It’s September, the first month of fall and harvest time. The season might be short up here, but taking our position on the globe; Oslo: 59° north – same as mid Hudson Bay in Canada – things grow pretty good from mid May to August. Some have asked what we grow in Norway so the last weeks, while going back and forth to the express bus for work, I’ve passed the vegetable market in the heart of Oslo city – and with my Nokia mobile phone to capture some of the goodies! It all looks so good, one reason to celebrate the fall (click to enlarge & enjoy):
We are talking about an old cobble-stoned market square, Stortorget (means ‘Big Square’), originally laid out in the mid 17th century. In the centre you see a statue of Christian IV; King of Denmark and Norway from 1588 to 1648.
Let’s take a look and see the farmer’s stands and their colourful displays:
So what is produced in Norway then? Let’s start with some berries:
Left: Redcurrants, Blueberries & Cherries. Right: Strawberries & raspberries. The yellow ones behind in the plastic containers are cloud berries, which only grow this far north.
Then of course they offer a lot of vegetables:
Left: cauliflower & broccoli. Right: White & red onion + leeks
Front: cabbage, then parsley root and Rutabaga.
I’ve learned to love them all and of course at this time of the year is the best. I so much remember my parents saying: ‘Eat your vegetables son!’. Of course for us up in the north – with a small amount of daylight, it was the most important way to get our dose of vitamin C before we are moving towards the dark time of the year.
I think my favourites are cauliflower and broccoli, but of course it depends on what you have for dinner. Leek is a must with fish for example. Cabbage and lamb stew is a fall delicacy. So what’s your favourite? Do you recognize most of these from the Norwegian farmers or do you miss some of your favourites?
September 10th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Oh yummy. I love fruit and veggies. I love cauliflower and broccoli, but my favourite is asparagus. I recognize everything except the cloud berries. Never heard of them, but I’d bet I would like them because I love berries. So, when is dinner? I’ll bet you and Diane have something wonderful planned to go around these fruits and veggies. Have a great day. Big hug to you and Diane.
RennyBA
We are to of a kind then and I’ll gladly go for asparagus too.
Cloudberries is special for the Norse, you can rad more about it here.
So are you coming to dinner then – big hugs back to you
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September 10th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Oh Renny Cabbage and Lamb stew! Yum! I would get lost in the farmers market, I know!
RennyBA
I knew you would love it – hope we can go together one day!
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September 10th, 2008 at 1:31 am
All of the fruits and vegetables look wonderful! My dad had a huge garden when I was a child. We were very fortunate having all of those fresh vegetables. I too now buy most of mine from the farmers market. I hope to have a small garden next summer.
I didn’t realize you had a dark season in Norway. My dads Grandparents came from Sweden.
RennyBA
Thanks – my grandparents had the same.
The land of the midnight sun you know.
Great to have visitors with Scandinavian heritage!
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September 10th, 2008 at 2:03 am
Boy, those berries look amazing!!!
RennyBA
Yea, and they are tasty too!!!
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September 10th, 2008 at 2:46 am
Well, I must say that most of it is my favourite – remember the hungry monster? *giggles*
We pretty much have the same as you and it’s nothing strange with that since we’re so close to each other
RennyBA
Most is fine too – yea, I do remember *giggles*
I know Sweden and Norway share most everything
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September 10th, 2008 at 6:03 am
Interesting travel journal posts–the next best thing to being there! I like Grieg’s Hall of the Mountain King too. Thanks for being such a hospitalbe guide. My grandfather came from Mjondalen, a small community around Drammen. It would be wonderful to see some pictures from that part of the country if you ever travel there. By the way, our vegetables and fruit are pretty much similar here in Canada as yours.
Many thanks.
RennyBA
Glad I could give you some ideas about Norway and the Nordic countries then and of course a bit from our music.
I know Mjøndalen very well, just an hour drive from Oslo. Its not that long from Kongsberg, so see my post here.
Canada and Norway has a lot in common you know – your welcome.
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September 10th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Cloud berries. I’ve never heard of those. What do they taste like? We get all the other fruits and vegetables here, too, and like you, one of my favourites is broccoli. Leek and potato soup is a favourite in the winter.
When Jane and I go to our local markets, I see vegetables from Asia that I’ve never seen before…fascinating.
That was a very interesting look at your markets and the Big Square looks so picturesque.
RennyBA
Claudberries are soft and juicy with a distinctive tart taste.
We have some from Asia too, but they are in bigger groceries.
Glad you liked the square too
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September 10th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Mmmmm Mmmmmm Good!! Everything looks delicious and fresh! Time to get healthy
RennyBA
What about a healthy dinner when I get back from Milan tomorrow
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September 10th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Hey Renny,
What a lovely market
! I haven’t probably shared this with you yet, but I love markets: I love its smells, the colours, the people, the haggling LOL!
I love berries too: they are great to eat, to cook, to make jam, to decorate cakes etc…
I am not a great fan of cauliflower, but there is a superb dish made of cauliflower (well, basically it is cauliflower covered with Bechamel cream and then grilled in the oven: delicious)!
I am a huge fan of broccoli!!! I use it in just about anything (I even cook wonderful salads with it).
Gorgeous onions you put here: we don’t have the red onions here, at least not this red!!! Leeks are delicious too (soups)!!
Yes, I recognise most of these veggies from Norwegian farmers!! My favourite veggies are carrots, broccoli, tomatoe, lettuce, Ruccula (arugula), potatoes, cabbage, sprouts, and etc…I do love my veggies LOL!
This was a nice post, my friend! It made me want to cook!
Cheers
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September 10th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
It’s about dinner time over here and your post is making me hungry! I love fruit and vegetables, especially fresh! Those cloudberries sound interesting as I especially love berries. Yummy!!!
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September 10th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Wow…. They look so fresh, colourful and nice! Wish I could hv a bite on their juicy flesh…
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September 10th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Enough to make me move back to Norway! Hubby is on a health diet at the moment. He has stopped taking some of his medication (not the insulin obviously) and he is feeling better than he has in years. Although the Ringwood farmers market is not quite as nice as this one.
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September 10th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
We have alot if not all that stuff…plus we have corn, okra, peas, green beans, squash and zuccini, cucumbers, and all kinds of melons….and oh…my favorite: tomatoes….
Have a wonderful week. I enjoyed your post.
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September 10th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
I love vegetable, all kinds. They are a huge part of my diet… we need to be strong for winter!
I look at your pictures differently since I went to Finland, it looks a bit familiar… between Europe and the Great North!
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September 11th, 2008 at 2:55 am
I adore a good farmer’s market. I can browse, eat and buy for hours!
Those cherries look divine!
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September 11th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Hi Renny!
Wow…I will have a grand time gorging myself with those sumptuous berries! They look so fresh… and inviting! Not to mention, tempting…hahahaha.
Oh, btw, posted my sincere THANKS for the gifts here:
http://www.riablahgs.com/2008/09/blog-friendship.html
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September 11th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
yummy berries! so far the berries i’ve tasted fresh cherries and strawberries. blueberries, red currants and raspberries i’ve only eated dried or in pies/cheesecakes hehe
cloudberries i have yet to taste. the name sounds magical. 
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September 11th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
The berries and cherries look delicious! It sounds as though the Maine growing season is similar to the Norwegian season – plant in May (or June) and harvest July to September. Do you have pumpkins?
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September 11th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
The berries look incredible, so red and ripe. We can’t find strawberries much anymore. By the way, I’m curious, where do these fruits grow? In Norway or somewhere else?
I must think of you while I’m walking through town. At times, I feel funny looking like a tourist. Over time, my guard will go down more and I’ll feel a bit more at ease. We have a market here but it is only until September, so it’s a summer market of goods, not really food.
RennyBA
All these grows at farms around Oslo – that was the point to show you by this post.
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September 11th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
The market looks wonderful, Renny! My favorite ones are blueberries and raspberries. Broccoli and zucchini. I am getting very hungry now!
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September 11th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Oh Lucky man that can cross over the Farmers Market in downtown Oslo.
You know, I’m crazy about fruits and vegetables. So crazy we have to have some in our Summergarden…. even Grapes. (Have allready tasted the blue ones – hmmm).
One Question: Is it the producers that sells their own (organic) products or?
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September 11th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
OoooOOooh! I LOVE fresh fruits and veggies! Sugar snap peas are my FAVORITE! Beautiful photos too – as usual!
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September 11th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
I say leeks and fish sound divine. Now, come back and comment on the “No Kidding” site. I inadvertently set myself up for failure on that one by mentioning the ladies only…oopsie.
*lovies* friend and good eve.
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September 12th, 2008 at 6:51 am
what a wonderful…colourful extravaganza Renny
spinach and parsnip are my favourites …
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September 12th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Nothing better to me than a really sweet, really FRESH strawberry. You cannot find them at a grocery store. They get all of the second grade fruit that is not checked very well.
(I took a few Renny)
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September 13th, 2008 at 4:23 am
oh i just love berries. mmmmm…so yummy. i am also a big fan of broccoli. and there is nothing like a home grown tomato and some fresh corn. yummm. i love my fruits and veggies.
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September 13th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I love all fruit and vegetables really, which would amaze my parents if they were still alive, because I remember needing constant encouragement to eat up vegetables
The red vegetable beside the cabbage looks to me a little like beetroot but I don’t think it is. At the same time it isn’t what I know as rutabaga which is an overgrown yellow turnip, commonly known in England as a swede – I’ve no idea why! 
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September 13th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Many of your vegetables are already out of season here in the Southeast section of the US. But some that you have in season are not due here for a few more weeks (rutabaga, for example). Interesting, huh?
I’m hosting a “Farmer’s Market Report” Mr Linky. Maybe you’d like to submit this post? Come on by and check it out! : http://toeverymeal.blogspot.com/2008/09/farmers-market-report-sept-13th.html
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September 14th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Marvelous market! Love the berries but here we aren’t use to have them on the table! Rare for me and delicious!
Love all those colours and those pictures give me just an idea for the instance: cooking and tasting all!
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September 15th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Talk about amazing sights – Those pictures are enough to make anyone’s mouth water, forget an epicurian like me. I love cooking ,especially dishes from fresh veggies and fruits, and recipes from scratch. I love the fruit shops here in Hungary.
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September 17th, 2008 at 3:42 am
Cloud berry, rutabaga …the one that caught my attention the most was the parsley root. If it’s the same/similar as usual parsley just with a root… hmm yeah, that root looks good – very inspiring. Exciting to come across new things and see what can happen in the kitchen with them. Hope i can be in the position to travel one day and try it out in person.
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September 18th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
It’s funny, Renny, but I LOVE cabbage but never buy it! I don’t know why. I think I’m gonna start buying it and making some nice stews/soups with it!
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September 28th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I like to make a nice vegetable stew in the fall with most of the of the vegetables that you mentioned.
Berries make me itch.
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
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October 15th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Very interesting article, is it possible to find out the variety of veg, that you grow? I am attempting to grow more than cabbage and turnip at 58.3 deg north but hitting the long day length problems. Hope that you can keepan update on Norways’ horticultural enterprisein the years to come. thank you for thisreport.
Michael
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