A place to belong - Sven and Karin bought a farm in Norra Prästholm
In the reportage series "We chose Luleå", we meet people from different places and backgrounds. All with one thing in common – that they chose Luleå. In this part, we meet Sven Norman and Karin Jacobsson, who moved into a farm in Norra Prästholmen with their two children almost a year ago.
Space for workshop and rehearsal room
The farm is from the 19th century and has stables, a baker's hut, barns and storerooms. The nine hectares of land stretch from the river's edge to the edge of the forest, as far as the eye can see.
- I grew up on the far side of the mountain you see over there, says Sven and points towards the forest.
Just outside the residential building is a building that was used by the previous owners to conduct catering operations.
- The plan is for me to have a creative workshop in there, a room to paint and create. Sven plans to convert the other room into a rehearsal room, says Karin.
- I played in a band when I was in my 20s, "Checkpoint Charlie", and several of the members actually live closeby, so the plan is to take it up again on a hobby level, says Sven.
They sealed the deal before entering the house
In recent years, the couple has lived in Hörnefors outside Umeå. Karin worked as an ICU nurse at Norrland University Hospital and Sven has a doctorate in ecology at Umeå University. The idea of moving north has been around for a long time.
– We kind of waited for Sven to finish his studies. But when the pandemic came, it became clear that we didn't have to wait, it would be fine to do the last thing remotely and then we decided it was time to move.
The family found a rental apartment in Råneå and sold the villa in Hörnefors. They were prepared to live in the apartment for a couple of years, waiting for the right house to show up, but it was only a couple of months. Even before they had time to move in, they found out the farm was about to be sold, and they sealed the deal without being inside the house.
– Sven's parents live only a short distance from here and I have walked past this farm many times in recent years. I always thought it looked cozy but had no idea that we would come to live here one day, says Karin.
– We knew that there was a great need for renovation, but we see this as an opportunity to design our home as we want. My father is a retired carpenter, so we have every opportunity to get help when it comes to changing panels, additional insulation, changing windows and laying floors, says Sven.
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A kitchen garden, sauna och pasture
Norra Prästholm is located a couple of kilometers outside Råneå where the children go to school and preschool.
– Råneå has a lot of associations and many enthusiasts who make sure that everything works in the village. I was a soccer coach for Eli's soccer team last summer but needed to take a break this year because I'm completing my thesis at the same time as I work at Sportfiskarna, says Sven.
– There are many advantages to living in a slightly smaller village, everything is very accessible here and it is easy to find a place for activities. A week after we moved in, I found a stable where I could ride. People who live here take responsibility in making it a good place to live, says Karin.
They rarely go to Luleå to do something out of the ordinary, they don't really have that need or time in their lives right now when the children are small, and in the next few months they have many plans for everything they will do on the farm.
– We have an ambition to take part in the cultural life, but it will probably be more in the future when the children are older. Now we really enjoy being here near the water and nature and tinkering with the garden and the house, says Karin.
During the summer, they moved the sauna to get a better view of the water and started to plant a kitchen garden where the sauna used to be. They plan for more fruit trees and bushes, and also to get chickens eventually.
– But it won't be a big lawn, since I'm an ecologist, I want bees and insects to have plenty of access to meadow flowers. On the other hand, there might eventually be some grazing animals to keep up the pasture, we have thought about both goats and sheep, says Sven.
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Text: Frida Mörtsell
Photo: Jimmy Edlund