A familiar berry farm in the Swedish countryside

The berry farm, Hallongården, offers visitors a pick-your-own experience, with berries, tulips, rhubarbs and asparagus galore. The cherry on the top is in fact the farms exquisite raspberries – which are hand-picked for Nobel banquets and the Swedish National Culinary Team.

By John Sempill | Photos: Stéphane Lombard, Eldrimmer

Hallongården is in the southern city of Trelleborg. The farm has been family-run for eight generations and, two generations ago, transformed into a raspberry farm, which is the English translation for Hallongården. “Before us, it was a traditional farm with classic crops and pigs”, CEO Anna Biärsjö tells us.

The generational change was the main factor behind starting Hallongården, as they were looking for something new and fresh. “Becoming a raspberry farm was a way to create something new, with the use of little land,” she continues. “It was about using what we had.”

Today, Hallongården offers probably the best raspberries in the country, and a lot more – strawberries, blackberries, blackand redcurrants, asparagus, rhubarb and flowers. “Our pick-your-own service really takes off during the summer,” Biärsjö explains. “With our berries, we also make our own juice, jam, marmalade and cookies for our café. During this season, we also make ice cream from on the farm’s Swedish berries.”

Hallongården’s raspberries are by no means your run-of-the-mill raspberries. In 2019, the family-owned farm was selected as the raspberry supplier for the dessert at the Nobel banquet. “Our high quality is unique,” says Biärsjö. “You are picking Nobel raspberries at our pick-your-own farm. We are very proud of our food craft, which we compete in, too. We were awarded gold for our raspberry jam in the Swedish and Nordic championships. We collaborate a lot with the Swedish National Culinary Team, but I can’t give anything else away at the moment.”

We’ll have to wait a little to find out more about this exciting collaboration. Until then, you won’t want to miss a visit here this summer. The summer months are high season at Hallongården, with visitors from far and wide. However, if you’re after a calmer visit, Biärsjö recommends coming a little later. “In August, we still offer our berries, but the holidays are over and school has started again, so it’s a slightly calmer period. From October we offer our waffle buffet, and in the autumn, we have candle casting.” www.hallongarden.se

Facebook: @hallongarden

Instagram: @hallongarden