Gårder

My dream farm on the cover of "Farms in Berg, Rokke and Asak."

When I was a boy, I spent many happy hours at my grandparents home in Lindon, Utah. Through my grandfather's stories of his time in Norway as a missionary, I grew to love Norway and its culture. I don't remember that my grandfather talked much about the farms in Norway, but I do remember a simple painting he and my grandmother displayed on their living room wall. It was an idyllic farm scene, complete with rolling hills, pastures, animals--and a red barn and white house, if I remember correctly. It became a symbol of the perfect life. I wanted to live on that farm, raise those animals, fill that barn with hay. Alas, I never did.

I don't believe this painting was of a Norwegian gård, or farm, but when I visited Norway for the first time last fall, a circle was closed for me. Those beautiful red barns and white houses and rolling fields edged by forest took me back to that simple child's dream of farm life. This was what I had longed for all those years. Somehow, it had become imprinted on my brain and in my heart at a very early age that the best life was a rural life, working with one's hands in the soil, surrounded by family, celebrating the unique blessings of each season.

Everywhere we traveled while there I thought of life on a farm in Norway. I nearly cried as we drove from the airport south to Moss that first night. My face was glued to the window as we later took the train from Oslo to Bergen. Farm after farm rolled by. Voss was a revelation. My mind raced: Could that have been me? Was this dream somehow passed to me through my genes? Was it too late to realize such a dream?

Standing in front of the main home on the Eng Farm, Rokke, Norway, October 2024

Sigh. Yeah, probably: I'm too old, have zero farming skills, and nearly every important person in my life is here in Utah. But I have two consolations: The first is that I was able to stand on one of the farms in Norway that my ancestors once owned. This farm is outside of Halden near the Rokkekirke, a medieval church whose original priest was the first owner of the Eng farm. We traveled there last year with no intention of doing more than driving by and taking some pictures, but once there, I realized I couldn't pass up the opportunity to actually knock on the door. I beat down every introverted instinct and knocked. What followed was a wonderful conversation with one of the current owners of the farm, Gunn Eng. With typical Norwegian generosity, Gunn even gave me a book, pictured above, about the farms in the area. This book was a goldmine, deepening our family's understanding of our history. Best of all, I got to stand on a real Norwegian farm--one that was once owned by my own Engh family line.

My second consolation is YouTube channels about people in Norway restoring Norwegian farms. None of the channels I watch have a large number of viewers, but they seem to be from the heart. What I like about them is seeing real farms come back to life. I can get a feel for the soil, the vegetation, the architecture and materials of the buildings, the animals, the weather. It does not look easy. But they do fill that farm-sized hole in my heart, and that is something.

Here are a few of my favorite Norwegian farm restoration channels:

• The Forgotten Farm: https://www.youtube.com/@theforgottenfarm

  "We share Norwegian farm life and the process of restoring an old farmhouse in western Norway. Our dream is to bring this historic farm back to life while building a lifestyle that is simple, self-sufficient, and full of laughter. On this channel, you’ll see:

  • Norwegian farm restoration (timber houses, barns, old tools)

  • Norwegian farm life as we balance work, family, and tradition

  • Simple living and family life in the countryside

  • Traditions, firewood, repairs and small victories along the way"

• Norwegian Farm Life: https://www.youtube.com/@Norwegianfarmlife

  "We’re Eirik and Marianne. A few years ago, we bought a forgotten 100-year-old farm on the west coast of Norway. Our goal is to bring it back to life — one project at a time — and create a self-sufficient home for our family to grow up close to nature. On this channel, we share the ups and downs of rebuilding old buildings, raising animals, and learning traditional skills along the way. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it."

• Wild and Woolly: https://www.youtube.com/@wildandwoolly

  "We live off grid in Norway, on a small farm. Here we try to grow our own food and be self-sufficient in every way. We get help plowing up the soil from woolly pigs and old north sheep helps with forestry and scrub eating. As far as possible, all plants and animals have a function, and we are constantly working to increase the degree of good ecological interaction. We make videos of our daily life with plants and animals, and small and large projects. We are not trained in agriculture, but we love to learn and enjoy everything we discover/stumble upon along the way."

• Leena Henningsen: https://www.youtube.com/@LeenaHenningsen

  "Hi, my name is Leena. I am a German filmmaker and photographer, living and traveling in Norway. I hope you‘ll enjoy following the journey!"

• Red Leaf Hill: https://www.youtube.com/@redleafhill

  "Red Leaf Hill is the musical project of Carmijn, a Northern Norway-based artist, songwriter, and filmmaker. Originally from the Netherlands, Carmijn moved to the North in the spring of 2022, seeking a deeper connection to nature and the inspiration it brings. Nestled between steep mountains and deep fjords, life in the Norwegian wilderness has inspired her to write new music, bringing fresh sounds that reflect the beauty and rawness of the Nordic landscapes."