Kale has long had an obvious place on the Christmas table, often as a decoration, but also in the form of the dish long cabbage which has a special position in Skåne and Halland. In the 2000s, however, kale has made a journey from not only being associated with home cooking and Christmas dinners, but also becoming a celebrity for its health benefits. One of those who has taken note of this is the vegetable grower Lars Nilsson in the northeast Skåne.  

Nowadays, kale is often eaten raw in salads and smoothies. Despite the kale's broadened season, it's the most to do this year for the kale farmer Lars Nilsson in Skättilljunga in the northeast Skåne. Before Christmas, there is a lot to do. Of course, it is now that most of the kale is to be packed and delivered to customers. And even though the kale can withstand sub-zero temperatures, it should be fairly dry and without snow and rain at the very moment of harvest. Another crucial thing that Lars must do before Christmas is to order new plants for next year. Lars has run organic farming for four years and it was his curiosity that made him start growing organically.

    - Having previously grown conventionally, I wanted to try what it was like to grow vegetables without chemical pesticides, says Lars.

Furthermore, he thinks that the long harvest season is one of the things that makes kale the most fun to grow. Of course, he also has a cooking tip on how he himself prefers to eat kale.

    - I like to make kale soup that you cook on the broth from the Christmas ham.

Brief facts about Lars Nilsson in Skättilljunga

Driven by: Lars Nilsson with family.
Focus: Vegetables grown in the open adapted to Swedish climatic conditions.
Uniqueness: Lars delivers directly to shops and restaurants without intermediaries. He is also not a member of any producer organization, but runs his own race. 

The fact that Lars sells directly to shops and restaurants was what made him choose to join Eko-Portalen and thus get in touch with buyers. His company page and products is here.