An Evening at BB Farms

It's the 16th of May, which is a big celebration (party) day in Bergen.  We had a party of our own tonight at the farm.  Poured ourselves some wine, put on our rain boots, and went to visit our friends.

First...hanging with the chickens.

Say Cheese!

King of the coop

Next stop...the sheep we call our neighbors.

Last but not least...we had to say goodnight to the ducklings and wish them a good night in their new duck house.

Love every bit of it.

Google farming

I realized today that I haven't posted to my blog in ages.  It comes down to the fact that I have been so busy that time has flown by!!

Two weeks ago, we became farmers.  We bought 2 week old chicks and ducklings and 22 egg laying hens.  I grew up with baby ducks and chicks, but didn't remember how much work they are, and how much they poop!

2 weeks old

2 weeks old

3 weeks old

4 weeks old

While I did have chicks and ducks when I was little, I don't really remember what it takes to take care of them.  And I certainly have never done any farming.  My cousin knows some about farming, having been raised with sheep and such.  Together, we certainly don't know it all.  So, we turn to Google.  A lot.  And it is amazing.

Things we have Googled since we started farming.

• "Ducks on wood chips".  When we first brought the ducks home, we put them on a cozy bed of wood chips.  About 20 minutes later, I noticed they were eating a lot of it and I wondered.  Is this ok?  We went inside and googled, only to learn that it is very bad for their digestive system.  So, we ran back out and changed it for some hay.  Much better.  

• "Chicks sleeping all the time".  We were very nervous when the chicks came home and were so lazy, they looked like they were half dead.  It is normal.  

• "Treats for chickens and ducks".  I have learned that ducks love bananas, raisins and carrots but should never eat undercooked beans.  Who knew?

• "How to produce omega 3 eggs".  When I mentioned Omega-3 eggs to my cousin, he had no idea what I was talking about.  This is big in the states, but unheard of here (so it seems).  When we looked it up, turns out it is as easy as feeding flax seeds to the chickens.  Amazing. 

• "Do foxes swim in water".  Now that the ducks are HUGE, we are getting their duck house ready, and need a safe place for them if the foxes come to visit.  Sure enough, foxes will swim to get a yummy duck dinner. 

• "Can chickens drink milk".  I thought my friend was kidding when he said chickens drink milk.  Sure enough, a number of sources tell us that the proteins are very good for chickens and they should eat some dairy products.

• "How to keep foxes from your henhouse".  My favorite trick google taught me about this is to ask your hair dresser for as many pieces of others hair as they can give you.  Then, stuff old stockings with it and hide them around the hen house.  Fox's have a great sense of smell and think there are many people at the house.  Then, they are less likely to go near it.  

The eggs from the hens has been one of the coolest parts of this whole experience so far.  Chickens are pretty cool.  And it is amazing that they can produce an egg a day.  Every morning around 10am, I hear from my cousin how many eggs we got that day.  it's like Christmas every time.  And the eggs are so much more delicious than normal, store bought eggs.

Bringing the chickens home

The first morning

21 farm fresh eggs!!

Egg Customers

Farm signs!

There have been downsides to farming too. On the first night, we lost a chick.  It jumped out of its cage and into a pool of water and drowned.  Then a few nights later, a chicken died.  The chickens are not the smartest.  They all piled up into one nesting box (16 to be exact) and they squished their friend on the bottom.  Not pretty.

Even with all the farm work, mixed with normal work, it has been very relaxing at the farm.  It is a peaceful place, and always an adventure.  In the next few weeks, we expect to have real farm animals...pigs, sheep and rabbits!!  I hope Google has some information about that, because I really have no idea how to take care of a sheep!

Farm Life in Bergen

A fireplace, a cozy blanket, fresh banana bread in the oven, and 5 generations of family history.  It is all too surreal to fully grasp yet.  Since moving into Bogetveit, things have just gotten better and better.  In the last 10 days since moving in, we have had more family visits than months of living in Edvardsens.

My two Aunts and cousins looking at pictures

There are so many aspects of living in the "country" of Bergen that I didn't realize I would love.

First off, the people are different than in the city.  Everyone is so friendly and happy.  I was shocked when a woman smiled and said hello in the grocery store parking lot.  The neighbors are always coming over for a nice chat and there are loads of hikers and visitors that walk by and smile.

It isn't far from the city and is very close to a big shopping center, but when i'm here, I feel like i'm ages away from anything.  It is quiet and still and at night you can see every star in the sky.  There is a calmness in the air and you can't help but feel relaxed.  I can't help but think this might change once we have animals to feed and berries to pick!!

Relaxing in the sunshine with my morning coffee

The kitchen.  Oh, how I love the kitchen.  I think the boys do too, because I can't seem to stop cooking and baking tasty treats (My cousin is up 4kg since moving in...oops).  Some of my favorites so far....well, I will have to make a list with pictures.

"Inside out" iced coffee = frozen coffee cubes topped with milk

Goat cheese and date stuffed chicken breasts wrapped in proscuitto

Homemade Chicken Broth

French toast with berry syrup and homemade yogurt

Taste tester

Banana chocolate crunch muffins

I have lived in many places, but can easily say this is the most beautiful.  I can't get over the view from my bedroom window every morning when I wake up and from the front door when I leave every day.  It is like the Taj Majal.  The view of the mountain changes depending of the time of day, and each time is so amazing.  And yes, I did just compare my front yard to one of the 7 wonders.  I just think it is that beautiful!!

A snowy morning

Evening

Sunny daytime

The most amazing thing about living here is the history.  The house feels like a home because you know what and who has been here.  My Aunts came over for dinner and talked about living here as kids.  My Great Grandpa left his initials all over the place, as we've found "NB" scratched into the wood. I talk to my dad on Skype and he was telling me the different names of each room.  I think if a house had feelings, this one would be overwhelmed with joy.

The cousins checking out an old picture of polar bears that used to scare us as kids when we used to visit.

Moved to Boogie!!! The most beautiful place in the world.

Baugetveitvegen "Boogie"

I have moved more times than I can count.  Each new place has brought it's own adventure.  I was taking a trip down memory lane the other day, thinking about the places I lived over the last 10 years.  Out of all of them, all over the world, with all kinds of crazy people, this one is the BEST!

2003. 834 19th street
My house in Boulder, Colorado where I lived through college with my best girlfriends.  Only a lot of studying and no craziness in that house (because CU is well known for being a study school).

2005. The MV Explorer
I lived on board a cruise ship that was converted to a University and sailed around the world...then got hit by a 60ft rouge wave and nearly capsized the ship.  My room was a tiny box, but it didn't matter when a brand new country to explore was right outside the the front door.

2006. Bangkok, Thailand
I had the cutest little studio apartment.  But, it would get so hot and air conditioning was expensive, so I had 3 fans and would regularly wake up and sit half asleep in the dark for 10 minutes with the AC on, just to cool off a little.

2007. Uptown Denver roommates
I found the cutest house in Denver but with two quirky roommates I found on craigslist.  They loved hoola hooping in the front yard, burning man and burned incense constantly.  Loved the house, and also loved moving out!

2008. My own uptown apartment
The first time and only time I ever lived alone! I loved my little one bedroom.  Everything was perfect, except for the neighbor in the apartment building next to mine.  Randomly in the middle of the night, he would go outside and yell profanities over and over and over again, while picking up gravel and throwing it at his building.  I called the cops a few times, until they gave me the non emergency number and said I should try them.  Great.

2009. Sarajevo, Bosnia
Very interesting.  I was terrified every time I took the elevator because I could see the rope through the cracks and was pretty sure it was weakening each time the elevator was used. We had a couch in our kitchen and mortar shell scars covering the outside of our building!

2010. Wash Park roommates
I took the risk again and found a place on craigslist.  2 girls and a brown lab.  One of the best risks every because they are still great friends of mine.  Lots of great times in that house!!

2012. Edvardsens gate, Bergen, Norway
The majority of my family has lived in this apartment at some point.  It feels like a right of passage.  And living with 3 boy cousins was always an adventure.

2013. BAUGETVEITVEGEN!!!
I am now sleeping in the house my grandparents lived in.  My father was born and raised here with his 4 sisters, brother and mom and dad.  My Grandma still lives at the farm in a cute apartment right next door.  The house sits at the base of a mountain and is surrounded by beauty everywhere.  The house is old and full of character.  I love every squeak and crack.  At night you can hear the house talking to you. There is no true way to describe how it feels to be in a place with so much family history.

There is only one good way to describe the move here...and that is through pictures.

My little kitchen bed where I stayed between moves. Not sad to say farewell to this.

My stuff

My cousin's stuff

Just a "quick" trip to IKEA

The house

Another picture of the beautiful house

The barn entrance

If I'm going to be a farmer, I have to have a tractor

Inside the barn. It needs a little work...and this is only 1 of 3 levels!

My BIG, beautiful kitchen that overlooks the mountainside!! 

I'm ready for some cookin'

The old wooden staircase

My farm bedroom

Cozy living room/dining room

I am in love with it here.  I just want to hang out at home and organize, decorate and farm.  I know there is already so much love in this house, and SO much history.  I can't even imagine how much the next few years will bring!!  I can't wait for the family get togethers, farm life and new adventures!!

I'm moving (again)!

People who know me well might read the title of this post and think "oh, where are you moving to now, Liz?"  7 years ago it was Thailand, 4 years ago it was Bosnia, one year ago it was Norway.  Well, this time I won't be relocating to a new, far away country.  It is an easy and close move, but by far one of the biggest ones I have ever made.

I am moving to Baugetveit.  My family's farm in Bergen, about 5 minutes from the Åsane shopping center (15 minutes from where I live now).  My dad grew up there with his brother and 4 sisters and my Grandma has been living there for over 60 years.  It is a beautiful farm and the best place I can imagine waking up to every morning.

Here is Baugetveit.  The barn and house.

You may be asking why it is such a big deal? First of all, I will be living in Norway.  Meaning, I am making a commitment to live here for more than just 6 months at a time.

Second, I am going to start farming.  Yes, Farmer Liz.  I will still be working as a teacher at the school but will take on farming as an additional "job".  With some help from my cousins, we are going to get the farm up and running again, pigs and all!  We will be planting lots of berries and vegetables this spring and will have a few baby farm animals!

I have a very, very big family and my hope is that everyone will be involved.  There is a lot of room at the house and an open invitation for family to come stay (or pick berries) any time they'd like!! It is in fact the family farm, so what better place to get the family together!!  

Christmas in Bergen, Norway

Every family has their own Christmas traditions.  I always felt like I was double lucky because I got to celebrate Christmas twice.  Norwegian Christmas and American Christmas.  Now that I am living in Norway, I have learned more about where some of these traditions come from.

First is Advent.  This is the four weeks before Christmas where people count down the days leading to the big day.  Most people have heard of Advent calendars, and we always had these when I was growing up.  Each day has a little window, and underneath sits a little piece of chocolate or a treat.  I'm not sure if this is a norm in an average "American" family but it certainly is in Norway.

Every year in my house, my Norwegian grandma would come visit.  She would make a beautiful table centerpiece with a few candles.  Each Sunday before Christmas, we would light one more candle!!

Christmas colors have always been Red and Green to me, so I was confused when I saw so much Purple.  Purple is the advent color in Norway.  Purple candles, napkins, more candles.

Julebord

Definition: A formal Christmas party with your work or school in which you eat pinnakjøtt (see more below), drink cocktails and dance!!  Aka, my new favorite.

I've been to many Christmas work parties in my past.  These ranged from fancy sit down dinners to parties in the office with cheese and crackers and sparkling cider.  Most of the time, there is always one story of the one co-worker who drank one too many glasses of wine and ended up doing something embarrassing.  Well, Julebord is somewhat similar but in my opinion, better!

People dress in pretty dresses and suits.  Most of the time, there is a live band or comedian.  You eat Pinnakjott.  The meal that took me 10 years to love.  It is sheep ribs (mutton) that have been salted for a long time, then soaked in water, then boiled.  Then, served with potatoes and a mashed rutabagas and potato dish (Kålrabistappe).  

    


Christmas 

The main event for Christmas is celebrated in Norway on the 24th.  For lunch, you have rice porridge with a peeled almond hidden inside.  Whoever gets the nut gets a prize, which most of the time is a marzipan pig.  Before dinner, you gather and sing around the Christmas tree.  Then for dinner, you have pinnakjott or lutafisk (jellied fish).  Then gifts are given and families go to church together.  

The holiday continues on Christmas Day (day 1) and on December 26th (day 2).

The pretty city!!!

The big thing in Bergen is the Pepperkakebyen (the gingerbread house city).  People from all over the city make gingerbread houses and submit them to be at the pepperkakebyen.  Then, one house wins!!

 What can I say, Norway is just pretty in the wintertime.

The view from the apartment.

Bryggen downtown

I'm not quite lucky enough this year to spend all of Christmas in Bergen.  I'm flying away to Spain to spend the holidays with my Aunts, cousins and sunshine!!  Now, I can say I get to celebrate Christmas 3 times!!