The first day of the international NJF-conference ended with get-together party, where there was a possibility to taste local organic food and discuss the seminar presentations of the day.
Two local entrepreneurs from the Southern Savonia area presented the conference guests the organic tastes offered in organic buffet in the evening of the first conference day. The guests had the chance to taste the organic beer by local brewery, Saimaan Juomatehdas, as well as organic jelly sweets by local organic farm, Vavesaari Farm.
The Saimaan Juomatehdas Brewery has its own product line of organic beers called Marsalkka. Most of the organic barley and wheat malts come from the Finnish local producers. Only a small amount of speciality malt is imported from Europe.
The brewery has been committed to reducing the environmental impact of its operations from the start, and the production processes are developed with long-term investments.
- We are the first brewery in Europe to use cerfified EKOenergy, company representative Antti Rastas points out.
In addition, the company has developed an innovative label together with UPM Raflatac and Auraprint. This labelled can is recyclable as whole. This innovation enables to produce cans even in small amounts.
At the moment, Saimaan Juomatehdas Brewery is the most award-winning brewery in Finland. They have been rewarded at home and abroad, most recently in the International Brewing Awards, a highly recognized competition in the field.
The conference guest appreciated the organic beers, too.
- Very good, a little bit sweet, light beer is not too light, and the dark beer is excellent, the international guests judged.
The organic buffet was crowned by the organic jelly sweets from the Vavesaari Farm. This old family farm was founded in 1700s, and the current owners have been farming since 1988.
The variety of products is vast: jelly sweets, mueslis, sweets, juices and mulled wines. Some of the receipts have been created and kept on the farm from generation to generation. There was an opportunity to taste the sea buckthorn and bilberry treats.
- Berried taste, not too sweet, excellent taste experience, the conference guests said.
The international organic conference in Mikkeli 19th– 21st of June, 2017 gathered over 90 researchers from 13 countries to discuss the current research topics in organic farming sector.
- More information about the brewery: antti.rastas@saimaanjuomatehdas.fi, www.saimaanjuomatehdas.fi/en/
- More information about the Vavesaari Farm: http://www.vavesaarentila.fi/en/
- More information about the conference: www.njf.nu/seminars/mikkeli2017