Janneke (53) and Martijn (62) grew up in their respective villages in the Netherlands and met each other while studying biology in Nijmegen.
“We really enjoyed ourselves in Nijmegen, but at the same time, we told each other that if we were to move, we would move out of the city,” explains Janneke and Martijn.
And so it happened: together with their daughters Juul (25) and Noor (21), they not only moved out of the city but out of their own country as well, to Norway and Suldal.
“For two years, we leased Vikane Hyttetun in Suldalsosen, but the owner wanted it back, and we had to terminate the lease. Nevertheless, we decided to stay in Suldal,” Janneke and Martijn explain.
POWER AND TOURISTS
Fast forward eleven years: Martijn works as a science and biology teacher at Sauda High School’s departement at Sand, where he teaches the students at ToppVolley Norge. Janneke is the head of the guiding department at Ryfylke Museum and is responsible for events at Vigatunet. They are well-established, and their daughters have grown up, but Janneke has started to question whether this is what she wants to do “for the rest of her life.”
“By chance, I came across a link to Jone’s blog: ‘Here, you can make a living by selling electricity and hosting tourists!’ The desire to work in tourism came back during the process of figuring out what we were passionate about. When you work on such things, dig a little and start thinking about what you want to work with, ideas start forming in your head. These ideas resonated quite well with this farm, with tourist cabins and a power station,” Janneke explains.
Kari and Sven Egil Sørensen began their tourism venture at Fossane in 1989. They had successfully renovated three old houses into tourist cabins. However, due to advancing age and health issues, they made the difficult decision to put the farm up for sale on the open market in late autumn 2019. Their years of hard work and dedication had created a special place that would soon find new owners and continue to welcome visitors to Fossane.
Janneke and Martijn were captivated by the charm of the cabins at Fossane when they first visited the farm. It felt like stepping into a small museum, and they immediately saw the potential to combine tourism with sustainability and farm life. For Janneke, who grew up on a dairy farm, living on a farm was a long-held dream that she had set aside. Martijn, on the other hand, was particularly interested in the power station on the property, which had an installed capacity of 150 kW and could produce up to 1.3 GWh of renewable electricity each year.
Their enthusiasm for Fossane led Janneke and Martijn to make a life-changing decision. They had to consider whether they had the energy and determination to embark on a new adventure – leaving Suldal behind and embracing Fossane Gard. After just a few days, they decided to take the leap. They placed a bid on the farm and were successful. The family was destined to become residents of Hjelmeland.
They sold their house in Sand and took over Fossane in May 2020. However, it was not easy to come as newcomers to the village without having common meeting places to get to know the locals.
“The coronavirus pandemic was not part of our planning. All the communal events associated with May 17th, Midsummer, and Christmas were canceled,” sighs Martijn, before adding that he and Janneke have finally begun to settle into their new life in Vormedalen.
“Now we have experienced the May 17th celebration in Vormedalen as it should be. It was really nice that everyone could finally gather, and of course, we said yes when they asked us to contribute to the committee,” he smiles.
A SLOW START
While the Norwegian tourism industry has suffered significant losses due to COVID-19 restrictions, the new owners of Fossane Gard had a slow start.
“In the first season, we focused on tourists from the local area and received many guests from Stavanger. The summer season was a bit short, but we had time to gradually adapt to the market and find our own way of operating,” explain Janneke and Martijn.
In autumn 2021, the government eased travel restrictions, and bookings for summer 2022 started pouring in. The new ferry route between the Netherlands and Norway has also led to more new tourists discovering Ryfylke. This summer, Fossane Gard has had the most guests from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, but some French families have also found their way to Vormedalen.
“As the borders have reopened, some of Kari and Sven Egil’s foreign regular guests have also returned to Fossane. It’s strange to think that some of them have been at Fossane longer than us,” says Janneke.
The hosts at Fossane themselves had their first encounter with Ryfylke as tourists, which directly contributed to their decision to move to Suldal in 2006. Janneke understands well that her guests are eager to stay at Fossane once they have found their way here.
“We are located in such a secluded place that people have to seek us out, and most stay for at least two nights. Guests need to be here for a couple of days before they get into the right mindset – before they see the joy in simplicity – and then no one wants to leave,” Janneke explains. She adds that many parents who have stayed at Fossane have mentioned that they appreciate the absence of Wi-Fi and television in the cabins.
Earlier this year, Fossane Gard was certified as the first ecotourism company in Rogaland. The fundamental principles of ecoturism are that activities are nature- and culture-based, have minimal environmental impact, and are socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable.
Without modern communication, guests at Fossane find a unique tranquility. Over time, many tourists have the farm animals, received tours of the power station, and swam or fished in Giskelivatnet. The hosts also make sure to guide their guests to local gems such as Ritlandskrateret, Eventyrskogen, Skomakarnibbå, Trodla-Tysdal, Hjelmen, the gazebo at Bjødnabu ski and outdoor facility, or Melands Grønahei. It is also possible to stay at Subbeli, the mountain pasture associated with Fossane Gard.
“We also direct them to farm shops like OmCider, Apal Sideri, and Ryfylke Gardsysteri. It’s great to be able to showcase local experiences and food producers,” says Janneke.
PLENTY TO KEEP BUSY
In addition to running Fossane, Janneke has taken on a job as a substitute at Extra Hjelmeland, while Martijn continues to work as a teacher at Sauda Secondary School. Through his teaching position, he is also leased to Nettskolen Rogaland, so his workdays are a combination of remote work at Fossane and commuting to Sand or Stavanger.
In the fall, their eldest daughter, Juul, returned to Utrecht to complete her teacher education, while their youngest daughter, Noor, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communication in Nijmegen. The energetic puppy, Fossa, keeps Janneke and Martijn company as the tourist season comes to an end, but they don’t have time for laziness.
“There’s plenty of work on a farm: the barn needs painting, and the windows in Folgå need restoration. We’re taking the opportunity to organize window restoration courses with the Heritage Association later this fall. I’m also going to study at the Winter Agriculture School in Ryfylke to gain more knowledge in farm management. Then time will tell how we further develop Fossane,” Janneke lists.
“And then we’ll see when we can take a little vacation. Maybe we just have to book one of the cabins,” Martijn jokes.
“Well, as they say, this isn’t a job, but a lifestyle. We take our time with the guests when they come, we have a little vacation every day, and we have our coffee break whenever we want,” Janneke concludes.
