Despite difficulties, one of the country’s first organic farmers continues to fight the good fight

By Calliope Patera *

Christoforos Diamantis started farming organically in Marathon, northeast of Athens, in 1985, at a time when there were no agencies for certifying agricultural products, but even then he understood that pesticides and other heavy chemicals had no place in the cultivation of superior crops.

Diamantis studied agriculture in Konitsa, northern Greece, in the late 1950s. After that he worked as a builder and a carpenter for 19 years, which allowed him to save some money and pursue what he really loved: farming. “The school was good and practical, and it taught me how to grow different crops without pesticides. I realized then that vegetables not only grow without pesticides, but do so in a better way. I wanted to put that knowledge into practice,” he said.

Since 1989 Diamantis has been among the leaders in the battle for a certification agency that specializes in organic products. Together with a group of other like-minded farmers, Diamantis helped establish the Ecological Farming Association (SOGE), which publishes the Organic Farming magazine, aimed at organic farmers and consumers. In 1993, Biohellas and Dio became the first agencies in Greece for certifying the quality of the products on the market and Diamantis was the first organic farmer to be certified.

Since then, Diamantis has never allowed standards to slip. His farm is located on 24 hectares between lakes Marathon and Yliki. He grows all kind of crops, depending on the season, although there are times when he needs to grow out-of-season produce, such as tomatoes, due to high demand. Apparently consumers feel they cannot survive without tomatoes all year round. Right now, Diamantis is cultivating summer fruits and vegetables. He has also recently introduced...