Thanks to the pure and Arctic air, the natural produce found in Enontekiö – wild berries, mushrooms, herbs, fish, reindeer and game birds – are all pure and aromatic.
During late summer the area’s berries and mushrooms are ripe for picking.
In late fall astute berry hunters may also find some cranberries. These are followed by blueberries (mustikka: Vaccinium myrtillus) towards the end of July. Black crowberries (variksenmarja: Empetrum nigrum) come next and then lingonberries (puolukka: Vaccinium vitis-idaea), in the second half of August. The last berries to arrive are the cranberries (karpalo: Vaccinium oxycoccos) at the end of September.
High on the hills, grouseberries (riekonmarja: Arctostaphylos alpina) can be found at the end of August - this is the plant that paints the fells red with the Autumn colours. The berries are dark, like crowberries and lie close to the ground. Bog whortleberries (juolukka: Vaccinium uliginosum) can also be found around this time and these – as well as cranberries – are likely to gain in socio-economic importance throughout Europe in the coming years.
Picking berries is such an important persuit that Finland has been forced to address the working rights of international pickers: A court ruled earlier this year that the pickers do not have an employment relationship because they are independent entrepreneurs. You can find out more, here