Dr Kavvadia’s Farm The Medicinal Olives of Corfu

A farm extolled the varietes of the Corfiot grove, establishing the island’s prominence on the map with the exceptional olive oils.

In Greece, the value of olive oil has been known since the time of Hippocrates, who referred to it as the great healer. Fast forward many centuries to 1950, when a doctor from Kefalonia, having married a Corfiot woman, ventured to the island and acquired a farm adorned with olive trees. 

A visionary and diligent researcher, Dr Kavvadias foresaw the significance of bitterness and its antioxidant properties. Thus, he naturally cultivated Lianelia (a local olive variety), crafting bitter oil from unripe olives, which he regarded as a holistic remedy for the body.
In 2010, Apostolos Porsanidis, his grandson, returned from Paris, where he worked as an industrial designer, to assume his grandfather’s role on the farm. Although initially unfamiliar with the business, he inherited not only the olive grove but also a passion for olive oil, a commitment to sustainable farming practices, an enthusiasm for organic production, and the aspiration to create a genuine medicinal remedy. During this period, Corfu had not yet been recognised among the premier Greek locales for olive oil production, and the prevailing belief in Greece was that the olive variety determined its quality. Soon, a new generation of inspired olive farmers understood that quality control begins in the orchard but culminates in the milling process. Despite scepticism from those around him, Apostolos embarked on his new venture. 

His first harvest was processed at the Pantokrator- Kamarela monastery in Agioi Douloi, home to the sole organically-certified hydraulic press on the island. Through dedication and unwavering determination, Apostolos immersed himself in education, travel and study, delving into the intricacies of the olive tree until he unravelled all its mysteries in the years that ensued. Organic farming incorporating permaculture elements devoid of fertilisers and chemicals ensures a pristine fruit without residues and simultaneously safeguards the land and ecosystem. Harvesting spans from October to mid-November, with a portion of the olives handpicked and carefully placed in plastic crates, ready for pressing on the same day using gentle methods. The outcome is extra virgin olive oil that venerates the island’s Lianelia variety, a product characterised by its fruity, subtly bitter and spicy profile, boasting a high polyphenol content and emanating aromas of artichoke, grass, red pepper, almond and herbs. The farm also produces a second monovarietal – Thiako, derived from an aged Ionian variety, offering an intensely fruity olive oil with fragrances of chamomile, green apple, herbs, grass and almond. The packaging, reminiscent of a vintage apothecary, establishes the perfect ambience for its contents, immersing you in anticipation of exceptional Greek olive oil.

A journey to Dr Kavvadia’s Farm in the Tzavros region offers a holistic ecotourism experience, spanning from the olive grove and the 1800s stone mill to engaging tastings, workshops and farm-to-table meals. The experience concludes with a delightful stay in two farmhouses.
 

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TEXT : ELENI PSYHOULI
PHOTOS : NIKOS KOKAS , Dr.KAVVADIA