This week a lot of farmers and other small companies from Norway are in Berlin, together with farmers and food companies from all over the world. I have visited Berlin International Green Week (Internationale Grüne Woche Berlin) a couple of times, but alas, not this year. It is a wonderful experience if you like to see and taste the different food cultures of this world. Above is one of the farmers who were invited to participate on behalf of Norway this year, and who I have visited at his summer mountain farm, where he makes cheese and sour cream from old Norwegian cow and goats species. There are more pictures on this link.
The Green Week in Berlin is very crowded. About 400.000 people use to visit this food festival, in 2018 from 19. to 28. January. But it is worth it. And not only because it is much more liberal according to alcoholic beverages than at similar events at home. But for us it adds to the exotic experience of course.
Norway have long traditions for beer. Actually we had laws that are more than thousand years old that commanded every farmer to make beer. And until 1900 most people made beer themselves. Then came regulations, and then came the industrialized and international beer companies. Our traditions were diluted so to speak. But some years ago people started brewing again, and we got new, small beer companies who got a lot of success. Some of them you can even meet in Berlin, like the one of the picture below, Klostergården Håndbryggeri. Who is one of the 95 farmers and companies from Norway at Green Week.
Cheese is another local product which has become very popular in Norway in recent years. And many of the producers are represented in Berlin. Like the farmer mentioned first, from Brubekken Gardsmeieri, and Munkebyost. The latter is made by three French monks who have made a new monastery in Norway next to a Cistercian ruin from about 1180. They came from the Abbey of Cîteaux in France, birthplace of the Cistercian Order, and make Norwegian cheese in the french way.
There are also reindeer producers represented in Berlin, among them a family who have their animals among this group of reindeers, in this picture migrating to summer pastures, Rørosrein.
I hope everybody who have a chance to visit Green Week have a great time. I just know for myself, I have not yet “visited” all the countries I would like to in Berlin, so I hope to go back. There are more pictures from former Green Weeks on this link. And from Norwegian farming on this link.
Superbe expo avec des dégustations … la visite doit être fantastique 😉
J’aime particulièrement les photos no 1 et 7
Merci Bente pour ce beau reportage .
Excellente fin de semaine . Amitiés
Suveren expo med smaksprøver … besøket må være fantastisk 😉
Jeg liker spesielt bildene 1 og 7
Takk Bente for denne vakre rapporten.
Utmerket helg. vennskap
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Yes, it is such a good expo, and I hope to go back sometimes. There are so many food culture to experience, and in Berlin you can do a world journey, if you have some days. The man in nr. 1 is a real, hardworking idealist. His ideas are sustainable, he take care of traditions, and he is also a commercial success, with just a few cows and goats. Thank you for your comment, Pierrette, and have a nice weekend.
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Great post, Bente. When I saw the reindeer photo, it made me wonder how it turned out with them after the big reindeer kill because of disease. Is this all resolved now? Are the herds recovering their health?
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These reindeer herders are from the indigenous people of Scandinavia. The Sámi have reindeers from Central Norway and up north to the Russian border. It was the wild reindeers in the mountains of Southern Norway who were affected with the terrible disease, CWD. The government is still working on the big reindeer kill there. In two years I think they have found 12 affected animals, but they will kill all of them in one area, about 2000 animals. The hope is to protect our other animals in the deer family in that way, deers, moose, roedeer and both wild and semi domesticated reindeers. Thank you Anneli.
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It’s a terrible thing. We’ve had that kind of thing with the deer and elk in Canada. Last year it was in the province of Saskatchewan.
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Vry good post .I never known they have such good products there
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Good products are everywhere, and in Berlin, all in one place. At least some of it. The different food cultures are contributing in making the world interesting. In Norway we tended to see our traditions as “old fashioned”, but that has changed. At least among some farmers, chefs and companies that do important work in this aspect. I guess it is similar develpment in some other countries? Thank you, Natuurfreak.
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That sounds like a wonderful experience. 400,000 people? Wow! I wonder where they put them up! And I thought Glastonbury festival was big!
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Not 400.000 in one day though, but popular, yes. I wish I could go to Glastonbury festival some day. Thank you Fatimasaysell.
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Glastonbury is simply amazing. You must go if you can. One of the best experiences in my life. 👍
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Reblogged this on Ancientfoods and commented:
Great post, it makes me want to visit if only for the beer and cheese. The new brewers sound a little like the micro brewers in Oregon U.S.
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Only for the beer and cheese, hehe. Yes, me too, but there is food and drinks from all over the world in this festival. It is so great, for us curious food lovers. Yes, you are right, the new ones in Norway are micro brewers, but some are really popular and expanding. Thank you very much for reblogging Ancientfoods, you have a great blog!
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Thank you for the input…I like you blog as well.
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Great post – I had never heard of this week. In Sweden we also have returned to making cheese and beer in smaller scales and on old recipes. It is very important to keep them. And the man with the cow in the first photo looks really a good man.
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I know Leya, I tasted traditional and handmade cheese, different ones, in Sweden years ago, before this really was a trend in Norway. I agree with you, it is important to keep traditions alive, in every country. And the man with the cow, he is a good man, and clever too. I often buy his produce in the Farmers Market in Trondheim.
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😚
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What a wonderful experience! I would go first to the Swedish foods, and perhaps find some of those treats from my childhood that I remember with such affection: sylta, lussebulle, and potatis korv. The, after I’d finished there, I’d go exploring. I love the cheese and beers that are being developed here, and it would be fun to compare with the offerings in Berlin.
At first I thought the enormous display in the last photo was pastry, but a closer look makes me think it is shrimp. It’s a wonderful display, whatever it is.
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What an exciting week to meet people and try their wonderful products. I would especially love to try the cheeses.
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What a wonderful festival. I wish I could attend. Your photos made me hungry for cheese and thirsty for a nice craft beer. 🙂
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This is a post from long ago already, but I enjoyed reading your account from Berlin. Looks like a really fun event. And you certainly captured some lovely images that shows the atmosphere at the fair.
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