Kalamia is a village northwest of Kozani with a little over one-hundred residents. In front of it lies a meadow where Stefanos Semertzidis cultivates corn, barley and clover, all organically, without fertilisers and pesticides. And there is a reason for this.
This cultivation is intended for Stefanos Semertzidis’ 200 or so cows, which he farms with his brother and sister. These cows provide milk for the DELTA dairy company’s “DELTA tou Topou Mas” (DELTA of our Land) milk, reaching homes and refrigerators throughout the country as fresh as can be. “This offers great satisfaction. I feel that besides serving a profession, we, the milk producers, are also, in a certain way, offering to Greece,” Mr. Semertzidis remarked.
Mr. Semertzidis and his siblings have not only continued, but also expanded a farming unit they inherited from their father, who had also enlarged the facility passed on to him by his father. It was not exactly a natural choice given the fact that a lot of young people tend to veer away from agricultural backgrounds in pursuit of other interests. “I can remember myself being amongst the cows from when I was just a kid. The same goes for my brother and sister. Initially, we used to help our grandfather, then our father. Even though we also had other career choices, I could not imagine myself not continuing this,” Mr. Semertzidis explained.
Relationship based on trust, beneficial for all
In order to carry on with this family line of work, Mr. Semertzidis’ farm needed support and a consistent buyer of its milk. This has been achieved through a long-running association, based on trust, with the DELTA dairy company, benefitting both the Semertzidis family and consumers enjoying the resulting “DELTA tou Topou Mas” (DELTA of our Land) milk.
Mr. Semertzidis’ association with DELTA began approximately 20 years ago. “They help us with every step in the nurturing and production process, whether it concerns animal health, nutrition, or improving the quality of milk produced. We have known the DELTA representatives of the region for years, which is particularly important for us. We have established mutual trust and security,” Mr. Semertzidis noted. “And, of course, there have never been any issues over financial matters, nor any payment delays, not even for a single day or euro,” he added.
‘They recognise our voices’
Mr. Semertzidis and his siblings adore their animals. This is made clear by the manner in which they take care of the livestock, as well as by the sense of familiarity expressed by the animals towards the dairy farmers. “Something many people don’t know is that cows use their hearing to recognise individuals,” Mr. Semertzidis explained. We were given the opportunity to confirm this at the stable, when the dairy farmer and his wife went to feed the cows. They did not get up but continued to sit and chew on their previous feed when the farmers arrived. Mrs. Semertzidi called the cows over to the trough, but they continued to sit and only rose to head for it after hearing the more familiar voice of her husband. “This happens. They remain cautious when called over by somebody they are not familiar with. They will approach if they hear my voice, or my brother’s,” Mr. Semertzidis explained.
Third generation set to become a fourth
Mr. Semertzidis’ family dairy farm has future prospects, possibly even more prosperous, a thought that provides him with joy. “Both my children and nephews and nieces have shown a liking for animals from a young age. They help with the farming duties during their summer school holidays. In fact, my daughter is also pursuing related studies. This would have been difficult to do if it weren’t for the association with DELTA, securing the farming unit’s sustainability and progress,” Mr. Semertzidis pointed out. We can be quite certain, then, that the “DELTA tou Topou Mas” (DELTA of our Land) milk brand will also continue being made in this part of the country’s Macedonian territory.
