Thanks to all you folks for the great information provided. I have found Ovsebo farm and am looking into staying at one of their cottages. How special that would be! And thanks for the genealogy info. It adds to the story of our family.
I have one more question. What kind of circumstances lead to a farm changing names - from Kaldestad to Kaldestadbakken to Ovstebo?
Kallestadbakken could possibly be a small subsection of an older larger Kaldestad farm or a small plot owned by it. It might not have been a long term division. It might also just have been a very descriptive name for the location of the farm.
Farming is changing in Norway too. In the US small family farms are being gobbled up by larger ones or even by corporations. This process is in no doubt also happening in Norway.
That might be a question best suited to some knowledgeable source in the region when you are visiting.
I can't find that this farm has been named Kaldestad? A series of books about norwegian farmnames (published between 1910-1924) says that previous spellings of Kaldestadbakken has been "Karllstads Backe" and Kalestadbache (1668), and that it in daily life is named "Øvstebø". It's hard to tell why without knowing the local history. Normally a farm doesn't change name, not even if new people buy the farm and take over. "Øvstebø" means "the upper most farm"; thus it has likely been used as a shortname/nickname on the farm, as an alternative to the much longer "Kaldestadbakken". The Øvstebø brook runs next to the farm. Kaldestadbakken was a subfarm under the larger neighbouring farm Skjeldal.
Please note that the Øvstebø farm with the cottages for rent is a different farm than the Kaldestadbakken (Øvstebø) farm. The distance between them is 6 miles (10 minute drive).
Kaldestadbakken (Øvstebø) to the right. One of the Skjeldal farms to the left. The brook runs between the farms.
Kaldestadbakken (Øvstebø) pictured about 1963. It says the white farmhouse was rebuilt 1946, and that the barn is "very old". Owner in 1963 was Erik Sævereide b. 1889. His father Lars E. Sævereide bought the farm in 1889 from Knut Kallestadbakken, and ran it to 1933, when Erik took over.
As you can view from the photos above Kallestadbakken is located next to the lake "Stordalsvannet" (Big valley Lake) Lars brother Henrik Henriksen the younger b. 1814 on Kallestadbakken takes over the farm. His son Henrik b. 1849 on Kallestadbakken inherited the farm but he drowned in Lake Stordalsvannet 1870. He was not married so his brother Knut Henriksen b. 1854 takes over the farm.
Thanks and a Question
Posted - 15/01/2016 : 18:38:46
