At the turn of the century, the entire Sollerön was an open landscape with rolling fields.
In Gesunda you could see Lake Siljan sparkling between the haystacks. Today, large parts of the island and the beaches are filled with forest and bushes. During the winter, felling and clearing of brushwood has meant that you can now glimpse the view of Lake Siljan with blue mountains on the horizon.
There are several farmers on the island who keep the landscape open. Some are in the process of building their businesses. Others have been farmers their whole lives.
Solleröbladet had a chat with Mathias Håll in Bråmåbo, whose farming has several legs to stand on. “I enjoy it otherwise I wouldn’t keep going,” says Mathias. “It’s varied with pasture, grain and rapeseed farming as well as sheep and cattle. You’ll probably see my tractor all over the island because the fields are in every village. I sow half in the autumn and half in the spring. Sometimes I try new methods and just cut off the straw and sow directly without ploughing or harrowing.
I can control lambing 3 times a year. October, December and March.
It's always high season. The day starts at 6am and doesn't end until late at night.”
Solleröbladet asks if Matthias has heard of a vacation? "No, I haven't had one in several years. I've taken a few short trips but otherwise I stay home," is the answer.
Mathias runs the company himself. He gets some help from his father Milå Gunnar and his children Johannes and Nathalie when time allows. “It’s important that I have modern machines that always work because I’m alone,” says Mathias.
We note that development is moving forward. What used to take 2 days to, for example, thresh, Mathias does in an hour today.
Solleröbladet asks what kind of weather Mathias would most like?
"This year has been good. Maybe a little too cold in April and early May, but now the heat seems to be coming, which is good. When it's mowing and harvesting time, there's usually too little time to catch up."
In Mora municipality there is currently only one dairy farmer in Våmhus. In Garsås and Venjan there are farms with meat animals. Here on Sollerön Mathias is accompanied by Arne Tomth in Bengtsarvet (meat animals) as well as Ullasgården in Gruddbo and Benke and Lotta in Kråkkan with mountain cows. There are also several sheep herds.
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