At Jädra farm just outside Enköping we received an inspiring presentation from chairman Thomas Björk and vice chairman and founder Mats Thorburn, who talked about Fifteen Hundred Countries emergence and visions.
Thomas runs a farm hotel on Jädra farm, whose name derives from the word "jädra" which means elevation.
Fjärdhundraland comes from the name of one of the medieval folk lands and started as a Leader project for tourism in the Fjärdhundrabygden region between 2009 and 2011. Since 2011, the association has continued to build a sustainable destination with a focus on small-scale. With inspiration from Provence and Tuscany and with around 150 members and 250 destinations, Fjärdhundraland strives to offer a unique experience for visitors from all over the world. The area of operation is located between Uppsala, Stockholm and Västerås and extends across several municipalities and counties. By engaging people across borders, a strong sense of belonging is created.
An important aspect of Fjärdhundraland is its collaborative culture. Here, people do not see each other as competitors, but rather as partners who can strengthen each other's operations. By engaging members in networks and working groups, a strong sense of cohesion is created where cooperation strengthens everyone. This is combined with soft leadership where the businesses' own interests and drive are encouraged and emphasized.
Fjärdhundraland's concept offers different profiles to meet different needs. Each of the destinations has its own unique character that together form a whole and become part of the larger context. Activities include restaurants, cafes, farm shops, nurseries, farms, and bicycle trails to get around.
It is clear that visitors are keen to explore the countryside and shop for locally produced goods. Fjärdhundraland offers a platform and marketing to strengthen businesses and capitalize on this trend. It is a model that has paid off, and in 2022 Fjärdhundraland showed impressive figures with a total of 320 employed people, 560,000 visitors, 17,000 guest nights, and 200 million kronor in turnover. Fjärdhundraland was also awarded the prestigious Stora Turistpriset in 2019.
After the presentation we headed out to visit some of Fjärdhundraland's members. Our first stop was the recently opened Salnecke Castle Café and Bistro where we were welcomed by the owner Sverre Ahlbom and served a delicious lunch made from local ingredients.
Next up was a visit to Landsberga Farm and Farm Shop where the Sandqvist family has farmed the land since the late 19th century. Here we found freshly laid eggs, home-ground flour, and coffee for the whole family.
Last but not least, we made a stop at Svartbäcken's garden which specializes in edible plants and also has a flea market and art gallery. Svartbäcken offers a wide range of everything from fruit trees to berry bushes, vines, herbs, and hops.
It was a long and rewarding day with good and inspiring conversations about sustainability in the countryside. For those of you who think this sounds interesting, please join the Upplandsbygd network for future invitations. This can be done at the link below and is completely free of charge.
Have a nice summer!