Kristin – one of the tree specialists at Essunga Plantskola

Kristin has worked at Essunga Plantskola for 20 years. That’s what happens when you have a fun and varied job where you enjoy yourself and have had great opportunities to grow within the company. If you buy a tree (or perhaps enough to create an entire avenue) from the nursery, it is most likely Kristin who has selected the specific specimens you receive.

At Essunga Plantskola, trees and plants have been cultivated since 1937. In addition to growing seedlings for trees and shrubs, the company also plans green spaces for private individuals, businesses, and public organizations. They can also offer a complete solution where nursery staff carry out the planting themselves, meaning no middlemen are required.

Kristin Kalkreuter had her first day as a summer worker at the company in 2006. During her school years, she worked extra on weekends and holidays. After graduating, she was employed full-time and has now worked at the company for a total of 20 years.

"I’ve never even thought about changing jobs. The days vary so much and are divided into clear seasons throughout the year, so it never gets boring. I have great colleagues and I get to spend a lot of time outdoors, which is important to me!"

Kristin mainly works with tree deliveries. She reviews incoming orders for trees and larger specimen plants, goes out into the fields, and selects which specimens the customer will receive. She marks them with colorful ribbons so her colleagues - who prepare the trees for transport, including tying up the crowns - know which ones to handle. Before shipment, Kristin double-checks that everything is in order, ensures the correct trees go to the right customers, and prepares the shipping and delivery documents.

"As a nursery, we act as wholesalers for several garden centers, but we mainly sell directly to our business customers, such as municipalities, parishes, and construction and landscaping contractors. If you are a private customer wanting to visit us, we prefer that you book an appointment first. Our operation is not suited for walking around on your own, as there are quite a few machines moving about. Private customers are welcome to place orders, and we have a pickup time for them one afternoon per week."

Specialists in hardy plants for cold climates

Essunga Plantskola has a wide range of trees, shrubs, and perennials, but specializes in hardy plants that can withstand northern Swedish climates. This means many of the company’s customers are located in northern Sweden.

"The farther north you go, the shorter the planting season becomes. Planting can be done from when the frost leaves the ground until it freezes again. That makes the summer season very intense for us, as we deliver a lot to those areas."

Despite working with trees every day, Kristin does not call herself an expert.

"Of course I know a lot about trees, but there’s always more to learn! One of my favorite trees is Katsura. It has beautiful, almost heart-shaped leaves, and in the autumn it develops a very special scent, like cotton candy!"

Vacation in both summer and winter

The busy summer season means that Kristin and her colleagues can only take three weeks of vacation during the summer. But during the winter, when things slow down, they can take longer time off.

"We close for a period in December and January, and then we have a long break, about a month. For me, who loves Christmas, it’s perfect to be off in the winter. It feels like I have vacation twice a year!"

Having this long winter break also allows Kristin to spend more time outdoors with her two children. The family lives in Vedum, in the neighboring municipality of Vara.

"I grew up in Nossebro and met my partner when I was out dancing. He lived in Vedum, and when we moved in together, I moved there."

Kristin describes Vedum as just the right size of town to live in , calm, but still close to the services you need. When asked what she does in her free time, she first laughs.

"Haha! Well, what does anyone with small children do? Right now, I don’t feel like there’s much free time - it’s mostly spent with the kids. And we also have two horses to take care of. But my partner and I try to go out dancing when we can. There are plenty of places that organize dance evenings, and it’s so much fun!"

This text has been translated with the help of AI.