 Farm patio |  Farm landscape |  Gournes nature |  Farm trees |
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 Gournes landscape |  Traditional greek salad |  Organic produce |  Cretan delis |
 Gournes sea |  Gournes beach front |
The guests will be actively involved in planting, treating, looking after, and harvesting organic plants, according to the organic farming principles. They will also learn how to cook the organic products that they have collected from the field, and understand the positive health and nutritional aspects of organic cuisine and a self-sustainable way of life
WHAT you will LEARN:
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How to plant, grow and harvest organic farming products
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How to execute traditional and healthy organic cooking recipes
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The principles of an organic and self-sustainable diet & nutrition process
Minas – Heraklion, Living and working at a local organic farm
Itinerary: how we'll spend the day and what we'll do together
The guests will experience, first hand, the life of an organic farmer. They will be involved in planting the actual plants, and in treating & looking after them according to the organic farming principles. They will take part in the organic harvesting process by collecting the organic fruits and vegetables. During the farm work, they will also take a traditional rest inside an authentic “paragka” (hut made from recycled materials) where farmers eat, rest and chat about the day
The guests will learn how to cook the organic products collected from the actual organic field. They will follow traditional cretan recipes, take part in the cooking festivities and learn about the positive health and nutritional aspects of traditional cretan cooking using organic products. They will also learn the principles of a self-contained and self-sufficient food & diet process, whereby people rely on products they themselves cultivate, based on widely employed past practices
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Place of ORIGIN: Heraklion, Crete
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LIVES in: his farm in Gournes, outside Heraklion, Crete
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SPEAKS: English
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LOVES: music, fishing, cooking, taking long walks into nature, camping, reading about history
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Has TRAVELLED to: Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, Denmark, almost all of the greek islands, Peloponnese and Macedonia regions
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Personal TRAITS: excellent cook, hospitable, pleasant , mild-mannered, conveyes serenity and love to his guests, devoted to his farming activities
Booking details
Minas Petrakis is your Host
Minas has had a 40 years background as a successful entrepreneur in Crete. In 2004 he moved into organic production, and settled down to a farm in Heraklion where he cultivates bio products which are then sold to local markets. Since then, people have been visiting his farm to learn about the life of an organic farmer and purchase authentic bio products. Throughout his professional life he has enjoyed the commitment of his wife Nicky, who studied economics and offers her on-going devoted and loyal support
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Place: Gournes, Heraklion, Crete
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Meeting Point: main intersection of Gournes at Democratias & Kazantzaki roads, intercity bus (KTEL) no 8
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Timetable: 9.30-14.30
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Price: 59 euros per person (food and delicatessen, are included)
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Availability: 1 July – 25 September
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Group size: 6 persons max
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What’s SPECIAL about this experience: the guests will acquire basic knowledge about organic farming, understand the local traditions, and learn how to cook organic meals, all within a unique environment of serenity and tranquility, very close to the sea and near a local archaeological site
Gournes, Heraklion - Where the Experience will take place
What wikipedia says
Heraklion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is one of the largest cities in Greece. According to the results of the 2011 census, the population of the city was 173,993 inhabitants while the Heraklion urban area has a population of 225,574.
Heraklion is close to the ruins of the palace of Knossos, which in Minoan times was the largest centre of population on Crete. Though there is no archaeological evidence of it, Knossos may well have had a port at the site of Heraklion as early as 2000 BC.
Heraklion is an important shipping port and ferry dock. Travellers can take ferries and boats from Heraklion to destinations including Santorini, Ios Island, Paros, Mykonos, and Rhodes. There are also several daily ferries to Piraeus, the port of Athens in mainland Greece.
The port of the city is dominated by the Venetian constructions, such as the Koules Fortress (Rocca al Mare), the ramparts and the arsenal. Around the city can be found several sculptures, statues and busts commemorating significant events and figures of the city's and island's history, like El Greco, Vitsentzos Kornaros, Nikos Kazantzakis and Eleftherios Venizelos. Also, many fountains of the Venetian-era are preserved, such as the Bembo fountain, the Priuli fountain, Palmeti fountain, Sagredo fountain and Morosini fountain (in Lions Square).