History of Tuorla

Tuorla has a long vivid history behind it. The first validated literary reference to this farm dates all the way back to the 1500's when Tuorla apparently served as the bishop's estate. The 1800's were the most glamorous age for Tuorla. The owner families were very wealthy: the cultivated fields were expanded and the land property grew. At this time, many of the buildings in Tuorla were built. Widowed Vendla Gustava von Willebrand commissioned building e.g. the grain magazine, and the one-floor Voutila building which nowadays serves as a café, boutique and hostel. The Voutila building has had the privilege of serving in many different functions. The building has provided premises for the office, bakery and dairy of the farm. The building has also been a home to the estate manager and labour. From the end of 1800's to the year 1906, Voutila served as a factory for canned food where preserved food was manufactured for the Russian army.

From a farming school to Countryside College of Southwest Finland

In 1885 to 1908, the estate served as a farming school which the students attended for 2 years. Two buildings were reserved for the school. At the same time, gardening school for girls and Finland' first milkmaid courses were held. The courses immediately brought new views to the cowsheds. Tuorla's cows were the first ones in Finland which were milked with machines. The school was shut down in 1908. The reason was an ownership dispute when the owners changed.

When municipal councillor Akseli Haikio bought Tuorla, life settled down again. He farmed the estate for 20 years and donated it to Turku University in 1944. At the request of Mr Haikio, Tuorla was once again to function as a two-year farming school. The university gave up the estate in 1972. Two years later, the estate was bought by the Finnish government. Already in autumn of that year, the third farming school in the history of Tuorla begun operating. The one-year gardening school started its operation in 1977. The two oldest green-houses were completed in a couple of years time.

The heavy expansion phase begun in the 1980's. A new school building, dormitories, two green-houses and a shed for livestock were built to serve the expanding school. Nowadays, the total area of the estate is over 300 hectares, and over 400 students attend the school every year. In 1993, the farming and gardening college of Tuorla and the forestry college of Paimio were joined together. The new name was to be Countryside College of Southwest Finland.

Sources: Jutikkala, E. & Nikander, G. 1941. Suomen kartanot ja suurtilat II. Tähtinen, R. 1949. Tuorlan kartanon historiaa. Pro gradu thesis.