Hello! ( I just have to say at once that we are fully booked for the season of 2026)
We, Eivind and Sirianne, live on a small farm by the sea in southern Norway, just outside the small and very cosy town of Mandal.
We have around 50 sheep. Most of them live on small islands in the sea outside our farm, and we supervise them by boat every week. Some also graze on our home pastures and in the forest on the mainland.
We also have about 40 chickens, four cats, and at the moment three cows, one bull and two calves.
We share the milk with the calves and hand-milk the rest for our own use.
Some summers we also keep pigs.
Animal welfare is very important to us. We care deeply about giving all animals a good and meaningful life and about their natural role on the farm.
Growing food & working with the land
We grow most of our own vegetables, berries and some fruit. We are very interested in soil health, regenerative farming and working with nature rather than against it. This is something we continuously learn more about, through practice, observation and experience.
Our goal is to live as sustainably as possible from our farm and the surrounding nature — forest, sea and land. We want the farm to be vibrant and alive, with different animals using the pastures in complementary ways. Working towards self-sufficiency gives us a lot of joy, and we enjoy learning new skills and practices along the way. We still have a lot to learn :-)
Our project also aims to connect people to nature and create a deeper understanding of our role in the ecosystem.
Farm shop & baking
We also run a small farm shop, where we sell products from our own farm and a few nearby producers. Depending on the season, this may include meat, eggs, dairy products, honey, berries, vegetables and other farm-made goods.
Sirianne bakes organic sourdough bread for the farm shop, using mainly Norwegian flour and traditional, slow fermentation methods. Baking is an important craft on the farm and something she is responsible for.
About us
Eivind is 50 years old and was born on this farm. He runs a small accounting firm full time and is a farmer, fisherman and hunter in his spare time.
Sirianne is 55 years old and trained as a teacher, but is now working towards making a living from the farm.
Why we host WWOOFers
We enjoy meeting people who are genuinely interested in soil, farming and sustainable ways of living, and who want to learn through practical work. We also need help during busy seasons, and hosting WWOOFers is a meaningful and enjoyable way to combine work, learning and cultural exchange.
Accommodation
You will stay in our boathouse, beautifully located right by the sea. It has two rooms and is simple but very cosy. There is electricity and cold water, a small kitchen, one good bed and five decent beds ;-)
There is no bathroom inside. The toilet is an outdoor compost toilet (“utedo” in Norwegian).
New this year is a simple shower on the ground floor of the boathouse.
The boathouse has no internet.
It is, however, a perfect place for reading, resting and slowing down — maybe an internet-free zone is a good thing :-)
You fall asleep and wake up to the sound of waves beneath you, with nature all around.
The boathouse works best for one or two couples, or groups of good friends. In our experience, WWOOFers are usually social and adapt well, and we do our best to match people in a good way.
You are, of course, very welcome to spend some time with us on the farm — but we also respect and value time spent on your own.
Work on the farm
Work tasks vary and include:
Caring for animals
Working in the kitchen garden, garden and greenhouse
Maintenance of buildings and fences
Woodwork, repairs and painting
Helping during open farm days
Milking Solveig, the one dairy cow
Chopping wood — and more :-)
We especially appreciate practical and handy WWOOFers. Skills in carpentry, maintenance and general building work are highly valued, as there is always something that needs to be built, fixed or improved.
Working hours & daily rhythm
WWOOFers normally work around 5–6 hours per day, 5 days a week, in line with WWOOF guidelines.
However, flexibility is important on a working farm where weather and seasons often set the schedule.
If we need to get hay in before the rain, we may have to work longer hours on those days to get the job done. When that happens, we make sure time off is given later when things are quieter.
We usually aim to give WWOOFers time off on Saturdays and Sundays, unless something urgent comes up.
On weekdays, we start the day with a morning meeting at 9:00 am. We drink coffee and tea together and go through the plans and tasks for the day. There is normally no morning meeting during weekends.
After the workday is finished, the rest of the day is your free time, and you are spend it as you please.
Free time
In your free time you can go fishing, swim in the sea, enjoy the forest, read, rest, or visit Mandal or Kristiansand to explore town life.
Food & shared time
We are not vegetarians. We eat meat from our own animals or from hunting.
Normally, you prepare and eat your meals in the boathouse using food that we provide. Occasionally we cook and eat together, but during the busy season on the farm we often need quiet time and flexibility around meals.
We hope you eat fairly “normal” food and don’t have many dietary restrictions.
It is a big plus if you enjoy eating what we produce here — fish, meat, honey, berries, vegetables and dairy. We have plenty of food and appreciate WWOOFers who value that.
Who you are
We are especially interested in hosting people who are genuinely curious about soil, farming and working with the land — not just travelling cheaply and seeing the world.
This is a working farm, and we value WWOOFers who enjoy hands-on, practical work and are comfortable using tools. Being able to work independently as well as together with others is important.
Good English is necessary so we can communicate well. You should love animals and not be allergic to them — or to grass and hay. Being a bit handy is a big plus.
You should not be afraid of getting dirty ;-)
It also works very well if you come as a couple or with two or three good friends.
And finally — it’s a bonus if you’re not too attached to your phone ;-)
Read more
Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Poultry farming
Pig farming
Cattle farming
Sheep or goat farming
Dairy farming
Forestry
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Methods or systems
Holistic management
No-till farming
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
6.1
Hectares
|
15
Acres
