Life on the Farms

Look out across the valley floor around us. The green, lush plain is no coincidence. For thousands of years, the glacier has ground the bedrock into a nutrient-rich powder of minerals and clay, and spread it across the valley. The result is some of the most fertile soil you'll find in Norway. The farms in the Olden Valley have sustained families for generations. Goats, sheep and cattle graze freely here in the summer, and it is not uncommon to see a flock of goats settling calmly in the middle of the road, looking at the bus with the impassive dignity that only goats can manage. We ask you to remain calm. Further into the fjord region, fruit is cultivated – apples, pears, cherries and plums that ripen in the mild fjord climate. Some have even tried growing wine grapes, and it is said a local farmer recently won the title of Winemaker of the Year in a national competition. Who knows – perhaps Sogn og Fjordane is on its way to becoming Norway's Tuscany. The waterfalls and steep rivers around us are not only beautiful – they are powerful. The waterways here drive hydroelectric power stations that supply the region's industry with clean, renewable energy. It is an important part of the Norwegian picture: what looks like pure wilderness is also one of the country's most valuable energy resources – enabling energy-intensive industries like aluminium production along the coast. But it is the farmers and the goats who are the heart of the Olden Valley. Life here is demanding and simple, but the landscape is a compensation most city dwellers can only dream of.