Our first step has been the systematic collection of numerous abandoned plots of land at the deserted mountain village Kournela at Plomari, remains of life from the last two centuries, during which olive trees became a monoculture in Lesvos. The company “Ktimata Plomariou” was founded, with the vision to breathe new life to the abandoned olive groves and redirect farming towards the production of high quality olive oil which is the comparative advantage of the mountainous region.

Olive growing in the mountains was gradually abandoned during the decades following the 2nd World War, due to the rapid socio-financial transformation of Greece, when mountainous areas and the respective settlements were deserted. The revival and cultivation of all those traditional mountain olive groves requires much care, patience, perseverance and focus on the goal, as they are located in steep hills, usually in arid zones, farmed by hand. The transportation of the harvested olives is particularly challenging since it is still made with animals. Our company, Ktimata Plomariou, keeps collecting and reviving olive groves in the mountainous area of Plomari, while also implementing the second phase of the project, i.e. contributing to the demonstration of the high quality and supremacy of the monovarietal Kolovi olive (or Valanolia or Mytilinia), indigenous to the island of Lesvos.