Anu Turu
Innovator
Seppälän Lammastila
Finland
Economic
Farming
Remote rural areas
The innovation journey
Mrs. Anu Turu was working in a salaried job for 20 years. She noticed that the image of animal husbandry in public media was biased and negative. Also, stereotypical thinking about only big business being good business was frustrating.
So, in 2012 she started as a sheep farmer in Miehikkälä, Finland. Now she runs a farm with 100 ewes and 35 hectares of farmland. Sheep rearing is the main activity contributing to many other products and services: meat products, skins, wool, yarn, farm restaurants, knit garments and tourism.
All the activities are carried out by the farm family except for harvesting, slaughter and meat cutting. She has successfully created a transparent, sustainable and small-scale business.
The innovation impact
Thanks to this business, many local sheep-based products and services are now available. This generates also some additional income for subcontractors. Transparency of the good care of animals is important and several groups of school children visit the farm to see the practice.
The dominant view that only big business can survive and flourish is problematic. To overcome this bias, more visibility should be given to small-scale businesses and activities in the countryside. Promotion of female entrepreneurship and innovation could be done through projects, education, field trips and learning networking.