The third Regional Agroforestry Business Model network meeting was organized both in Eastern and Southern Finland in June 2024
The third meeting of the Finnish Regional Agroforestry Innovation Network was held in two locations, on Sammallahti Farm in Viinijärvi, Eastern Finland on 10 June 2024 and on Santa Dorotea Farm in Sipoo, Southern Finland on 12 June 2024. Both meeting and all the activities took place in farm settings. The meetings were attended by farmers, advisors, researchers and SME entrepreneurs with all of them having different additional stakeholder roles in society.
The meetings were composed of presenting the joint materials prepared by the AF4EU project consortium. Of the presented materials, the agroforestry business models sparked the most discussion among the participants. Both discussion on the value chains and dissemination materials brough a lot of new insights and comments which will facilitate the next stages of the project. It was also noted that the soft skills taught in the planned advisory courses are central for advisory work.
In Eastern Finland, the farm visit took place in Sammallahti Farm. In Sammallahti Farm forest grazing with Finnsheep, a Finnish traditional sheep breed is practiced. The farm maintains also a traditional rural habitats with forest grazing. The meat is sold directly to the customers and sheep skins are processed outside the farm and sold to customers. Besides the Finnsheep breed, the farm maintains the Finncattle. As Sammallahti farm is a family farm, the younger generation is also involved in farm activities keeping a summer café in the farm premises.
In Southern Finland, the farm visit took place in Santa Dorotea Farm. At Santa Dorotea Farm ecological production of vegetables, fruits, berries and cut flowers takes place. The products are sold to customers as weekly vegetable bags which includes vegetables and flowers in season. The vegetable bags and flowers are delivered directly to the customers. Landscape features and general beauty of plantings are considered with the farmer having a background in garden designing. The farming team also has expertise in permaculture bringing additional insights for market farming that takes place in the farm.