{"id":1840,"date":"2021-07-12T11:07:40","date_gmt":"2021-07-12T11:07:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simviosi.gr\/%ce%ba%cf%84%ce%b7%ce%bd%ce%bf%cf%84%cf%81%ce%bf%cf%86%ce%af%ce%b1\/"},"modified":"2022-06-06T07:30:12","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T07:30:12","slug":"livestock-farming","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.simviosi.gr\/en\/livestock-farming\/","title":{"rendered":"Livestock farming"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” disabled_on=”off|off|off” admin_label=”Hero” _builder_version=”4.15″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”|||” transparent_background=”on” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90aXRsZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7ImJlZm9yZSI6IiIsImFmdGVyIjoiIn19@” _builder_version=”4.15″ _dynamic_attributes=”title” _module_preset=”_initial” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Blog” _builder_version=”4.15″ background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.03)” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” custom_padding=”100px|0px|100px|0px” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.15″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”|||” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1280px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.15″ background_position=”top_left” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.15.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Through the daily life of the Cretans, the relationship that each shepherd has with his herd is obvious. A tour of Mt Psiloritis is enough to observe the ornate buildings (e.g., \u201cmitata\u201d), the trails, the shepherds, and their herds as well as the tools and accessories used by the shepherds. Also, travelers can get acquainted with the practices of shepherds, the unwritten rules, and customary codes, and finally they can listen to stories and local beliefs.<\/p>\n

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\"\"The life of the nomadic shepherds of Mt Psiloritis is interwoven with the needs of their herds, which is why they stay in their \u201cmitato\u201d<\/strong> for a few months a year, which, apart from being a cheese workshop for those months, is also the shepherd’s house on the mountain. \u201cMitato\u201d can be considered the epicenter of livestock farming in Crete, as it is used for the shepherd’s residence and its protection from adverse weather conditions, it functions as a place for making cheese products, while it is also used for stabling herds in well-designed areas. Furthermore, several of the festivities of the Cretan tradition take place in \u201cmitato\u201d, which take place on the occasion of an important moment in the shepherd\u2019s life, such as the shearing of the herd.<\/p>\n

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\"\"\u201cKoures<\/strong>\u201d, as the shearing of the herd is called in the Cretan dialect, are usually organized before the intense heat of summer in a suitably designed area near the \u201cmitato\u201d. During \u201ckoures\u201d, at the same time with the practical part of the shearing of the herds, a big fest is set up with the relatives and friends of the shepherd as guests. Women, men and children cook the famous Cretan \u201cantikristo\u201d lamb, play traditional music and dance. In the past, \u201ckoures\u201d provided breeders with the wool they needed to create their garments. In the wider area of \u200b\u200bMt Psiloritis, the loom was the main occupation of rural women during the previous decades as they had access to significant quantities of quality wool due to the intense livestock farming activity. Some elements of the shepherd’s equipment were made from the wool, such as the \u201cvourgia<\/strong>\u201d, ie a woolen bag to store his food, or his \u201cgambas<\/strong>\u201d, that is, the woolen cape that protects him from the low temperatures of winter. Finally, an important element of the shepherd\u2019s costume is the silk \u201csariki<\/strong>\u201d, which although it is not made of wool, is worth mentioning because it is still a symbol of the Cretan tradition.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Shepherd\u2019s, especially in the past, followed the Cretan diet<\/strong> faithfully, which is rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables and cheese products while red meat is limited. The Cretan diet is part of the Mediterranean diet, with many common elements but also differences, while it is the leading example as it includes a wide variety of preparations, both plant and animal origin keeping the flavors produced clear and simple. It is noteworthy that, since 2010, UNESCO has included the Mediterranean diet in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage as it is considered that the Mediterranean countries have developed admirable cultural activities that revolve around local gastronomy.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Today the production of cheese products is an important source of income for the local population. The raw material, milk, comes from the local livestock farming of sheep and goats and has excellent quality and rich taste. The main cheese products<\/strong> of Mt Psiloritis, some of which are protected by European and national legislation as products of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), are presented below.<\/p>\n

Cretan graviera (gruyere) PDO:<\/strong> Cretan graviera is a type of hard, pale-yellow cheese with a solid elastic mass in which there are usually scattered holes. It has a sweet, slightly salty taste and is found in various sizes, while now it is also found with the addition of aromatic herbs. The famous Cretan graviera is made from pure sheep or a mixture of sheep and goat milk, is rich in milk proteins and has a slightly salty taste. Graviera has about 38% moisture, 38.4% fat and 1.5% salt.<\/p>\n

Cretan xinomizithra PDO:<\/strong> This is a soft cheese made in the area of \u200b\u200bMt Psiloritis. The Cretan xinomizithra PDO has a grainy to creamy texture, with a sour, pleasant, cool taste and aroma. Xinomizithra is produced like normal mizithra, with the difference that its surface is salted with coarse salt. It is produced from sheep or goat’s and sheep’s milk mixture and has about 50% moisture, 23% fat, 15% protein and 2% salt. It is an ideal cheese for pies and low-fat diets.<\/p>\n

Cretan kefalotiri:<\/strong> Kefalotiri is made in many parts of Greece, including Crete. This is a hard cheese with a pale-yellow color that is made from sheep and goat milk and needs more than 3 months of maturation to be marketed. It tastes salty, spicy and fat, while it has about 40% fat and a maximum humidity of 38%.<\/p>\n

Fresh mizithra:<\/strong> Mizithra is prepared in many parts of the country as well as in the area of \u200b\u200bMt Psiloritis. It comes from whey of sheep milk cheese making or a mixture of it with goat, to which is added fresh sheep or goat milk at a rate of 10-20% and is heated together with rennet. The end result is a soft fresh cheese almost lean with a soft and neutral taste and creamy texture. The color is white to off-white and has no holes. Mizithra has an average of 70% moisture, and 12% fat. It is widely used in confectionery or is offered as an appetizer or as a dessert with honey.<\/p>\n

(Dry) anthotiros:<\/strong> This is a product produced from a mixture of whey and fresh milk with a solid mass and minimal salt. In essence, anthotiros is dried matured mizithra. It is a hard cheese with a solid mass without holes. The color is white to off-white. Its taste is rich, spicy, and buttery. It is also found with the addition of aromatic herbs. The maximum humidity does not exceed 40%, while the minimum fat content is 65%. It is produced from sheep and goat milk, while during its maturation, due to the salt it contains, it loses its moisture and consequently hardens.<\/p>\n

Tirozouli:<\/strong> Tirozouli is also called “homemade cheese” by many as housewives used to produce it in their kitchen. Tirozouli is produced from slightly salted or completely unsalted sheep’s milk or a mixture of it with goat. It has a solid elastic mass, without holes. The color is pale yellow. It has a mild and sweet taste and is also found with the addition of aromatic herbs. Its humidity is 45% and its fat content is 50%.<\/p>\n

Anthogalo:<\/strong> Anthogalo is produced from sheep’s milk or a mixture of it with goat’s milk. It is a product, creamy in texture, with a fat and rich taste. The color is pale yellow to off-white. The fat content of anthogalo is around 60-80%.<\/p>\n

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