History

 
Charlottendal is an old settlement with a Fornborg overlooking the Mora Garnet, the once sailable sea wreck that gave Järna its name. The existing residential building – today a women’s collective – was built at the turn of the century after the old manor house was demolished. On the Öknebo hare map from 1696 the farm is marked as the tax-laden village “Bråten”, an impression many of us shared during the construction period.

The farm was run by Carl Emil Sörgärde in the 1950s. With the background of a quaker and anthroposophist, he built an organisation with people with disabilities. He also received foreign guests, including visitors from India. He baked bread in a wood oven in the cellar, which he sold to other organisations. Baking took more and more time and after a while the family decided to move to Saltå and devote more effort to building a bakery with friends. This was the foundation of the Saltå Mill and Bakery.

In the 1950s, the property was acquired by a Gothenburg family, whose disabled son was living on the farm. Mrs Walltraut Roden used the farm and at the same time led activities with children and adults with disabilities. In 1991 the farm was bought by Peter and Merle Hagerrot. A group who knew the property and Mrs Roden had gathered with the hope of being able to settle into a farm context.

The farm’s future owners Merle and Peter Hagerrot saw potential in the agricultural property. The small farm was not big enough to generate profit as a farm. On the other hand, its 35 hectares were a rather large property to be used only as a residency, managed by an individual or a family. This situation created an opportunity to use the property in new ways, to grow food, to cooperate between neighbours, to enhance quality of life.

Järna is a lively community, partly thanks to the Anthroposophic Society established here in the 1930s. This has brought many cultural inputs to the area, where we can see for instance modern dance, contemporary theater and many interesting lectures, among other events and gatherings. Charlottendal is one of many farms around Järna with a wide range of activities, alongside other farms such as Skäve, Skillebyholm and Nibble farm.