– I smelled a musty smell. Rotten potato is not much to work with, and it smells quite bad. That’s what the potato farmer Bernt Gran at Lerberg farm in Ringerike tells about last year’s potato harvest. He and his wife Marte Lerberg Kopstad grow one of the country’s three gourmet potatoes: the Ringerik potato, which is used, among other things, as a side dish for skewered meat and shaved fish. Bernt Gran washes the day’s catch of Ringerik potato, with its characteristic red colour. Photo: Eirik Leivestad Hall / news The drought in the spring, followed by the extreme weather “Hans” and several large rain showers in the late summer, was a rotten combination. The result was that Gran had to pull up one after another rancid potato from the ground. – We realized straight away that this was a total disaster. It was very sad. There is a lot of work that was completely in vain. The consequences of a bad potato harvest can be fatal for one of Norway’s food treasures. It was Ringerikes Blad that first mentioned the case. What do you think about Norwegian raw materials being lost? Have your say at the bottom of the matter. Can die out in the worst case – Here you can see 99.9% of Norway’s stock of Ringerikpotet. There is only one field this year, and that is a great pity. Bernt Gran shows off the potato grower together with his son Bernhard. The field can at best be described as junk. Potato farmer Bernt Gran inspects the field with his son Bernhard. Photo: Eirik Leivestad Hall / news In a normal harvest, he produces approximately 150 tonnes of potatoes. This year, there will be just under 40. – And half of that must be used as seed potatoes. So no, it won’t be the big deal. Potato production is both expensive and fragile. And as the only producer of the ringed potato, the beloved variety could die out in the worst case scenario. – We cannot stand another year like this. It doesn’t work. Last year we saw to the full that growing potatoes is a high-risk sport. – If we didn’t, I got a verbal beating – It’s absolutely terrible. That’s what head chef and food consultant Bent Borge Hansen says when news switches on the line. Hansen has previously been head chef for many years in the Ringeriks area at Gledeshute in Hønefoss and at Sundvolden Hotell. Head chef and food consultant Bent Borge Hansen thinks it is sad that a food tax can disappear. Photo: Jan-Erik Wilthil / news At the latter restaurant they always had rakfisk at Christmas time. – If I didn’t have Ringerik potatoes for the shaved fish, then I simply got a verbal beating, that is. Hansen says that Norway does not have many exciting food traditions. That is why it is important to take care of the few traditions we have, he believes. – It is clearly a food tax that is running out of time. I think it’s crazy, the whole thing. – Sad, but inevitable Food historian Christopher Sjuve is very fond of the ringerik potato, and thinks it’s a shame that it is in danger of disappearing. – It is of course sad, but also inevitable. Sjuve explains that when you grow a single variety, that variety becomes significantly more susceptible to weather and diseases. Food historian Christopher Sjuve says that it is almost inevitable that individual varieties that are cultivated will disappear at one point or another. Photo: Privat The variety must both taste good and withstand hot, cold, dry and humid weather. If not, at some point it will be gone. – You cannot believe that this is for eternity, it is the way of nature. They must be replaced at some point. The food historian says that the Ringerik potato is not alone on the “deathbed”. – If it’s any consolation, the popular Pink Lady apple variety and the Cavendish banana variety are also about to disappear. Holding on for 160 years Fortunately for Bernt Gran, Lerberg farm has several legs to stand on. Fortunately, potato farmer Bernt Gran has several legs to stand on, such as the whiskey distillery on the farm. Photo: Eirik Leivestad Hall / news But historically, the Ringerikspotet has been an important part of the operation on the farm. – It was my wife’s great-great-great-grandfather who started commercially with Ringerikpotet in the 1860s. So it is important for us to continue with that. In order to be able to continue with production, Gran and other potato farmers will have to take new precautions, he believes. – As farmers, we have to think differently. We cannot have potatoes on the same areas as we have had before. We must ensure that the areas are not exposed to floods and torrential rain. There is hope for the future of Ringerikpoteten, says Bernt Gran. Here with his son Bernhard. Photo: Eirik Leivestad Hall / news But there is hope even in tough times. This year, the farm has had to use old seed potatoes, which produce little potato. For next year, they have got a lot of good potato rice, which will hopefully yield a lot of potatoes. – So the new, nice potato rice here, there will be seed potatoes for next year. So we hope that we can at least double the area by next year. But like so much in life, it depends on the weather forecast. What do you think about Norwegian raw materials being lost? Hello! Welcome to dialogue at news. Since you are logged in to other news services, you don’t have to log in again here, but we need your consent to our terms of use for online dialogue Hi true! Do you recognize yourself in this case? Or do you have tips for something else I should write about? Send me an email, I’d love to hear from you! Published 14.08.2024, at 16.25
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– Can’t stand another year like this – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio
