny - so provision of shade would be required.
In 2009 the bamboo was cut in December rather than September and lain along proposed pathways so that it could begin to rot and form a mulch. The idea follows previous experiments which show that if bamboo is left rather than stacked for fires, it soon becomes brittle and grey and need not be burnt. Burning costs time and effort which often has to be paid for but it makes the ground neater and is a tradition. However, if bamboo can be used to provide paths it will be a more environment-friendly solution as well as a cheaper one.
Another idea is the use of old car tyres to mark the new drive, rather than using stones. Stones are heavy and in short supply at the Trigono. To carry new ones across the access route now would require much effort. The tyres are lighter, free and can be made into planters. They will cause less damage if the grove is overgrown and some-one stumbles.
So the future for Trigono is looking good as long as the right materials and plants are chosen. The garden will provide a quiet retreat with a mixture of structural plants and wild ones. Minimal maintenance, without the need to water plants, is important.
Wild thyme, mint and dill grow naturally, as well as bamboo along the road border. The bamboo will be cut annually, leaving a thin screen.
As it borders the main road, Trigono may well be the first property to have mains water and electricity if we want it; at the moment we don't.
Chronology of Trigono - The Triangle
2010 - Ground under the olive trees was cleared and the trees fertilised. Tree trunks were painted white in traditional Greek garden style and the stone border originally made in 2000 was restored. A new footpath was constructed to the road, replacing the one built in 2000 which was destroyed when the road was finally surfaced in 2004. This will enable direct access by foot until there is an official road access.
2009 - The yukka trees planted years ago were mature enough to make an impact and regular new offshoots provide additional plants with which to mark zones of the plot. Wild plants and shrubs had re-colonised the bank below the main Methoni-Koroni road. Bamboo was cut and used to mark paths within the plot to enable easier management. Olives were harvested.
2008 - The wire fence was strengthened to keep out goats. A Young wild fig tree next to the caravan is being allowed to grow, and cuttings taken from the two mature Yukkas to screen caravan. clearance was undertaken in in March and September. Road access has been approved by Kalamata Council and will now be made by the Methoni town Council. December 2008 - Noted that many more Arisarum vulgare (Friar's cowl) are growing this year. Refer to Local Plants to learn more about these distinctive plants. No olive crop this year.
2007 - fence poles and wire strands were set up, a wall was completed by the neighbour, an access track made but partially blocked. Direct road access applied for. A White rose blooming, having survived since 2001 in spite of the land being neglected and severe droughts and icy winters.
For the first time since the main road was completed, wild plants, including poppies have grown on the roadside bank. lack of proper access prevents tilling, but it is possible to walk through. By Law, every farmer has a right to access his or her land.
2001 - 2006. Twice yearly clearance by hand continued but the caravan was no longer occupied. Olives were usually harvested, 5-6 sacks per year. Restricted access means that harvesting must be by hand. 50 rose cuttings planted - subsequently all but one were lost to drought.
2000 - The Caravan was occupied and land cultivated, but stray goats and pigs interfered with crops. Neighbours were always helpful, if bemused by the lifestyle!
1999 - The plot was purchased in June, and the caravan situated in its present location. The plot was unfenced and water was drawn from the neighbouring well.