Pastoral life - Livestock of Crete

At CreteThe sheep and goat breeding created one pastoral culture which left significant material and intangible imprints.

Crete, although an island, has always been one of the regions of Greece with the most developed livestock of sheep and goats. But the way herds grazed was different. In Thessaly and Continent breeders traveled a long time of their lives to graze their sheep and market them.

In Crete the livestock was and remains either "semi-householdThat is, breeders exploit barren and cultivated areas around villages, orpastoral», With the utilization of mountain massifs for animal grazing.

References to Homer and the Minoan era confirm that the oldest profession in Crete is that of shepherd, with pastoral societies having a depth of life. Of course, the historical reports are superfluous, when one lives closely the daily life of the Cretans and the close relationship that still exists today between each Cretan shepherd and the "oases" of his flock. And when one walks on the slopes of the mountains (mainly White Mountains and Psiloritis) and observe the primitive buildings (mitata, koumos and tarfos), the paths and the gidostrata, the shepherds with the "kouradia" (herds), the tools and accessories of the shepherds and get acquainted with their practice, the rules and customary codes, stories and beliefs, will see how deeply in time the principles of pastoral life and pastoral culture are lost. Since then, livestock farming in Crete has not changed its character.

Sheep and goat breeding is traditional, with not very high yields, but with healthy, high quality products, produced at low cost. The quality of dairy products depends on the quality of the food the animals receive. The English lamb, for example, can not provide the same nutrients as the equivalent of Crete, since Great Britain has only 6 endemic herbs, while Crete has over 160 species.

The lambs of Crete provide an excellent milk for its cheese and their delicious meat for cooking.

In Crete, lamb and goat are cooked opposite each other (around the fire) in contrast to mainland Greece which is baked on a spit (in both cases it is the pre-eminent food of Sunday, the feast and the Brilliant). Cooked are fried, fricassee, stew, lemonade, braised, oregano, Hanioti cake, and their meat is accompanied by artichokes, fennel, oysters, wild radishes, wild stamnagathia, vegetables, potatoes, traditional yogurt and yogurt.