The Klooti Croft came to Paattinen Local Heritage Sosiety by trade in 2009. There are several old  buildings in the Klooti area. Each building has had a purpose. Paattinen Local Heritage Society has already repaired many of them. Oral information has also been collected. The Society next plans to repair the unique the loftbod-shed. 

Loftbod is a loft shed.  Loftbod or attic shed is a timber storage building on two levels for storing food and clothes. The loftbod was the only house on the old Swedish and Finnish farms, that was built on two floors. 

Paattinen Local Heritage Society  bought the old and unique buildings of the Klooti Croft (farm) in 2009 and among the buildings there was a loftbod. Paattinen itself is a small rural area (parish) in the city of Turku.

A croft is a small farm or plot of land. In Finland, the croft institution was abolished in the fall of 1918 after the Finnish Civil War, the crofters (tenants) were given the right to redeem their crofts, whereby 45,000 new farms arose during the 1920s.

LEADER is a European programme. LEADER (Liaison between Actions for the Development of the Rural Economy) is a European program for rural development, which aims to support the development of rural areas. 

Paattinen Local Heritage Society thanks the LEADER program for the fact that the Society will receive a grant of 43,260 euros in 2025 and 2026.                      

The project's own financing took place with the help of a local foundation. In addition, a lot of volunteer work will be required. Talkoot" is a centuries-old form of voluntary work in Finland and an important part of Finnish cultural heritage. Talkoot work is unpaid labor done as a way to help the community or individuals.

The purpose of the LEADER project is to repair the loftbod of the Klooti Croft. There is a barn connected to the loftbod, which will also be repaired. The Society will also make a nature trail and a culture path. An area of one hectare is enough. Passengers would be interested in the old way of staying overnight.

Klooti nature trail will be small, but there is a rock, a forest, a pond, a meadow, a field, a swamp. The Society hopes that schoolchildren and young people will like the trail.

There have been events, occasions, competitions in the Klooti farm. Klooti is rented out and it is hoped that visitors will stay there. The Larp groups (a live action role-playing game) have liked the place.

If you want to know what the Klooti croft is like, watch YouTube Paattinen school's 5th grade at Kloot's farm.  ”Paattisten koulun 5. luokka Klootin torpassa Paattisilla.” https://www.google.com/search?q=Paattisten+koulun+5.+luokka+Klootin+torpassa+Paattisilla&oq=Paattisten+koulun+5.+luokka+Klootin+torpassa+Paattisilla&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIKCAEQABiABBiiBDIKCAIQABiABBiiBDIKCAMQABiiBBiJBTIGCAQQRRhA0gEJNTMzMWowajE1qAIIsAIB8QU9KkBt9FEEEfEFPSpAbfRRBBE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#

There is also a wikipedia article about Klootin torppa in Finnish (See the https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klootin_torppa ). 

The Klooti Croft came to Paattisten Seura by trade in 2009. There are several buildings in the Klooti area. Each building has had a purpose. Paattinen Local Heritage Society has already repaired many of them. Oral information has also been collected.

Klooti's croft is an original and photogenic place. There are the newer sauna (1951), 2. the hay barn - cow barn - henhouse, 3. the loftbod-shed , 4. the main building, 5. the stable - sheep barn, 6. the root cellar or cold store , 7.  the smoke cabin - timbered barn ja 8. the retirement cottage (Kustaa´s cottage). Buildings have also been demolished.

Every building still has a some purpose. It's best to leave an old buiding undemolished.

European dimension

The restorations of the Klooti Croft would not have been successful without grants.  Voluntary work (talkoot, volunteer labor) was also essential.  Projects in Finland are carried often out through talkoot efforts. Talkoot (voluntary work) are a organized by various associations, organizations, and individuals. 

 The old rural buildings are important and there are many reasons to preserve the old buildings. The Klooti Croft is a rare and original entity.

The optional project proposal for the grant procedure:  In the Klooti croft there are a smoke sauna and Newer sauna (year 1951). The Newer sauna has a chimney that leads the smoke away. “Sauna culture in Finland” was inscribed to the UNESCOs Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020. 

The next target would be to repair the Newer sauna.

The storyteller declares that he has written the Story himself. 

9.3.2025 Turku.     Writer:    Kai Kaituri, Paattinen, Paattistentie 606, 21330 Paattinen, kai.kaituri@gmail.com