Farms in Norway

[ovrszd]

Morning Richard ! I will keep that in mind in case I buy a property near you because my girlfriend likes to sunbath in her birthday suit on a lounge chair behind the barn . Every time I see your drone instead of shooting it down I will just send you a bill ! :laughing:


Agvg hello again . Back like 30 years ago I did some research on the Kon-Tiki voyage and Thor Heyerdahl . Oslo must be like over 4 hours south of you ? Just wondered if you are familiar with the museum and have actually visited it ?

Good stuff!!! I never fly my Drone over anyone's property without first getting permission. People that aren't familiar with Drones think if they see one in the distance it's spying on them!!! No zoom lens or high tech camera. What you can see with the naked (pun intended) eye is what the Drone sees. I have the only bright orange Drone around here. So it's hard for me to say "it wasn't me".

 

[ovrszd]

Yes, it was to increase productivity, I think only 3% of the landmass in Norway is farmland so this was very important to get the most out of, even under cold war there was focus on this, goverment did pay for large fuel tanks so you should have fuel for a certain amount of time for you farm.

I've been to Germany many times. I'm always interested in the Rural areas and farming practices. They too value their farmland.

So this sounds like good Governmental involvement?

Are you restricted on what types of crops you grow? Restricted in marketing?

There are a lot of Governmental programs here managed by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). It's very rare to find a farmer that's not involved in those programs in some manner. Once involved the farmer loses some of his freedom of choice. Also is scrutinized in land management to make sure he's in compliance with their rules. I have 70 acres in CRP (Conservation Reserve Program). It's seeded in Warm Season Grasses or a Pollinator mix of plants. These are ten year contracts with annual payments coming to me from USDA. In return I am very restricted on use and management. Any move out of compliance stops payment and can result in having to pay back previous payments. I use the program to control erosion.

 

[Agvg]

One of the summer farms that I own, the red house is my neighbors.

Taken to day

 

[Agvg]

I can produce what I want, many years ago it was regulated so her in was most sheep and goat, milk was everywhere but you had a limit or on how many liters you could deliver, to day many rent out this delivery limit to large milk farms and earn very good money that way, goat milk is very difficult to sell but where I live they makes goat cheese and sell direct to customers so they bypass the system and are able to make a living.

Owning farmland has many restrictions, can't easy sell it, of course I can't build on it except buildings for farm use and I have to use it, I sell grass, the alternative is renting it out, minimum for ten years and I can't terminate the rent so for me it's easy to choose.

 

[Agvg]

The road up the mountain

 

[Agvg]

I do get some money to keep old barns standing, keeping it nice for the tourist.

 

[ovrszd]

I can produce what I want, many years ago it was regulated so her in was most sheep and goat, milk was everywhere but you had a limit or on how many liters you could deliver, to day many rent out this delivery limit to large milk farms and earn very good money that way, goat milk is very difficult to sell but where I live they makes goat cheese and sell direct to customers so they bypass the system and are able to make a living.

Owning farmland has many restrictions, can't easy sell it, of course I can't build on it except buildings for farm use and I have to use it, I sell grass, the alternative is renting it out, minimum for ten years and I can't terminate the rent so for me it's easy to choose.

Yeah, a ten year rent contract that you can't terminate would be tough.

Interesting regarding milk production and sale. We've been heavily controlled in that regard for decades. Very, very few small milk producers left. All huge dairy operations.

 

[ovrszd]

I do get some money to keep old barns standing, keeping it nice for the tourist.

I like old farm buildings. I've got a small dairy barn that I maintain. Only use it for small item storage. Paint it every couple years.

How many miles from town are you? How long does it take to get there? How big is the town and does it provide everything you need?

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks for the additional pics. My wife and I really enjoy looking at them!!!

 

[Agvg]

Ca 1800 lives in this county, closest larger "town" is Sogndal and Voss, you will get most of what you need there, Bergen is 2.5h away and that is the second largest city in Norway so its not that remote.

 

[Agvg]

Some more from the same area

 

[Agvg]

More

 

[Agvg]

Pics

 

[Agvg]

Stone fridge, it's 30c but here it's cold, ice cold air coming out of the hole under the rock, you can feel the cold 10 meters away, used as storage in the old days.

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks again for great pics.

How are your Winters?

Here our first frost comes mid October. Last frost usually 3rd week of March. We'll have 6-8 days below zero F. 24-30" of frost. 20-30" of snow in small increments, 6" being large.

 

[ovrszd]

Stone fridge, it's 30c but here it's cold, ice cold air coming out of the hole under the rock, you can feel the cold 10 meters away, used as storage in the old days.View attachment 614431View attachment 614432

Every farmstead had a "fruit cellar" 100 years ago. They were hand dug and rock lined. Used to store food stuff.

Yours is much better!!!

 

[Agvg]

Stone fence

 

[Agvg]

And more stone

 

[Agvg]

Thanks again for great pics.

How are your Winters?

Here our first frost comes mid October. Last frost usually 3rd week of March. We'll have 6-8 days below zero F. 24-30" of frost. 20-30" of snow in small increments, 6" being large.

It has become colder, I'm 50 and when I lived her as a young man it was not much snow, and -5c was cold, now it has been down to -17c and maybe 20 - 25 cm snow. But it can also be 10+ in December so it's very unstable.

 

[Big Barn]

Awesome photos, Agvg! Thank you!!!!