Directory

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.

Peltola Farm has been in operation since 1847, with a creamery running since the 1940s. Based in Suonenjoki, they produce artisan dairy including traditional blue cheese and churned butter. Animal wellbeing is central to their approach, and their cows are fed fodder grown on the farm — including red clover, which the team believes adds depth and character to the flavour of their products.

Our mise en prep t-shirts are made by Pure Waste, a circular fashion brand founded in Helsinki in 2013. They produce garments from 100% recycled fibers, mainly cotton, using 99% less water and 50% fewer emissions than conventional textiles. All manufacturing takes place in India under strict ethical standards, repurposing cotton by-products from the local garment industry.

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.

Salohiili is a charcoal, biochar, and firewood producer based in Pielavesi, founded in 1990 and run by Aimo Lipponen. Their barbecue and forge charcoal is made from Finnish birch and packed without plastic. The charcoal is produced using machinery designed and built in-house, developed specifically for this purpose. Where the process once relied on a kiln, today the birch is dried in a boiler with very limited oxygen, resulting in a clean, consistent charcoal well suited for cooking over fire.

Saloniemen Juustola in Laitila, run by Riitta and Jouni Saloniemi since 1998, has grown from a small herd of goats into a full-scale organic creamery. Today they produce award-winning cheeses and yogurts, as well as some natural cosmetics. Over the years the farm has also introduced Finncattle and a few workhorses, and Riitta is even considering adding sheep. “As long as the heart beats and tells us to keep going, we will,” she says.

Sanna Reponen is a small-scale organic farmer in Sulkava, growing garlic across almost her entire 500 square meter plot. She also produces small amounts of oats and feed for a neighbouring organic dairy farm. Her garlic is highly sought after, often sold out before the next season even begins. Sanna keeps a low profile online and on social media, earning her the mysterious nickname “the invisible farmer.”

Santa Dorotea farm in Box, Sipoo, produces over 200 different vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits and flowers on a market garden scale site, including 50 different varieties of tomatoes, grown outdoors. Owner Sara Celvin is committed to ecological practices and soil-conservation techniques, such as the use of cover crops and minimal tilling, whilst making use of their own worm compost and chicken manure. Sara also offers gardening and horticulture services for locals interested in regenerative, environmentally responsible food production, through courses and food events.

Svarfvars is an organic farm located in Raseborg. They produce organically and biodynamically grown goods for schools, kindergartens and restaurants in the capital area and in western Uusimaa – selling both their own grown vegetables, but also sell and import other organic products. Currently their focus is on growing vegetables and herbs both in open fields and in greenhouses heated with wood chips.