The natural environment of Lemnos
Lemnos - the eighth largest island in Greece - is a volcanic island located in the centre of the North Aegean Sea, opposite the Dardanelles and almost equidistant from Mount Athos and the coast of Asia Minor. The islands of Imvros, Tenedos, Samothrace and Thassos are also located in the same part of the sea.
The highest point of Lemnos is the peak Skopia or Vigla, with an altitude of 470 metres, in the northwestern part of the island. The morphology of Lemnos is hilly, with characteristic hills and rocky formations. Despite its hilly characteristics, it is a fairly fertile island. Its soil resources include the 'Lemnian soil', which is considered therapeutic and consists mainly of siliceous clay, iron oxide and aluminium oxide, depending on the analysis. The mining site of 'Limnia earth' is probably considered to be the hill of Moschylos, between the villages of Varos-Repanidi and Kotsinas. The 'Limnia earth' was of a 'medium reddish brown' colour and was considered to have therapeutic properties.
Lemnos lacks trees, but the low hills are covered with shrubs such as shrubs and thyme. From the fossilized traces of trees that have been found from time to time and in various parts of the island, it appears that 25-11 million years ago, during the Miocene period, the climate of the island was much warmer than today.
Today it is quite mild, with moderate winters and relatively cool summers, with rainfall usually occurring from December to March. Lemnos is located at the point where wind currents from Thrace, the Dardanelles and the North Aegean meet. The prevailing winds are northeasterly. The strong winds are partly responsible for the lack of forest vegetation. However, this lack may also be due to over-exploitation, especially by sheep and goat farming, which has deterred the inhabitants from actively growing trees, or even to the fact that the soil of Lemnos lends itself to other extensive agricultural crops. Probably, all the above factors combined to contribute to the absence of forest vegetation on the island.
Lemnos has a rich history of many centuries in agriculture. The cultivation of cereals, such as wheat and barley, was important in ancient Lemnos and continues to this day. The areas with cereals have been a significant part of the island's agricultural economy and produced high-quality products that nourish both the locals and the visitors, while significant quantities are exported, a practice that was also followed in the past. Varieties such as the local Panagia Barley and imported ones like black wheat find the ideal soil and climatic conditions that give them unique quality characteristics.
A range of products such as vegetables (cucumbers, zucchini, onions, lettuce, various types of tomatoes, okra, leeks, etc.), legumes (the local varieties aspromytiko, afkos and laphiri, beans, peach, peach, fulia, etc.), cereals (oats, corn, barley, durum wheat) and also cotton, aniseed, marjoram and sesame find in Lemnos the right environment to produce a unique flavour. Tree crops include fig trees, almond trees and, to a small extent, various fruit plants.
The cultivation of vines is also an important part of Lemnos' agricultural heritage. The island's vineyards produce fine wines with unique flavours and aromas, taking advantage of the dry climate and fertile soils of the area. The local wine, which comes mainly from two varieties, Muscat of Alexandria and the ancient variety "Kalambaki" or "Lemnio", is an integral part of the island's culture and gastronomy, offering a unique tasting experience to visitors.
Furthermore, Lemnos is a paradise for birdwatchers. With its variety of natural ecosystems, the expanses of Lemnos provide shelter and food for a variety of bird species, from small rodents to large aquatic birds. The wetlands of Lemnos are known for the presence of many bird species that arrive during the migratory periods. The list of bird species in Lemnos includes 243 species such as the Black Stork, the Great Egret, the Blue Rock Thrush, the Fish Eagle, and the Pheasant.
Among the island's wildlife are the hedgehog, the little blind mole, the otter, the European rabbit, and the wild rabbit, whose population has alarmingly increased in recent decades, causing many problems both to the ecosystem in general and to agriculture.
The combination of these traditional agricultural practices with the rich natural beauty and diversity of fauna makes Lemnos a unique destination for nature lovers and gastronomy enthusiasts.
Limnos hosts a variety of varieties created by the ancestors of today's inhabitants of the island, taking advantage of its unique soil and climatic conditions. It is known for its "Lemnian Wine," which became famous since the time of Homer, when ships transported it to the Achaeans in Troy. In the previous century, it was enriched with muscat grapevines from Egypt and other varieties introduced by the refugees from Asia Minor. In addition to wine, traditional tsipouro is produced in its distilleries using the Lemnian variety of anise, which surpasses in aroma every other type.
Lemnos has a rich tradition of wheat cultivation dating back at least to the 3rd millennium BC, as evidenced by the archaeological finds of the "seven-cities" Poliochni. This tradition continued through the classical and Byzantine periods, when the island was part of the grain storage of Byzantium, and it extends to the present day. In the late 1920s, agronomist Ioannis Papadakis selected the variety "Lemnos" from the white husk of Roman Lemnos, which contributed to the creation of the required grain supply of the time.
Furthermore, legumes were a staple at the table of the residents, either as fava made from "afkos" and "lafyri", or as green or white dried beans. Along with these, broad beans were popular, and later beans became common. In some villages, it was customary to consume the lemon beans after the bitter taste was removed.
