Author Topic: hello! Moving to Finland (Read 2409 times)

Viohna · « **on:** June 29, 2010, 03:51:28 pm »

Hi everyone,
I am moving to Finland in July 2010 and I have a dream! Don't we all? I want to buy some land in Varsinais-Suomi (Southwest area)and build or renovate the place to make a small holding where I can live relatively self sufficiently. The plan is to have a few pigs for pork and bacon, some chickens and perhaps a few sheep too. I would love to hear from anyone who know anything at all about starting a smallholding in Finland. I would like to import rare breed pigs like the Large Black or Gloucester Old spots to Finland. Any ideas? I am not sure if Finland has its own rare breeds? Defra and Evira sites are hopeless for advice so I thought to ask the experts.

Any words of wisdom would be most welcome!

Looking forward to this new chapter in my life, believe me its different from the previous few chapters

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2010, 08:25:01 am »

Hi welcome and good luck with your project. We imported GOS and Tamworth from UK to Brittany. If possible do as much research as possible on Finish sites, find out what breeds they have, as the local pigs will be better suited to the area.

If possible contact English speaking Finnish DEFRA equivalent and ask direct what you need to import animals. Get it in writing. If you are going for pedigree pigs then the BPA would probably be very helpful.

Make sure you get it right before you import the pigs as with the language differences as well as the local rules it may be very difficult to rectify a mistake once imported.

I am sure it can be done.

Viohna · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2010, 02:01:34 pm »

Thank you Hilarysmum! Thats a helpful start and much appreciated! Good to know our rare breeds can be exported. Will check out the Finnish DEFRa site (EVIRA) again and go and see them, that's probably the best idea. How have teh French received your products or do you keep them just for your own use? I am planning to prdouce fabulous sausages and bacon and hopefully sell them to the Finnish market, they are a sausage eating nation but have nothing like our bangers and best back bacon, some serious market testing will be done in the late autumn markets.

Meanwhile back to the packing!

Thanks again
Fiona