Arteles Residency - Nokkonen 24.4.18

 

 

 

 

Tapani, Janius and Valo planting the nettle (nokkonen) crop at Frantsila herb farm.

Janius: ‘Some people like to wear gloves. Me, when there’s no pesticides or chemicals like this, I like to feel the soil.’

Arteles Residency - Frantsila Greenhouse

 

Looking forward to returning to @frantsilaherbfarm this week as this years planting gets underway. Having been in the founder’s family for 300 years, it became organic in the mid 1970s, and produces natural remedies from Finnish plants and flowers. More to follow when I return....

Arteles Residency - Quiet house, tucked away

Microclimates are visibly noticeable right now, with the springtime transition well progressed in some places, while spots like this one remain snow blanketed, lodged in winter.

Arteles Residency - Waiting for Finnish Springtime

I am in rural Finland, 60 km NW of Tampere, staying at Arteles Creative Centre on their 'Comic Blast!' program. While here I will be getting out and about, discovering first-hand about farming practices in the region, how people utilise natural resources in this age of ever-increasing technology and urbanisation. There has been plenty of snow in my first week, which - fabulous as it is - I am pleased to see receding and revealing the earth beneath, for the simple fact I will be able to move around without falling in snow drifts constantly.

Snowing in Edale

Glorious snowfall during a week in the Peak District, the stuff of childhood memories. Though I did make the mistake of going for a walk on the ridge, marvelling at the falling snow in the sparkling sunlight for about half an hour, before realising it was not going to stop and I could quite possibly get stuck. Which would be quite a way to go. This picture was done from within the safety of the bunkhouse. There's some hardy cows behind that gate.