A few words about our home and farm
‘Spiti’ means home – so the “Mykonian Spiti” is a traditional Mykonian home, that each visitor is welcome at during their stay on the island. The house belongs to a local Mykonian family, who have obtained, living and working on the island of Mykonos, a particularly sophisticated experience in incoming tourism. Following this long experience and everyday life in Mykonos, the family decided to re-organize their everyday life, introducing into it, the authentic traditional Mykonian style of living, and progressively being particularly devoted to it and setting it as their highest priority. At the same time, apart from keeping the Mykonian traditional way of living as their own everyday standard, they decided to share with the island’s visitors the memorable feelings and experience that this way of living generates. This innovative idea gave also the opportunity to the family to convert the everyday tradition and habits into professional activity.
The Mykonian Spiti began in 2012 by launching the Cooking Classes activity, with the traditional Mykonian way of cooking the food, using the authentic organic fresh Mykonian goods taken from the family vegetable garden and accompanied by the narration of Mykonian family habits with stories including the elements of tradition, religion and of course family love and unity. This activity today is considered a cult favorite amongst visitors on the island and has been praised on numerous occasions. Today the Mykonian Spiti’s activities have multiplied and continue to do so, including such tours as a visit to their own Traditional Mykonian Farm, an authentic barbeque on the farm, wine tasting either at the Mykonian Spiti of the Mykonian Farm, a visit to Ancient Delos, and more. Their aim however, remains the same. To instil the hospitality and the everyday lifestyle of a traditional Mykonian family.
The Traditional Mykonian Farm was established in 2012 and offers the ideal adventure by bringing all guests close to the traditional domesticated animals and organic farming of a Mykonian Farm. It is located approx. 3,9 km from the Mykonian Spiti and 7 km from the Mykonos town and port, and through its establishments we aim to grow as many organic products as possible, that will serve towards the hospitality of the Mykonian Spiti guests. In the Farm, guests have the opportunity to spend some time with our lovely animals, such as cows, pigs, chickens, turtles, donkeys and goats. They have also the ability to experience all of our organic plants, to take care of them and to participate in day-to-day farming work. Moreover, they can enjoy a traditional barbecue, tasting the traditional Mykonian recipes and also enjoy the local drinks, as is “raki” and local excellent wines, all produced in Mykonos. In addition, they can participate in the “wine tasting” experience, presented by a professional and referenced “sommelier”. It is a unique and alternative activity, which gives the feeling of the authentic and traditional life of the island.
A few words about our farm residents.
Cows are one of the most popular domesticated animals in many countries around the world. They bring a number of benefits to those that have them, but the surprising thing is that they are a lot more sophisticated than most people give them credit for.
They are a lot like people in that they are very social. They will automatically gather into a herd and will form bonds with some of the cows, while avoiding others.
Here are some interesting facts about cows:
Cows are colorblind to the red and green colors. People sometimes think that it is the red color of the cape that catches the eye of the bull in a bullfight, but it’s actually just the waving of the material.
Cows have the ability to hear both higher and lower frequencies better than human beings.
The average dairy cow weighs about 1,200 lbs.
You often see a cow chewing. They actually chew at least fifty times a minute and has 40,000 movements of their jaw per day.
Most of the time we see a cow standing, but they actually sit down and stand up around fourteen times each day.
When you see a cow grazing, they are not biting the grass but instead curling their tongues around it.
They have just one stomach but it is divided into four different compartments for digestion.
The length of time for a cow to be pregnant is the same as humans: nine months.
Cows produce a lot of saliva. The make so much saliva that it totals to around 125 pounds per day.
A typical day for a cow is: 8 hrs. eating, 8 hrs. chewing their cud and 8 hrs. sleeping.
This animal is well known for being a sturdy and hard worker, but many people don’t realize that donkeys can be quite interesting. Although most people only seem to notice donkeys when they’re pinning the tail on them at birthday parties, this animal is full of fun and interesting facts.
There is a lot more to donkeys than their unique “hee-haw” neigh and their clunky hooves.
Donkeys can be found in a number of different geographical locations, mostly due to their domestication. In ancient times, they were typically found in places like central Asia and northern Africa. There they had become very accustomed to warm and dry climates. Today donkeys can found in many others places, with an estimated 40 million of them roaming worldwide.
Donkeys get their reputation for being dependable mostly due to the fact that they’re often used as work donkeys. Many donkeys are used in developing countries as methods of commute and transportation of goods and services. In these countries, donkeys take the place of cars and other transportation options.
Donkeys eat a lot of straw and hay (sometimes up to 5 percent of their body weight in one day). They may be prone to overeating when it comes to lush grasses, so pet owners and owners of work donkeys should pay close attention. Obesity due to overeating is a real threat to the health of many donkeys. These are grazing animals, so eating too much is certainly a possibility!
Donkeys have a low water requirement per unit of bodyweight, lower than any other domesticated animal except the camel. They are also rather picky about the water they drink, sometimes even denying water for being too dirty.
Donkeys have obvious similarities to horses and ponies in their appearance – however, they are not completely similar. Donkeys have smaller hooves, are typically smaller in stature, and have stiffer, bristlier manes instead of lone flowing manes. Donkeys also have longer ears while horses have longer faces.
Believe it or not, donkeys are very intelligent. They have excellent memories and can remember places very well. The infamous donkey reputation for stubbornness (hence the phrase “stubborn as a mule”) comes from a natural ability in donkeys to reason and consider situations carefully before acting. They are also difficult to startle, unlike horses, who they are often compared to.
Sheep have been one of the highly prized domesticated animals in many cultures around the world. They bring many uses to humans including the use of their coats, milk and as a food source. In Greece approx. 10 million sheep are bred, which is the fourth highest number in Europe.
Interesting facts about sheep:
Sheep are herbivores, which means they eat plants, vegetables and grasses.
Sheep typically exist in grassy plains and mountains and are believed to have originated in Asia and Europe.
Sheep are incredibly intelligent and have the ability to do simple problem solving. They are compared to the same intellectual level as dogs.
Sheep also have incredible memories. They can remember fellow sheep as well as humans for many years.
Sheep, like some other creatures, have the ability to display emotions. They use the positioning of their ears, facial expressions and various vocalizations to express emotions.
When a sheep becomes ill they will seek out specific plants to self-medicate.
A female sheep is called a ‘ewe’ and forms a very tight bond with her baby. A mother sheep will be able to recognize her young from their own unique call or ‘bleat’.
Sheep are social animals and love being in a group. From birth, they are very independent, playful and sometimes mischievous.
Domesticated sheep are typically smaller than wild sheep. Wild sheep also have horns that they use for protection and predator defense. The largest breed of wild sheep is the Argali which averages 1.2 m tall.
People have been raising chickens for more than 7,000 years. Chickens were first domesticated in India and China and it is believed that it arrived in Greece at around 800-900BC. You might think of chickens as farm animals, but even people in cities can raise a few chickens in the backyard. Chicken coops don’t take up much room.
The chicken is well-known for many things – clucking about on farms, laying eggs, and being covered in big, white feathers, to name a few. All of these things are obvious, but there are many interesting facts about this animal you may not know. If you’ve ever visited a farm, it’s very likely you’ve seen a bunch of chickens running about. Perhaps you’ve even held a baby chick at one point in your life. The chicken is much more fascinating than one may realize – read these chicken facts to learn more about this mostly domesticated animal:
– A healthy chicken lays about 265 eggs each year.
– Chickens are related to the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
– Chickens will be less nervous if you walk backwards when entering the coop.
– Most chickens swallow gravel to help mash food.
– Chickens cluck after they lay an egg.
– Despite popular belief, not all chickens look exactly the same – they can come in different sizes and colors. However, the general body structure of chickens is rather similar, and includes a tiny head with a very plump body. Most chickens also have scale-covered legs and sharp claws used for gripping objects and walking.
A chicken’s diet will not be very appealing to us humans – chickens in the wild like to eat whatever they can overpower, like mice, insects, and grains. Domesticated chickens are often given “chicken feed” which is specifically created for chickens to give them the proper nutrition they need to grow. Chicken feed contains grains, vegetable/animal proteins, and other added minerals and nutrients.
Believe it or not, despite popular belief, chickens are not completely flightless. Chickens can fly a little bit – well enough to make it over a fence or even up a tree.
You’ve seen goats on a farm and read about them in stories, but what kind of an animal is a goat? Goats are mammals. This means that they have fur, give birth to live babies, and are warm-blooded. All goats have a long body, short legs, and a short tail. They belong to the family bovidae. This family also includes deer, cows, sheep and antelope. They are social animals but they are not flock oriented.
Interesting facts:
Goats were first domesticated by man in 10,000 B. C., and were the first animals to be used for milk by humans.
There are 210 different breeds of goats and over 450 million around the world. China has the most goats with over 170 million.
Goats live to be 8 to 12 years old, but in some cases they can live to be 15 years old. The life span of a goat is about that of a dog.
They are also very agile and some can jump over 5 feet.
Goats don’t like to get wet and will seek shelter when it’s raining.
Coffee was first discovered by goat herders when they noticed the animals having an unusual amount of energy after eating coffee beans.
Both the male and female goats can have a beard.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a tortoise and a turtle? Both animals are reptiles; both lay eggs and both have hard, bony shells. Tortoises live on land, in deserts, grasslands and forests. Turtles have webbed feet and live in rivers, lakes or even the ocean. They only leave the water to lay their eggs. A terrapin is a turtle that spends time both in and out of the water. It always lives close to water, though, and can be found in swamps and wetlands.
Turtles in fact come in all shapes and sizes and exist on land and in the sea. Whatever you call them, turtles are interesting animals. Their bony shell is covered in scales. It is attached to their backbone and can’t be removed. Some turtles can duck their head and limbs inside their shell for protection. Not all turtles can do this.
They have been around for millions of years and some turtles live longer than people (some up to 200 years of age). In Greece it is now a protected species and all exports are banned.
Interesting facts:
Turtles are omnivores. They eat fruit, plants, insects and other animals. Some turtles even eat poisonous jellyfish.
Sea turtles return to the same place every two or three years to lay their eggs. They migrate thousands of miles.
Turtles lay their soft eggs in the sand, dirt, or in grass. They dig holes and deposit the eggs. Some turtles lay only a few eggs. Some can lay over 1,000 at one time. Once the eggs are laid, the turtles move on, leaving the babies to fend for themselves.
Turtles can’t move very fast. People catch them for pets and other animals hunt them.
Turtles are ectothermic. They can’t control their own body temperature.
Pigs are incredibly intelligent. Some have indicated that they are as smarter than dogs and are considered the fourth smartest animal on the planet. Due to that fact, many people have chosen to go beyond the concept of looking at pigs as a food source, but now keep them as house pets. Despite their reputation, pigs are not dirty animals. They’re actually quite clean. The pig’s reputation as a filthy animal comes from its habit of rolling in mud to cool off. Pigs that live in cool, covered environments stay very clean.
Interesting facts about pigs:
They are incredibly social creatures that form bonds with pigs and people. The love laying down in close contact with each other
Unlike the typical image, pigs are actually very clean. They make sure that their eating areas are completely separate from their toilet areas and even newborn babies will leave their nest to use the toilet only hours after they have been born.
Pigs have an incredible sense of smell. Their snouts have a large round disk that is made of cartilage at the very end. It is connected with muscles that allow it the ability to move so they can have the strength to root around in the ground.
Cultures around the world eat the meat of pigs. However, there are some diseases that are contained in pig meat that can be very harmful to humans and certain religions consider it wrong to eat the meat of pigs.
Many children wish for a pet rabbit and who can blame them? Children often love the idea of a baby bunny and we agree – baby animals are the cutest! Rabbits have been a symbol of many cultures representing nature, fertility and happiness. Their mostly small size and gentle nature has made them wonderful pets as well as a source of food on many continents.
Although not always the most disciplined animals, a rabbit is one with personality, sociable with people and is very interesting to have around (There’s always something going on in a house with a rabbit).
Interesting facts about rabbits:
Rabbits are a type of rodent and are known for their large ears, soft fur, large feet and springy legs as well as small tail.
There are thirty species of rabbits that reside all around the world. Many of the rabbits differ but they all share quite a few common traits.
Rabbits breed a lot and have many babies each of the four times a year that they breed. Only 15% of the baby rabbits that are born live to be one year, so nature has given them the opportunity to produce a lot of babies.
Rabbits are herbivores (plant eating) mammals. The eat vegetables, tree bark and herbs. A rabbit’s diet is very important. The wrong food can kill a rabbit.
Rabbits are social, loving and interactive animals. They live in groups called herds in a home called a warren. The average lifespan of a rabbit is between 8 to 10 years.
Rabbits can jump as long as 36 inches and higher and can run about 35 miles an hour.
They don’t like being picked up.
They are considered quite clean animals as the groom themselves.
Meh synth Schlitz, tempor duis single-origin coffee ea next level ethnic fingerstache fanny pack nostrud. Photo booth anim 8-bit hella, PBR 3 wolf moon beard Helvetica. Salvia esse nihil, flexitarian Truffaut synth art party deep v chillwave. Seitan High Life reprehenderit consectetur cupidatat kogi. Et leggings fanny pack.
Meh synth Schlitz, tempor duis single-origin coffee ea next level ethnic fingerstache fanny pack nostrud. Photo booth anim 8-bit hella, PBR 3 wolf moon beard Helvetica. Salvia esse nihil, flexitarian Truffaut synth art party deep v chillwave. Seitan High Life reprehenderit consectetur cupidatat kogi. Et leggings fanny pack.
Exercitation photo booth stumptown tote bag Banksy, elit small batch freegan sed. Craft beer elit seitan exercitation, photo booth et 8-bit kale chips proident chillwave deep v laborum. Aliquip veniam delectus, Marfa eiusmod Pinterest in do umami readymade swag. Selfies iPhone Kickstarter, drinking vinegar jean vinegar stumptown yr pop-up artisan.
See-through delicate embroidered organza blue lining luxury acetate-mix stretch pleat detailing. Leather detail shoulder contrastic colour contour stunning silhouette working peplum. Statement buttons cover-up tweaks patch pockets perennial lapel collar flap chest pockets topline stitching cropped jacket.
Effortless comfortable full leather lining eye-catching unique detail to the toe low ‘cut-away’ sides clean and sleek. Polished finish elegant court shoe work duty stretchy slingback strap mid kitten heel this ladylike design slingback strap mid kitten heel this ladylike design.
Mykonian Spiti & Farm
Messaria, Mykonos 84600, Cyclades
Greece +30 22890 78704, +30 6936577797 (mob), info@mykonianspiti.com