Nokan joululounas 2.-19.12.2024 / Nokka Christmas Lunch 2.-19.12.2024

Local organic

The vegetables at the Ahlberg organic farm are grown just half an hour’s drive from Nokka.
Ahlberg’s top-quality organic vegetables and herbs are a significant part of most Nokka dishes, and the kitchen follows the harvesting season’s progress.

The roots of the Ahlberg farm in Sipoo go back to 1922, when Ahlberg farm was established in Helsinki’s Viikki. The garden moved to its current location in 1967. The garden switched to completely organic production in 2000 under the leadership of horticulturalists Kaijus Ahlberg and Minna Tengvall, who have run the farm since 1992.
”Our collaboration with Nokka started as soon as Ari started running the kitchen as the Executive Chef. We ran into each other by chance at an event. And the cooperation has only gotten closer over the years,” says Minna Tengvall of Ahlberg farm.
Ahlberg’s top-quality organic vegetables and herbs are a significant part of most of Nokka dishes, and the kitchen follows the harvesting season’s progress.
”Ari and I call back and forth and ask questions and throw ideas. This has also encouraged us to try many new plants and think more about different seasons. Thanks to Nokka’s example, we have had the courage to take restaurants as our most important customers, and offer them seasonal ingredients,” Minna continues.
At the Ahlberg farm, in addition to versatile organic production and quality, the focus is on sustainable activities that take the environment and employees into account. Biological approach is used in pest control.
In the same way as in Restaurant Nokka’s kitchen, Ahlberg farm aims to minimize the environmental impact of all activities. In organic farming, all organic waste is recycled by composting it. All other waste is also sorted and recycled.
In addition to environmental responsibility, organic production has two things above all others: quality and taste. They are very highly valued in Nokka’s choices.
”Consistently high quality and superior taste guarantee that we at Nokka are able to offer our customers dishes in which we use a wide variety of vegetables and herbs,” says Ari Ruoho, Nokka’s Executive Chef.
”There couldn’t be a better reward for a farmer than to see and taste the wonderful dishes that such talented kitchen professionals at Nokka make, from the products we grow ourselves”, Ahlberg’s Kaijus and Minna rejoice.
In terms of restaurant operations, reliable deliveries, and the fact that the farm also stands up to the restaurant’s principles are also essential. That’s why it’s great that the herbs and vegetables grown by Ahlberg are brought to the restaurant directly from the garden. This way, they are always fresh, as little as possible packaging material is used and the carbon footprint of the delivery is small.
Ahlberg’s Minna is a familiar sight at Nokka in the mornings, when she brings fresh produce to the kitchen and at the same time takes care of the flower plantings on Nokka’s patio in the summer–which also come from Ahlberg farm.
”Together with Terhi, we think what kind of flowers and plants would be nice on the patio. Often the same plants are used in the plantings as in the kitchen. This way, the customers also get to see them in their original form,” says Ahlberg’s Minna Tengvall.
Ahlberg farm has been a pioneer and experimenter of new things throughout its entire existence, whether it’s about developing growing methods or new herbs, vegetables or, for example, edible flowers. That’s exactly why Ahlberg organic farm is a perfect match for Nokka and one of Nokka’s longest-standing trusted suppliers.
”Nokka’s staff summer trips often start from our farm. This way we all get to know each other, and the whole staff knows what they are talking about when they talk about Ahlberg farm. It’s always a pleasure to work with the Nokka staff,” Minna describes.