Date: Friday June 28th
Duration: 08:30- 16:00
Organizers/contact persons: Reidar Almås
Title: From urban community farming to modern pluriactive highland agriculture
This excursion starts at Melhus Farm in Gauldalen, 20 km south of Trondheim, where the farming couple has developed parts of their farmland for cooperative community farming. Urban dwellers interested in cultivating their own vegetables are invited to participate in a cultivation cooperative. The members get there early in the spring when the farmers, with their machines, have made the soil ready for planting and sowing. They participate during the summer with the weeding, irrigation and care of the plants by capacity. The members also participate in the harvest when the crop is distributed. In addition, the farm has a modern livestock building, which we will also see.
We then head to the sparsely populated Hølonda community, which is located in the highlands - 45 km south of Trondheim. There we will visit a pluriactive family farm with 15 cows. An additional income comes from farm animal pedicures: the farmer performs the care of the cow hooves, while the wife on the farm shoes horses.
Afterwards, we will have lunch in the neighbouring converted sheep farm building, where Sissel and Reidar Almås have built a 10-meter-high “hunting and experience tower” with a sky bar at the top. Reidar Almås will give a talk on how the rural population in this agricultural and forestry farm community has adapted to survive structural changes in agriculture with various forms of modern part-time farming and rural services.
Time schedule and tentative program:
08:30 - Bus from hotel. Bring your luggage
09:00 – Medalhus community farm (Medalhus andelslandbruk)
10:30 – Departure for the Highlands
11:00 – Visiting Lufall pluriactive farm to view cow pedicures
12:00 – Lunch at Jårheim, a converted sheep farm building
13:00 – Reidar Almås’ talk on how rural people adapt to changes in agriculture
13:30 – Short walk to the “hunting and experience tower” in the woods
13:45 – Coffee, camp fire and exploring the surroundings
14:30 – Departure for Trondheim Airport, Værnes
15:45 – Arrival at Trondheim Airport, Værnes
16.30 – Arrival at Trondheim City Centre
Wear walking shoes and clothes according to the weather.
