Apples! Tasty, sweet apples!
Åland is famous for its apples. When driving the northern part of the Åland Islands, you can see all the apple orchards. The climate of the archipelago, with the most sunny hours of the year in Finland, Åland makes the perfect place for apples to grow. The apple orchards are run by local families and the knowledge is shared from one generation to the next.
Anna and Jan run one of several apple orchards in Åland. Their orchard is not the biggest, but their huge creativity, warm hospitality and enthusiasm for apple farming has led their lovely home to be a popular place to visit.
The Öfvergårds farm was not originally built for tourists - before Anna and Jan took over the place, it was Anna's fathers home and before that it was home to Anna's grandparents. When the couple moved in they kept running the orchard as Anna had been taught - by selling apples to the wholesaler and further on to the stores.
One huge hail storm in the village of Tjudö, and an inspiring trip to the United States, led them to study to become food artisans and made them open to new ideas - maybe people would like to know more about the life on an apple farm?
They invite people to the farm, a decision they do not regret. Anna, who also works part time as a tour guide, has professional and welcoming tour leading skills. Jan is a great storyteller and his sense of humor makes people laugh and want to know more.
At Öfvergårds they don’t just grow the apples, they also press them in their own mobile juice pressing plant. Their tasty juice has won prizes in food competitions in Finland.
After a guided tour of the farm you get the chance to taste different varieties of their apple juices and visit their lovely boutique where they sell the farms own apple products.
Anna and Jan welcomes both individual travellers and large groups to their home orchard!