Some Links
Links on migration and genealogy:
Ancestors from Norway (Follesdal)
J.I.Borgos Genealogy and
history
On Telemark:
Telemark College
Telemarksnett links
Telelaget of America
Telelaget of
America: About Hjartdal
On Norway in general:
Norway Online Information Service
Fredrik Nygaard's Info Norway
The Norway Post
Top of page
Pictures:
The last bear killed in Sauland. People from Oeyen and
Skaardal
The Swedish prince and princess as tourists, visiting Boen in
Tuddal, 1900
Old bridge across Rohoelen, close to Omnesfossen in Sauland
From Moen on the road to Tuddal
Parts of the entrance of an old stave church in Tuddal
Early store, cheese factory and telephonecentral in Sauland
Kjetil Viken travelling past Rogneroe in Vikdalen in
Tuddal
The taken down stave church of Sauland
Sauland in the 70-s
Schoolchildren, Sauland 1933
School in Sauland 1950
Workers at a spinning and weaving factory at Omnesfossen at the
turn of the century
Omnesfossen painted by Gude, 1859
Modern history: The King and the Queen visiting Hjartdal. August 1996
Frequently asked questions by Americans about Hjartdal
1. Are there any fairs, festival, parades or big holiday events that are
celebrated in your area?
Yes, in September every year one of the biggest fairs in Norway are held in
Hjartdal's neighbor kommune, Seljord. It's called "Dyrsku'n".
and has exhibitions of many kinds: Livestock, farm machinery etc. And lots of stands - and
sales of many kinds.
And of course we celebrate the 17th.of May in a traditional way in Sauland, Tuddal and
Hjartdal.
2. How do people make a living? Is there a major industry?
Hjartdal is traditionally agricultural. The little town of Notodden, 20 km
away,
provided industrial work for lots of people for several decades, but now people work in
most all kinds of common occupations. (Farming and forestry, teaching, office
work,
construction work, transport etc.)
Notodden earlier had a huge iron works, and Norsk Hydro (the biggest company in
Norway),
in fact started in Notodden at the turn of the century.
3. How do you heat your homes in the winter?
Mostly by wood and electricity. Electricity has been quite cheap. Hjartdal has a big
hydro electric power plant.
4. How much snow do you get on an average year and how long does it last?
The first snow fall comes in October/November. It's all gone during April in a normal
year. But the snow differs a lot from year to year.
Between 50 cm and one meter snow is normal in the lowland. In the mountains there may be
much more.
5. How cold is normal in winter, and how hot is it in summer?
5 Fahrenheit below is a really cold winter day. But we may sometimes have more than 20
below. A normal January day may be 15 above.
In summer we sometimes have 85, but normal in June/August is 60 to 80.
6. How much daylight in summer, and how much daylight in winter?
At Christmas time darkness comes app. at 16.00. Daylight app at 9.00.
It never gets really dark in June-July
7. Do you have a downtown district? What stores do you have?
Sauland has "Saulandtunet" with a food shop and a gas station, the
"kommune" offices, a bank, some other offices and health center.
I wouldn't call it a Down Town area. But it serves its purposes quite well. Otherwise
Notodden is our downtown district.
8. What kind of car would an average person drive?
German and Japanese cars are most common. Cars are expensive in Norway. A new car costs
from 130.000 kr. (More than half a years salary) (1$=8,50 kr). But people on average may
have cars up to 300.000 kr. Most families need two cars. Many Norwegians care very much
for their cars.
9. Are there any ski resorts near? What about skiing?
Skiing has been and still is popular. Sauland has a very good group of young cross
country skiers. Hjartdal has cross-country tracks and jumping hills, not big. Neighbour
kommunes like Tinn, Rauland and Kongsberg have ski resorts.
10. What about hunting & fishing?
This is quite popular. Farmers have their own lakes in the mountains and they go
fishing, but mostly for recreation. Local kids may fish anywhere for free. Some farmers
rent out lakes for fishing, but it's not a big business. Rein deer and moose hunting is
common every fall. This is mostly for the farmers/land owners. Hunting is also rented
out:
Hare, birds and roe-deer (a small white tailed deer).
11. Do you have wild berries? Or Cloudberries?
We have bluberries and cowberries, strawberries and wild raspberries. Cloudberries are
found some years in the mountains.
12 Do people go camping? If so where?
Many people do. But most often they go for one day hikes in the mountains. Or they
overnight in cottages.
13. Do people garden? If so when do they plant, and what grows best.
Most people have their gardens with fruit trees, flowers and maybe some
vegetables.
Small greenhouses are common. Planting time may be in May outdoor.
14. What do farmers grow? Or is there farmland there. Or is it too
mountainous?
Farmers grow hay, oats, barley, a little wheat and some potatoes.
A few still have cows, and some have sheep. The sheep are sent to mountain pastures in the
summer, but predators are becoming a problem now. (Lynx and very seldom bear)
Sauland is 100-200 meters above sea level. Tuddal and Hjartdal is higher. (200 - 600 m)
15. What kind of trees are native to the area, and what kind are grown for
timber? Is timber an industry there?
Spruce and pine are the most common forest trees, and have been a good source of income
for the farmers for centuries. They are used for timber, or go to paper mills. Birch,
aspen and maple grow all over. Oak and ash are not as common.
16. Is it true that Norwegians don't use cream or sugar in their coffee?
They don't in North Dakota.
Cream and sugar were commonly used in the coffee earlier (in the 1950-60
years). Most
people skip it today, I think they skipped it for health reasons first. Now, it's normal
to have the coffee black (and stronger than in American taverns.)
17. Are the roads maintained year round?
It depends. Many mountain roads have to close in winter. But the main road to western
Norway (E-134) are kept open except for special nights with really heavy
snowfall. The
mountain road from Sauland through Tuddal to Rjukan and Tinn is closed in winter.
18. How much rainfall in an average year? When is the rainy season?
(I'll get the figures later) Rain falls at any time, most in fall , but Hjartdal
doesn't have too much rain in an average year.
19. Is there a Bunad design for the area?
Yes, really. Telemark has maybe the most colorful bunads in Norway, Queen Sonja and
Princess Märtha Louise often use eastern Telemark bunads.
The King and the Queen visited Hjartdal i 1995 This was our first royal visit after Norway
got its own King in 1905. On this picture you see the king - and
the queen (with sun-glasses and "our" bunad). At the king's left hand is our
Mayor, Torunn Hovde Kaasa, wearing the same kind of bunad.
20. Are there lodging places in the area?
Yes. The big taverna, Fossen kro, have some motel rooms. And there are camping sites in Tuddal and
Hjartdal. And some rent out cottages or rooms.
In Tuddal you'll find Tuddal høyfjellshotell.
21. What is the name of the rest of the kommunes and parishes in Telemark?
Have a look at this
site to find
out
Americans asks us if there will be
made English translations of articles on this website.
We don't have the resources for this, therefore we would like people who could
volunteer on this to contact us.
There are big and small jobs.
This site is constructed by Leif Skoje with great
help from
Bob Tweeten, a "Tuddal-American" living in
Los Angeles.
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