We are the Bolstad/Neverdal family (Erik, Torill and 3 children) and live at Skjolden in Luster municipality, at the head of the Sognefjord.

We took over the orchard called “Edens Hage” (“the Garden of Eden”) in 2019. “Edens Hage” is the orchard that the “Juice King” Halvard Drægni planted in the beginning of the 1900s. The land was then bought as part of a shared property which in a valuation was said to be unsuitable for planting. It is said that when Halvard Drægni wanted the servant boy to plant 25 apple trees, he refused and said that if Halvard wanted to plant trees in that sandy wasteland, he could plant them himself. So he did, and it turned out very well. The trees grew so well that Drægni later called the orchard the Garden of Eden, and fruit and berries have been grown here ever since.

We have now planted about 1,600 apple trees, but we also have a few pears, plums, blackcurrants and redcurrants. Erik has always had an interest in wine, craft beer and of course cider, and took a cider course with Eivind Vangdal in Hardanger in 2019. After that, he became a member of the Sogn fruit and cider guild in the spring of 2020, and he received a municipal license for production and sale in the autumn of 2022.

We are now looking forward to the first year of cider from the Garden of Eden.