Monthly report 31th of May 1962 Kythera Unit
I would be the great day that was organized by the Bishop: the day of the greenery. Well, it was a great day somewhat. It started with a ceremony: the Bishop blessing the works at Kapsali. Dr. Naylor, the visitor from Geneva WCC, was very much impressed, I believe. I think he saw such a ceremony for the first time, and certainly Dr. Oskamp. For the other visitors it was a normal happening. The chief director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Metaxas, and one of the higher inspectors of a department of the Forestry, Mr. Loukopoulos, were there to attend the fiesta of the greenery. We the so-called committee, Mr. Kalligeros the agricultural expert, Mr. Zerlendes the forester, and myself (George Koksma) were there as well of course. When the ceremony was finished the great day started. We tried to show something of the tree plantations, 4000 treelets had been planted in Kapsali. (Then the Bishop changed from the program as discussed a couple of days ago!) Chora power station was visited, a small exhibition of drafting works in the Team’s office, in Livadi some building work and the garden of Mr. Gianniotis. In Karvounades some work of Miss Chrissi Fevga, home-economist, in Fratsia the cows, the river improvements at Paleopolis, the beehives at Gonia, then the monastery of Myrtidiotissa. Here the multitude of planted treelets, about 10.000 off and the tree nursery. After a lengthy speech of the Bishop and by wish of the Bishop to Mylopotamos, to see the school, which was not in the program. Then to Logothetianika, the chicken and water projects. In Potamos no time was left to see the market hall construction and the water project. Now up to Karavas where no time was left to see the water project, but only a short visit was paid to the agricultural school. Here we attended the awarding of diplomas and tool boxes. Here ended the program, a bit singular end of the day. In Agia Pelagia the quests were just in time to board the ferry back to Athens.
Monthly Report August 1966. Kythera Unit.
In the end of the month was the agricultural-show in Fratsia, lasting for three days. The opening by His Grace the Bishop was joined by lots of people of the island. Our best cows, bulls and calves were showed. Our best Chios sheep and the different varieties of chicken, Zaanen goats etc.
In the elementary school there was an exhibition of the products of our island. First our honey and oil, both of them export articles, but as well the cheese and butter. The best products of the gardens you could see there, very nice melons, grapes, peaches, pears etc. etc. Even the female part was not forgotten. One could see handcraft-made blankets, carpets with much skill and good taste and I helped our agriculturist, Mr. Kalligeros, who is responsible for this exhibition, as good as I could. We thought we were very successful this year.
Animal husbandry: Again Fratsia in the news, 25 – 26 – 27th of August an official agricultural exhibition. The third (?! no report of the second) in fact. Fratsia listened to our appeal for “Animals and trees” (dating back to 1961) and showed masses of cattle. Even wonderful sheep and pigs. It was a splendid show. It started with the initiative of His Grace the Bishop (Meletios) and now it is growing out to an impressive event. Bravo Fratsia!
**the beginning of the Fratsia Fair goes back to 1962, read more in this report of 1962
All the photos below are taken during the Fratsia Fair in 1966
Monthly Report August 1968 Kythera Unit.
Annie Koksma:
And so we come to the harvest period. We canned quite a lot of pears and made a good deal of wine and everything in a hurry, because the canning machine should be shown in the yearly agricultural exhibition of Fratsia, a by government supported institution of which the Bishop is much in favour. So officials from Athens came and made indeed a nice exhibition with the help of the whole population of Fratsia. This time were shown a lot of new things, at least for Kythera, f.i. a modern kitchen with a real sink, a refrigerator, a boiler (because now most villages of Kythera have electricity), a cupboard and even a maquette of a complete country-house.
Our propaganda for one-axle tractors was insofar a success that a firm from Athens came to show different types and possibilities for use of it.
On the third day the Bishop came to present the prices for the best cows, most beautiful fruit etc. Of course people saw our cheese factory as well. But a factory that is not working does not show.
Ida Blok (agricultural engineer):
From the agricultural point of view the most important event was the agricultural show at Fratsia. The governmental agricultural adviser had order to organise it and when I asked him at the beginning of the month about it, he said “the people of Fratsia don’t cooperate much”. And in Fratsia they said “yes, we have this show but the agriculturist does not come to tell us what has to be done”.
Well, finally the 15th of August we had a first meeting at Fratsia, twelve days before the show. I offered of course my help and cooperation, which they accepted thankfully, but the only help they wanted from me was concerning my car.
One day before the opening the agriculturist went to the forester to ask for his help. “Yes”, said the forester, “I surely should have helped if only you had asked me earlier, in one day I cannot organise to select trees, to get workmen and transport and to make a plan for planting trees”. So, you understand I was not impressed by the organization as it was.
The show was three days, but only the first day was important. This day many people came, this day all the cattle was to see. Realise that I have seen some cows that came walking for over three hours! Good cows there were, some with their calves, some goats and sheep, a couple of hens and turkeys.
For the agricultural-horticultural part of the show people of all parts of the island had sent their products: honey, olives and olive oil, grapes and wine, almonds, peaches, pears, potatoes, onions and vegetables. We had sent from our (experimental) garden (Agia Anastasia) egg-plants, sweet peppers and pears. We had brought also our canning-machine and some tins with pears.
2022
The agriculture and livestock exhibition of Fratsia was established in 1962, nowadays it is one of the largest village festivals of Kythira, follow the link
https://adellinfm.blogspot.com/2022/08/36-59.html?m=1
