On Friday evening  we arrived  at Homestay Erikasmäe Torppa, our host was Isa Martens.

It was agreed earlier that our first visit would be to an enterprise called „Takaladon Liha&Kala“. The owner of the enterprise greeted us there. It`s a family business, where mother, father and their son work together. The idea of the enterprise is to make smoked products from local primacy goods. There are also rooms for processing meat and a shop in the same building. From Monday to Wednesday they make smoked meat and the shop works on Thursdays and Fridays in winter and in summertime on Saturdays too. They also sell jam, sauces and cheese – products from local small enterpreneurs. You can also have coffee in the shop.

Mika made us a tour into the production rooms. We saw the smoking room, which to us looked like a smoke sauna and we learnt about basic smoking principles. We also saw ohter necessary machines for production and we got to know how the meat is beig prepared for smoking.

All the meat is being bought from local small entrepreneurs.

When the excursion ended we were asked to taste all products. I have never eaten such tasty ham in my life. Horse, lamb and pork ham were the best. Mika was very interested in our rabbit-breeding and maybe he will visit us in June with Isa Martens.

It was evening when we arrived at Pyhtää, Homestay Errikasmäen Torpasse. It`s an old farmhouse which has been restored. They have tried to keep as much old things as possible, which makes the house lovely and cosy. For supper we had a pie, made by hostesses` father and our home-made berry wine.

Ari Neittamo

25.02.2017

After breakfast we drove to Kotka, into Neittamon Herkku Plc. At first we met Sepra`s LAG representative Heidi Hansen. The owner of the business Ari Neittamo also greeted us. It `s a small local business which processes meat. There is a workshop where meat is being smoked and packed. There is also a shop-diner where during work days customers can have lunch and buy meat products. We had a tour into the production rooms, we saw the machinery and learnt about their production process. Meat is being smoked in smoking ovens, primacy goods are being bought from meat processing company Atria. Our host gave us tips about smoking and salting the meat.

From Kotka we went to Loviisa. We had late supper at Loviisa`s local canteen and exchanged impressions. Isa Martens took us to an interesting tour into Loviisa`s old town and told us about the town`s history. We also looked at the new area of the town.

By the evening we got back to Pyhtää, where we had a chance to taste a pie and cakes made by our hostess.

26.02.2017

At breakfast we discussed possibilities for our hostess`s father, who might visit us at the end of May or at the beginning of June. We talked about places which may internest him.

The trip was very interesting to us and it broadened our horizon. Our hostesses were very friendly and kind. We are looking forward to seeing them here, and we hope, we can provide Isa Martens as interesting and good reception as they gave us.

Vana-Sirge küülikutalu hostess Aive

 

Host: Isa Martens, Homestay Erikasmäen Torppa, isa.martens@ekami.fi, GSM 358 4 0772 7026

Guests: Aive and Uno Niilo, Vana-Sirge küülikutalu (Old-Straight Rabbit Farm), aive.niilo@gmail.com, GSM +372 503 7433

 

 

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