Om oss

About us - Farming and Deer Farming

We are proud of our environmentally friendly approach to meat production. At Martnadssletta we place great emphasis on animal welfare and sustainability. Our animals live a natural life, and this is reflected in the deer meat we offer. Short journeys and fresh - straight from farm to fork.

The history

The farm's history dates back to the Viking Age, when the area was a marketplace, where locals and visitors met for trade, socializing and competition. Findings of historical narratives and burial mounds on the farm during the building process, testify to activity far back in time.

After World War II, an extensive farm building policy was implemented in Norway, as a measure to strengthen agriculture and increase food production. The goal was to get more people to establish themselves on farms, especially in less settled areas, and thereby build up a more robust agriculture. Through government support schemes, loans and grants were distributed for the construction of new farms and the upgrading of existing operating units. This policy led to larger farms, more efficient production and a more independent Norway.

Through such an initiative, Martin and Helga Slatlem embarked on their life's work, by first establishing 700 meters of farm road, first with the help of a pick and shovel. Eventually, they qualified for a grant to buy their first tractor, a Ferguson TE-F-20, with about 20 horsepower - or better known as "Gråtass". Timber was cut from their own forest, and the farmhouse was built first. Before the farm building was finished, Helga had to walk and cycle the 2 kilometers to the old barn to take care of, and hand-milk the cows morning and evening. In 1960, the new farm building was finished, and the cows could move into the farm and the modern surroundings of the time with a milking machine. In addition to cows, the family had both horses and pigs on the farm. Potato and carrot cultivation was also an important part of the farming. Fruit trees and berry bushes were planted, and there was plenty of fish in the fjord, so that the family was well on its way to being self-sufficient in food from its own production.

Grete and Olav Magne Johansen took over the baton in 2017, and have started the deer farming. The buildings on the farm have been renovated and modernized, and nearly 3 kilometers of fencing has been set up for deer grazing. The "heart" of the deer enclosure is established in the farm building's old manure cellar, where the animals are gathered daily. There they each receive a handful of grain feed, to ensure healthy and fit animals that do not lack any vitamins or minerals. Such a gathering is also useful for keeping the animals tame with daily close contact.