A donkey in a shady old Corfu (Greece) olive grove. Local legend states that St Spyridon appeared in an olive grove and instructed the islanders not to cut or beat the branches of the trees because it was cruel. Consequently for centuries locals have not pruned the trees, and instead of picking the olives they allow them to fall to the ground naturally, catching them in nets beneath the trees. There are around 3-4 million trees on the island thanks to the Venetians in the 16th century who ensured the continuity of oil production by paying 10 gold pieces for every 100 olive trees planted.

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Size: 5906px × 3676px
Photo credit: © Colin Waters / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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