History of Nikkilä

Nikkilä is located in Köyrä Village, in the municipality of Kangasala, at the shore of Vesijärvi lake. Over the past half millenia this land and lake shore have provided food, work, and homes to thousands. Nikkilä has gone from agricultural farming and small port, to cutting edge experimental farm, to education center, to summer family retreat.  Near where a family of blacksmiths established their foundry and forged iron for 130 years, now thrives a working bronze foundry. Where there were cattle before, now will graze Alpacas, huskies run freely, and chickens kept. It is fitting that this land’s history has now culminated into Nikkilä flowering into the powerful, abundant, and loving Temple it has always been.

Records date back to the beginning of the 1500s, when the first estate owner Antti Saukko acquired the property. It remained a farm under the care of the descendants of this family for over 400 years, passing through 17 generations. The name Nikkilä came into official records for the first time with Juho Edward Nikkilä, in 1888. He did not marry into the family but his grandfather Kalle did, who lived between 1798-1849 and whose last name was not specified in the records. So it is possible that the Nikkilä name for the property dates back to the early 1800s from Kalle. Juho married Adolfina and they had 3 daughters: Varma, Toini and Kaarina Nikkilä. Of the 3 only Varma married but none had children to inherit the property. Together they continued to manage the farm for 25 years, from 1939-1964. In 1964 the 3 sisters sold the property. 

In 1964 the Central Cooperative Hankkija purchased the property from the Nikkilä family, measuring 220 hectares / 543 acres of forest, and 70 hectares/ 172 acres of fields. In 1967 it began to function as a centre for experimental farming, and plant breeding such as barley, oat, hay, and clover. Cattle were kept on the farm until 1986. There were 30 milking cows and 40 beef cattle, including ones from the original bloodline. There were 13 full-time year-round workers, 5 trainees, and an additional 20 seasonal workers during the summer. Including their families, about 50 people lived at Nikkilä during the peak season. This experimental farm constituted 40% of Hankkija’s breeding efforts nation-wide, and continued until 1988.

In 1992 some of Nikkilä’s structures were renovated by an affiliate company, including the main house. The cow house was made into an educational center, and a new house was built with a sauna amongst an apple grove. Until 1998 it was used by the Hankkija- Farming Ltd to host trainings, potential clients and company executives.

In 1998 it was bought by Antti and Airi Solja as a private summer retreat. They created an exhibition of old agricultural tools, equipment and household goods. After their passing it became part of the Solja family estate.

In 2021 it was purchased by Leijona and Antigoni Taki’h Wiren. Leijona is a Bronze artist and has established his foundry and gallery to exhibit his art in what was the cowhouse. Together they are holding point for Nikkilä as a modern-day Temple and School of Soul Initiation. They have adopted: two Huskies Sisu (male) and Kaneli (female), 3 chickens, and plan to adopt 3 therapeutic alpacas.

Leijona has been honoured with the gift of an anvil passed down through the generations of the descendants of the Sillius Blacksmith family, which will be displayed as part of the heritage of this land. 

A crane couple and wild swans also have permanent residence at Nikkilä’s lakeshore. Currently the whole property is deemed an “area in which the environment is preserved.” The Manor House is listed as “protected” under Finland’s Building Protection Act, due to the fact that it was constructed 130 years ago and remains in excellent condition.