About Us
We are a retired couple, Gerd and Tor, living on a small historic smallholding called Donvik on the island of Skatoy, close to the coastal town of Kragero, about 200 km southwest of Oslo, Norway.
Access to our small farm is mainly by boat. Although the island has a car ferry connection to the mainland, there is no road access to Donvik. The final part of the journey is on foot: a scenic 20-minute walk along a forest track from the road.
Our home and way of life are, in many ways, like stepping two or three generations back in time. Gerd began her career in mountain farming in Norway and later worked for many years as a glassblower and glass artist. She still maintains a small workshop where she creates fused glass artworks. Tor worked as an engineer in the chemical and oil & gas industries, both in Norway and internationally.
From time to time, our grandchildren stay with us, along with our dog, two cats, and fifteen chickens.
This region of Norway is very popular as a holiday destination. While the town of Kragero can be lively and bustling during the tourist season, Donvik is off the beaten track and wonderfully peaceful. From here, you can easily explore the sea and the beautiful archipelago of which Skatoy is a part. Our shoreline includes a small quay, with excellent conditions for sea bathing, swimming, and snorkelling. We also offer kayaks for independent exploration, or you are welcome to join us on our frequent boat trips.
We strive to be as self-sufficient as possible by producing ecological food from our own fields and greenhouse. We have a greenhouse near our home, and Gerd also collaborates with others in a shared one-acre allotment garden. Surplus products from the garden are sold at a self-service stand to both locals and visitors.
In addition to cultivation, we harvest seasonal foods that nature provides, such as berries, mushrooms, and herbs, and we occasionally fish in the sea. Gerd has knowledge and experience in organic and regenerative farming, and your role will be to help her with a variety of daily tasks of cultivation and other regular farm work and maintenance.
The allotment garden is not only about growing food; it is also intended to serve as a social meeting place that fosters sustainable food production within a small local community. The project includes a school garden, and from time to time you will also help three other allotment growers.
Both participants and visitors have found that a sense of comfort and well-being is just as important as the garden itself.
Accommodation
You will stay in a charming, simple cottage located near the main house. The cottage includes a living room and two bedrooms, a small kitchenette, and two or three beds. There is a veranda, with a shower room located just below it, and a separate outdoor toilet.
The facilities are well suited for one or two adults and can also accommodate a small family with children. The surroundings are a true natural paradise for young children. They are free to play on smooth rocks, in open fields, in the woods, or on our small private beach. There, they can explore marine life in the shallow waters or fish for crabs from the nearby pier.
Food
You will share one main meal with us each day, and from time to time with the three other allotment-growing families in the area. Ingredients for your other two daily meals will also be provided. You may choose to enjoy these meals with us or prepare them in the privacy of your own cottage.
We are flexible and happy to cooperate with you to find practical and comfortable arrangements for meals and food supplies. Much of the food we serve is self-produced, supplemented with typical Norwegian products from the butcher, seafood shop, and supermarket. We strive to eat food made from scratch from good local ingredients.
There are no shops on the island, so we travel by boat to Kragero once a week to do our grocery shopping. During the summer, Skatoy Café is open daily and serves food and drinks. There is also a volunteer-run flea market open three days a week in July, where some food items are sold at family-friendly prices.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Wild foraging
Flower farming
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Traditional crafts
Methods or systems
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
4
Hectares
|
9.9
Acres
