Raising Sheep & Preserving Tradition in the Faroe Islands: Harriet’s Inspiring Journey
Meet Harriet Olafsdóttir av Gørðum, a fifth-generation farmer in the Faroe Islands who has redefined sheep farming with creativity and resilience. From capturing stunning portraits of her flower-crowned sheep to running a farm-to-table Airbnb, she shares her journey of balancing tradition, innovation, and family life on her remote island farm.
Harriet, did you grow up on the islands, and how often do you leave?
Yes, I grew up right here on the farm in Æðuvík, Faroe Islands. Most of my time as a kid was spent on the farm with my grandfather; I was even homeschooled until I had to start 1st grade at the age of 7. I go on short weekend getaways around two times a year and a proper vacation for a week or so roughly every 5th year – being a farmer, it’s not that easy to leave.
Do you have all the necessary resources there, or must you have things shipped?
We get most things shipped to the Islands; we grow potatoes and rhubarb here – not much else, although some modern farms have started growing more varieties. The Faroe Islands are a big fishing and salmon farming nation, so those things aren’t imported – but pretty much everything else, especially since not everyone has farmland and the current farmland is being mainly used for sheep/meat production and some of it for dairy since we are almost self-sufficient in dairy products. On our farm, we have a goal to become more and more self-sufficient each year other than sheep, experimenting with growing our own vegetables, potatoes, rhubarb, strawberries, and salads. Also, we have ducks and chickens for eggs and haven’t bought eggs for years.
You are a woman farmer in a predominantly male industry. How hard has it been?
BIG question! I have to be honest – it is tough! Especially in such a tiny country, with very old habits, laws, and traditional ways of doing things, our country is generally very conservative, especially in my area.
I decided immediately when I took over the farm as a 5th generation that if I was going to be a farmer, I would do it full-time. People laughed and thought I was a bit too “romantic,” as they would put it – because being a full-time sheep farmer with only 75 mother sheep was impossible. Sheep farming, in general, in The Faroe Islands, is mainly seen as a hobby on the side of a regular job – there are very few sheep farmers who do it full-time. When I then decided that one way I was going to make a living as a sheep farmer was by decorating my sheep with flower crowns and selling the pictures as art, the tone didn’t really get any better—I was definitely a dreamer and not a real farmer.
However, today, I am a full-time farmer. I sell artwork with my sheep and also work the farm as a tourism attraction. People can book a meal in our in-home restaurant, get a farm tour, book a stay in our Airbnb with a view of the sheep field and the ocean, and also buy my art.
My biggest challenge in farming is that I share government land with 19 other men and have to work with them by law. We don’t always see eye to eye about most things. I run my farm very differently than they do, and somehow, they still have a say in everything we do here – that very often has its challenges.
One could say that because of my gender, I’m often seen as weak, too caring, and too much of a dreamer – however, my vision for this farm is beyond what anyone else is doing on our islands. My main priority is always animal welfare, even if, at the end of the day, it means higher costs and sometimes even non-profitable animals. Our farm is profitable, and those who need extra care and attention are paid for by those animals who are profitable. I can say without a doubt in my mind that I am just as good a farmer as any man – and even if I do some things very “romantically” and dream-like, I am also good at doing all the hard work.
How many sheep do you have, and how many do you breed each year?
I have roughly 70 sheep at the moment, and I breed around 65-68 each year; it varies a bit depending on how rough the winters are. I also always keep a few bottle-fed lambs each year that, in one way or another, couldn’t stay with their mom – those often end up being more pets than actual sheep.
How harsh are the winters in the Faroe Islands, and how difficult is it to maintain the health of the sheep herd?
Winters in The Faroe Islands can be very rough, especially these last three years. The winters are dark, very often wet, with a lot of wind, and they’ve also been very cold with snow for up to 2 months at the time, which is not normal. I feed my animals twice a day during the winter season, mainly dried hay and sometimes pallets with compressed grass and added minerals; they also always have access to lick buckets of salt and vitamins, and when it gets closer to lambing season in April, they get substituted with grains to help milk production. If you want healthy and happy sheep during the winter, you definitely have to feed them extra – even if it is not profitable in the rough years.
Speaking of your sheep…your photographs are stunning! How did your photography business start?
Thank you so much 🙂 It actually started taking pictures when I quit my job in public administration and went traveling North America and Canada for three months – both to seek inspiration and also to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I started an Instagram account for our travels, and photography was growing on me when we came home and moved back to my hometown shortly before taking over the farm. I bought my brother’s Canon 1000D and would spend a lot of time photographing sheep, especially our pet sheep, Bambi, who was blind and liked the company as much as I liked taking the photos. One day, I shared a photo of Bambi on Instagram. Suddenly, I got quite a few messages from people asking if they could buy my picture as a poster, and that is how I accidentally became a fine arts sheep photographer. I’m not very good with Photoshop – so from the beginning, my pictures are all taken in natural light, preferably fog or overcloud weather, to make the white background, and of course, the flower crowns are also made by me. To be honest, many of my flower crowns get eaten before they are photographed – but hey, that is how it goes when you work with edible decorations and live models. The main reason I am so passionate about sheep photography is because, to me, sheep are all unique; they have unique traits and personalities, and each of them is beautiful in their own way – also, you cannot go to The Faroe Islands and not see a sheep, they are everywhere.
You have a lot of entrepreneurial ventures going on. We read that you have opened an Airbnb. Tell us about it:
We opened our Airbnb in 2022 because we really wanted people to have the opportunity to experience the beauty and life that we get to experience every day. The building was originally a small old horse stable from the previous owners of the house; it was in bad shape, and we didn’t really use it. So we talked to our friend Claire Oude Aarninkhof, who is a Landscape Architect, and her boyfriend Joup Koenders, an Architect, both from the Netherlands, and they designed a multifunctional house for us, with views in every direction and even a ramp down to the sheep field so the sheep can go up on the roof and graze. We call it a luxury farm stay because the tiny house itself has everything we couldn’t afford when rebuilding our house, and also, there is just something about staying there that makes you at ease and feel like one with nature.
Future Goals
My goals are to continue growing at our own pace to keep harmony between family, farm, and business. Because, at the end of the day, the business is there to support our farm and provide for my family. My husband and two kids are almost as big of a part of the business as I am. Our farm is a family business, and we’ve taken the kids with us to the barn and up the mountains for as soon as they could handle it, both in the stroller or even in a baby carrier. Maja Lý, our younger daughter, was homeschooled up until two months ago, and she is now almost four years old. We try to make it fun and inclusive, showing the kids that everything we do is in order to take care of the land and take care of our animals, teaching them that sometimes things need to be done for the greater good, even though it’s hard work and sacrifice.
My goal is that when it’s time for our daughters to take over the business, that it’s something that they are excited about and that it will be easier for them than it is for me. I want to pave their path and show them that our gender isn’t a disadvantage in this line of work, and in many ways, it makes us better at it.
What advice would you give to someone visiting the Faroe Islands? Where to visit, what to do, etc.
I would say stay here for at least a week and no less than five days. Renting a car is crucial; getting around is easy and fast if you have a car. Visit and preferably stay in the smaller towns to experience what The Faroe Islands are all about. Slow living is our jam, and in order to really get a unique experience, support local businesses, guides, and farms. Do one night in the capital – we usually stay at Hotel Føroyar when we go to the capital and experience our wide variety of cafés and restaurants – my favorites are Panamé café for their coffee/cake and Etika for sushi.
You are welcome to stay at our Airbnb, where we also make in-home dinners for guests on demand and will show you around. Our place is located pretty much in the middle of The Faroe Islands with beautiful views and only 30 minutes to 1 hour from most tourist attractions.
Learn more about Harriet, her sheep, and her Airbnb.
This interview was initially featured in our Winter 2023 magazine. Subscribe today and never miss an issue! Harriet Olafsdóttir provided all the photos. Click here to learn more about her beautiful artwork.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:
© Front Porch Life Magazine photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder
