Six Months in Finland | Everything I Did

In this video I look back on my first six months living in a hundred-year-old cottage on 2 hectares of land in rural Finland. What was I able to achieve in my first winter, and now that spring has arrived, what is happening next?

[terhiyp]

I'm quite sure there isn't single better way to get Finns to respect you than making a huge beautiful stack of firewood, by hand, from your own forest! :D I have never felled a tree in my life but having lived in rural Lapland with 3 lumberjack uncles I have *extensive* experience for stack building! So I know the elation of looking at a finished sweet-smelling firewood stack... such a nice glow of security for survival over yet another winter :) respect for your hard work! I have only used a felling axe for splitting wood. Never got around to getting one of those splitting ones. Splitting is done during winter and the frozen logs split easily so I haven't seen the need. And perhaps birch and pine are quite easy to split anyway? I don't really have experience on other species so can't compare, this is just speculation.

[Lilianne]

As someone suggested in the comments already, organise a working bee (talkoot in Finnish). It is a very very common phenomenon to have a job, or multiple, to tackle and friends and neighbours come and join you. Pay by a meal is the norm, and it doesn't need to be fancy. Many urban housing communities hold these every summer to fix fences, whellbarrow some gravel, cut down some growth, whatnot, or with houses to paint, do some reno or build something. Anything you might need help with. I'm sure people are willing to bring equipment too, from rakes to tractors, if needed.

[rachelrichards]

Your outdoor log store is a thing of beauty.

[rosemason]

My hubby and I don't comment very much we just injoy your journey. We are so happy you found a new place with your new family we wish you well. We are in our 70s and have moved about in Australia over the years and tried always to grow our food and respect the land.we thankyou for the inspiration you give to many .

[nellitheretrogamer]

I'm Finnish, and when I watch these scenes in the video, it just makes me think what a wonderful place that will be for your child to play in when she grows a bit older. I never lived in the countryside but I grew up in the outskirts of a city where there was some forest right behind our back yard, and then we also had a summer cottage that had some land. Your place looks precisely the sort of place where, as a kid, I would have imagined that there must be a treasure buried somewhere, I would have drawn treasure maps and maybe hid some treasures of my own... If you have some big rocks there, especially two or more close to each other, then that would be a perfect place for building a hiding place (that the adults don't know about, or at least they pretend that they don't know about it)... so many possibilities there for a child of a certain age.

[rebeccainfinland]

Peaches for Finland: Frost and Riga. Both are hardy and give great very tasty fruit. My Riga starts to blossom right now and Frost is not there yet, so nicely late blooming (I live about 80 km away from you). Both cultivars are available at most nurserys around here.

[_azurastar]

Never clicked on a video faster in my life. So excited for your progress!

[Liisa]

One note on dead tree trunks. Leave some pine trunks standing, because they make part of a rich environment, highly appreciated by some birds and insects. Pines have very good roots, so even if an old dead pine stands in an angle, it may still stand that way for a very long time.

[kajsadanielsson-personalaf]

Your 1st curious item is to move or steer logs in water. Called to ’flotta’ (float) in Swedish. Also, I think I spot a device to ’siev’ soil to the right in your throw away pile, called ’såll’ in Swedish

[MikkoRantalainen]

4:00 Pro tip: if you have uncut tree bark around even a pretty thin piece of wood, it will take multiple years to fully dry. Cut the bark even a little and it will dry much faster.

[ellipsoidi]

A good ecological deed would also be to leave the dead trees standing, because many bird populations that depend on dead trees for nesting are on the decline in Finland because of overly active felling of those trees.

[jefcro]

Daniel, you split logs like a BOSS!! 😄

[McEla]

Angela needs to stand further away from a falling tree. Those things can jump quite a distance when they hit a suitable pivot point. Stay safe out there—I love everything you do!

[creativian]

My childhood home is on an island further west from where this Mossy bottom is. My parents can still enjoy plums, apples and small but sweet pears from trees planted by my greatgreatgrandparents over a hundred years years ago. All the trees which my parents have planted have become winter food for the deer and hares 😊

[seanjamescameron]

I've just taken on some land in Wales and am making my way through your early videos and writing down hints and tips for a homestead. Loving the new journey you are on. All the best.

[karibrstad]

Hi, we always cure the chopped woods outside and bring it inside when it has dried. Curing inside can cause hips of problems with mould and rotting.

[wendyelainedonald]

I have been following you for some years. I must say you are looking 'blooming', so well and happiness is all there for you. Congratulations on your family and your new home. Keep up the work. You have found contentment.

[tortillaa]

If you look around I think you will find that Finns generally dry their firewood outdoors and move it inside only when dry. Often they leave it outside untill used. Indoors the air tends to no circulate well enough to dry the wood. Keep up the great work! :)

[mortenwellhaven]

With more that 70 years under my belt, it is naturally expected that what you share with us is familiar to me. That might also be why your blog is so very enjoyable. I sank deep and deeper into my chair - with a smile on my face watching this. Based upon my earlier decades of life, I'm guessing a root cellar for the basement.

[EijaVK]

You CAN grow vegetables in Finland! Even in middle and north parta of the country. Plants are growing day and night because of the light.