International exchange of knowledge promotes sustainable development

More local food on the local dinner plate
The public meal has the potential to drive community development, among other things, for sustainability and a vibrant countryside with viable food producers. The will from the public organizations such as mainly municipalities and regions to contribute to this is also good and ”locally produced” is one of the most common quality concepts mentioned politically when talking about their meals.

What can set limits are resources for procurement and follow-up and how to interpret the regulations as strongly limiting. Refarm Linné wants to be involved in driving development regionally for how more of the local food can end up on the local public plate.

European exchange to learn from good examples
Refarm-Linné are also participants in a European exchange with several countries where they want to show their good examples of how they have worked with and developed procurement that clearly includes opportunities for small and local food producers as well as how they have supported the producers to collaborate and provide knowledge about public affairs. Here, the project intends to collect and document good examples as well as invite our local and regional procurers, nutrition managers, politicians, food producers and others in the chain on study trips to participating countries. The project has also organized an international visit to our Leader area in connection with MAT 2023, which is what you get a brief information about here.

Study trip with Refarm Linné in the area of Leader Linné Småland
Day 1
Visit to Farmors, a local farm shop that has had funding through Leader Linné Småland.
Visit to Skogslund’s garden, a family that grows vegetables and more and is involved in a biochar project. They have also worked with cooperative farming.
Lunch with a regional specialty at Linnés Råshult, where Carl von Linné was born.
Meet Carl von Linné for a tour of the garden
Visit to AROS, unique indoor production of sturgeon caviar.
Visit to Traryds Bryggeri, a visit and a tasting at the brewery

Day 2
Rural breakfast and visit to Kastebergs Gård, a farm that has had funding through Leader Linné Småland, with grass-fed beef, canola and much more. We will also talk about REKO and the famous ”Lingon rundan”
Visit to Enet Marmeladeri, a producer of marmalades. Coffee with traditional regional cheesecake and marmalade.
Visit to Bonnagården’s preschool, a preschool with a profile that deals with farm animals, farming and outdoor cooking.
Visit to urban organic farm EKObacken in Växjö.

We ended day two in the best way by mingling at the residense of Landshövding Maria Arnholm, followed by a final dinner at PM & Vänner. Restaurant PM’s food philosophy is based on the three cornerstones of forest, meadow and lake where we want to show what our fantastic landscape and country can offer. We are proud to say that this has resulted in us being awarded a star in the Guide Michelin for our gastronomy. The same guide has also awarded us a green star for our sustainability work and we are the only pub in Sweden with a Grand Award in Wine Spectator.
From Refarm-Linné and Project Leader Jens Vikingsson, we are very proud of what a fantastic Region we shared with our European colleagues.

Read more about the project ”More local food on the local dinner plate (Mer lokal mat på den lokala tallriken)” and Project manager Jens Vikingsson.