TAMK’s Blog Award 2013 to Finnish Language and Culture for Foreigners Blog

The blog Suomea oppimaan! - Finnish language and culture for foreigners received TAMK’s blog award of 2013. The blog was founded by Senior Lecturer Marja Oksanen, who teaches Finnish language at TAMK.

The awarded blog was selected by TAMK’s social media pioneer Cai Melakoski.

– The blog is a great achievement of a teacher who is up to speed. It helps creating a place and time independent learning environment. Students’ participation is the most important feature of Marja Oksanen’s blog. The blog is a great example of collaborative learning, Melakoski praises.

Oksanen founded the blog with the thought of inspiring foreign students to study Finnish. The blog includes Finnish language exercises and links to diverse themes students can learn by themselves.

An important part of the blog are the stories, photographs and videos of foreign exchange and degree students. The topics cover hobbies, events in Tampere, nature experiences, winter swimming, and sauna culture.

– Foreign students have so few Finnish language lessons that there is not enough time to bring up cultural issues. I was surprised by how eagerly students have shared their experiences in the blog. It is important that foreign students have a channel to tell about their experiences here. Incoming students and those considering coming to Finland can also find interesting stories in the blog, Oksanen tells.

Oksanen especially wants to thank the diligent contents producers. Anzhelika Manasheva, Russian student from the Degree Programme in Environmental Engineering, has written about her hobby, volleyball. Dumitru Coretchi from the Degree Programme in International Business is also interested in making videos. Moldovan Dumitri collected a Finnish story on celebrations in other countries into the blog together with other students.

Go to the blog Suomea oppimaan! - Finnish language and culture for foreigners

Photo: The blog is being developed continuously but every now and then there is time for taking pleasure in the successes. Dumitru Coretchi (left), Anzhelika Manasheva, Marja Oksanen, and Cai Melakoski.

New Factory Open finalized the Demola season

The event called New Factory Open gathered several hundred people yesterday to see the best Demola projects from Finland and abroad, the New Factory start-ups and the speakers from different innovation sectors. The day climaxed with a pitching competition of three Demola teams that were selected to the finals out of all Demola teams the day before. The winner of the best Demola team award was chosen by an international jury.

A bunch of TAMK students have been working in Demola projects this season and TAMK was strongly presented also in the teams that made their way to the final competition.

The winners of the best Demola team award, including also two TAMK media students:
Rosanna Salminen and Erika Sangah Kim.

One of the three teams in the final competition was working on a project called "Visualize it!" for Yle, the national broadcasting company. The international TAMK group members, Joanne NH Wong, Lubos Rezler and Martin Kleinberns were happy for being a part of Demola community. After the last pitching, only one thing needs to be done with the project: to present their concept for Yle representatives in the headquarters in Helsinki.

The succesful Visualize it! team created a concept called Uncle Onni for Yle to attract young people. 

TAMK exchange student Martin Kleinberns giving a pitch

The event attracted lot of people to see what's going on in the innovation scene

 Changseok Kang ,TAMK exchange student in Chemical Engineering, and  Réka Hajdu-Rahkama,
TAMK degree student in Environmental Engineering, were happy to present their Demola project.

This was the end of Demola Spring Season, but applying for Demola Summer starts at week 24. If you, TAMK degree or exchange student, are interested to work in a multidisciplinary team to create innovative solutions for real-world needs, check out the Demola page for more information.

Text and photos: Kaisa Merilahti, International Services

Erasmus Intensive Program: Forests and Storms at TAMK

International cooperation course in Erasmus Intensive Program on forests and storms ends in good but wishful spirits. The Program was organized at Tampere University of Applied Sciences lasting from March 14th to March 27th.

Portuguese students enjoying Finnish spring weather and trying out the snowshoes!

A two-week intensive course on forests and storms at TAMK came to its end yesterday. Almost 40 students and 15 teachers from 5 different European countries had a busy time learning and lecturing about things like climate change, storms and bioenergy. Besides the lectures and group-working, the participants had the chance to see some forestry activities in practice and visit e.g. the SMEAR (Station for measuring ecosystem-atmosphere relations) –station of Helsinki University 60 kilometers north of Tampere.

Forests and Storms field trip – Logging excursion

Although the weather was exceptionally cold for this time or the year the students and teachers really enjoyed the activities on snow on free-time. Everybody tried cross-country skiing and walking with snow shoes. One Romanian student proved to be a real fisherman – his catch was five perches from a hole on the frozen lake. The Spanish young men were brave enough to try ice-swimming - in water with temperature close to zero degrees Celsius!

Visiting teachers testing another very Finnish thing to do, cross-country skiing.

One of the unforgettable experiences for the visitors was undoubtedly the northern lights, aurora borealis, which they could observe on the night of March 17th. At these latitudes it is very exceptional to see so impressive electromagnetic activity.

The IP Forests and Storms was realized for the third time. Previously it has been in Bazas, France in 2010 and in Palencia, Spain in 2011. The IP was coordinated by ELEPFA de Bazas and the other participating universities were University of Valladolid (Spain), Transilvania University of Brasov (Romania), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (Portugal), Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (Portugal) and Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

The Erasmus Intensive Program: Forests and Storms participants.

Text: Ari Vanamo

Photos: Ari Vanamo, Manne Viljamaa & Raul Araujo

Life is beautiful when you want it to be

The time I have lived in Tampere is the longest I have ever stayed in one single city. And it is the most beautiful part of my life. Tampere city has also witnessed the most important phases of my life.

I was first studying in TAMK in the Bachelor Program of Environmental Management. Students’ life was simple and fun. The clearest memory from then is how to keep living budget to the minimum. Back then, what I didn’t lack was time. I could walk 3 kilometers to Stockman only for its cheap Chinese cabbage (kiinankaali), to Tammelantori for 1 euro per kilo fish (särki, Finns don’t often eat it because of too much bones), and finally to Valintatalo nearby our students’ apartments for the food on sale, usually 50% off when it is closing to the best-before-date. Back then, I didn’t feel that it was hard, but felt lucky and grateful that there were such cheaper options available. With small income from cleaning, picking strawberries and harvest garlic in the summer and low living cost, I survived and got Bachelor degree.

For Master degree program study, I started only after 6 years working. It is called Environmental Policy, the program is in Finnish in the University of Tampere.  Life is quite different from Bachelor study time. All the lectures are in Finnish and all classmates are Finns. Subjects are much more theoretical. When doing group work with classmates, I realized that our thinking patterns are also so different. I am more practical and concrete and my classmates who have studied only in university are more theoretical and abstract. I found this difference interesting and exciting. It motivated me to listen, to learn and to practice the other way of thinking, writing and presenting. I was very happy every day because I learn something new every day.

My first job was in TAMK right after my Bachelor study. And now I got a job in UTA while I study Master degree. People have been envious of me for getting job position easily as a foreigner or for having a happy marriage with a Finnish husband. I can tell one asset in me that make all these happen “easily”.

I accept differences and adapt myself into them. Once realizing the environment, people, thinking, behaving and values are different, instead of complaining, I try to understand and behave accordingly, so called “Do in Rome as the Rome”. However, very often, I hear people complaining living is expensive, Finns are quiet, winter is long, cold and dark, job hunting is hard, salary is low and husband is inconsiderate. Even all these are true, the more important thing is what we can do about it. Do we keep complaining, or change our looking and thinking perspectives and react to it positively? At your 20s, bravely and actively try all kinds of possibilities and find your chance and position, even you fail and fall, you can easily stand up and recover because you are young. Otherwise, you will end up like many people complaining that life is not fair to them at their 40s.

Life is beautiful when you want it to be. There is a proverb in Buddhism “when you have a Buddha in your heart, you can see a Buddha”. The same can be applied in our life, when you believe that life is beautiful, then it will be. 

Text: Cuihong Jin-Muranen
Photo: Krista Salonen

About the author: Chinese lady, got bachelor in TAMK, worked 6 years in TAMK; pursuing Master in UTA, meanwhile working in UTA. Have a husband and 2 lovely daughters. Published 2 books about Chinese cooking, also teaches Chinese cooking in Sampola.

World water day events at TAMK 22.3.

World Water day was held on 22nd March and TAMK also traditionally participated to it by arranging activities at Kuntokatu premises in Tampere. Theme for the World Water day in year 2011 was "Water for the cities".

Offically, the event was launched at noon when vice principle, Dr. Marja Sutela, gave a speech and opened the day by proposing a toast for water. Audience got to see Capoeira show which was full of life and music.


During the Water day school children visited TAMK and programme related to water was arranged for them by 1st year's Environmental Engineering students. Events and scientific experiments as well as lottery were also arranged to attract people along with informative broschures in the main lobby.

In the afternoon, people got to listen water related lectures given by international speakers who are visiting TAMK and being part of the international week of technology at TAMK. As a whole, event was a success and reminded once again TAMK staff and students of one of the essentials of life - water.



text: Juha Le Tortorec, Aino-Maija Kyykoski
pictures: Nicolas Bonensea

Only two days to go: Application time closes Tuesday!

The joint application for degree programmes run in English of Finnish universities of applied sciences  will be closed on Tuesday February 15th 16:15 Finnish time.

Tampere University of Applied Sciences offers five degree programmes conducted in English starting in autumn 2011:

• Environmental Engineering (Bachelor of Engineering)
• International Business (Bachelor of Business Administration)
• Media (Bachelor of Culture and Arts)
• Nursing (Bachelor of Health Care)
• Tourism (Bachelor of Hospitality Management)

Applying to Bachelor-level programmes conducted in English at universities of applied sciences takes place through a joint application system. Applying takes place online at www.admissions.fi. Applicants can use the same on-line application form to apply for a maximum of four different degree programmes conducted in English at up to four different universities of applied sciences.

The application form must be submitted before the application period closes.

Note! The applicants of Degree Programme in Media must return also the required pre-task by 15 February to TAMK.

All details about the application
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TAMK's Principal Lecturer Marjukka Dyer received Honorary Fellowship from the University of Glamorgan

TAMK's Principal Lecturer Marjukka Dyer received Honorary Fellowship from the University of Glamorgan.

The invitation letter telling about the honour was given to Marjukka Dyer by Doctors Peter Evans and Dawn Story from the University of Glamorgan. Marjukka Dyer received the invitation letter at the graduation ceremony of TAMK's and the University of Glamorgan's MsC Sustainable Business Risk Management students at TAMK on 28 January. The official ceremony related to the honour will be held at the University of Glamorgan in July.

As a long-term Head of Degree Programme in Environmental Engineering, Marjukka Dyer has already cooperated with the University of Glamorgan for 15 years. Marjukka's other international achievements also affected conferment of the honour.

The honour was a well-kept secret, and came as a delightful surprise to Marjukka Dyer.

Picture: Peter Evans, Marjukka Dyer and Dawn Story.

Application period started today: 126 study places available!

 The joint application for degree programmes run in English of Finnish universities of applied sciences started today and will be open until February 15th 16:15 Finnish time.

Tampere University of Applied Sciences offers five degree programmes conducted in English starting in autumn 2011:

• Environmental Engineering (Bachelor of Engineering)
• International Business (Bachelor of Business Administration)
• Media (Bachelor of Culture and Arts)
• Nursing (Bachelor of Health Care)
• Tourism (Bachelor of Hospitality Management)

Applying to Bachelor-level programmes conducted in English at universities of applied sciences takes place through a joint application system. Applying takes place online at www.admissions.fi. Applicants can use the same on-line application form to apply for a maximum of four different degree programmes conducted in English at up to four different universities of applied sciences.

The application form must be submitted before the application period closes.

Note! The applicants of Degree Programme in Media must return also the required pre-task by 15 February to TAMK.

All details about the application
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Increasing efficiency and sustainability in Azerbaijan water safety plan

The opening ceremony of the ecosan toilet build in SuGovsagi village/ Sabirabad.

Four pilot projects were implemented on alternative sources of energy In the project localities: Sabirabad, Saatli Shemakha and Ismayili: The construction of an ecosan (which  opening ceremony was  done the 11.11.2010 by Ke Tu ry , TAMK. The toilet was build for Gosvsagi village),  a water destilator and a solar panel  and two food dryers. Two students of TAMK, university of Applied Sciences environmental Engineering and one of TAMK teachers were actively involved in the project activities in Azerbaijan during three months (May-July 2010)

During the week trip to Azerbaijan made with the objectives to well know the  project implementations of KOVA which is  financed by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign  affairs and managed by KeTu ry  and TAMK, University of Applied Sciences, the project is implemented  for community approaches  to a better environment for all and poverty reduction in out of reach communities of rural Azerbaijan.

A meeting was held in the office of the European Union in Azerbaijan with its representative who has gotten acquainted with all project activities in all localities.

Together with the local Partner in Azerbaijan, the director of EKOT NGO, some results and presentations were giving to the representative of the EU including some details about the project proposal for the upcoming years of this cooperation.

Other meetings were also organized with the representative of WCEF : Women in Europe foe a common future, in order to look forward of a good cooperation for a better situation of the localities of this project. From the European Union representative point of view, all project activities are excellent and its future is very promising.

During the mentioned week 08.11-14.11. 2010, 8 schools were visited (SuGovshag school,  Axtachi school, Guragli school, Beylik school…..) and meetings were organized with the local teachers and the students, sometimes including the local inhabitants, in order to discuss about the water safety plan and all knowledges that were introduced to them during the project implementation since the first of January 2010 till November 2010.


Text and picture: Mina Bouhlal

TAMK on a roadshow in St Petersburg

The Day for Europe was celebrated in Saint Petersburg, Russia on Saturday 25 September when all those interested in the European Union had the chance to visit the embassies and consulates of the EU member states to get more information of the countries and their current status in the Union. The Day for Europe also opened the doors of the Consulate General of Finland in Saint Petersburg where the Finnish higher education institutions were presented to the potential applicants and their families. The event was most successfully coordinated by CIMO.



As the doors opened to the Consulate General at noon, the event hall was quickly full of locals busy finding their future place of study. TAMK introduced its degree programmes conducted in English at the event, and was met with lots of enthusiasm and a flood of questions from the young Russians. Riku-Matti Kinnunen represented TAMK at the stand, and also gave two presentations in the event: One of the Finnish universities of applied sciences in general, and another one of TAMK. Both presentations drew the lecture room full of interested listeners.

The five degree programmes taught in English that will start at TAMK in the autumn semester 2011 offer studies in media, international business, nursing, tourism and environmental engineering. More information can be had at www.tamk.fi/en. The application period for the degree programmes in English run from 3 January till 15 February 2011. The on-line application can be filled in during that period of time at www.admissions.fi.

Story: Riku-Matti Kinnunen
Pictures: Marjo Arola and Riku-Matti Kinnunen

Postcard from Paris

Regards from Paris, the city of love, fashion and history. Those themes, however, are not the reason why I am here, instead water, sanitation and safe food production are. I was honoured to be invited to participate 1st Ameli-Eaur International symposium on sustainable water and sanitation system and 7th International symposium on sustainable water and sanitation system on September 21st and 22nd 2010.

In spite of two titles the question is about one single event. It is organised by colleagues from Japan, France and Burkina Faso. The group of participants is not big, only about 40, but since all are sustainable saniation "believers" we are able to go straight to the point - that is actions and practices to promote sustainable sanitation and safe food production. Looking forward sharing my experiences and knowledge at TAMK after my return.

Dr. Eeva-Liisa Viskari
Senior Lecturer
Head of the Degree Programme of Environmental Engineering

TAMK's environmental engineering students exploring Azerbaijan

In the picture from right to left: WECF's Anna Samwel, EKOT NGO's director Aytan Poladova, TAMK's students Maria Moradi and Johanna Koskenranta, Bistra Mihaylova WECF, Ulla-Maija Koivula from TAMK and a local woman who wanted to join the picture with the project team.

"We have now almost completed our practical training in Azerbaijan. In the beginning of the training period we concentrated on water quality issues in the laboratory and tested for example the amount of coliforms and E-coli in waste water and surface waters. We also measured the amount of ammonium in surface waters. We participated into the process of particle size analysis from an offshore location.

On week 24 we participated at the United Nation's (UN) trainings on Strategical Environmental Assessment for representatives from different Azerbaijani ministries.

Our participation to the water safety plan-trainings started from Shemakha area where we had the first training for teachers from Ismayilli and Shemakha area combined. There WECFs representatives gave presentation about the water safety issues and all the problems in the areas were discussed about. Also the nitrates were measured from the local drinking water in order to see some indication of the waters quality. The second training took place in Sabirabad area in Azerbaijan. At the time they had problems with floods in that area which affected the amount of participators in the training.

Our task was to conduct a baseline study of two of the 6 villages involved with the whole project. Our villages to be studied were Talistan in Ismayilli region and Suqovsan in Sabirabad region. We spent a few days in both of the villages and interviewed people about issues related to water, sanitation and energy. Finally we write a report about the findings and will give the report to WECF.

We will go to Sabirabad again next week together with Anna Sanwell and her expert team from Georgia to build solar panels and fruit driers."

Above text is written by third year environmental engineering students Johanna Koskenranta and Maria Moradi who have spent 3 months in practical training in Azerbaijan in TAMK's and Kestävä tulevaisuus ry's common project for improvement of the sanitation and water problems. Local partner from Azerbaijan side in the project is Ekoloji Tarazlig (EKOT)


picture above: In countryside in Sabirabad where we spent one week to construct a fruit dryer, solar collector and water distillator with WECF.

MSc dissertation Vivas and Poster Conference at Tampere University of Applied Science at 18th. May 2010

The first joint programme Sustainable Business Risk Management Master of Science students had their dissertation Vivas last Tuesday 18th - and after that there was Poster Conference organized at Foyer.

Marja Sutela, Vice Headmaster for Tampere University of Applied Science addressed welcome the Vivas and Poster Conference and assigned certificates of Specialisation Studies in Sustainable Business Risk Management.

Now after one and a half years of hard studies, approved dissertation, viva and Poster presentation student will be awarded Master of Science (SBRM) by University of Glamorgan.

Pose of students and teachers at Foyer.
From right: Steve Lloyd (UoG) Jiali Koski, Inga Vinciunaite, Dawn Story (UoG), Riitta Välimäki, Petri Tiihonen, Peter Evans (UoG), Esa Packalén (TAMK) and Kati Hinkkanen. Participants also included Marjukka Dyer (who took the picture)

Riitta (left) and Inga with well-earned certificates in their hands standing besides one of the posters.


Best Regards
Esa Packalén

Hands-On practical training in Ethiopia

We had a chance to do our practical training in a country known for its long history, great coffee and 13 months of sunshine. An NGO called Sustainable Future (Kestävä tulevaisuus ry., KeTu ) in co-operation with TAMK’s R&D gave us opportunity to visit Ethiopia.

Project partners work in co-operation with a local partner NGO, Lem Ethiopia, enabling sustainable energy solutions and improving waste & sanitation as well as self-sufficiency in the city of Bahir Dar.

Bahir Dar is a city by Lake Tana, largest lake in Ethiopia and also the source of the Blue Nile. Ethiopia is located in the African horn and is a home for over 80 million people. About 80 % of the people in Ethiopia live in the rural areas and get their living from agriculture. At the same time only about 18 %of the households have access to proper sanitation facilities and about 31 % have access to safe water.

Our mission was to teach about hygiene and sanitation in local schools in Bahir Dar. We visited five schools and did a few hour training about personal hygiene and motivated students with awakening pictures and examples. It was a great experience and we had an amazing time teaching those eager and respecting students about hygiene. There are a lot of cultural challenges to be won, but one step at a time they can maintain a better health and demand better sanitation facilities.

At the same time we implemented a study about using urine as a fertilizer when growing cabbage. The plan was to implement a demonstration field and show the benefits of using urine in order to get a bigger yield. Unfortunately the land needed was provided by the government, but still faced challenges in order to be able to start up the real work. Therefore we implemented the study in a rather small-scale and in private in our own front yard. Did not quite serve as a demonstration, but we left some evidence to our local partners that urine is worth promoting as a free, safe and natural fertilizer.

The 2-month training taught us a lot. We were happy that we could exchange knowledge with the locals. All in all this was an once-in-a-lifetime possibility which will stay with us for the rests of our lives.

Text & photos: TAMK’s environmental engineering students Suvi Pielismaa and Salla Jokela

More about the project, project manager at TAMK's R&D: aino-maija.kyykoski(AT)tamk.fi
More about Sustainable Future NGO/ Kestävä Tulevaisuus ry: www.ketury.org
More about Lem Ethiopia : www.lem.org.et

Visitors from Hokkaido University

Professor Naoyuki Funamizu is giving a lecture at TAMK about composting toilet studies.

On March 15 TAMK got special visitors from Hokkaido University. Professor Naoyuki Funamizu representing the School of Engineering, Division of Build Environment and there Water System Research Group and Professor Kozo Yoshikawa, who is responsible of the International Affairs in the School of Engineering and especially developing international engineering education.

The day started with a guest lecture by Professor Funamizu. His research group is focusing on sanitation issues. The audience consisted mostly on Environmental Engineering students and staff heard most interesting lecture about Composting toilets and sanitation research in Hokkaido University.

Hokkaido University is located in Sapporo, a city known to us Finns from the Winter Olympics. The university was founded in 1876 and at that time it was called Sapporo Agricultural College. It was Japan’s first university to award bachelor's degrees. Today the university is one of the leading academic centers in Japan. The visit was not the first one for either of the guests. Professor Naoyuki Funamizu has visited Tampere several times and participating all three Dry Toilet conferences. Professor Yoshikawa in turn has been at TAMK two years ago discussing TAMK-Hokkaido University cooperation.

In the afternoon we had discussions about cooperation between TAMK and Hokkaido University. Vice President Marja Sutela considered the work in developing the internship program of the university most interesting. Based on the afternoon discussions it was obvious that the cooperation between TAMK and Hokkaido University will be expanded from Environmental Engineering to all fields of Engineering. The idea is to start both student exchange for studying and doing practical training periods. So hopefully there will be new exchange opportunities for our students in the future.

For more information about Hokkaido University please see: http://www.hokudai.ac.jp/en

Text and photo: Senior lecturer Eeva-Liisa Viskari, Environmental Engineering

Water Day at TAMK 23.3

The first year Environmental Engineering students are arranging the Water Day happening at TAMK 23.3.2010. The day includes lectures, info and contests. The Opening Ceremony is at 12.00 in the Teiskontie main lobby. Program ends at 16.00.

Place: Teiskontie main lobby, D1-02 auditorium

Program:

• Water Day program begins at 12.00 in the main lobby with opening speech given by Marja Sutela, Vice Principle of TAMK.
• After the speech there will be a stand-up comedy performance given by an American comedian Rich Lyons in English.
• The opening ceremony is followed by a series of lectures on water related issues.
• Lectures begin in D1-02 auditorium.
• 12.45 Marjukka Dyer, Head of Environmental Engineering, member of Finnish Water Association: Networking with water
• 13.00 Dr. Kit Christensen: Ethics in water issues
• 13.30 Dr. Mohamed Asheesh, Oulu University of Applied Sciences: Water scarcity index
• 14.00 Dr. Jarmo J. Hukka, Senior Consultant, Water and Environment International Operations, Ramboll Finland Oy: Why is Finland leading in Water Poverty Index?
• 14.30 Maria Notley, Consultant, Municipality of Nurmijärvi: Kenya water sector reform - new methods in the water resources management
• 15.00 Discussions

Further information
Matti Lenkkeri
firstname.lastname@env.tamk.fi

Guest lecturer to share newest research information on climate impact of aerosols

Researcher Eija Asmi from the Finnish Meteorological Institute will be lecturing in TAMK about aerosols and their impact on climate systems and their connection to current climate change.

The visit will be part of a free-choice Climate change -course (Global Climate Change - Sources and solutions) arranged for the first time in TAMK by the degree programme of Environmental Engineering.

Aerosols (fine, airborne particles) play an important role in the global climate balance and can therefore be important to climate change. Climate forcings due to aerosols are not well known yet, especially the indirect radiative forcing they can cause. Aerosols are one of the greatest sources of uncertainty in interpretation of climate change in projection of future climate change.

Everyone is welcomed to join and listen the guest lecturer's speech on Friday 29.1.2010, 1 pm at auditorium A3-27 in TAMK.

Welcome to the 1st meeting for TAMK's own ecological school garden -project

The day is set, the time is set, now it is time for you to set your minds for a

FIRST MEETING FOR OUR OWN ECOLOGICAL SCHOOL GARDEN,

Wednesday, 25th of November, at 17.00 in TAMK at B6-33


Absolutely everyone is welcome, you can also bring friends with you if you want, this is going to be fun!

What we are going to do is to plan a school garden where we students, especially the ENVEs but I don't see a reason why others cannot join, will have the chance to grow our very own, ecologically correct food, where we can spend some time outside, where we can try out everything we want (first ideas are rainwater harvesting system, own ecological fertilizer, permaculture, garden on the roof...), where we can relax and follow our roots and dig in the mud.

The end of the ready packed carrots and salads has come! No imported food anymore, no unknown chemicals in our meals!

This first meeting will be for gathering ideas, sharing knowledge, and setting up a first timeplan and a strategy. I am more than willing to put lots of energy into this project, but I cannot do this by myself, so I need every single one of you!

The planning period will be during the winter so that we can start in springtime to get into action.

So put your rubberboots on and get ready for next Wednesday!

I cannot wait to hear what ideas you all have!

post by Magdalena, student at TAMK, IENVE08

pictures: Aino-Maija Kyykoski
picture above from organic apple farm Hostetin, Czech
picture below from permaculture and organic farm, Taranaki Environment centre, New Zealand