My first memories of Tampere are filled with colours: red, yellow, purple, black, blue, orange, and brown (in Finnish, “ruska” colours). I arrived here in late August, but I got to know Tampere during September and October. To be honest, I’ve never paid much attention to autumns back home because they are not that different from winters. However, autumn in Finland is different, it’s a season to enjoy with all the senses.
Finns have taught me to enjoy this time of the year in their way; in the forest. They are so proud of their forests that they have something called “jokamiehenoikeus”. In English, it can be translated as every man’s right, a.k.a. freedom to roam in order to be more gender-inclusive. This means that everyone in Finland, a Finn or a foreigner, has the right to explore nature and enjoy outdoor activities, i.e. pick up mushrooms, berries, run, cycle or even camp as long as they don’t cause any harm to nature or people (you can learn more about it here, if you are interested).
In my case, I like to go pick up mushrooms, but I only pick the ones I know which are mostly boletus, “tatti” for Finns. When it comes to berries, I pick lingonberries, especially during this time of the year. I didn’t use to like them because they are bitter, but I’ve learnt to like them. You can make them into a jam that goes really nicely with some meat stews or Finnish dishes such as kaalilaatikko.
Autumn is also the season for apples, and Finns get lots of them. You can buy these in any supermarket or in any marketplace or “tori”. You might get some for free, too, if you walk by any neighbourhood with detached houses; Finns tend to grow apple trees in their backyards and when they get many apples, they may leave some in buckets in front of their houses for passers-by to take.
– Mónica
