Stay at a farmhouse in the Finnish countryside and allow yourself to be transported to a simpler and slower time in the world. Grab your coffee and a cozy blanket and take in the crisp morning air in a swing or on a deck overlooking the pond while the birds carry on in the surrounding forests. Perhaps you feel brave and decide to dip into the spring-fed pond for an invigorating morning swim. A traditional wood-burning sauna next to the pond offers soothing relaxation for your body and mind.  

 

After breakfast, a leisurely walk on the country gravel roads and the surrounding woods allow you to take some of the most pristine and clean air on earth. You might bring a snack and a blanket along and take a mid-day nap on the mossy forest floor beneath your feet. We simply call it living in the countryside, but you can call it forest bathing and earthing.

 

Back on the farm, you can get your hands dirty with a gardening project, practicing woodworking or working on an art project - or perhaps you want to tend to some of the animals that share this place with us. Then again, maybe you simply choose to continue to rest and recharge as this nearly hundred year old log home tends to lull people to sleep more deeply and for longer periods than they ever have. Buildings that were built to breathe is a real thing and they do effect our sleep and health hugely. It is one of the most consistent bits of feedback we get about this place. Add to that your line-dried linens and we may be lucky to see you at all when you first get here! For the more adventurous visitors, putting up a tent or sleeping in a hammock within the comfort of the property are also options. The worst predator you might encounter out there is a mosquito, which are not to be underestimated, mind you. 

 

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What would you do once you get here?

The options for filling (or not) your days are many. Whether you are finally ready to start that writing project you have been thinking about or you just need a timeout, we can offer you the perfect quiet retreat. There are no fancy yoga halls (or fancy anything, really), prescheduled meal times, pre-planned excursions or multi-day itineraries to fill your mind before you have even had a chance to empty it - just simple, authentic country living on a schedule that you get to create as you go. That said, if you want more structure in your day (including yoga and excursions), we will collaborate on a custom plan just for you.

 

What is Possible:

Trips into town 2x/ week (farmer’s market and other errands)

Walks in the woods 

Visit to a protected bog surrounded by a hundred acres of protected old growth forest (Will you be brave enough to dip into the bog for a peat treatment?) 

Cold Plunging/ Sauna Therapy (hot/cold therapy)

Yoga/ Gentle Exercise

Working with Our Hands in the Dirt/ Creative Projects

Processing/ Body Work for Decompressing

Art Therapy

Yoga Therapy 

Somatic Therapy

Essential Oils Treatments

Forest Bathing

Personal Down Time

Day Adventures Based on Interest

Longer Independent Explorations Outside of Farm Stay

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Getting Here: 

You will fly into Helsinki. We can suggest the smoothest routes for you, depending on where you are coming from.

 

In Helsinki, you will be greeted at the airport and we will make our 1.5 hr journey to the farm from there. You may choose to add a stay in Helsinki either at the beginning or end of your trip, in which case we can also assist you with identifying lodging options and things to do.

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The Weather:

You know the saying “if you don’ like the weather, wait 5 minutes”? That is very true here. We could have a scorching hot (that means low 90s) and dry summer or it could be rainy, chilly and windy. Usually it is some combination of all of the above. When it is chillier, we build more fires and if it gets a bit too hot, we spend more time in one or more of the nearly 200,000 lakes in Finland.

 

 

What to Pack:

Aside from the typical summer things you like to wear, bring some cozy and warm layers. Since we are less than 500 miles from the arctic circle, the light here is absolutely magical (we are known as the Land of the Midnight Sun, after all) … AND the tradeoff is that you might be happy to have your favourite sweater within reach any given day. Temperatures in the summer time could range from the 60s to low 90s, entirely dependent on the moody Nordic Weather Gods. As we are nearly at sea level, there are no dramatic dips in night-time temperatures though.

 

Good wind protection is desirable. It can get quite windy here, and being shielded from it as you spend time outdoors will greatly improve your experience. 

 

Given the nature of country living and the strolls in the occasionally soggy woods, one of the most versatile footwear options to have on hand is rubberboots. (We Finns are known to even go Karaokeing and dancing in them). We have several loaner pairs for your use, complete with the requisite Finnish hand-knitted wool socks, but you might wish to buy yourself your own pair here. It’s worth it if you are the rubber boots wearing type anyway. (Just trust us on that one.) Did you know Nokia is originally Finnish and that they started out by making rubber boots? I rest my case.

 

We have an assortment of gloves, extra fleece layers and beanies here, should you forget some things or not wish to pack them. Since we are on an old farm and don’t dress to impress the chickens, we cannot guarantee the instagram-worthiness of any of the loaner stuff though, and we consider that a selling point. 

 

I mentioned the birds? Truth is, they pretty much never shut up in the summer time. I wouldn’t dream of not listening to them myself, but if you are a light sleeper and noises bother you, maybe pack along some ear plugs. In fact, perhaps throw in an eye pillow as well due to the nearly constant daylight (although we do have sun-blocking window covers).

 

A more specific packing list will be provided upon you making a reservation.

 

 

What is the Cost of My Stay?

$250/day (includes 24%VAT) 

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Please note - arrivals to Helsinki before 3PM and departures from Helsinki after 3PM are each counted as full days, otherwise arrival and departure days count as one day combined.

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What is included: 

• transportation from the Helsinki airport to the farm on arrival day and back again on departure day

• Lodging in a private room

• breakfast, lunch and dinner anytime we eat at the farm

• Light snacks and refreshments 

• access to the sauna and pond

• yoga mats and props

 

 

What is not included:

• flights/travel to Helsinki

• lodging in Helsinki before and after the retreat, if applicable

• admissions tickets to any potential events/activities

• any possible transportation (bus/train tickets) due to day trips  

• meals/snacks on the road

• a la carte treatments/sessions you may choose to book

• alcohol

• travel insurance

• any Covid tests that may be required in order to travel

• any personal exploring you might choose to do in Finland during or outside of your retreat stay

 

 

Meals:

Meals and some healthy snacks are included in your daily stay rate, however they are not always pre-prepared for you. We will discuss your preferences (and special dietary considerations) upon your reservation. Some days we may cook together and at other times, we may have someone prepare meals for us. Sometimes you may prefer to do your own thing. Part of settling into your personal retreat is to listen to your own rhythms and needs and follow those without a locked in, pre-determined meal plan. At least once a week you will have an opportunity to attend the farmer’s market in town, which offers a fantastic selection of berries, vegetables, fish and baked goods for us to enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language and Other Cultural Considerations:

While most Finns speak English quite fluently, you will likely encounter many situations where the person you are trying to communicate with does not speak English or feels hesitant to do so (even in the more touristy areas). Most of the time you will have translation help (me) with you, but the experience of exploring on your own and feeling like a foreigner can be quite enlightening as well, so I invite you to embrace it! Finland is still a very safe country and people are generally helpful so it is the perfect place to allow yourself to push your comfort zone a bit. 

 

Finland has the reputation of being the “happiest country in the world” for several years in a row. That does not always translate to smiling faces and bubbly personalities greeting you everywhere. In fact, that rarely happens - especially on elevators, passing someone on a street, or being seated next to someone you don’t know. Finns are not big on superficial niceties or small talk and most are more quiet and shy - particularly around foreigners. Do not mistake that for rudeness - I promise you it is not. Silence in general is a very Finnish value. It is one of the things you might notice even at the airport, the restaurants, public spaces and in the more private gatherings of Finns. 

 

And, last but not least…. the sauna. One could write a book about the significance of it for Finns (and many have been written), but it is best experienced in person. Yes, you really do go in completely naked. (This is not true of all the public saunas, although many camp grounds have separate men’s and women’s saunas and in those cases you have the option of being naked.) As unbelievable as it may sound to the foreign ear, Finns truly do not blink an eye going into the sauna naked with complete strangers or with people they have only just met. You will have an option to experience a public sauna on one of our day trips, but the saunas on our property are clothing free and private for you. You will be guided through the customary ways and health benefits of sauna, and from there you can simply enjoy the experience on your own. You also have an option to experience some traditional sauna therapy treatments, such as being covered from head to toe in 1000 year old peat, salt scrubs, clay wraps, or birch ash and coffee grounds treatments. This combined with the crisp spring-fed pond dips will leave you more relaxed and recharged than you may have ever felt!

 

 

Optional A la Carte Items during your stay:

Yoga/Somatic Therapy     $120/ 90 min. session

Expressive Art Therapy      $100/ 90 min. session

Essential Oils Body Work    $100/ 60 min. session

Hypnotherapy                $120/ 90 min. session

Sauna Therapy Treatment     $40-$100, depending on treatment

 

Depending on practitioner availability: 

Massage                     off site practitioner rate

Sound Healing                 off site practitioner rate

Wet Cupping/Blood Letting        off site practitioner rate

Finnish Shamanic Guidance     off site practitioner rate

 

    

Your Host(s):

Tanjariitta was born and raised in Finland, in a rural farm setting - on the very farm where you will be staying. Her deep connection and appreciation for nature only grew stronger as she ventured out into the world immediately after high school. She has lived in Sweden and New Zealand, and she is a dual citizen of United States, having lived for years in the gorgeous states of Florida and Montana. It is there that she acquired both her undergraduate degree in space planning and interior design and later her master's degree in clinical therapy. Her journey has taken her from adventure-based therapy and being a skydiving instructor to designing and building traditional Finnish saunas, as well as currently training to become a traditional Finnish sauna therapist, complete with learning the ancient tradition of blood letting. Tanjariitta’s years of experience within the wellness field and as a licensed psychotherapist include specialisations in yoga therapy, heart-centred hypnotherapy, expressive arts, somatic work, wilderness therapy and working with chronic pain. During her twenty years of clinical experience, she has devoted herself to working in a holistic way, continuously expanding her understanding about the human subtle energy system and our collective experiences. In additional to tending to her family home, Tanjariitta continues to work with clients privately, both in the US and in Finland. Her partner of five years splits her time between Finland and Montana at the moment, and together they also offer private therapeutic intensives in both locations. Other members of the family include our 9-year old Jack Russel/Blue Healer rescue and protector, Rocky, and his very best friend Moe, a 14-year old rescue cat who thinks she is a dog. Please note that we cannot provide completely pet-free lodging, try as we might. We also rescue chickens, who sometimes grace us with eggs, but mostly they just entertain us and enjoy their retirement. We may have visiting sheep pasturing on our land during your stay, and there are opportunities to go visit other farm animals on near-by farms. You will be surrounded by hundreds of acres of forests to explore, a hundred of which is under private conservation and contains a bog that is a home to many birds and moose, among many other beings. 

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What Do I do First If I want to Come Visit? 

Contact us! We will arrange for a call or a video chat during which we can meet each other, discuss logistical details, and I can answer all of your initial questions.

 

I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the Finnish countryside!  

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