Welcome to stevil

[canadamike]

Welcome in the family, stevil, as far as I know you are our first member from Norway. I sure hope you have fun here and I am sure you will make lots of new friends. If you need anything, seeds, advice, this is the place.

Consider my seeds as yours should you need them. It is so nice to have people from so many different countries here.

Have fun

Michel

[grungy]

A second welcome from Western Canada, Stevil, and like Michel said, consider whatever seeds, advice a friendly ear, feel free to ask.
cheers,
Dan and Val (grunt and grungy)

[canadamike]

Thanks Grungy. Stevil, you just found tomato heaven

[flowerpower]

Welcome Stevil. Norway, huh? Any chance of getting seed for Lingonberry?

[stevil]

Thanks for the welcome and thanks to Frank for telling me about this place! There seem to be a lot of friends here already!!

A little about myself as I don’t so far have a Web site. I grew up in the UK and moved to Norway in 1981 after many years studying and I’ve lived here ever since, working as an ocean wave climatologist (a cross between a meteorologist and an oceanographer). I joined the local branch of the Norwegian Useful Plants Society (an organisation that aims to teach people mainly about wild foraging) the same year. At the end of the 1980s, I began to collect some of the ecxcellent local wild edibles and planted them in my garden which was at that time mostly put down to HDRA (UK organic gardening organisation) inspired vegetables. About the same time, I obtained a copy of ”Sturtevant’s Edible Plants of the World” through the Abundant Seed Foundation in the US (as most of you will know, this book has notes on 3,000 different edible species from taround the world). To my surprise, several of the species were perennial plants commonly cultivated in Norwegian gardens which I had no idea were "edible".

With collectomanic tendencies in my genes and with assistance from various seed exchange clubs (now also through the Internet), my collection of edible plants grew rapidly during the 1990s. Inspired first by Sturtevant and later by Ken Fern and Plants for a Future (PFAF) (I’ve been a member from the mid-1990s) and the original PFAF database distributed on floppy discs, I’ve sown several hundred new edible species and varieties every year for a number years in addition to traditional vegetables and today the collection has reached some 2-3,000 and even more have been tried unsuccessfully.

The garden www.hagepraten.no/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=993 is located on a rocky hillside near the village of Malvik, 15km east of the Norwegian city, Trondheim, and with a beautiful view over Norway’s largest fjord, the Trondheimsfjord. The minimum temperature is around -23C, although in recent years we’ve experienced much milder winters. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to overwinter Leeks and even Kale outside, partly due to the irregular snow cover and large daa
y-to-day changes in temperature. Summers are cool. Some years we might only get a handful of days above 20C (called a summer day here), but the record is about 80, but that was exceptional). Tomatoes outside are not reliable.

The garden was dubbed Den spiselige hagen (The Edible Garden) when it was presented in a Norwegian television gardening series in 2003. Having this collection made it relatively easy for me to set the “world record” for the greatest number of plant varieties in a salad (well nobody had been daft enough to try this before, so there was no record to beat…). The "world record" attempt took place on 19th August 2001 and the final salad had 363 distinct plant varieties. However, this was well and truly beaten at the follow-up event on 24th August 2003 when a salad with 537 varieties was put together. Since then I regularly make salads with 100+ ingredients at various local events. This year’s creation at the Trondheim Food Festival can be seen in the picture (with the garden view behind) www.hagepraten.no/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=992

I have written a number of articles both in the journal of the Norwegian Plants Society, the largest Norwegian gardening magazine, Hagetidend and the UK based Permaculture Magazine (including one on the salads). I have also lectured on perennial vegetables in Norway. Since 2006, I have been national coordinator of the Norwegian Seed Savers (protecting heritage Norwegian vegetables, including some perennials) and am working this year on a project for the Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre on conserving perennial onion (Allium) varieties collected from old gardens (and old people!). (I’m interested in adding to my collection of Alliums, also from overseas, so let me know if you might have something of interest).

So, species diversity is the name of the game here, not “one species” diversity as with your tomatoes… Incidentally, there are actually two heirloom Norwegian tomatoes – Norderaas and Tante Ci’s (Literally, Aunt Ci’s), a yellow variety which is about 100-years old.

The last two summers, I’ve spent some time visiting various gardeners I’ve met through the Internet (in Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, the UK and France) – a great bunch of people (several of them are here) and always something new to learn…

[stevil]

Lingonberry is very common here - the most popular berry for Norwegians who use it like cranberries to make a sauce used with elk (moose) steaks etc.

www.hagepraten.no/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=995

So, yes I could certainly gather some berries for you although it's a bit late now with snow on the hills. Remind me next autumn and I can send you some...

[flowerpower]

Thanks. I'll remind you lol. My BF is Norwegian/Swedish so we love lingonberry. MMMM.

[plantsnobin]

Welcome to our group. I look forward to reading your posts, seems you have much to teach most of us here. That view is incredible, and that salad is too pretty to eat. I often wonder how many plants around us growing wild would be just as good tasting, if not better than those 'veggies' we tend to spend so much time and trouble cultivating. Not to get off on a tangent here, but this morning on BBC news they showed people displaced by the fighting in DR Congo, and they were talking about food aid getting through. They showed people walking past pretty lush vegetation to get to the rice. Bet there was edible stuff in there, but it seems like almost all cultures are losing traditional knowledge and becoming dependant on imported food that doesn't really belong there. Sorry, that was more of a rant.

FP, if what you are looking for is Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Gardens North has seed available. 20 Seeds for $4, states a limited quantity available. I have ordered from her several times and have always been pleased. In fact when I have more time to look through what is available I will probably be ordering from her again soon. Like I don't already have enough seeds-I still have the last pack from her in the fridge, I better get those sown today so they can stratify. She lists the vaccinium as an easy warm germinator.

[stevil]

Interesting - I saw those pictures from Congo too and had exactly the same thought!

Yes, Gardens North is one of the good ones, largely a one person operation. Kristl Walek who runs the business is very knowledgeable. She has a regular piece on the Scottish Rock Garden Club forum (not only rock gardeners here) called My Little Bit of Heaven which is really interesting, including a lot about her seed collection and cleaning techniques: See www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1699.0 (unfortunately, she's just lost her mother). I just received a package from her of various obscure edibles, including Prunus munsoniana, which she describes as an absolutely delicious plum.

[Alan]

Excellent to have you here Stevil, that is quite a list of accomplishments and it seems that you have very much to share. I believe particularly that you and Plantsnoobin will hit it off as Karen has much knowledge in the areas outside of vegetable growing as well. Welcome to Homegrown and we are very happy to have you here!