Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
26 Jan 2024
Reply rate
80.0 %
Usually responds within 4 days
Feedback
31
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Im a 35 year old architect running our old family farm. I live here with my girlfriend, my parents and my grand aunt. We got a beautiful place here, with historical buildings and gardens, a small sawmill, fields, pastures and diverse forest, along Norway's largest lake Mjøsa, close to Oslo. I love to share it.
In cooperation with family, friends and different volunteers we develop the farm in a positive, social and sustainable direction, with care for both the heritage and the natural environment, combining traditional and innovative farming methods. The farm is certified organic. The flock of heritage sheep is not a commercial activity for us, but an uniqe traditional practice we want to keep alive. As a volunteer here you help us with all the manual tasks that commercial farming no longer permits the time, money or hands to do in a traditional way.
Regarding climate change, biodiversity and land use, the farm is especially interesting. Here you live with the seasons, from our dry snowy winter to the warm and fertile summer, to everything in between. The seasons shape and give rythm to life and a diversity of work.
I want workawayers to experience some of these changes and therefor invite people to apply for one or two of three periods:
January-March, winter to spring:
The cold crisp winter covers the farm in deep snow. The winter cleanses and resets everything. Working outside in the relative short days, with their colorful sunsets at 4 pm is an unique experience. We heat ourselves with wood stoves and the making of firewood for next winter. The sheep must be cared for every day. This dormant season also got some special winter work in the forest and in the garden.
April-June, spring to summer:
The lambing is an intense, energizing and beautiful time. You come close to life and death. In the end of May the sheep finally and playfully get new, fresh grass. Some lambs always continue to need special care and bottle feeding. We prepare the fields and the garden with many different plants for the new season and bring the sheep to the communal mountain pasture for the summer, as is tradition in our region. We are now working on restoring and enlarging ponds and water features, focusing on habitat for birds and the endangered warty newt. I got some new biodiversity projects going on every year.
August-October, summer to autumn:
In this period we bring the sheep down from the communal mountain summer pasture. This is a great experience every year working with family, friends and other sheep farmers. Back on the farm we start strategic rotational grazing on the different pastures. Fences must be in order. We harvest from the garden and prepare the farm and the food storage for the winter to come. In August it is still warm and nice to take a swim in the large lake.
We might be open to host you in July, November and December too, so feel free to ask.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We offer the possibility to learn about our special farm and way of farming, combining new and traditional methods, developing sustainable agriculture, with care for heritage and nature. Learn about farming, wood production and land use, and experience the joy of physical farm work. As hosts we will do our best to create a learning environment and provide work so you will both be challenged and get tasks that you can manage and take real responsibility for. On some special days we plan workshops focusing more directly on the sharing of knowledge. I would also like to facilitate if you got your own project (or an idea) that you need time and space to work on, and will benefit the farm or community in some way. Please specify if you want this. I got knowledge in many areas of sustainable agriculture and architecture, and Im happy to share.
The farm is a nice place to have sparetime, with diverse nature, hiking trails and a pier by the lake. We got a canoe, bikes and fishing equipment.
Help
Type of work vary through the season and can be adapted to your interest: caring for the sheep, lambing, making firewood, fencing, gardening, general maintenance, food conservation, and depending on your skills and interests: building and restoration projects, nature/biodiversity restoration, sawmilling, craft and design. If you got any special interest or skills please let us know. For me the help from volunteers helps run the farm in a more suistainable, traditional and non-commercial way. Even though the farm is not my source of income, we always strive for consistent quality in the everyday work, developement and new projects.
Most people come here to learn specifics about our farming, forestry and restoration work, and volunteering here is at its best if that is what you are interested in. We prioritize people who have or in some way are planning to have agriculture as part of their life, and that want to stay for a full three month period.
The work will not include cooking or cleaning for us, only for your own household.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Norwegian: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
You will get your own guest room in a separate house. Bathroom, kitchen and living room will be shared with 0-3 other volunteers/interns, depending on the season. Wifi in the house.
What else ...
Easy to get here by train from Oslo, Trondheim or the international Oslo airport Gardermoen. We can pick you up at the Brumunddal train station.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
max 25 hours a week
Feedback (14)
Our tasks… read more
We did many different tasks regarding the farm, house and woodproduction. But our main task was to look out for the ewes and feed them a good… read more
The second month was one of the best in my entire life. Lambing was two weeks earlier… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Our tasks… read more
We did many different tasks regarding the farm, house and woodproduction. But our main task was to look out for the ewes and feed them a good… read more
The second month was one of the best in my entire life. Lambing was two weeks earlier… read more
I stayed at the farm of Ola and Lone for six weeks in winter and I loved it <3
I was joined by two other workawayers for two weeks each and have been a solo workawayer for two weeks as well.
Ola and Lone a very kind people and I felt very welcomed by everybody that I met. I was invited for food multiple times by Ola's parents Morten and… read more
I am especially thankful… read more
Even though I only stayed for 3 weeks, I learned so much about many things (more than farming) and I will cherish this experience in this beautiful place forever.
The work I did was very diverse and included both physical and more relaxed tasks.
From berry picking, to feeding the pigs, to… read more
this was my first experience with workaway and I'm really happy to have lived it with you.
You have always been very kind and helpful with me from the first moment I set foot in Norway, making me feel part of the family in a way, inviting me to spend time with your friends and relatives, talking, playing… read more
we had such a great time with you on your farm. You both are interesting and funny people and we loved spending time with you. We learned a lot about sheep, pigs and lambing. The work was something different every day which was very nice, it varied from making a kitchengarden to picking rocks. We will definitely have nice… read more
They welcomed me into their lives and gave me the opportunity to travel around; I had a lot of fun living and working with you, even though it ended in time passing by too quickly.
I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll manage to tranform the farm further and further :)
