About us
We are a patchwork family of 5!
Hi! We’re Jasmin and Michel, a couple who’s been going through life together since 2019 and eventually tied the knot in the beautiful setting of Crete in 2022. Our family includes Jane, Jasmin’s 12-year-old daughter and Michel’s cherished stepdaughter, and our two lively dogs: Missy, a spirited mega-mix rescue who joined us from the streets of Crete, and Canea, a lovable super-mix adopted from the Souda Shelter.
Home for us is in Bern, Switzerland, but our hearts are often drawn back to Crete. From March to October 2025, we’re embarking on an exciting adventure in Crete to oversee a meaningful project: building our dream home on this island that holds such a special place in our lives.
Olive Grove
Our Trees
Our olive grove is home to 30 beautiful olive trees, ranging from 60 to 100 years old. These trees belong to the Koroneiki variety, perfectly adapted to thrive in hot, dry climates. We care for them with dedication, pruning every 2–3 years, fertilizing only organic material and nurturing their natural environment. Our grove is teeming with life – colorful butterflies, graceful praying mantises, cheerful songbirds, and even hedgehogs and badgers make their visits.
Looking ahead, we aim to expand the grove into a thriving food forest, boosting biodiversity with additions like fig, kumquat, clementine, pomegranate, and lemon trees. To enhance the ecosystem, we also plan to extend our wild hedge with native plants such as common myrtle, Cretan rock rose, and Mediterranean herbs. And as eye catcher we want to plant colorful Bougainvillea. Ensuring efficiency and precision in every operation.
Regenerative Farming
We are transitioning to organic and regenerative farming to align with nature and create a healthier ecosystem. This journey requires patience, experimentation, and a commitment to sustainable practices. A key focus is maintaining year-round ground cover, which helps retain soil moisture, aerates the earth, and promotes biodiversity.
We’re planting native wildflowers, herbs, and grasses to enrich the habitat, attracting beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control the olive fruit fly. Although the increased competition for resources will challenge our olive trees initially, it will encourage deeper rooting and greater resilience over time. These efforts are crucial as we adapt to the challenges of climate change and more extreme weather.
Our Olives
Every October, we harvest our Koroneiki olives. We do it early in the season to stay ahead of olive fruit flies and ensure optimal quality. This timing results in olive oil rich in antioxidants like polyphenols, giving it a spicier, more robust flavor.
After harvest, the olives undergo a meticulous process to become olive oil. First, they are separated from leaves and twigs, then thoroughly washed to remove any dirt or impurities. Next, the olives are crushed at the mill, breaking them down into a paste. This paste is carefully kneaded for about an hour, allowing the precious “green gold” to flow out.
Our olives are cold-extracted at a local cooperative mill, producing extra virgin olive oil with an exceptional acidity level of 0.5% in recent years. While weather and tree cycles affect harvests, we embrace the uncertainty with a deep trust in the land and trees. By giving to nature, we believe it will continue to provide for us.
House Project
In 2025, we’ll finally be able to start the construction of our two-story minimalist house, featuring two separate apartments with views of our olive grove and the sea.
Our house construction project, set to begin in 2025, brings a modern and sustainable vision to life in the charming town of Kamisiana, located in the western part of Crete near Chania. Nestled in an olive grove, this two-story minimalist house will feature two thoughtfully designed apartments, each offering two cozy bedrooms, a well-appointed bathroom, a spacious living room, and a fully equipped kitchen.
Both apartments will boast stunning views of our private olive grove and the sparkling sea, ensuring a serene living experience immersed in natural beauty. Outdoor spaces include a beautiful patio for the bottom apartment and a balcony for the top apartment, perfect for enjoying the Mediterranean lifestyle.
With sustainability in focus, the house will also feature a green roof, blending harmoniously with its idyllic surroundings. This project combines modern comfort, timeless elegance, and eco-conscious living in one unforgettable location. The project was designed by the talented architects of Construction Tech Group.
Sabbatical
Between March and October 2025 we’re embarking on an exciting sabbatical in Chania, Crete!
This unique time will allow us to oversee the construction of our dream home, located in a quaint and picturesque town called Kamisiana, just outside of Chania. During this period, we’ll be staying in a charming rental house in Darmarochori, a peaceful village not far from Kamisiana. It’s the perfect setting to slow down and focus on what truly matters.
While in Crete, we plan to homeschool our daughter, covering the essentials of her education and nurturing her curiosity about the world around us. In addition, we will continue to immerse ourselves in the culture by taking Greek lessons at Ethos Greek Courses, deepening our connection to this beautiful island. We also hope to engage with the local community through volunteering, finding ways to give back and make meaningful contributions. Above all, this sabbatical is about stepping off the hamster wheel of daily life and embracing a slower, more intentional way of living.
Each of us has unique goals for this special time. While Jasmin wants do really learn the Greek language, do some volunteering and generally find calm, Michel envisions this sabbatical as a time to reconnect with family, nature, and his own well-being. Jane wants to savor the moments, incorporate more movement and outdoor activities into her routine and use her creativity to document our adventure.
While our goals are personal, our sabbatical is a shared journey. We aim to support one another, celebrate each milestone, and come out of this experience stronger and closer as a family.
We feel very lucky to be able to experience this enriching chapter and look forward to the memories it will create for us.
Our Crete
The western part of Crete is a captivating blend of natural beauty, rich history, and warm hospitality.
Food is at the heart of Cretan culture, and the west is no exception. Savor the flavors of locally grown vegetables and the famed Cretan olive oil, paired with a glass of raki or wine.
There’s no shortage of places to explore: the Venetian charm of Chania’s Old Town, the world-famous pink sands of Elafonissi Beach, the dramatic gorge of Samaria, and the tranquil waters of Balos Lagoon. Whether you’re hiking ancient trails, diving into crystal-clear waters, or simply enjoying the vibrant sunsets over the Mediterranean sea, the western part of Crete is a destination that stays with you long after you’ve left.
Find out how we see Crete, especially the area around Chania, what makes it so special to us and why we hope to call it home one day.
Contact us
We would love to hear from you! Click on the button below to send us an e-mail and we’ll get back to you!