2011 started with the kalliergo.gr a journey into the unknown. Where the unknown was plants, crops, seeds, plant diseases, the garden, flowers, trees, insects, nature itself.
John
Sadly, it was preceded by the death of my father John in 2008. A turning point that made me go through his records and try to find out who this “unknown” was.
I wonder how many other boys met their father after his death?
The relationship between son and father is particularly strange and trippy. The father loves and does everything for his children, but this is not how it is received by young males.
Something deep, almost from dinosaur times, ingrained in the brain, prevents a harmonious relationship from existing despite all efforts. Perhaps male-male competition. Two roosters in the same coop. That’s my simplistic explanation.
The principle
Whatever I read from the notes my father had left me, it left me with more questions than answers.
I realized that I knew practically nothing, and that my father’s notes would not be the ideal way to learn. They started at a level that took for granted a lot of knowledge about plants and the garden. Knowledge that I simply didn’t have.
So I started gathering material from wherever I could on the Internet. 90% from English-language sites, as at that time horticulturists were not yet interested in the Internet and there was little information in Greek.
2011. The first version of kalliergo.gr
You can view the first recorded version of kalliergo.gr from the Wayback Machine on 29.04.2011.
Before it went live, it was preceded by almost 2 years of effort and material gathering.
The material was organized and presented in a site format that had capabilities that few still have today.
The original Forum of Kalliergo
The early versions of kalliergo.gr included an active Forum. A forum that was particularly active as there were not many equivalent sources of information and dialogue in those years.
Too many remarkable people participated in it.
It was and is so important that I have maintained it despite the upcoming upgrades after 2019.
You can see it at: https://2019.kalliergo.gr/
28 publications in 11 years
What you see today as kalliergo.gr is the 28th version of the site.
There is a lot of work, time and a lot of expense behind what you see.
I hope it has helped some people to start growing and looking at plants in a different light.
Account
When I started KALLIERGO, I was under the illusion that any information I found and turned into an article was absolutely correct.
This, fortunately or unfortunately, is not the case.
The general aim may have been right, but there were and are so many parameters that affect a crop, the course of a plant, or tree, the microclimates are so different even at a distance of a few kilometres.
What I have learned, and I hope everyone who started with KALLIERGO has learned, is to respect nature. To be humble and to be constantly learning. To listen to the opinions of those more experienced. To consult agronomists.
I also learned a lot about people. There are a lot of good people out there. With incredible knowledge and experience. Humble. Who don’t get caught on the “radar” of “publicity”. But there are others who I would rather not comment on.
I don’t know about you, but for me, this trip has only given me gains (not financial). The biggest of these being respect and appreciation for nature. To meet amazing people with amazing knowledge.
And I will continue this journey for as long as I can.
Tags: CULTIVATE • EXPERIENCES • PEOPLE
