Directory

Green Beanie is the craft soda range from Under Ytan, a mariculture company growing algae and seaweed in Åland. The team—Joel Lindholm, Viktor Eriksson, Johan Törnqvist, and Anders Ingves—has experimented with different products from microalgae and seaweed, and this is their first line of drinks. Their Gutweed and Bladderwrack sodas are named after two common seaweeds from the northern archipelago, blended with hops, sugar, spices, vinegar, and citrus. The result is a craft soda with a subtle mineral edge, carrying a hint of the sea.

Mäkelän luomutila is an organic farm in Oitti, run by Satu and Simo Heikkinen, the second generation working the land organically. Their fields grow wheat, oat, rye, barley, spelt, peas, and fava beans. Satu and Simo mill and sell their own flours, alongside products from around 20 other organic farmers and EU-certified organic wholesale goods, supplying schools, co-ops, and customers online. The farm also manages its forests and sells wood. Since 2019, Mäkelän luomutila has run a monthly van delivery service, letting customers pick up orders along various routes without extra freight costs — making organic produce more accessible to the local community.

Paihalas is a brewery and blender, located in Sodankylä, is the passion project of Samuli Koivistoinen. Having relocated from Helsinki to Lapland, Samuli took the plunge in starting his own small-batch brewery of arctic wild ale. Paihalas oak-aged beers use indigenous yeasts and bacteria, incorporating local groundwater, and wild herbs and berries for flavouring. Paihalas (Páihálâš) means "local" in Inari Sámi, and Samuli strives to keep production and sourcing as local as possible. The brewery is a tribute to the ancient Kemi Sámi culture and Kemi Sámi, which was the main spoken language in Sodankylä until the 1700s.

Sakura Oü is a quince orchard in Päka, Estonia, run by farmer Lehari Järg. Most of the work is done by Lehari himself, with one or two extra hands helping out during the summer months. Each quince is picked by hand. The orchard is managed with a light touch. Outside of the early growing season and harvest, the trees require little intervention. Young trees are supported with organic fertiliser made from chicken manure — a simple method that, according to Lehari, works like a charm.

Under Ytan works with algae and seaweed in Åland, with the aim of shifting how the Baltic Sea is seen and cared for. The team – Joel Lindholm, Viktor Eriksson, Johan Törnqvist and Anders Ingves – is developing a mariculture project in Björkskär, growing macroalgae and seaweed, with plans to include mussels as the system grows. They’re currently moving from prototypes towards a full farming setup. The work supports biodiversity while producing food at the same time, something the team enjoys exploring in the kitchen, from sesame-fried Ulva with chilli to sea truffle mayonnaise.

Vakka-Taimi is a specialist seedling grower run by Vesa Muurinen. What began as a small hobby nursery has grown into a wide-ranging collection of trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials. Alongside their core nursery work, Vakka-Taimi is actively trialling nut-producing species to see how they perform in the Finnish climate. Testing and observation are a central part of their work. The Muurila gardens, first planted in the early 1990s, now host more than 80 species and are open to visitors. Throughout the year, the garden holds seasonal events such as magnolia, rose and peony days, sharing knowledge and encouraging curiosity around plants that might shape future growing in Finland.