Finnish Eco-Agrotourism Association – ECEAT Finland

Cornelia is located near Närpes town centre and has a café, lifestyle store, garden and small museum.

The store and café operate in a yellow wooden house from the 19th century, which has been protected by the Finnish Heritage Agency. It is surrounded by a large old-style garden with flowers, fruit bushes and apple trees. Some of the red farm buildings, which include a cowshed, smithy and small cottage, date back to the 18th century.

The cowshed hosts a thrift shop in summer and a café with seating for up to 50 (for groups, advance booking necessary). We also opened a little summer shop in 2022.

The small farmhouse museum is open in summer and before Christmas and hosts activities organised by a local association (mainly in Swedish). Our outlet store beside the museum is open in summer, and our Christmas shop in December.

The lifestyle store sells interior decoration and gift items in rural style, treats, baking and party accessories as well as clothes. Such products as Knäck & Bräck crisp bread (from Sweden) and Eco sweets (Sockerbageriet) are organic. Mulled wine and jams from the local area are also available.

The café with seating for 25 serves home-made sweet and savoury baked goods, waffles and artisan ice cream from a local factory in summer. The café uses many local ingredients and also organic products. We always have lactose-free and gluten-free options, and we can provide products suitable for other special diets if ordered in advance. We also serve organic ice cream in summer.

SURROUNDINGS AND ACTIVITIES

Activities at Cornelia:

In summer, visitors can enjoy the café’s products in the large garden, borrow outdoor games or hire pedal cars. The caravan Ägget (‘The Egg’) also serves customers.

Activities in the local area:

• See the tourism brochure Visit Närpes (available at Cornelia) for places to visit in the local area. You can also download a map of the region’s farm shops to your phone.
• Information is also available on visitnarpes and attractions
• signposted nature trails and hiking trails
• rentals of bicycles, rowing boats, and canoes/kayaks
• supping and surfing, cross-country skiing and kick-sleighing in winter

DIRECTIONS

Cornelia is located in Ostrobothnia, 14 km from Kaskö and 30 km from Kristinestad.

• Train: nearest railway station in Vaasa, 80 km
• Bus: nearest bus stop 50 m (next to Cornelia), bus station in Närpes town centre 2 km.
• Motorists/cyclists: In the roundabout near Närpes town centre, take the road to Övermark/Ylimarkku (to the north) and drive on for around 500 m. You will find Cornelia on the right-hand side of the road.

OPENING TIMES AND PRICES

• Open: The café/lifestyle store is open round the year (3 to 7 days/week depending on the season). Advance booking necessary for coach tours. Also open in evenings for pre-booked groups. Visit our website for up-to-date information.
• Bonus for ECEAT Finland members and visitors arriving without a motor vehicle or a flight: Visitors can be collected from the bus stop in Närpes town centre.
• Prices: ask for our prices or visit our website.

OUR ACTIONS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

• We renovate and repair our buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. We always used wood and breathable paints in the renovations.
• We save energy by reducing the temperature of the rooms when we are closed
• We give products approaching their ‘best by’ date free of charge to customers who make other purchases. Any surplus is sold in our summer sale. Our thrift shop sells both ours and other businesses’ products in summer.

CULTURAL ACTIONS

• Our buildings have been protected by the Finnish Heritage Agency, and instructions issued by the agency were followed in the renovations.
• We have continued to paint the buildings with typical Ostrobothnian colours (red and yellow), and the outbuildings have been painted with red ochre prepared to a traditional recipe. The old window frames of the wooden buildings have been preserved in a relatively good condition.
• The farmhouse museum is open to visitors in summer. In cooperation with a local association, we organise events at which visitors can learn about old objects and customs. On our ‘mystical walks’ visitors will hear about old folk beliefs and legends. In August, we organise a national dress event.
• The garden and surroundings of the house are maintained in the old style.
• In summer, the café mainly serves waffles, which have been enjoyed in Finland for hundreds of years.
• We work together with a local cultural history association, Visit Närpes, Närpes Theatre, Närpes local history association as well as local history experts, artists and musicians.

FUTURE

• We are planning to step up our cooperation relating to organising cultural events with a local association.
• We will acquire more locally grown and organic products for our café and shop. We also wish to tell our customers more about the origins of the products.
• We are planning to start a summer shop in the old cowshed, with local and organic products.