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The grape vines are trained into circular wreath baskets next to the ground, and the growing grapes are carefully placed inside the baskets. They can be grown on the ground because the upper levels of the ground are pumice, which lets the water through down to the Botsoalina rock, which is water impermeable, so the grape vines and grapes, on the pumice surface, do not rot. The vines are grown in this manner to save them from the fierce winds that would otherwise tear the vines and grapes to shreds.
Picking grapes was originally done by gypsies, but they became too wealthy, so then Albanians were used. Now it is mostly Poles to pick the grapes.
There are lots of terrace fields on Santorini, for the growing of vegetables.