Cereals

Cereals are the hallmark of Lemnos; in fact, one theory suggests that the island’s name derives from the word “líion”, meaning ear of grain. Since antiquity, Lemnos served as the granary of Attica through Athenian land allotments and later during the Byzantine era. On the island, only hard wheat is typically sown, with two varieties dominating: “Mavragani”, known for its distinctive black ear, and “Lemnos”, notable for its very long stalk. Both varieties are cultivated primarily for human consumption through flour production.

In recent years, a type of rye called “sitarosikali” has also been grown, named by locals for its resilience against the wild rabbits that plague the island. Another lesser-known variety, “Kapeli”, was traditionally highly productive in Lemnos’s volcanic soils, according to oral history.

Exclusively grown for animal feed is the “Panagiatiko Barley”, considered one of the island’s native barley varieties and thus receiving greater subsidies compared to other barley types. It is often intercropped with oats, whose grains are also used as fodder (called “smigos”). Lemnians also cultivate two-row barley, whose cultivation has recently expanded due to its use in producing traditional barley rusks. Additionally, a variety known as “Triminitis” is still grown on the island; unlike other cereals sown in November, this variety is planted in March and harvested in June, requiring minimal rainfall—an important trait given Lemnos’s typically dry spring.