There's still people working with a horse, but it's unusual.
What's usual today:
In earlier times the best Norwegian skiers were working in the woods. The two persons to the left in the photo below were world champions - Gjermund Eggen and Harald Grønningen.
Gjermund Eggen, Harald Grønningen, Reidar Hjermstad, Jo Eggen og Johs. Harviken.
The work had to be done and it was not without danger. Doing what had to be done and doing it also under danger - that's what it was to be a man. At a later time also a few women participated.
The border didn't exist at Finnskogen - Finnskogen is large woods and many lakes at the "border" between the "two countries".
"These woods are my woods, though I do not own them."
The Swedes are in reality nice people. They gave us this country, but kept Jämtland and Härjedalen. Some Norwegians think we should do our best to buy J & H back with the oil money.
A painting giving us a not so romantic impression of "svedjebruk"
Marlow's photos are very similar to displays in the Skogsbruksmuseet in Elverum, and also in books of historical photos from Rendalen, where my father's family is from. In Hedmark, in fact, not far from the border with Sweden, which is where most of the wolves (and bears) live.
Most of the pictures are from Grue and Finnskogen and some are from Trysil. Grue and Finnskogen are about 230 km from Rendalen and Trysil is closer.
This drawing shows where Hedmark is in Norway.
Hedmark in yellow.
And this map shows Grue and Finnskogen in the south, Trysil in the middle and Rendalen in the north of Hedmark.
Hedmark with Grue, Trysil and Rendalen.
When I was a kid fishing and football were my favourite activites. We lived close to a river, Flisa. We also went to the Rendalen area a couple of times to fish in Sølensjøen.