Sweden

Elin Skörde, a 44-year-old teacher and forester, lives in a quiet village in Sweden. Balancing a career in education with a deep-rooted passion for sustainable forestry, she is building a unique business that connects people with nature while respecting the land’s rhythms.

“I started my business because I have a forest farm, and I want to use it for more than just forestry”, she explains. Elin’s desire to spend more time at home and less on salaried work led her to explore creative ways to develop her land. Her ventures include a forest garden, silent walks in the woods, and a unique solo camping experience—all designed to offer people a meaningful connection with nature.

One of the cornerstones of her business is the “Eremit” app (Android, iOS), which allows guests to book a secluded parking spot for camper vans in her forest. “You’re completely alone in the woods. No one else will come there,” Elin says. This promise of solitude and stillness is a powerful draw for those looking to disconnect from everyday noise.

Elin also cultivates a forest garden—a self-sustaining system where everything she grows is edible or useful. “There’s no watering, no added nutrients. It takes care of itself”, she says. The garden features a variety of perennial plants, vegetables, and crops that benefit pollinators, including bees and bumblebees. “I grow things you can eat or make something edible out of”, she adds. Her goal is not only to feed people, but also to regenerate the ecosystem around her.

Another innovative project is “Forest Hang-out With Elin”, a sensory forest experience where small groups walk silently among the trees. “You use your sight, hearing, taste—all your senses”, she explains. The experience ends with a meal prepared in the forest, reinforcing her belief in nature as both a healer and a host.

Despite her enthusiasm, Elin acknowledges the challenges of launching a rural business. “Time is the biggest problem. I want to spend more time on the farm and less in my salaried job”, she admits. She also mentions the need for start-up capital and access to training. “I would need help to join courses, and money to dare to invest and get started”.

Her participation in the Living Labs programme has been a source of inspiration and motivation. “I’m in the early stages of my business. Listening to the other women—who are much further along—has been educational and encouraging”, she says.

When asked what advice she would give to a friend considering a similar path, Elin doesn’t hesitate: “Take your time. Know what you want to do and how to do it”. For her, success isn’t about rushing into entrepreneurship, it’s about basing the process on clarity and intention. Elin’s story is one of quiet innovation. It is not driven by scale or speed but by a thoughtful approach to land, life, and livelihood. She represents a growing movement of women in rural Sweden who are redefining entrepreneurship on their terms, rooted in place, sustainability, and self-determination.

On a quiet stretch of countryside in southern Sweden, three sisters are redefining what it means to run a modern rural business. Josefin Levinsson, 30, along with her two sisters, has turned the family farm where they grew up into a thriving enterprise that blends tradition with innovation and community with sustainability (Flättinge Gård web).

“We started the company in 2014, when we were all still studying”, Josefin explains. “It began as a summer job; we just wanted to see if we could create something of our own on the farm”. What began as a seasonal experiment quickly evolved into a full-time endeavour. Today, the sisters operate a farm shop and café, grow and process lupin beans, and produce a range of homemade products, including juices, chutneys, and pastries.

A key feature of their business is the use of lupin-based food. “The new part is when we started growing lupin beans”, says Josefin. “It’s still quite unusual in Sweden, especially to grow and process them on-site and use them as the main protein source in food products”. From these beans, they make burgers and patties that are sold to cafés, restaurants, and shops. The sisters do every step—from growing and drying to processing—on the farm itself. “It doesn’t leave the farm until it’s a finished product”, Josefin points out.

This hands-on, circular approach applies to everything they do. Their café serves pastries made from scratch with local and Swedish ingredients, and the farm shop offers not only prepared foods but also eggs from their chickens and beef from their cattle. “We try to use what we have here as much as possible”, she adds.

Her motivation goes beyond profit. “We like this place. We grew up here and want to preserve it, but not necessarily in the traditional way it’s been done before”, Josefin explains. Instead, they’ve carved out their path—one that values both sustainability and creativity. “Baking one day, building furniture the next, taking care of the animals… It’s the variety that makes it so fun”.

While their journey has been largely positive, it hasn’t been without challenges. “Some people assume our father built everything and gave us jobs, that we’re just tinkering”, she says. “They think we can’t handle the animals or the machines. But honestly, we hear that less and less”. For the most part, their experience as women entrepreneurs has been empowering, if occasionally marked by outdated assumptions.

One ongoing difficulty lies in navigating rural development policies. Because their business is not classified as agricultural—despite being located on a farm—they fall between categories and are therefore ineligible for certain EU subsidies. “It’s more difficult to apply for those funds”, Josefin notes. “We’re somewhere in between”. Support, she says, would be most helpful in helping to structure the many parts of their business and reach a wider audience. “Like many rural businesses, we do a bit of everything. Finding effective ways to manage that and scale up would help”.

A bright spot has been their involvement in local networks. Through the “Food Around Gränna” project, they collaborate with nearby businesses and farms. “It’s great to be able to cooperate with others and help each other”, says Josefin. “That kind of collaboration is wonderful”.

At Grimstorps farm in Sandhem, 36-year-old Emma Hartelius is leading a quiet revolution. As the head of an organically certified beef production business, she is building not just a farm but a new way of living—rooted in sustainability, resilience and community.

“I started in 2019 because I wanted to keep farming on my parents’ land”, Emma explains. From that desire grew a multifaceted business that now includes direct meat sales and even a restaurant run by her siblings. “We sell meat directly to the customer, and we’ve also started a farm restaurant. My brother is the chef, my sister grows the vegetables, and I deliver the meat”, she says with pride.

Her business stems from a deep respect for animals and the land. “We’re organically certified, and our production is based on letting the animals graze outside as much as possible”, she says. This method ensures high animal welfare standards and supports biodiversity on the farm. It also aligns with growing consumer interest in sustainable and ethical food sources.

But Emma’s work doesn’t stop at the gates of the pasture. She’s also innovating in how she brings her product to market. “Some say it’s an innovation that I sell some of my meat through a box system via social media”, she says. Customers place orders online and receive meat packages directly from the farm, eliminating intermediaries and fostering a stronger connection between producers and consumers.

Like many rural entrepreneurs, Emma faces the constant challenge of balancing work and life. “I don’t know if I have any challenges as a woman specifically”, she reflects. “It’s about combining the puzzle of life with entrepreneurship”. She adds that in her field, she’s treated equally: “In the green industries, I feel that I am treated just like my father, who is also involved in the company”.

Still, the workload is intense. When asked what kind of support she would need, Emma answers candidly: “Am I allowed to say ‘an extra mum’? Someone who can take care of my family?” She quickly adds, “No, but better profitability so I can hire someone and not have to work quite so many hours”.

Emma finds the greatest joy in the hands-on nature of her work. “Working outside with the animals, and that I get to learn so many new things—that’s what I love most”, she says.

Her sense of connection extends beyond the farm. She is active in multiple organisations that support the local community, including farmers’ groups and producer associations. Her involvement in the GRASS CEILING project has been particularly valuable. “Being able to be honest and open about how you feel and what you think, without feeling labelled as weak—that’s been the best part”, she says.

Her story is one of quiet determination, steady innovation, and deep respect—for tradition, for family, and for the land. In building a modern farm rooted in organic principles and family collaboration, Emma Hartelius is showing that sustainable farming is not just possible—it’s powerful.

In the heart of Sweden’s agricultural landscape, Annika Palmér is challenging outdated perceptions of what a farmer looks like, and how modern dairy farming is done. Together with her husband, she manages a third-generation dairy farm that is home to 165 Swedish Red Breed (SRB) cows. But what sets her apart isn’t just the herd, it’s her passion for animals, her embrace of innovation, and her quiet determination to reshape the image of rural entrepreneurship.

“I have a big interest in animals”, Annika says simply. “That’s why I started”. Her farming journey wasn’t inherited or expected, but rather a personal calling to work with nature and livestock. Though the farm has been passed down on her husband’s side, the couple now co-manages the daily operations, blending tradition with cutting-edge practices.

When asked what she enjoys most about her work, her answer comes easily: “The freedom to work with animals and nature. To be able to develop your business, see it improve, and know that you’re making a difference”.

Like many contemporary farmers, Annika integrates technology into her daily routine. “We use GPS in our tractors and have a robot that milks the animals”, she explains. They’ve also adopted AI-powered activity tracking to monitor the health and behaviour of their herd. While she downplays the novelty of these tools— “Not very innovative”, she says modestly— they reflect a forward-thinking approach that prioritises efficiency and animal welfare.

Still, not all challenges are technical. Annika notes that the biggest obstacle she faces as a female farmer isn’t physical labour or complex machinery—it’s perception. “People have preconceived ideas about what a farmer is like”, she says. “That can be a challenge. I am not the stereotypical image of a farmer”.

Her concerns also reflect broader issues in Swedish agriculture. “There is a huge shortage of skilled labour”, Annika explains. “We need more training opportunities so that we can employ competent staff and make the business more sustainable”. She emphasises the need for financial support and community-based solutions to help farms like hers thrive.

Annika is active in several organisations, including LRF (the Federation of Swedish Farmers), the SRB breeders’ association, and a dairy cooperative. For her, these networks provide not only practical support but also connection and inspiration, especially in initiatives that bring together women in the agricultural sector.

She also joined the GRASS CEILING project. “It has been fun and interesting”, she says. “Meeting others in the green industries, especially women, and getting inspired by their stories—that’s been the best part”.

In a field often dominated by traditional expectations, Annika Palmér Werthén is a reminder that farming today is as much about innovation and mindset as it is about land and livestock. With her commitment to animal care, openness to technology, and grounded leadership, she is helping build a more inclusive and resilient future for Sweden’s rural economy.

Ulrica Björnhag runs a unique and sustainable farm just south of Jönköping in southern Sweden, dedicated to raising retired dairy cows for meat. Her innovative approach gives a new lease of life to cows that have spent years producing milk, turning them into sources of high-quality, grass-fed meat.

“We run a retreat for dairy cows”, Ulrica explains. “They move to us, and we feed them only grass. They grow fat and make lovely meat”. This practice differs significantly from conventional meat production, as it utilises animals that have already contributed to milk production, providing an ethical and sustainable alternative to the typical beef industry.

Ulrica and her team started the business with a clear mission: to create a meat production system that respects the animals’ lifetime contribution while producing healthy, sustainable meat. “This is kind of a way of saying thank you for all they have delivered over time” she says, “but also of producing healthy, sustainable meat. We thought we could make a win-win with this: a win for the animals and a win for us with good, healthy meat”.

What sets Ulrica’s product apart is its focus on retired dairy cows, which are fed exclusively on grass, allowing them to develop muscle and fat naturally over time. Unlike some farmers who may process one or two animals sporadically, her farm maintains continuous production throughout the year, ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality meat that has become highly appreciated by local restaurants.

Despite her success, Ulrica has faced notable challenges as a female entrepreneur in a predominantly male farming sector. “Mainly, it’s men that have a farm and work like this”, she remarks. Additionally, she was not raised on a farm herself but transitioned into agriculture from a different profession, which initially raised doubts among her peers. “People have been suspicious, thinking that you cannot do this, mainly because they say that you cannot take an old dairy cow and transform her from giving milk to eating grass and growing fat. It’s not possible. But we have proven them wrong”.

Growth and expansion remain essential goals. Ulrica emphasises the need for more resources to further develop the farm, particularly to accommodate visitors and increase sales through the farm shop. Increasing public awareness about food origins and production methods is a key aspect of her business vision.

Networking and learning from others are also fundamental to Ulrica’s approach. She actively seeks connections with other producers and entrepreneurs, recognising the value of exchanging knowledge and skills to foster innovation. “More than ever, you need to do that to succeed”, she states. She highlights the importance of meeting female entrepreneurs and others working in different fields, as this diversity of ideas can inspire new solutions and improvements.

Ulrica credits the GRASS CEILING project with providing a safe environment to share experiences, challenges, and ideas with other women entrepreneurs in rural areas. “It has helped me to build a new network with other female entrepreneurs and discuss things that are issues for us or that we are trying to develop”, she explains. The project offers not just professional support but also a chance to relax and openly discuss business in a supportive community.

In Ulrica’s words, success in rural entrepreneurship is not only about the business itself but also about community, learning, and courage. Her work with retired dairy cows represents a thoughtful, sustainable model that honours the animals and connects consumers to the true origins of their food.