A geopark tells the story of how geology, biology, people, and cultural history are connected. That also includes the local food traditions. Supporting and highlighting locally produced food and products is something a geopark work actively with.
Millions of years of geological events have created a fascinating landscape in Platåbergens Geopark. Bedrock, topography, soil conditions, and access to water provide different conditions in different places.
The landscape we see today was to a great extent formed by the last ice age, which began around 115,000 years ago och avslutades för 10 000 år sedan. The landforms and materials left behind by the ice created the basic conditions for human, animal, and plant life. Billions, trillions of small clay particles created the clay soil that now covers the flat Västgöta Plain.
For millennia, people have lived on and farmed the land on the mountains. The different rocks have created different conditions for agriculture. On the lower slopes of the mountains, weathered limestone, sandstone, and shale have created good agricultural soils. The clay soils of the Västgöta Plain are among the most productive agricultural areas in Sweden and the table mountain area offers a throng of great ingredients, locally grown food and products.
Here we have gathered some links for you who want to visit different farm shops, maybe are curious about REKO rings, where you can order locally produced food, or want to know more about where you can go to experience this pantry of fantastic food culture in the area.
Markets and events
Malta Johanna marknad
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Networks and organizations
Lokalproducerat i Väst is a resource center for small-scale food producers in Västra Götaland that provides advice, coaches and develops small-scale food companies to create growth and employment in the region. Their vision is for Västra Götaland to become the leading region in local food.
Smaka på Västsverige is a network that promotes western Sweden as a food region and works to make local food and local meal experiences visible. Good food prepared from local ingredients from the local area, together with wonderful surroundings and friendly hospitality is what you get during a stay in Västergötland.
During 2020–2022, Grästorp municipality is running a project to investigate how more food that is produced locally also can be eaten locally. The project is a collaboration with four other municipalities.
The idea of Lokal Meny (local menu) is to profile sub-regional areas as areas with attractive restaurants with an increased profile towards locally grown high-quality food.
There is so much to discover in our region. We have many skilled food craftsmen who use local ingredients to produce superb flavor combinations and are good at lifting each other.
All products marked with this symbol contain at least 85% grain grown on the Västgöta plain, one of Europe’s most fertile lands.