Third generation, at the same field.

The land around Akaki is rough. The soil is hard and full of stones, big and small, the kind of ground that does not easily give itself to cultivation. Yet between the rocks and the dry earth, rows of cactus plants grow quietly under the winter sun. This is where I met Mr. Solon Gregoriou, 79 years old.

He has spent most of his life around land and cultivation. His father and grandfather were growers, and from a young age he was already learning by watching others work.

"I started at fourteen. It was always in my DNA. I watched what others were doing and learned from their mistakes."

In his early years he worked with cows to help prepare and improve the land. But life took him on a different path. Wanting to provide for his family, he went to study and became an aircraft engineer, eventually working in England. After the events of 1974 in the Mediterranean, he returned to England again to continue working as an engineer. The connection to the land never left him.

"Even when I was away, I was always thinking about the land."

About twenty-five years ago, he decided to return to his roots and dedicate himself to farming again. Since then, he has been planting and cultivating cactus fruit, known locally as papoutsosiko. He was among the first growers who helped introduce cactus fruit to European markets in the 1980s, encouraging growers in other countries to start cultivating it as well.

For him, being a farmer means discipline and routine.

"As a farmer you wake up very early. You have to organize the day and go around the fields."

Walking between the cactus plants, he checks each one carefully.

"I call them my kids. Actually, they are more than my kids, because I have to take care of them every day, forever."

The cactus fruit begins as a small flower, slowly turning into a green fruit covered with fine spikes. As it grows, its color changes depending on the variety, becoming yellow or deep red when it reaches maturity. From flower to fruit, the process takes around four months. Harvesting requires patience. Because of the small spikes, growers use rubber gloves or a simple homemade tool that holds the fruit, allowing them to cut it carefully with a knife. Each fruit is harvested one by one. Even after harvesting, the fruit itself is still covered with tiny spikes that need to be cleaned.

Despite the tough land, the plants produce fruit almost ninety percent of the year. Still, farming is never without challenges. In recent years, insects have started attacking the plants, damaging entire sections of the fields.

"The hardest thing is when you face difficulties and you don't have support, whether it's insects or natural disasters."

Even with the challenges, his connection to the land remains strong.

"If you love the earth, you enjoy it. It's like having new kids. You love them even more than the old ones."