Svarfvars Organic Farm

The farm

Svarfvars Farm is located in the south of Finland by the old King’s Road, which in olden days led from the city of Turku in the southwest to St. Petersburg in Russia. The main building was built of wood in the traditional Finnish style about 150 years ago. Before that, there was an inn nearby, where those who travelled the Road could change horses. Old horseshoes found near the house tell of noblemen on horse riding the King's Road.

A few years ago, milk cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens were a part of the life on the farm, as was a dairy where Jukka, the current farmer, made many different products out of the milk from his cows and goats. These products were mainly sold to households in the south of Finland, along with meat from the cows.

Today the cows, most of them a Lappish breed, help maintain the traditional landscape around the farm and in larger pastures in the area. These cows are not for milking, but for breeding and keeping the landscape open. A few horses live in the stables today, and in summertime, these animals, together with horses from surrounding stables, form a big herd in the farm's pastures.

In addition to vegetables, organic feed for horses and cows is grown on the fields of Svarfvars today.

Currently, the main business of Svarfvars Farm and Hyvän Elämän Ruokakauppa Oy ("The Good Life Food Company") is organic products and their wholesale and retail sale and import.

Our vegetable business

During the summer season, vegetables and herbs are grown in the farm's fields and greenhouses. These products are sold on the marketplace, to local restaurants, and to schools. About 40 varieties of vegetables, herbs and berries are grown on the farm – including tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, bell peppers, chilli peppers, basil, carrots, potatoes, beets, cabbages, corn, zucchini, blackberries, strawberries, and asparagus.

In the near future, a farm shop will be opened in a building next to the greenhouses. A heating centre that burns wood chips from our own woods will provide heat for the shop building and the greenhouses as well.

In wintertime, organic or biodynamic products from other farms are sold to schools, day nurseries, shops, restaurants and households through Hyvän Elämän Ruokakauppa Oy and its online shop.

At the moment, we provide home delivery of organic and biodynamic vegetables from the western parts of Uusimaa to the greater Helsinki area. This business works through the online shop. Over 2000 children in Steiner schools and kindergartens in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Tammisaari eat the products we bring them every week, as do many restaurant customers throughout the region.

In the future, we will be expanding our selection of organic and biodynamic products and, thus, our wholesale business.

The master of Svarfvars

Jukka Ahonala is the owner of Svarfvars Farm today. He has been growing organic and biodynamic grain and vegetables on the farm since the end of the '70s. He has also been in the organic and biodynamic wholesale business for the last 20 years. Jukka acts as a consultant in the cultivation and use of organic and biodynamic vegetables, working particularly closely with chefs from school kitchens.

Contact

Jukka Ahonala
e-mail jukka.ahonala (at) svarfvars.fi
tel. +358 50 540 0168
Svarfvars Farm, Sökarvägen 90, FI-10300 Karis, Finland.