”"It's fun to do things for children and young people. It's fun with education and pedagogy!", says Elin, full of infectious enthusiasm.
Here, children can throw ”bees” and learn about pollination.
In recent years, she has run three different projects with support from Upplandsbygd – two on Bobrunna farm in Tensta and one in the nearby community of Skyttorp, north of Uppsala. Just after Easter, Susanne and I from our board visited the farm and were greeted by a burgeoning greenery and a place to experiment and test new ideas. Elin grows a variety of different edible perennials – perennial plants, shrubs and trees. The perennials are easier to combine with a full-time job than the annual vegetables. A lot of the perennials have been planted as a local climate compensation for another LEADER project. Elin does not hesitate to try varieties that might usually thrive a little further south, such as peaches.
”You don't know if they'll survive until you've tested them, and the climate is getting warmer,” says Elin.
Planted hazel and other perennials.
Her project has succeeded beyond expectations in involving people in the local community. Skyttorp is a small community with 600 inhabitants and Elin wants to create more activities for those who live here, especially for children and young people. It is not only in the city that fun things happen. Thanks to Elin's driving force, there has been a sustainability festival, workshops on forest gardens and biochar, nest building with preschool children and guided tours of the farm in a new loop with beautiful signs about biodiversity. With childlike delight, we open nest boxes and see which bird species can live there.
Who lives in the nest?
In the newly built wagon shed on the farm, courses can now be held under cover. The old man will come there this summer and hold lawn courses. The Skyttorps forest garden association was formed through Elin's project and they are now looking for a new large project to establish a joint forest garden. It is clear that Elin has a good ability to create new contacts and find collaborations. Her background as a teacher also comes in handy when she engages both children and adults in learning more about how we are connected to nature.
The newly built wagon shed for course activities.
As with most projects, it has sometimes been challenging with long waiting times, uncertainty and administration. Elin would like us at Upplandsbygd's office to take over more of the administration so that she can focus on what she is good at. At the same time, she is clear that the projects have been a fantastic opportunity for her to do things that feel both fun and important.
”"Showing positive examples and building options for how people can live and eat sustainably in an unsustainable world – it's both important and urgent. People feel good about being a part of it," says Elin.
Susanne and I finish the visit feeling inspired. We look forward to seeing how the activities on the farm and in Skyttorp will continue to develop, organically and driven by people having fun together.
Susanne and Elin in conversation during the visit to Bobrunna farm.
Read more about Elin's project here: