Step Back in Time with the Greek Olive Harvest

An experienced executive in northern Massachusetts, Demetrios Panteleakis serves as the president of Macmillan Group, LLC., the area's oldest commercial real estate firm. Every year, Demetrios Panteleakis takes time to visit his family farm in Greece and participate in the olive harvest.

Participating in the olive harvest in Greece has become a popular option for those interested in spending time in nature while on vacation. Visitors to Greece interested in participating in this tradition can find numerous places that will allow them to volunteer to help with the harvest. In return, they receive olive oil fresh from the harvest.

In late October and November, the olives, not yet fully ripe, make the best olive oil. In many places throughout Greece, people still harvest the olives according to traditional hand-picking methods. They lay out nets beneath the trees and then use olive combs to comb through the branches, sorting out the olives from the leaves and dropping them into the nets below.

The Olive Harvest in Greece

The president of the Macmillan Group in Springfield, Massachusetts, Demetrios Panteleakis manages a real estate portfolio with investments that total $100 million. An individual of Greek heritage, he regularly returns to his ancestral home and olive groves, which his family has maintained in province of Laconia for centuries. Demetrios Panteleakis particularly enjoys visiting the family farm during the annual olive harvest.

The olive harvest has long been an important part of part of Greece’s unique culture and heritage. In fact, Greece is the only nation in the European Union that gives civil servants special leave during the olive harvest.

Although some regions of Greece begin the harvest as early as October, most harvests take place in November just as olives begin to ripen, turning from green to a purplish black. As unique as the Greek soil that produces these olives, the harvest requires exceptional efforts on behalf of both farmers, who pick their olives by hand, and millers, who produce olive oil around the clock.

The Olive Harvest in Greece

Western New England College graduate, Demetrios Panteleakis is the president of the MacMillan Group in Springfield, Massachusetts. Each year, Demetrios Panteleakis travels to his family farm in Greece for the annual olive harvest. 

Olive groves exist throughout Greece, and while the harvest season starts as early as the end of October, it isn't until late November that the best olives are picked. Nevertheless, the harvest season continues through mid-January.

The wild olive tree is native to the eastern Mediterranean, and fossilized olive trees have been dated between 50-60,000 years old. The Greeks were the first people to cultivate the trees, and they have been an integral part of Greek culture since the Stone Age.

The olive tree is always growing, and during droughts, the trees must be watered to ensure that it will bear fruit. The trees also require careful pruning to stimulate the growth of the flowering branches and to keep the tree close enough to the ground for easier fruit picking.

The beauty of the landscape and the majesty of the trees make harvesting the olives such a joy that the olive harvest has become eco-tourism. Olive lovers from around the world come to Greece each year to enjoy the ancient tradition of picking this delicious fruit.

Places to Visit on the Mani Peninsula in Greece

A graduate of Western New England University School of Law, Demetrios Panteleakis serves as president of Macmillan Group, a real estate company that covers Western New England, the Berkshires, and Northern Connecticut. Outside of work, Demetrios Panteleakis enjoys traveling to the Mani Peninsula in Greece to visit his family’s home. 

Located in Laconia, the Mani is known for being wild and rugged. Left to govern itself throughout the Roman Empire and one of only regions not conquered by the Ottoman Empire. The region features a number of interesting sites, including:

-Areopoli. City that sparked the Greek Revolution for Independence from the Ottomans which liberated all of Greece and the Balkans. 

- The caves of Diros. Inhabited until the 4th century BCE, the Diros caves are near the village of Pyrgos Dirou. Visitors can view the many stalactites and stalagmites on a guided 30-minute boat tour of the caves. 

- Cape Tenaro. Mentioned in The Iliad by Homer, Cape Tenaro has been a prominent location in Southern Europe for several thousand years. Attractions in the area include the ruins of Tainaron, an ancient Roman city, and a ruined church constructed on the foundation of Poseidon's Temple.

- Pikoulakis Tower House Museum. Created inside a restored tower, the museum showcases Byzantine art from Mani churches, including a marble templon dating back to the 12th century from the Church of Agios Ioannis in nearby Mina.

Places to Visit on Greece's Mainland and Islands

A Juris Doctor graduate of Western New England University School of Law, Demetrios Panteleakis serves as President of Macmillan Group, LLC, a real estate company that serves clients in Western New England, the Berkshires, and Northern Connecticut. In his free time, Demetrios Panteleakis enjoys vacationing in Greece, which offers plenty of sites to visit both on its mainland and on its many islands. 

On Greece’s mainland, one of the most famous sites is Delphi, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ancient settlers used to embark on pilgrimages to Delphi to worship Apollo and seek advice from the Oracle. Located 180 kilometers from Athens, Delphi features ruins from several temples, a stadium, and a theater, which date from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century AD. 

Those looking to explore Greece’s islands should be sure to stop at Santorini. One of the 56 Cyclade Islands of Greece, Santorini draws visitors to its dramatic cliff-top towns of Oia and Fira on the western coast of the island. The island also features volcanic black sand beaches and a well-known archeological site named Akrotiri, which was home to an ancient Minoan settlement covered by lava approximately 3,600 years ago.