Alm Østre
Alm Østre is one of the oldest organic-biodynamic farms in Norway, run by a group of enthusiastic farmers. We grow approximately 35 different kinds of vegetables, sold in weekly vegetable box scheme, and at our farm shop. We also grow wheat, barley, rye and spelt. Of livestock, we have chickens, milking cows, sheep and pigs.
Join the farm
There are many ways to be part of the project: As an apprentice (for the apprenticeship-program contact: www.bingn.org), as a permenant co-worker or as volunteer.
Variable work
The kind of work you are expected to deal with are varied: sowing, planting, weeding, working with animals, fencing, tractor works, making firewood for the winter, food processing, also some works that are not directly connected to agriculture – cooking for common meals, maintaining the farm houses and much more. We are happy to meet new people!
Working and living together on a farm creates a multitude of possibilities for the development of self-awareness and the training of social capabilities. From the very beginning, when Tryggve and Erna Sund were first setting up this bio-dynamic farm, young people from all over the world came to help. There are at least 500 people in many different countries today who once spent time at Alm Østre as trainees or volunteers. We would like to carry on this tradition.
Stay length
In order to get a nice and rich experience on our farm, time is demanded and therefore we would rather have volunteers for the time period of at least 3 months and apprentices for at least 1 year and more.
The past
Alm Østre as it is today has a long history. On 1967 took young Trygve Sund the farm over from his uncle. A few years later, together with his wife Erna, he converted the land to organic-biodynamic farming. For 40 years they run the farm and built up a versatile place that has been attracting many young people from the entire world to take a part in this project about biodynamic farming and community life. In January 2010 Trygve and Erna together with their children established a trust, Alm Østre, Trygve died in November the same year after a long period of sickness.
Today
Today we are an international group that is running the farm. The farm consists of 54 hectares of land and includes 28 hectares of grassland and pasture, 18 hectares of grain and 6 hectares of vegetables. We produce milk (25 cows), meat (30 cattle and some sheep), eggs (50-80 hens) and vegetables. In summer we keep some pigs for the delight of us and the visitors… We work together and eat together, breakfast and lunch, using mostly our own products. Most of our apprentices and volunteers are accommodated at the farm’s oldest building from 1732.
We want to offer the opportunity to gain experience in primary production, in the production of food and animal husbandry – and to be part of a project which can serve as an example for the future. We can consider ourselves to be part of a universal movement which Wangari Maathai (Green Belt Movement/Nobel Peace Prize) once described in the following words: ‘We are called to assist the Earth to heal her wounds and in the process heal our own.’ Biodynamik farming gives us the opportunity to produce healthy food and in the same time build up the soil to get more and more vital and fertile.
Welcome!
We will be happy to clarify and add details if you wish, so don’t hesitate to contact us!
Contact Information
Alm Østre
Almsgutua 59
2335 Stange, Norway
Telephone: +47 467 83 157
Email: work@almostre.no