On the island of SOLTA most of the agriculture was initially started as a means of survival and personal sustenance of food.  The island was originally a large, relatively barren, rock formation composed primarily of limestone with little vegetation when first inhabited.  In order to plant, the top layers of porous limestone were "harvested" for a number of purposes.  To build houses and shelters, and reveal rich layers of virgin soil. In Roman times, planting areas were divided up amongst peasants by the building of dry stone walls. As time marched on and the island became more densely populated, more and more limestone rock was removed.  It led to an early "industry" of producing limestone powder, the result of burning the rock in kilns.  This was used locally as a mortar mixture in building stronger stone houses and exported for use elsewhere.  Although this "industry" eventually died out in more modern times, the evidence of kilns still exists and the island's hills are a patchwork of the dry stone walls surrounding olive groves, orchards, vineyards and large gardens throughout the island.

Today, on the island of SOLTA, vineyards, olive groves, citrus fruit orchards and vegetable fields are the backbone of the island's agriculture.  Olive Oil is the main commercial product for export to the mainland; whereas locally produced wines and liqueurs, fruits and vegetables, are grown more for local use or sale at open air stalls throughout the island during the warmer months for purchase by visitors.  You'll also find a range of honey, jams, conserved olives and figs, lavender, rosemary and sage products including essential oils, together with medicinal plant bitters, available during the summer season.

Visiting the island of SOLTA, you will feel as if you have travelled back in time.  Some farmers still use donkeys to carry bags of olives to home presses or the refinery to make olive oil; baskets of grapes from vineyards to hand turned presses for fermentation in large barrels before bottling.  Donkeys and vintage farm equipment slowly trundle the roads from the fields and outlying areas; some carrying wood back to homes and farms for use in stoves and grills for cooking and heating in many instances.  Once in a while you will come across a herd of sheep or goats grazing.  They are still used today for fresh milk and cheese production and of course, meat.  Chickens, ducks and geese are also raised on the island for eggs and meat consumption.  It is still possible to have breakfasts with fresh farm eggs, milk and cheese together with newly baked bread from ancient wood ovens.

On the island of SOLTA, agriculture is still pursued with traditional ways and means by families.  The manual labor of soil tilling and weeding, with composting and plant waste as fertilisers, the handpicking of the different crops - not the huge commercial mechanised farm properties of most western European countries.  Crop harvest sizes are the results of nature's climates.  With the right amount of rain, sea breezes and the all important sun and hand rearing, there's always an abundance of naturally wholesome, fresh organic olive oil, wine and food products to eat and enjoy whilst you visit the island of SOLTA.