The Finance and Future of the Groves
as Archived at the close of 20092009 is the 10th anniversary of Trigono-Lamda groves. The website was started in 2007. Flight costs have reduced and hotel costs have risen a little, but the main difference in 2009-10 will be the changes in the Pound Sterling against the Euro. While costs of man hours may have risen slightly, the use of mechanical equipment will enable savings overall. For example, strimming the Trigono grove took 3 hours in April 2009 compared with 7 in 2008
Autumn-Spring trip costs (€)
- Flights (rtn) 130
- Trains UK 50
- Buses-Greece 60
- Hotels(10 days) 500
- Meals(10 days) 200
- Drinks/snacks 200
- Total 1,140
Annual Running Costs(€)
- Tilling @ €25/strema (20 strema) 500
- strimming @ €10/hour (10 hours) 100
- mechanical work @ €600/ day (2 days) 1,200
- Total 1,800+
Log for 2009-10
Updated May 2009
- Triangle: Direct Road access approved by kalamata Department - awaiting action.
- Triangle: Strimmed in April 2009
- Lamda & Delta Olive Groves: Tilling expected May 2009
- Olive crop 2009: unknown
- Ithaki: Cleared around building but interior to complete
- Lemon Grove: Approx 200 trees removed April 2009
- Petra (upper land): No action 2009; anticipate partial clearing 2010
- Trigono UK: Minor decoration through 2nd year.
- Website - Updated almost daily, in 3rd year, steady growth with repeat visitors
Summary for 2008-09
Updated May 2009
- Triangle: Direct Road access approved by kalamata Department - awaiting action.
- Triangle: cleared and planted December 2008
- Lamda Olive Grove: Access secured by purchase of Delta Grove Dec 2008
- Olive crop 2009: 507 litres plus 10 kilos eating olives prepared
- Ithaki: Cleared around building but interior to complete
- Lemon Grove: Complete rejuvination reuired estimated cost €3,000
- Petralofos (upper land): Border track completed 2008; interior work estimated at €2,000
- Trigono UK: 1st year work completed.
- Website - Updated almost daily, entering 3rd year, improving rapidly
Summary of 2007-08
November 2007
- Triangle Access - Access made but blocked, official papers now lodged with kalamata Department - awaiting action.
- Lamda olives - moderate crop 143.4 litres olive oil
- Lemon trees - no action
- Ithaki - exterior painted
- 0.33 upper land cleared
- Groves tilled
- Triangle border - cleared of bamboo
- Upper Land borders - North border cleared
- Website - Maintained and improved
Photo by Romano Pedetti
Development between Methoni and Foinikounda continues and village properties are as likely to be snapped up as any other since they offer community and ease of living - very attractive in retirement! Development continues on the main road by Lambes Bay and has commenced on the hills opposite the lemon Grove. Foiniki, a snaking drive up from the coast and considered one of the lesser villages in the area, is now popular and a more direct road access through the valley, with water and electricity to follow, is all but inevitable. A road through the valley, following the path of the stream, would give easier access to the Lemon Grove and surrounding plots which are only 1-2 kilometres from the sea at Lambes Bay.
Medium Term Plan Update 31/12/2008
- Rolling maintenance programme: Triangle and Olive Groves on course, lemon grove still to establish
- Olive harvest increase: In progress, added Delta grove
- Renovate lemon Grove and Petralofos: In preparation
- Expand website: Progressed in 2008
Long Term Plan
- Retain/expand Olive Grove and Triangle
- Enhance wildlife areas
- Renovate or purchase alternative to Lemon Grove
Preserving habitiats:
It is not always desirable to clear back to "brown earth" since this alters the nature of the groves and limits wildlife habitats. However, the 2007-08 clearing has opened up a previously troublesome area of Lamda grove, dank and not conducive to good olive crops anf the purchase of the adjacent "Delta grove" ensures proper road access. A "middle way" of clearing one border per year, should allow both crops and wildlife to flourish in future. Likewise at Trigono, the triangle, bamboo needs to be kept in check and plant life contolled to some extent so that the land is in keeping with surrounding cultivated plots.
Summary 2006-2007 cycle
- Olive harvest - zero - frosted
- lemon harvest - low - trees recovering
- land clearance - olive grove 0.3, lemon grove 0.2, upper land 0, triangle 0.1
- tilling - lemon grove - 10 strema, Lamda olive grove - 5 strema
- specialist clearance work - 0.5 strema at Lamda grove
- borders - triangle fenced
- summer house (Ithaki) - exterior painting completed
- 2006 Financial(tax) cycle completed
- Visits: Sept 06, Dec 06, Feb 07, May 07
- Website launched and active - Jan 2007
- *New Triangle access made but not completed
- Cleared triangle border with main road