Life at Fidsel

The farm has been owned and run by the same family for 400 years. A small farm in the coastal landscape between Flekkefjord and Åna-Sira. Today the farm is run by Hege and Øyvind Andersen. They keep bees, sheep and farm vegetables.

The bees are of the species Apis Mellifera mellifera, the Nordic brown bee. The original European honey bee, which turns out to be both frugal and hardy. It is needed here in our humid coastal climate. The main feature of our bees is the nectar from the coastal heath on Hidrahei, which is part of the Flekkefjord Landscape Conservation Area. This results in a tasty and beautiful honey.

The vegetables are grown without pesticides and fertilizers. We want to focus on good soil health, for example by using fertilizer from our own sheep. Sheep manure and hay turns into compost and nutrients for the vegetables. We like diversity, so about 30 different varieties are grown on our farm. Potatoes, beets, beans, squash, cabbage, carrots and spring onions, to name a few.

With us, it is the sheep breed Fuglestadbrogete that applies. These came to Norway from Leeds in 1909. It was our neighbor at Fidsel, Hans Hansen, who at the time picked up 2 pregnant sheep and a ram. Today it is one of Norway’s breeds worthy of protection, and we want to be part of this job. The sheep are known to be good at taking care of their lambs, and provide good milk. Their wool is white and variegated (black spotted) in the face and on the legs.

Through the yard, the tourist trail goes out to Gården Li. A trip that is used all year round and goes in a varied terrain. With us you get honey, guided tours to the bees, many different vegetables and in time we will produce mutton.