Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Norway’s Best Farm Experiences
The farm of Søya is named after the female sheep (translating as ‘the Ewe’).
Living off the lamb Ever since the Iron Age, grazing sheep have shaped the cultural landscape of western Norway. At the open farm of Søya, a hard-working couple is dedicated to preserving this tradition for future generations. By Eirik Elvevold | Photos: Knut Vindfallet, Søya
Close your eyes and picture a farm. What do you see? Probably a house with a barn, a few chickens strutting around the yard and cattle and sheep eating grass in the sun. At Søya, a farm located a mere half hour’s drive from Stavanger, this vision is a daily reality. “We are the eighth generation running the farm,” explains Anne-Karin Søyland. Together with her husband, Søyland has been welcoming visitors to Søya for almost two decades. She finds it essential to strike the right balance between farming and tourism. “The cattle and sheep are our livelihood. We want to share our experiences and traditions without threatening the sustainability of the farm itself,” she says. Every sunday and by request, young and old alike take part in the living farm, 48 | Issue 89 | June 2016
sitauted at an altitude of 300 metres above sea level. Guests are offered a variety of local delicacies, such as honey and coffee, as well as clothes, handicrafts and art. The local breed of sheep, Spælsau, is essential to many of the products. The breed, also called Jærnaldersuen (the Iron Age sheep), has been used in Norway since the Iron Age and still makes the basis for food, wool, sheepskin and decorations at Søya. “Jærnaldersauen gives delicious meat, since it’s raised both on pasture and out in the wild. Our animals have plenty of space and live free, happy lives,” Søyland points out. Because the ewe are so watchful and active, the lambs can be left outside the whole summer. “They are very good mothers, which is important since we’ve had some problems with hungry eagles catching lambs.”
The guest cabins connected to Søya are named after the eagles in the area. Ørnehuset (the Eagle’s House) is made up of four cabins, well suited for groups seeking peace and quiet. Within walking distance of both a fishing lake and a mountain top, Ørnehuset is a natural starting point for hiking in the open cultural landscape crafted by sheep and centuries of tradition.
For more information, please visit: www.soeya.no