1st Corfu Olive Tour
Powered by the Dafnis Family, producers of The Governor Olive Oil
The olive tree (scientific name: “Olea Europaea”), is a flowering plant member of the “Oleaceace” plant family, which is widely spread in all Mediterranean countries and in Greece. Its fruit is the olive, of which the olive-oil is yielded. The olive tree was one of the most recognized symbols of the Goddess Pallas Athena.
History
The olive tree is known since the ancient times, its true origins are unknown, it possibly originated in the East Mediterranean countries. According to the ancient Greek Mythology the olive tree is originated in Athens and the first olive tree was planted by Pallas Athena in Acropolis.
Greeks were the first people to cultivate olive trees in the European Mediterranean area; they were brought either by Greek settlers or Phoenician merchants.
According to Pliny the Elder, in 580 BC neither in ancient Rome nor in Spain or in Tunis new about olive trees and its cultivation.
Olive and Nutrition
The olive, the fruit of the olive tree (fruit of olea europaea), is essential in the Mediterranean nutrition, both as an edible fruit and as in form of olive oil.
It is a magnificent source of monounsuturated fatty acids. The olive fruit provides the human body with vegetable fibres and metals and is the source of vitamin E, which is a natural antioxidant. Vitamin E is considered to slow the alterations of cell membranes and counter osteoporosis.
Olive oil in Medicine
Olive oil was known to be used for therapeutic purposes. It was already used as medicine before 4000 BC.
Aristotle studied olive oil and established its cultivation as a science.
Solon was the first to legislate for the protection of olive trees.
Homer describes olive oil as a “golden fluid”.
Hippocrates, the father of Medicine, describes it as the “perfect medicine”.
In his saved works, more than 60 pharmaceutical and medical ways to use olive oil are described, inclusive of skin problems, muscle pains, therapy against ulcer and cholera, mouth and gum inflammation, insomnia, nausea, fever and stomach pains.
Pedanius Dioscorides calls olive oil “perfect to use for health”. He mentions numerous therapeutic qualities against herpes and mouth ulcer. He also states that the oil from wild olive trees is styptic and beneficial against headaches.
3 Comments
Hi
I am looking to visit your wonderful farm/mill tomorrow with my family. We are visiting from India and really excited to see Governor’s olive mill and the family that runs it.Can you please confirm if you have slot available for 4 adults for tomorrow morning, we are interested in the 3 hour tour? I have a 4 year child as well, let me know if children are allowed. Also please confirm if pick up/ drop from Corfu town can be arranged. Thanks and looking forward to your response. Baijoyanti Gangopadhyay
We are a group of 11 arriving from the Celebrity Infinity on July 31, 2019 and we all very much would like to arrange a tour. I emailed at the Trip Advisor site but got no answer. I hope you will be able to accommodate us! Thank you.
The tour was fantastic! George was an excellent host, full of good humour with equal amounts of passion about what he and his family do. I was so interested to learn about the colourful history of olive oil production in Corfu and it’s a great thing to see a family company achieve so much! After the tour George took us to see a Byzantine castle! Well worth a visit – has given me a new found appreciation of olive oil and the associated local heritage and culture in Corfu.
The tour was fantastic! George was an excellent host, full of good humour with equal amounts of passion about what he and his family do. I was so interested to learn about the colourful history of olive oil production in Corfu and it’s a great thing to see a family company achieve so much! After the tour George took us to see a Byzantine castle! Well worth a visit – has given me a new found appreciation of olive oil and the associated local heritage and culture in Corfu.