Kristofer Sjursson Hjeltnes
Encyclopedia
Kristofer Sjursson Hjeltnes (1730–1804) was a Norwegian farmer and businessperson.
Born in Ulvik
, Hjeltnes would become a pioneer in Norwegian farming at the time. He is credited with introducing the potato
to Norway, in 1759. He also grew tobacco
, caraway
og clove
, and worked to spread fruit culvitation in Hardanger
. He founded one of the first plant nurseries in the district, and established storehouses for grain. Besides farming, he was also involved in reindeer
herding, and ran a sawmill and a timber merchant company.
He married Marta Sjursdatter Vestrheim in 1851. They had several children.
Born in Ulvik
Ulvik
Ulvik is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality stretches from the Hardangerfjord to 1,800 metres above sea level, and borders the municipalities of Granvin, Eidfjord, Ullensvang, Voss, Aurland, and Hol. It takes around two hours to drive from Bergen to Ulvik. The nearest...
, Hjeltnes would become a pioneer in Norwegian farming at the time. He is credited with introducing the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
to Norway, in 1759. He also grew tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, caraway
Caraway
Caraway also known as meridian fennel, or Persian cumin is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe and Northern Africa....
og clove
Clove
Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to the Maluku islands in Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisines all over the world...
, and worked to spread fruit culvitation in Hardanger
Hardanger
Hardanger is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, dominated by the Hardangerfjord. It consists of the municipalities of Odda, Ullensvang, Eidfjord, Ulvik, Granvin, Kvam and Jondal, and is located inside the county of Hordaland....
. He founded one of the first plant nurseries in the district, and established storehouses for grain. Besides farming, he was also involved in reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
herding, and ran a sawmill and a timber merchant company.
He married Marta Sjursdatter Vestrheim in 1851. They had several children.