Dalsgarður

My name is Torkil Dalsgaard, and I am 32 years old. In 2016, I continued the tenancy of Dalsgarður in Skálavík. Dalsgarður is more than 400 years old, and I am number 15 in the line of tenants, adding up to a rather high number of  generations.

I was born into and grew up around agriculture. Before I became a full-time farmer, I worked on a Norwegian ship. I am an educated shipmaster and have worked on ships for ten years, three of those as first officer. I have also taken a vocational education in agriculture. Although the work on the farm takes a lot of my time, I still take jobs in the maritime business now and again.

My agricultural interest has always been strong, and to me it is very important that every resource on the farm gets exploited to the fullest. This is why I became a farmer. I prioritize being organic, the environment, the good taste and the interesting story.

My parents and sisters help me frequently with the farm work, both with the dirty work and in working up the raw materials. We make and sell home-made liver paste, sausages and other delicacies. We love to try out new recipes with the products from the farm.

The tenure has two outfields, Miðhagi and Norðastihagi, and at the moment there are a total of 480 sheep. The sheep roam freely in the outfield, a 90 minutes walk from the nearest settlement. That the distance was so great meant that my forefathers chose a lasting solution and built a house there. There have been several houses built in that northern part through the years, and it is there that the true heart of the farm lies. This is where we round up, slaughter and hang the sheep to dry. When there is a lot of work to be done, we have loyal people to help us: family and friends that lend us a hand. We are quite a few who take up lodging in the small, cosy house in the outfield during this work.

The work on the farm is diverse and no day is alike. Some days are spent making fences, driving and tending to the sheep, others are spent in maintenance, and so on. There is a lot to do throughout the whole year. By the middle of January, the sheep are given vitamins and the breeder sheep are taken inside. By the middle of July, the sheep get sheared and are given medicine. By late September, the slaughter starts and the breeder sheep and the winter-old male lambs are taken inside. By December 10, the breeder sheep are taken out on the field again.

Most of our sheep are white. In the past, the wool was worth more if it was white, which is why the last tenant chose to breed for that colour. The consequence was that the majority of the sheep turned out either white or red. Our sheep have a different size and build, as well, and I have chosen to keep them that way.

In addition to selling primary produce and processed goods, we also have offers for tourists. We have lodging, trips and adventures in the beautiful nature of Miðhagi and Norðastihagi.