Norway 2

We have been very busy with the tour group. Yesterday we visited summer farms in the mountains. The home farms are in the valleys near the lakes. It is very steep along these valleys. For the summer, the animals are moved to higher pastures on the other side of these mountains. When you travel up to the top of the mountains you find broader valleys which give the animals much better pastures.



It it in higher altitudes but is very healthy for them and for the people. In the past the poor workers and children used to bring the animals to the summer farms. Now the farmers and their families move to the summer farm from June to September. We visited three farms. They had cows and goats but others also have sheep. Seven families have made a coopertive to encourage tourism in the area. Our busload of 50 people came. They gave us coffee and pancakes at one farm and a full lunch of stew and fresh bread and flatbread at the other farms. These seven families worked together to feed and serve us.

We hiked from one farm to the other and listened as they explained about their cooperative and the cheese making and milking that they were doing.

Today we drove north to the mountains in northern Valdres to lake Bygdin which is 1000 meters above sea level. It is above the tree level and surrounded by mountains which are 2000+ meters. We ate another wonderful meal at a hiking hostel on the water's edge and then boarded a boat to go the length of the lake (about a 2 hour trip).

We stopped in two stave churches and met two mayors who explained the history of their church and commune.




Now I need a nap before dinner at 7 PM After dinner we will have music and dancers from the area.
We are eating our way through Norway!