Scan Magazine | Special Theme | A Taste of Norway
Lomelde Gard has an idyllic location, overlooking the world’s longest and deepest fjord, Sognefjorden. Photo: Leif Bergum
A fruitful source of history and tradition If you ever find yourself driving along the world’s longest and deepest fjord, the breathtaking Sognefjorden, chances are you will stop and try some delicious, juicy fruit sold from one of the many roadside stands. The area is known for its fruit production, and one of the longest standing fruit farms, Lomelde Gard, has been in the business for generations. By Linn Skjei Bjørnsen | Photos: Lomelde Gard
Perched along the shoreline, at the mouth of Sognefjorden and right in the middle of the two picturesque villages of Leikanger and Sogndal in western Norway, Lomelde Gard boasts magnificent views of the glistening water, green forest landscape and snowcapped mountains – it is like it has been taken directly out of a painting of romantic Norwegian nationalism. In fact, these unique surroundings did indeed inspire several of the era’s most fa38 | Issue 109 | February 2018
mous painters, including Johan Christian Dahl and Thomas Fearnley, who eternalised the landscape in some of the most iconic paintings in Norwegian art history.
Fruit for generations At Lomelde Gard, fruit cultivation has been at the centre of the farm’s production for more than 150 years, and every summer several tonnes of sweet cherries are harvested from the fruit gardens surrounding
the property. “The farm has a long history of more traditional farming involving animals and crops, but today all the land is devoted to fruit cultivation, and in addition to cherries, we also grow plums, pears and small amounts of blackberries,” farm owner Sigmund Lomelde explains. The climate in Sogn is ideal for growing fruit: mild winters combined with optimal light conditions and low rainfall in the summer makes the fruit some of the most sought-after in Norway. After harvest, Lomelde’s fruit is sent to a local fruit packing facility, where it then gets shipped to all over the country. “In the summer, we travel through Norway from the south to the north with our fruit van to visit festivals, and we also have a regular