Holstad Gård is home to the Sæther family, which is made up of Carl Andrew, Silje, and their three children. The couple met while studying in Trondheim, him to become a medical doctor and her to become a teacher. After completing their studies, they moved to northern Norway for a few years before deciding to take over Carl Andrew’s childhood home in 2012 – Holstad Gård. They were in search of a quieter place and a better quality of life, Silje says, even if that meant earning less money than they would in the city.
The original farm was located on a small hill some distance away, where the old timber buildings provided shelter for generations of farmers from the early 1800s. When a new road was built at the start of the 20th century, the farm was moved to its current location and additional buildings were built according to the architectural style of the time – ‘Sveitserstil’, or Swiss chalet style. Today, the Sæthers wish to create a unique place with specialty products, where both locals and visitors want to stop.
In an effort to introduce more animals to the farm, the family bought 10 sheep in 2015, adding to the one horse and several cats that were already there when they arrived. The goal at the time was to run the farm, but still have enough time to work their day jobs. They therefore chose the ‘Old Norse Spælsau’, because they’re more robust and self-reliant than other sheep breeds, and also produce high-quality wool. The sheep count has grown quickly over the years, and the Sæthers have already received 75 new lambs this year, with a few more on the way.
In 2018, Silje made the decision to leave her teaching job and focus on the farm full-time, while Carl Andrew continued to work as a doctor. They opened a web shop and entered into a network of local farmers known as ‘REKO-ringen’, which led to many requests from people wanting to buy their products. In 2020, they built a modern yet old-fashioned farm shop, using historical elements and materials from the farm. Here they sell meat, wool products, and produce from a few other local producers.
The Sæthers recently started growing flax for linen as well, and are looking to produce vegetables in the near future. Given their passion for second-hand goods, they also collect and sell vintage clothing, each piece equipped with a note that details its history and previous owner. The farm shop runs on an honour system, where customers browse freely and are trusted to pay for their chosen goods. Silje says that people are for the most part honest, and the amount of loss is minimal.
The philosophy at Holstad Gård is to utilise the entire animal for meat, skin, and wool products. In line with this belief, the Sæthers have developed a range of cured sausages and meat products, which also incorporate local ingredients such as chanterelle mushrooms and fresh spruce shoots. Two of the sausages are called ‘framsnakk’ and ‘baksnakk’, Norwegian words that mean ‘to speak positively and negatively about something’.
“It is not always easy to go your own way in small communities, but we hope local people see that we are trying to create something that might benefit the entire region.”
