Developing a sustainable lifestyle in Karjalohja, Finland
Erkki Pöytäniemi
Together with my spouse Marja Nuora, we have been developing an experimental permaculture farm called Iso-orvokkiniitty in Karjalohja since 2014. The farm serves as a living laboratory where we apply and test sustainable lifestyles and food production solutions. We live in a wood-heated off-grid strawbale-clay house that we built in 2016-18. We have planted a forest garden containing over 400 woody plants, including most of the nut trees that might thrive in Finland. The farm’s activities also include beekeeping (caring for bees), mushroom cultivation, and vegetable cultivation in raised beds, as well as workshops and courses related to these topics and permaculture.
My goal is to build a more sustainable world, which is why I am active as a permaculture and sociocracy-oriented educator, expert, and farm advisor. I combine my long practical experience in organic business with expertise in permaculture design and agroecological methods. As a sociocracy trainer, my goal is for us to learn to build a better world together as equals, listening to everyone.
What do I do?
During the last over 10 years I have got involved in quite a few things with the purpose of supporting a more sustainable and regenerative world. I am collecting some of those themes and activities on this page.
My Digital Garden
A digital garden is a different way of expressing your thoughts. Usually, writings—such as blog posts—are completed before publication, and after that, they are not usually changed. The digital garden is a place where thoughts grow and develop and are displayed unfinished. In a way, it’s like working with the workshop door open, where everything that is unfinished is visible, but on the other hand, everything may have changed by the next visit. Obviously, I don’t publish all my notes, but here you can get to know my thinking as it appears at any given time. I write in Finnish and English, depending on the situation.
Diploma in Permaculture and Diploma Mentoring
I started my permaculture journey by taking a PDC course at Ferme du Bec Hellouine in France in 2014. Soon after, I started working on my permaculture diploma, which consists of ten permaculture designs, and I finished it at the Nordic Permaculture Academy in March 2025. After that, I started diploma mentoring training and permaculture diploma mentoring. I am a Diploma mentor (tutor) at the Nordic Permaculture Academy.
On my permaculture diploma page, you can check out my diploma designs.
Please contact me if you have already taken a PDC course and would like to continue your permaculture journey by completing the Permaculture Diploma. I mentor in Finnish and English. For more information please visit Nordic Permaculture Academy.
Iso-potkästi
Erkki Pöytäniemi and Marja Nuora from Iso-orvokkiniitty started a new permaculture-themed podcast on Christmas Day 2024. In the podcast, we discuss permaculture in general, what we do at Iso-orvokkiniitty, and current events. We may occasionally have guests. We mainly speak Finnish, but sometimes English if our guest does not speak Finnish.
Iso-orvokkiniitty
Our aim is to develop a sustainable and ecological lifestyle for ourselves and to develop Iso-orvokkiniitty into a healthy ecosystem with a high level of biodiversity, where we can live in harmony with nature and our environment. We want to engage in open interaction with the surrounding society and community.
We organize permaculture courses (including Permaculture Intro’s and PDC), workshops, and open doors at Iso-orvokkiniitty. We announce courses on our website.
Sociocracy
Permaculture also sparked my interest in sociocracy, which is commonly used in the permaculture movement as a method of governance and decision-making that strives for equity. The transition to a better world must take place in an equitable and fair manner, with everyone’s voice being heard.
I have been studying sociocracy since 2022 at Holma Folkhögskolan, SoFA, and Sociocracy.nu. I am a certified sociocracy facilitator (SoFA) and am currently completing my training as a certified sociocracy trainer. Please contact me if your community or organisation needs sociocracy training or advice on applying sociocracy.
=> sosiokratiaakaikille.fi (in Finnish)
Finnish Permaculture Association
Founded in 2016, the Finnish Permaculture Association promotes sustainable lifestyles and society based on permaculture thinking. The association brings together people involved in permaculture in Finland and is active in Nordic and European permaculture networks.
I have been a member of the association’s board since 2022 and its chair / leader since 2023. The association operates sociocratically.
Organic Food Finland
My career in organic product exports began in 1996, and I continue to work with Fazer Mills alongside my other activities. By education I am an agronomist (M.Sc.) and have been active in the organic farming and food movement and industry all my life.
I no longer maintain a separate ”Organic Food Finland” page, but you can check out my LinkedIn profile.
DOG WATCHES MAN
©Erkki Pöytäniemi
My Story
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