Rural ambassadors

Marcus, Klintemåla

Marcus Ottosson and his partner Fredrik Wenell are the dynamic duo behind the guest harbor, the store, the café, and the meeting place ”Valborgs in Klintemåla”. Both grew up in Oskarshamn, but left the city – just like so many others in their early twenties – to study and see the world. Over the years, a longing for a quieter lifestyle has emerged, less city noise and more wave lapping and birdsong. When the opportunity to take over the lease of the guest harbor in Klintemåla presented itself, they were quick to jump on board.

Helena & Patrik, Solstadström

From Skåne to Spain and then on to Solstadström. How is it that two Skåne residents with roots in Höllviken ended up in Solstadström of all places? And that they also bought the village's haunted house? Helena and Patrik Jivede Morau shares about their move and what it is like to take on a deserted house project.  

Rebecka, Bussviks Gård

Bussviks Gård is a striking building with its beautiful glazed veranda, the ornate iron gate, and large fruit garden. It is a house that everyone driving along the Coastal Road in Misterhult knows and probably glances at with dreamy eyes. For some time now, the house has had new inhabitants, as Rebecka Englund, along with her husband Andreas, the couple's three children, a cat, and a bunch of chickens have moved in. Rebecka shares the story of how they chose country life over the city and what the best part is about living in the Misterhult area.

Helena, Skogshyddan

Helena Nidecker and her car with the mobile saw in tow are now a well-known sight in the Misterhult area. What many do not know is that the entire business actually came about by chance. It turned out that the sawmill was only supposed to be used at home on the farm for a boat renovation. However, it became clear that one needed to have a business to insure it, and Helena was more or less forced to start her own. Not the easiest thing considering that Helena is originally from Switzerland. What started as an administrative headache fortunately turned into the company Mobila-sågen, which now has a steady stream of assignments.

Helena does not regret for a second that she bought the farm Skogshyddan and started her business in the Misterhult area. ”Here you have a free and simple lifestyle, but at the same time space to develop and grow. There is a strong community and a large network of engaged and helpful people. Moreover, it is incredibly luxurious to have these incredibly beautiful surroundings around you.”

Sarah & Andreas, Gässhult

Sarah and Andreas have moved from Kiruna and Västerås respectively, but now live in Gässhult and together run the company Your Adventures Sweden. The company has evolved from the hobby business Stenbrottets Flugfiske and organizes fishing trips for companies, individuals, and schools. There are also plans to expand the offerings with trail riding. Sarah has a great interest in horses and has been running her own company ”Hippofysen” since 2012, where she offers physiotherapy for horses.

The couple loves country life and cannot imagine a better place to live. Andreas thinks it is a dream to live in the midst of his leisure interest and does not long for city life. ”The best thing about living in Misterhult is that there is such a good community and it is incredibly beautiful. Here is the perfect mix of forest, lake, and archipelago,” they both say with a smile.

Hilma & Wille, Blankaholm

Exciting things are happening in Blankaholm. The guest harbor has gone from ”with improvement potential” to being one of Sweden's most popular destinations for motorhome tourists in 2023. The local store has reopened its doors. An old building in the square is getting much-needed love and is being prepared for a flea market next summer. The people behind the scenes are Hilma and Wille Momark. The passionate individuals and entrepreneurs who chose to return to the village and make Blankaholm their home.

Michael, Blankaholm

Michael Dahlin has made his hometown his workplace. With his archaeological work, he contributes to putting the east coast on the cultural historical map. Michael says that living inBlankaholm gives him greater freedom to work with his great passion and to carry out projects directly related to his area of interest while, he through his work and research contributes to developing the place. Here are. ”people with drive, a nice, community, great, faith in the future and opportunities to develop their village,” he says about his home base., Gösta & Shuly, Blankaholm Shuly and Gösta Holmer are well-known figures in Blankaholm. The couple moved to the village in the 90s and has since had both one and two fingers in the game to keep the place alive and become an attractive tourist destination. Shuly runs Blankaholms Gästgiveri with a restaurant and hotel, and Gösta creates fantastic artworks from his studio in Blankaholm's art hall. Over the years, they have put in great effort and energy to renovate several of the old sawmill's abandoned buildings. "There is a calm and stillness here that allows creativity to flourish," says Gösta about Blankaholm.  

Lovisa, Fliseryd

Shuly and Gösta Holmer are well-known figures in Blankaholm. The couple moved to the village in the 90s and have since had both one and two fingers in the pie to keep the place alive and become an attractive tourist destination. Shuly runs Blankaholm's Inn with a restaurant and hotel, and Gösta creates fantastic artworks from his studio in Blankaholm's art hall. Over the years, they have put a lot of effort and energy into renovating several of the old sawmill's abandoned buildings. ”There is a calm and stillness here that allows creativity to flourish,” says Gösta about Blankaholm.

Lovisa, Fliseryd

From a full-time tram driver in Sweden's second-largest city to unemployed homeowner in a small village in the eastern Småland forests, further to a fully booked window craftsman and successful entrepreneur. Does it sound like a crazy, almost made-up story? Yes, maybe – it is in any case not a path that has been trodden by very many others. However, it is the journey made by Lovisa Cederlöf, residing in Fliseryd and owner of Kvillens Window Crafts. 

Johan, Blankaholm

”A one-way ticket Stockholm – Blankaholm, please.” That was what Johan Jonasson, or J.J as he is also called, asked for at the ticket counter at the Central Station at the beginning of August this year. Or okay, it might not have gone exactly like that, but however it was, the start and end destination is at least correct. Johan has, after 15 years in the capital, packed his suitcase and guitar cases and moved to Blankaholm.

Peter, Flivik

Flivik is a small, idyllic village in the northern part of Oskarshamn municipality. To get here, one must drive along a winding county road through forests, past fields and meadows until one sees Fliviken's water sparkle behind the red houses and barns. The beautiful surroundings and tranquility have attracted summer guests for decades. Sometimes it happens that the summer stay leaves a taste for more, the time in the summer house becomes longer and eventually one has become a permanent resident. One person who has undergone just that transformation is Peter Norman. Peter shares how it came to be that he and his wife Birgitta went from summer guests to year-round residents and how Flivik's history had a hand in it.e.  

Marcus & Jessica, Fliseryd

One of the countryside's biggest problems is that the region's young adults leave the place to study at university or college. The majority donot return afterwards but either stay in the study location or follow jobs to the big cities. Marcus Läggeberger and Jessica Bertilsson do not belong to this group. Instead, they did the exact opposite – they chose to stay and invest in their hometown. Nowadays they run a property company focused on rental apartments and are engaged in i community associationand local politics. Theyare a couple who are passionate about developing the place Fliseryd as well as the countryside in general..  

Emma & Peter, Fliseryd

Emma and Peter Källström are well-known profiles in Fliseryd. One of them has lived here their whole life and the other moved here because of love. Both have a great commitment in community life as well as the place. This is a couple who are not afraid to step in and help with big and small. What made them settle in Fliseryd was both the opportunities for affordable housing, and the proximity to jobs, school, leisure activities, and nature.  

Charlotte, Misterhultsbygden

Meet Charlotte Liliemark, a woman with many irons in the fire and a very strong commitment to the community. In her daily life, she is the principal of Misterhult School, but she also breeds beautiful dressage horses of the Swedish Warmblood breed. As if that weren't enough, she also sits on the boards of Leader Kustlandet, Swedish Warmblood Association, and the breeding association SWB Norra Kalmar Län. Charlotte's motto in life is that if you want something to happen, you must engage yourself. There is definitely no doubt that she practices what she preaches.

Wilma, Misterhultsbygden

The job took her from the west coast to the east coast. Love made her stay. Wilma Steen, entrepreneur and dog handler, has recently moved to Figeholm in the Misterhult countryside. Here she has settled in with five dogs, her partner Niclas, her stepson William, and a growing belly – soon there will be an addition to the family. She starts each day with a morning walk by the water, one of the things she likes best about living in Figeholm.