A quick-at-a-glance agricultural look at why Naxos’ land helps make the local cheese & dairy delicious!
A recent conversation with agriculturalist Vaggelis Koukouzis, provided us with some insight on how and why Naxos is one of Greece’s leading cheese and dairy producers.
“It begins with what the cows and goats eat,” explains Vaggelis. “The livestock on Naxos graze free-range in pastures that enjoy and abundance and variety of aromatic herbs and wild greens, hence the milk they produce simply tastes better,” he says.
Another key factor is the geographical makeup of the island.
According to Vaggelis, Naxos’ ideal climatic conditions result in fertile soil. Its natural water resources and hours of sunlight also contribute. Important, too, are Naxos’ mountains. Boasting the Cyclades’ tallest, Mt. Zas, the island enjoys the luxury of hosting seeds brought in by the wind.
Vaggelis explains, “the wind brings a myriad of spores from the Attica region (one of Europe’s great sources for herbs) and elsewhere. As they travel over the Cyclades, they hit the mountains here on Naxos and fall to the ground. The fertile soil, sporadic winter rains and continuous sunlight the remainder of the year, takes care of the rest.”