Meet the Team

Meet the Team

Meet the faces behind our journey to cultivate sustainable and regenerative systems. Discover their unique backgrounds, passions, and contributions to our mission of a sustainable future.

Permanent members – the Pigadians

IMG

Meet Jules

Jules is the founder and dreamer of Dio Pigadia. Coming from a background in academia, studying sociology and political philosophy, he came from the library not the land. Sitting at a desk with a computer he felt the need for the outdoors and left the office for the sea, teaching sailing lessons and repairing boats in France. Working in shipyards he learnt essential manual skills that would prove valuable in his future at the farm. He eventually set sail solo across the world exploring different places and new cultures. Feeling a responsibility and duty to the earth and guided by a desire to grow his roots, he dreamt up Dio Pigadia. The project focuses on an alternate way of living, and co-creating a better future together. The volunteers started to come by themselves, guided by a similar philosophy in the face of the ecological crisis. Dio Pigadia is a community-based ever-growing project. Education, ecology and living together are the key pillars we experience and share. If you can’t find Jules, he’ll be rummaging in the tip for up-cycled materials or conversing with the donkey — Vouno.

Role: Manager, social media, volunteer coordination

Stay: October 2018 — present

Favorite activity on the farm: Dreaming about the future of the farm.

Why did you come here? A mix of destiny, luck and love.

Favorite quote: “The tragic reality is that very few sustainable systems are designed by those who hold power, and the reason for this is obvious and simple: to let people arrange their own food, energy and shelter is to lose economic and political power over them. We should cease to look for power structures, hierarchical systems or governments to help us and devise ways to help ourselves.”- Bill Mollison


argyro donkey cut

Meet Argyro

Originally from Crete, Greece, Argyro studied theory and history of art in Athens. After living in the city for a few years, she started volunteering in different eco projects around Europe before deciding to come to Dio Pigadia. Being a vinyasa and hatha yoga teacher, Argyro offers yoga workshops for the volunteers on the farm twice a week. Furthermore, she takes care of the gardens and the rental cottages. She loves photography and sailing. You will most likely find her with the farm dogs; Skoni and Skordo or cooking and baking outstanding food.

Role: Garden maintenance, taking care of cottages, bread making

Stay: February 2024 — present

Favorite activity on the farm: Teaching yoga and taking care of the dogs.

Why did you come here? I wanted to live as part of a community close to nature.

Favorite quote: I don’t like quotes 😉


JPEG image B B E

Meet Petros

Petros and his daughter Ariadne have come from the alternative islands of Ikaria and Lesvos. Petros has had many lives before, from fisherman to gardener, sailor to horse whisperer. So he naturally cares for animals and plants, but also humans! In practical terms, he’s the go-to person for everything that keeps the farm running smoothly. From managing catering and purchasing materials to organizing volunteer transport, Petros handles it all. And when it comes to the magic of numbers, he’s the one who weaves the spell behind the farm’s accounting.

Role: Farm running and maintenance, garden carer, accounting

Stay: August 2024 — present

Favorite activity on the farm: Whispering to the ears of the donkey and horse.

Why did you come here? It was my dream and was meant to be.


JPEG image B

Meet Yiannis

Yiannis is a man of many past lives — he has worked as a builder, a lifeguard, a sailor, and an educator. Most notably, he and his wife Katerina organized a educational project for families and young children in a refugee camp on Lesvos. They brought together refugees and local residents in intercultural activities that created and strengthened resilient relationships. After the birth of their son Marcos, they decided they wanted him to grow up with an alternative lifestyle than they had, something close to nature where they could be more in touch with their senses. Yiannis knew Jules from his days as a sailor, and coming to Dio Pigadia seemed the natural choice. Yiannis loves to build things and his first farm project was building a house extension for the house he and his family currently reside in. You can always find Yiannis trying to round up a game of basketball or playing board games after community dinners. Katerina loves to take walks through the fields of flowers, and Marcos loves spending time in the greenhouse with the plants.

Role: Building and fixing.

Stay: September 2024 — present

Favorite activity on the farm: Cob building.

Why did you come here? To provide my son the opportunity to explore the world freely, outside of miserable cities and buildings.

Favorite quote: “Δεν υπάρχει δεν μπορώ, μόνο δεν θέλω υπάρχει”


FullSizeRender

Meet Pálma

Coming from a Waldorf (Rudolf Steiner) background, Pálma was always interested in nature and community. After graduating school she left her home country, Hungary, to live in a permaculture project on the Canary Islands. Before joining Dio Pigadia, Pálma worked as an event manager. Coming to the farm first as a volunteer, Pálma quickly went from wanting to learn more about the olive harvest to being an irreplaceable part of the permanent team. On the farm she likes to try all sorts of different activities and there is no task or tool she is not willing to try. In her spare time she likes to read books and cuddle with the dogs. If you hear someone laughing from a distance, it is probably her!

Role: Managing bookings, ESC coordinator and agriculture enthusiast

Stay: September 2024 — present

Favorite activity on the farm: Driving the tractor.

Why did you come here? It was a happy accident.


Ketie, a permanent team member

Meet Ketie

Before coming to Dio Pigadia, Ketie studied agriculture and animal sciences in Athens, where she also had grown up. While working in more conventional jobs like bartending and as a seamstress, she frequently visited her friend and current Pigadian, Argyro. Spending more and more time here, she realized that this was the perfect opportunity to begin again, making her life more fulfilling and escaping city life in Athens, which she had always known that she wanted leave behind. Ketie is really interested in personal autonomy from consumerism. She likes to make everything with her own hands whenever possible, from sewing her own clothes to upcycling treasures from the trash into handmade furniture. When she’s not working, Ketie loves taking scenic drives to the beach and admiring the natural beauty of the Peloponnese as the seasons change.

Role: Creative & DIY projects

Stay: November 2024 — present

Favorite activity on the farm: DIY projects and gardening.

Why did you come here? I was tired of Athens crazy nonsense lifestyle.


Decision making

Dio Pigadia is a self-organized and co-creative project! This means that all the decisions are made through assemblies in which all involved persons who will be affected by the decision take part. Find out more about how we work here.


Get to know the amazing individuals and their stories who volunteered throughout Greece.

Read the story of Didi and Nini being at Yamochori.

Read the story of James and his stay at the Greek Orthodox Monastery.

Read the story of Camille’s stay at Kathy’s Island Retreat.

Read the story of Manos staying at a permaculture farm in Vrisi.

Read the story of Sarah and Anders being at Candili Natural organic farm.

Read the story of Clementine being at a COB eco-village.

What others think about us

  • Avatar Alyson Coles ★★★★★ 3 months ago
    I stayed at Dio Pagadia for a month as an active volunteer over the olive harvest. It was such a special learning experience, it really helped me to learn … More about myself and opened my eyes to community living. A huge family made from people of the universe 💞 The animals are super cute too and I especially loved skordo and Vouno the donkey. I'm very sad to be leaving now, and miss the farm and the people so much. We share not only meals, but goals, values and connection. If you want an unforgettable, valuable experience then don't hesitate to give Dio Pagadia a visit!
  • Avatar We learn as we wander ★★★★★ a year ago
    My daughter and I only wanted to visit Dio Pigadia for one afternoon but we ended up staying three weeks. It was a truly great experience for us and we … More both enjoyed taking care of the animals, gardens and veggies on the farm and fell in love with this little paradise. We ate daily together with the other volunteers amazing fresh meals with very tasty vegetables from the garden, helped out at a beach clean up event and even went sailing together.
    Saying goodbye was a hard one here but we both know for sure we want to come back, so it's only bye for now and thank you for everything Jules.
    Lia, Jenny and Tito
  • Avatar Foteini Vervelidou ★★★★★ a month ago
    What can I say…how to put into word what being with you all has been for me…At various moments I had to pinch myself to convince me I am not dreaming…Surrounded … More by such natural beauty, walking among the olive and orange trees, cuddling with the dogs and cats who add to the serenity and the magic of this place and this community. A community with a clear vision of how life on Earth can be like when we tune into ourselves and realize what feeds our souls. I leave recharged by spending my day in the sunlight, working with my hands and living in community. I leave inspired by the amazing people I had the chance to get to know here. And more importantly I leave hopeful that a better future is not only possible, but it is already being built and offered to the ones who care to choose it.
  • Avatar Soizic Brun ★★★★★ a year ago
    Amazing place where you can explore sustainable practices including composting, mulching, wood work, lacto-fermentation, low-technologies... in an interacting … More community. Jules is very willing to share his knowledge with you and explore shared governance. Don't miss this opportunity to live an off-grid experience.
  • Avatar Monica Vargas ★★★★★ 9 months ago
    Fantastic place and lovely community, it is really nice to have had the experience to join it for a bit and be I touch with nature, organic food and beautiful … More people. cannot recommend it enough :)
  • Avatar Laura H ★★★★★ 4 months ago
    Dio Pigada is a very special place. I spent 8 weeks there during the olive harvest season which is special in itself because the farm works differently, … More there is an olive harvest schedule and there were way more volunteers than usually live at the farm. I really enjoyed the harvesting which is not the easiest work but really satisfiying. Every volunteer also harvested only for 3-5 hours/3 times a week. Apart from the harvesting we were able to work at the house extension and help with other tasks around the farm. There were two meals shared every day and everybody could take care of their own breakfast. I really appreciated the weekly feedback meetings where we would share how our week has been and how farm and community life could possibly improve. Every person could share their thoughts and the feedback was treated with much respect. I really loved my time there and already miss it. I loved the community life, forming connections, being confronted with new ideas and perspectives, taking part in great workshops and presentations, singing, dancing, playing games, going on trips, watching the stars and so much more! Thank you for everything! I will definitely come back.