How Athenians are Cultivating their Organic food at Farma Moo

Farm-to-table is slowly becoming not just a trend but a serious lifestyle choice for Athenians. Farma Moo offers a well-organised, enjoyable and upbeat way of reaping the benefits of seasonal, pesticide-free produce at home while also discovering the art of farming hands-on.

Athenians living in flats with tiny balconies where only a handful of geraniums grow can now become active farmers growing their bio food. That’s all thanks to Farma Moo, located in Nea Makri in eastern Attica, in a 40,000 square metre natural landscape.

The farm is in an idyllic spot, surrounded by mountains and near a river. It is home to a lively family of animals - rabbits and peacocks, Shetland ponies and sheep adopted from Cameroon, geese, chickens of all races, a horse and a donkey.

For a mere 150 euros for a 6-month season of produce, members can rent a 30-metre square plot and plant fruit, veggies and herbs of their choice.

“We carefully tend our member’s plots but encourage them to come here to cultivate their land and gather their own produce so that they can enjoy having contact with nature,” says Eleni Apergi.

“We can advise them on how to farm their produce, and they are free to use whatever farming methods they choose, such as Biodynamic farming, for example - as long as it’s organic.

We don’t use any kind of pesticides or chemical fertilisers,” Apergi underlines, “and have brought a variety of insects that help the farming process. We also don’t slaughter any animals; we allow them to age gracefully and happily!”

With three friends, Angelike Vassiliadis, Angelos Boukis and Michalis Kanalis, Apergi dreamed up Farma Moo a few years ago mainly because of their need for a more natural, ecological and tranquil way of life, that they soon decided to share with the wider public. “Our farm is like a small village,” she says, “where people can come and pick their produce, go for hikes on the mountains or to the nearby Rapedosas dam, where there are a lake and beautiful waterfalls to bathe in during summer and participate in nature-based activities.

Workshops are organised to inspire kids to learn about nature first-hand via theatre, creative play and storytelling, and school groups have started visiting the farm too. Kids can also play on our wooden swings, ride Shetland ponies and help feed the animals.”

Meanwhile, the farm also makes some of its own food products, using their home-grown produce - jams, spooned sweets, honey and of course, fresh eggs, and weekend visitors can relax at their lovely cafe-restaurant to sample homemade lemonade, ice cream and omelettes among other snacks created from the fresh seasonal produce.

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