The old years the residents of the village lived from the livestock-farming and least from the agriculture. Cause was the sovereignty of frequent conquerors which keeping in the possession their all productive extents of region up to 1897. For the Christian residents they allowed only the northern mountainous region of the village and a minimal part of the southern flat area for agriculture.

After the revolution in 1897 began the retreat of Turks and the land they had occupied passed to the hands of locals. In 1925 Turks completely abandoned the place and all of their land passed to Christian residents of the village as exchange and trade. In 1936 his dictatorial government of Ioannis Metaxas created the motive: ‘Nor a foot on land to remain unexploited’. The Government then subsidised the planting and culture of olive trees. Since then agriculture was improved in the surrounding area and the south and south-east regions became an enormous olive grove.

A pioneering man called Theofanis E. Kanabakis, planted olive trees in various places and cultivated most of them, mainly in the areas of Kapsalion and Lagada. Nearby a small spring close to the stream known as “Keratia Lagko” he built two water reservoirs and from there it irrigated a big area of his land. Today the spring is dried up due to climate changes and the continuous pumping of an adjacent drill. In 1942 near the reservoirs Mr Th. E. Kanabakis built the first cottage and other locals followed his action with passion and effort proportional to their abilities. The entire region was planted and cultivated at an extent bigger than 3.8 acres from which about 180 tonnes of olive oil are produced today.

Since 1950 the residents of Pefki sometimes on their own and sometimes assisted by the local council and other organisations, however with volunteering and personal work made it possible and improved their living standards. In 1950-51 they built the two big reservoirs of Trypiti and Kara so that the surrounding regions could be cultivated without being weather dependent. In 1952-53 a joint venture with the residents of the nearby village of Agios Stefanos, with their personal work and with minimal assistance from the government made the opening up of the road from Lithines to Pefki and Agios Stefanos.

The first car arrived in these villages on 15 September 1953. In 1953-55 with government owned expense the bridge of the river ‘Peteinos’ was built. Afterwards irrigator work took place and a road network was opened up in rural region. Finally sewerage and all the streets of the village were slabed.

In 1957 the Municipal School above the village was built by personal work of men and women of the village. Prior to this there was a school built in 1911 in front of the church it was inadequate for school. The old school building converted to house and it is still maintained but unoccupied. In the earlier years when there was no school in the village students had to walk to the village Stravodoxari or currently known as Stavrochori, and then to the school of Agios Stefanos.

After 1897 during the years of Cretan State a school was founded in the village. Until then for the school purposes a room of local houses was utilised that students’ parents offered every year free of charge. There were not any desks or chairs and each student has to care of his seat, usually a small stool made from trunk. Books were not available to students. Only the teacher had some books and in a limited number. The students for writing were using a black stone plate, on which they were writing using stone from clay.

Source: www.pefkivillage.gr