Feel the forest and live like locals
Visit an authentic Finnish small sheep farm
Our farm is located close to Lappajärvi Unesco geopark - Europe’s largest crater lake, which was formed 78 million years ago by a meteor crash.
In our farm you can meet and feed a small herd of native Finnish breed sheep, free range chicken and ducks. You may eat outside by a fire while enjoying the company of farm animals. If you have more time, you can spend half a day living like locals: go for a walk in the forest, learn about herbs, berries, trees and wild animals in Finnish culture and folklore, learn traditional cultural skills, eat traditional home made dishes prepared from these ingredients. An atmospheric and traditional sauna can also be heated up for you in order to experience authentic sauna culture.
We have a little gift and handicraft shop where you may purchase small souvenirs and traditional woollen handicrafts made from our sheep. Our small farm is beautifully situated at the edge of fields and a forest. The open view is very traditional to the region. The farm is situated about 15 km from the lake Lappajärvi, close to a smaller lake called Sääksjärvi in a town called Vimpeli.
Live like locals - a day at small sheep farm
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Would you like to dwell deeper into Finnish way of living and get to know more about local nature, folk lore, food culture and cooking, traditional handicrafts or sauna culture? A day at our sheep farm includes feeding and taking care of the original breed farm animals, but also lots more according to your preferences. We will have a food tasting of traditional Finnish pastries, snacks and juices made of local or wild growing ingredients. A photo-friendly walk in the forest will teach you about Finnish nature but also about the myths in folk lore and the cultural and economical meaning of forests in Finnish history. We will collect some raw materials (depending on the season) and prepare food, natural cosmetics or small handicrafts from it by the fire. Lunch made from traditional ingredients will be enjoyed outside/inside depending on the weather. You will also be able to try felting or knitting wool if you wish, setting up a camp fire by yourself, making coffee/tea/pancakes over the fire. We will take a look inside a traditional sauna and learn how to have a sauna bath.
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What’s included:
Guiding (English/ Finnish) and information about the Finnish native breed sheep and other farm animals, and about the production of wool and making of traditional woollen handicrafts in general.
Opportunity to feed and spend time with the animals in their natural environment and have photos with them
A relaxing walk in the woods learning about Finnish culture and collecting some raw materials for food or diy-project of the day
Traditional pastries and lunch from local or wild growing ingredients, a food tasting selection of home made jams and juices made of forest berries, served outside by a fire while enjoying the view of the animals, forest and fields
Traditional cultural skills and something self-made to take back home after the day
A small booklet containing photos and information about the animals and plants you have met during the day in our farm
Plenty of opportunities to take photos in authentic environment
Duration: about 6 hours
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120€ per adult, 60€ per child (4-12 years)
The minimum number of participants required for this activity is two paying adults.
Family price: 300€ including two adults, three children
The maximum number of participants: 6 people
Extra service:
An old, atmospheric and traditional sauna can be heated up for you, additional cost +100 €. Sauna experience includes towels etc necessities and instructions about how to have a sauna bath and use a traditional birch whisk. Duration of the visit will take an extra hour if you wish to go to sauna. Remember to book sauna in advance, since it takes about an hour to heat up. There is no modern shower in traditional sauna. You wash by pouring warm water over yourself.
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The minimum number of participants required for this activity is two paying adults.
The maximum number of participants: 6 people
The visit happens outside, so have clothes and shoes according the weather condition
If you have food allergies, please inform in advance
Book in advance
Visits available mainly during the summer season (June-July)
Combining traditional and modern lifestyles at the heart of Finnish country side
Our small farm is situated on the same piece of land where my grand grand parents used to have their small farm of few cows and sheep. After years of living abroad and in bigger towns in Southern Finland, we moved here to make this place our own. Here you won’t find trendy and fancy places to spend time and money in, but something more: nature and more authentic, traditional way of living.
During the day time I work as a history teacher, for the rest of the time I roam the forests and fields with my pact of animals. Our life style is closely connected with nature and the resources it provides: walking in the forests, collecting berries, wild herbs, hunting much of our meat and fishing in the lake nearby, making our own fire wood and products from natural resources. Small herd of sheep take care of the field and provide wool for handicrafts. Working dogs are an essential part of all this: the Lapponian herders roam free with me in the woods and herd sheep while the Finnish hound dogs hunt with my husband.
If you are interested in Finnish way of life, nature, sauna culture and want a personal insight into Finnish rural culture outside more touristic destinations, welcome to the place where masses won’t find. Feel free to ask for personalised services. We are open mainly during the summer season and on weekends.