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2nd Nordic Workshop on Entrepreneurship in Regional Food Production, Bodø 05.05.03
Jostein Sande:
Summer farm culture – building on traditions for the future
The practice of summer pasture farming is ancient, almost as old as farming is here in this country. Archaeological finds uncovered in, among other places, mountain valleys in the inner Sogn district bear witness that summer farming took place already in the Iron Age, in the 7th century. Summer pasture farming has been – and is – an integrated element of Norwegian agriculture, that is, first and foremost with regard to production of milk from cows and goats. Summer farming was regulated in the laws that were laid down in the 12th century. According to the Gulatingslova (old Norwegian law) if a farmer did not herd his cows and goats to the summer pasture, he could be reported for illegal grazing - "gras robbery". In olden times cows produced 2 /3 of their annual production in the summer farming period, and in a wintry country (like Norway) it was then vital to process this raw material into food that could be stored and used throughout the long winter.
In the summer of 2002 there were 1301 independent summer farms in use. In addition, 1076 farms herded their cows or goats to shared summer farms. These 2377 applied for a summer farming subsidy as outlined in the agricultural agreement, NOK. 13,000.- per summer farm unit. The regulations are such that certain summer farms cannot receive a subsidy, so the total figure is somewhat higher. 15-20,000 goats and 35 – 40,000 cows enjoy life on the summer farm, that is, they are milked at the summer farm. A far greater number of non-producing cows and other cattle – and several thousand sheep and lambs graze in the summer farm area. Summer farming is thus the spearhead in agriculture based on grazing livestock. Not only is it extremely important for the individual farm – but also decisive for the cultivated landscape and maintenance of biological diversity.
Summer farming in Norway, as elsewhere in Europe, has diminished – but we are nonetheless a key element for this form of joint European operation. Around the year 1850 there were perhaps as many as 100,000 summer farms in active use, in 1939 around 27,000.
Several parties have focused on summer farm operation, including the professional interests and network organisation Norsk seterkultur, which was established in 1999, after several years of preparatory work. Practical experience among many farmers and a diversity of cross-professional projects verify that summer farming has a positive effect on the economy of many dairy farms. Summer farming is capable also of forming the basis for further creation of wealth in, among other areas, tourism, local processing and conservation of the environment.
"Building on traditions for the future" – I am absolutely certain that this method of farming, that is so steeped in tradition, has a future, providing the means and external conditions are right!
There is no doubt that the rural districts are in a crisis situation. A reversal operation is needed, inspiring initiatives are needed that help people to see the potential that, among others, lies in the culture of summer farming and first and foremost in active summer farming.
We in the rural districts are faced with a choice of values, where the crucial factor is the perspective each of us has of the challenges that lie ahead. The dominating (gouverning) factor now is what we might call ”resource perspective”, with rural settlements as the key resource – a perspective that is defined and managed externally. I have more faith in a ”surplus value perspective”, which means that the rural districts have values that are important for the community at large, in which the rural districts have a “surplus of values” in many areas – that can be shared generously with the rest of the world – and thereby create the foundation for a proud and self-confident developing industry.
Summer farming’s principal challenges lie in:
- The general agricultural policy: characterised by a weakened economy, structural changes and similar – influenced by both national and international priorities and external conditions.
- Other building interests spoil the summer farm landscape – cabins, roads, alpine skiing facilities etc.,
- Exploiting the potential for further creation of worth that lies in the actual methods of operation and lifestyle, which can be primarily accomplished by targeting processing, and recreational and education-oriented tourism.
It is on the summer farm pastures that the multitude of traditions of small scale dairy processing have survived, now a virtual Cornucopia of a resource! To a significant degree this is expertise borne by hard manual labour. The summer farms also have long traditions in tourism and recreational pursuits.
Tourists are developing a real thirst for knowledge - in our travels we are hunting for authentic and real experiences. We are hunting for the ‘surplus values’ that active rural districts have! In my experience the guests’ interests are concerned with the cultural landscape and its biological diversity – and in this instance the summer farm landscape has enormous value. - Those people who visit us want to learn about how people live – and have lived – in this environment. Also, it’s perfectly possible to develop an industry on this basis. Not least national parks and conservation reserves have potential for the industry based on mediation of knowledge and expertise!
Knowledge can be accumulated in bookshelves and written in guide manuscripts. Expertise on the other hand, must be maintained through physical practice, authentic mediation requires physical performance – and through this “surplus value” we can create an industry that is based on the summer farm and the cultural landscape surrounding the summer farm. Naturally, hunting and fishing belong to this picture, but in this instance I am focusing on other aspects of summer farm usage – an extremely valuable, fascinating, but also vulnerable segment of what we might call "the open land cultivated landscape".
Norway’s summer farm culture is highly diversified: from south to north, from west to east, single summer farm units and shared summer farms, located in the highlands and the lowlands, isolated or with neighbouring farms/settlement, near or far ...purely milking or also with processing, some don’t have roads leading to the farm.
The uniqueness of the Norwegian summer farm is that we still find sustainable active summer farm environments in fjord and coastal districts, that is, not just in mountain districts.
Summer farming and the confines of the summer farm have a major ‘surplus value’ that can be tapped.
- It isn’t difficult to find examples of the significance that summer farms has in people’s consciousness:
- How summer farms have inspired artists,
- How books on summer farms and summer farm life actually have their own annual "book harvest",
- that modern outdoor recreation has its roots in the summer farm culture,
- yes, even the holiday cabins have long had the summer farm hut as its basis and ideal.
It isn’t difficult to see how active summer farming keeps the landscape and diversity in shape, and how quickly and dramatically circumstances change and disappear forever when this type of farming is terminated! The practice of summer farming is maintained by small and medium-large scaled dairy production, where livestock numbers average 15 cows. In the ”densest” summer farm areas in Oppland County the average number of livestock is 12-13 cow, with an average quota of around 60 tonnes. Summer farming is dependent on securing sustainable conditions for these farms. Restructuring of dairy production – partially through large co-operatives would spell an end to summer farming. Shuffling of financial means/support from the average-sized farm to what we in Norway would call large-scale operations would lead to accelerated termination of summer farming – and thereby the loss of the traditional use of extensive areas of open land. Through approved amounts of tax deduction (equal subsidy deduction for all farms) and the VAT limit (NOK 30,000.-) many small-scale farms, and consequently many open land and cultivated landscape ‘workers’ (cows, goats, sheep ...) will simply vanish .....!
What’s needed is action and motivating initiatives among those people who are the supporting pillars of this type of farming! First and foremost skilled, creative, inventive, staunch women!
How do we change the course of development?
Consideration towards the cultural landscape, biological diversity, animal health, production ethics and multi-functional farming must be more than grand words and phrases.
Agriculture has several legs to stand on, so to speak, that if we employ these, - not least the values of the cultural landscape inherent in open ground that can contribute to the development of considerable creation of worth in tourism, conservation of the environment and local processing and the like. The summer farm is a ready-made resource in this picture.
- Traditions are firmly embedded, on summer farms in the west of Norway – regardless of whether the summer farm was only tiny – the hut’s bed was always made up in case travellers passing by should need shelter for the night. Hospitality and consideration for others have always been key elements of summer farm culture, values that form the basis for the development of tourism.
Small-scale processing
- on the summer farms, it is "the art of ornamental wood carving", a skill originating from hard physical labour that has survived,
- the traditions are a "goldmine" that can be exploited, words such as exclusive and exotic are appropriate, extensive diversity through local and regional variants and different products,
- extraordinary basis for both production and mediation (of knowledge and expertise),
- but, in which case we need the farms and those people that sustain this type of farming!
I don’t think milking robots would have any idea about herding of livestock, rendering and churning ....!
The resource perspective has drained the rural districts of a lot of people, and now the open land is under attack. In this perspective, the mindless concentration on cabin building is an encroaching, life-threatening road! The sheep, goat and cow are not lucrative enough, thousand-year old methods of farming are in danger of being obliterated! A short-term profit certainly, but there again, in the long-term perspective we are faced with an emptying of the surplus values that the rural districts should be consolidating their future on. – Modern cabin construction is one of the most lurid and vulgar expressions of the avarice culture!
The rural districts’ – and in particular agriculture’s problem is that the price on raw materials produced is constantly falling – in relation to costs/prices otherwise.
Therefore I have this express wish:
- Let us experience the same when we embark on developing further values in the area of the summer farm and open land in general. Don’t let us "supply" a poorly paid raw material, rather let us concentrate on processing in this sphere!
We make use of open land for so many things – that are not directly concerned with agriculture – and we are indeed privileged that have the right to do so!
- We wander through woods and in the mountains, in both summer and winter,
- We pick wild berries, mushrooms, herbs,
- We indulge in botanical pursuits, bird and animal watching, photograph,
- We bicycle, raft, mountain climb ….
- We go fishing and hunting,
- We bicycle and ride ponies and the like.
The various activities have different status, and are exploited to varying degrees in a tourism context - and without doubt we can create more industry from this – without the rights of the common man and community spirit being violated.
The combination of business and resource management can be a problem!
However, it isn’t exactly in the sphere of public rights, community spirit, environmental profile and long-term objectives for resource exploitation that our strength lies, is it? – Isn’t it precisely the fact that the rural districts have a surplus to share with others – and that can provide long-term industrial development?
There are grounds for anxiety concerning the cultural landscape of open ground, where the area of the summer farm plays a key role. Our traditional cultural landscape is formed from grazing animals mouth, craftsmanship and muscle power. The tractor took over for a short while – but now it would appear that the domain of the tractor is also about to lose its dominance. We will be poor if the cultural landscape created by the car and simplicity is taking over ......!
What do our summer pastures have to offer?
- Diversity in natural and cultivated landscapes, a wonderland for activities and experiences,
- Biological diversity, a host of species on the "red list" are to be found in the cultivated open ground landscape,
- history – of the fight to survive, on long-term resource management (according to the. Gulatingslov), about lifestyles and methods of operation, about work techniques and tools,
- buildings – agriculture concerns more than 1 million buildings – approximately 17 per man-year, many stand vacant, a good percentage in disrepair,
- diverse cultural sites, many are protected – but the majority can be utilised, experienced, mediated ...
- an arena where good raw materials are produced, long, diverse traditions in processing and a unique context for sale of food products and culinary experiences.
What can we accomplish from this?
- Make the individual element exclusive ( many examples),
- realise that much that is found on open ground is in "short commodity" in many places,
- broadcast/register internationally keen interest for values that we find in the cultivated landscape and biological diversity that our summer pastures have to offer,
- think experience, participation, activity ... and plan for these,
- think knowledge and expertise mediation,
- the ideal that requires that we, in developing the industry, concentrate our efforts on the development of knowledge and expertise; as our visitors – and our rural districts – will demand an increasingly higher standard of quality,
- knowledge in itself is enduring, such an investment has value even if a commercial business is closed down – which is not the case with investments in buildings and plant.
It has been predicted that the future will be characterised by that we have enough money, plenty of houses/buildings, more than enough food, enough clothes, enough automobiles ...... – but not enough experiences. The vacuum must be filled in such bountiful reality. New markets will be created, people will spend money on factors that provide security, roots and tradition, friendships, adventure and experiences! People will be asking for experiences that not least are found on and in connection the summer farm – and knowledge of thousand-year old use and long-term management of these values.
There are many factors that are a threat, but the possibilities must remain in focus!
It’s often said that we must the market what it wants!
My motto is: Give the market what we believe the market should get!
The objective should now be: brown goat cheese should be as typical a souvenir for the 2-3 million foreigners that visit our country, as whisky is in Scotland ….!
- Somebody once said that it’s too late to be a pessimist! That’s the basis of my argument .....
Naturally, I can’t avoid having to point out the negative factors that threaten summer farming, depressing trends in Norway’s agricultural policy, area conflicts in the mountainous regions, predatory animals etc. – but I consider it important to weigh these up against the possibilities that still lie in summer farming and the culture of the summer pasture farm, yes, in the open ground cultivated landscape as a whole.
- We must highlight the good examples, expose the massive diversity, the practical solutions, enthusiasm, ability to create and faith in the future – in brief, give heart to those who are carrying on the diverse and tradition-steeped summer farm culture. A marvellous basis for entrepreneurship.
The Year of the Mountain laid the foundation for alliances
2002 was the United Nation’s (UN) Year of the Mountain. Norsk seterkultur has, to a major degree, employed the Year of the Mountain to build alliances. The conference "Fjellenes kvinner" (Women of the Mountains) at Røros (Norway) in December marked the conclusion of the ‘mountain year’, but also the start of further development of co-operations and alliances – that not least are motivating for us engaged in summer farming and any other persons that have a passion for summer farm culture. For the first time, the woman’s role in management of Nature and outdoor recreation was the theme for a conference, and the focus was largely on the value that small-scale farming, summer farming and livestock grazing has for administration of our mountain districts. In the words of Øystein Dahle from his address "Fjell og Vidde" (Mountain and Plateau), where he summarised the Year of the Mountain: - "in my opinion, no other arrangement can compare with the concluding conference held at Røros before Christmas: "Fjellenes Kvinner". Magnificent Røros in the throes of winter, an exceptional cultural event in the settlement of Brekken and not least the midnight religious service in Røros Church with the Bishop of Nidaros Cathedral himself. But first and foremost a conference planned largely by women and accomplished by women in all the key roles that scored top marks for style and content."! - And Øystein Dahle was among the keynote speakers who were most emphatic about expressing the importance of preserving active rural districts, and he continued in "Fjell og Vidde" by pointing out that active rural districts have received renewed attention in the mountain year. - " In all of the mountainous countries that have celebrated the Year of the Mountain, the key theme has been living conditions for those people who live closest to the mountains. In our own country with copious resources at our disposition we are nonetheless unable to prevent that an average of eight farms are closed down daily. We hardly raise an eyebrow over the way Rural Norway is being down-sized in a manner that is unbelievable. People are despairing, expertise is disappearing, the administrative role is being undermined and the cultivated landscape is becoming overgrown. We’ve stressed throughout last year, "Healthy mountains require active rural districts", and we will continue to speak out this year, because the public’s attention needs to be drawn to the problems. It isn’t the people in the countryside that should calling for help, but we the vast majority of whom live in the towns and cities, must perceive our responsibility in maintaining settlement patterns and industrial activity. In 20 years’ time, the Norwegian rural district will be empty of people if we allow the current development to just go ahead. It isn’t too late to do something. It needs human and financial resources, creativity and courage, but first and foremost faith in the future. And it is precisely faith in the future that is the agricultural policy’s challenge".