Also this year, the harvest would not have progressed so smoothly (despite some bad weather periods) if it had not been for our interns.

Let them introduce themselves through their own words and unique perspectives on their time at TANGO Seaweed. Part 1

Yes, they are the wonderful helpers during the harvest, but they are so much more….

- Will -

Hei, hei - Det går bra!

I'm Will, and in April 2023, I had the opportunity to work with TANGO. With roots as a hands-on farmer, I currently work as a software developer and data consultant within the vertical farming industry. Through my work, I strive to directly contribute to improving businesses in sustainable agriculture, ultimately allowing the industry to succeed.

My passion for emerging agricultural technologies stems from a deep belief in their necessity to address the negative impacts of current agriculture on climate change. It was this belief that drew me to the seaweed industry and TANGO. At TANGO I have been working on the development of a customised application, aiming to enhance their production and research processes. While my primary objective during my time at TANGO was therefore to get this application up and running, I was equally eager to immerse myself in the world of seaweed farming. At heart, I am a farmer and have a genuine love for the practice.

TANGO stands out as an extremely unique company driven by a genuine mission to make a positive impact on the planet. What sets TANGO apart is the diverse group of highly skilled experts who bring their unique perspectives and skillsets to the table. TANGO also stands as a striking contrast to the prevalent practice of greenwashing in emerging "sustainable" agriculture industries, where companies merely pay lip service to sustainable or ethical practices while prioritising profit. This toxic greenwash phenomenon had always left me with pessimistic and sceptical prejudice towards companies claiming to uphold such values. TANGO shattered those preconceptions and proved itself to be a beacon of authenticity, genuinely caring and committed to implementing regenerative and ethical practices. It is a business that wholeheartedly desires to have a positive impact on the climate and local communities, filling me with renewed hope for the future of agriculture.

During my time at TANGO, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in their harvest season, gaining hands-on experience in all the related processes. Just like any form of farming, each process had its own techniques to master which made me feel like a true farmer - I enjoyed every moment of it.

One of the biggest processes was the “quality check”, where we meticulously inspected the seaweed to remove any fouling or lumpsucker fish (which, incidentally, I discovered have multiple names across different languages and should really be called "lumpy" suckers in English). Lise, the CEO, not only demonstrated this technique but also showed us the various types of fouling to watch out for in conjunction with her extensive knowledge of everything seaweed. Her guidance expanded our understanding and helped us foster a deeper connection with the seaweed itself. Even now, I sometimes catch a glimpse of the pesky kjerringhår (pronounced "charringwhore") seaweed when I close my eyes. Also, nothing compares to the feeling of being out in the boat early in the morning, surrounded by the breathtaking Norwegian landscape, while collecting the ready-to-harvest seaweed. Working at TANGO may have been hard work at times, but that’s what farming is all about!

During my time in Haugsbygda, Norway, I had the privilege of staying with some lovely people: "Tabitha," "The Weasel," and "That's Totally Wild Guy''. Together, we embarked on many adventures, which included freediving, foraging for seaweed, visiting the Geirangerfjord, and hiking the mountain next to TANGO—an experience I highly recommend as the view from the top is amazing and you get to sign your name in the book just so the mountain never forgets you were there. We also explored Alesund, Ulsteinvik, Remoy, and Runde (home to the puffins!). Furthermore, and arguably most importantly, we indulged in an abundance of incredible seaweed dishes (perhaps I was a bit too indulgent at times) and had plenty of deep and meaningful conversations (or debates) - possibly seaweed induced. I even managed to become quite proficient in Norwegian, able to request water, coffee, or, most importantly, tea—"Will og vann eller Will og kaffe og melk eller Will og te…takk?"

I consider myself immensely fortunate to have spent a month with TANGO. Their focus on doing what is genuinely right has inspired me to carry its values into my professional and personal life. Businesses like TANGO should be acknowledged and appreciated as sources of hope if we want to create a world where future generations can thrive.

My heartfelt thanks go to Lise, Saskia, Viktor, Wojtek, Leif, Hjalmar, Torkjell, Julie, and everyone else at TANGO.

Tusen takk!

Will

- Adrian -

Hey everyone,

I’m Adrian, 22 years old, and from Germany, more specifically from Freiburg near the border with France. I did my internship at Tango from April to June 2023. Before the internship, I finished my Bachelor's in sustainable systems engineering at the University of Freiburg. So, quite the topic change.

Throughout my studies, I gained a deep understanding of sustainability and became aware of the various challenges faced by the food industry, such as high land and water use, negative impact on biodiversity, and significant greenhouse gas emissions. Seaweed was mentioned as a possible base for plastics in my studies. Additionally, I watched a documentary about the benefits of seaweed farming compared to conventional farming. Both of those piqued my interest in seaweed.

At the end of my studies, I wanted to gather new experiences, embracing the outdoors and getting in touch with nature. After some Googling, I stumbled upon Tango's website and wrote to Lise.

My work mostly consists of quality checking and processing the seaweed. In addition, I work on my intern projects. I've taken over the responsibility of doing the harvest assessment. Will and I, being the nerds that we are, have been assigned the task of programming a dashboard to display the light and temperature data gathered by sensors on the farm.

During my free time, I spend most of it with the other interns, exploring the surroundings or just chilling. The area is perfect for hiking, with a path conveniently located just 500 meters from our accommodation. Another highlight of my stay here is the opportunity to go freediving with Marco from the diving club. The sea feels like something out of those David Attenborough documentaries we sometimes watch.

Throughout my stay here, I've learned a lot about the sea, seaweed aquaculture, and the partly epic and sometimes intimidating cheeses of Norway. I've met many interesting people and caught a glimpse of Norwegian culture. Overall, it has been and is an awesome experience!

- Tabea -

Hei!! My name is Tabea and I am an intern at Tango Seaweed for the spring of 2023.

Originally I am from Flensburg, Germany. Flensburg is located near at the Danish border on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The past few years I have spent in Italy studying Gastronomic Science and Cultures at the University of Gastronomic Science at Pollenzo.

My fascination with seaweed has steadily grown since I had the opportunity to visit Ireland, where a dear friend of mine researched about the practices of wild seaweed foraging in the field of ethnobotany.

Since then, I have actively attended various events and conferences about seaweed, most notably the renowned food festival "Terra Madre."

The possibilities and potential of seaweed especially in European countries are one of the main reasons why I wanted to learn more about holistic sustainable cultivation methods and why I ended up at Tango Seaweed.

I am extremely happy for this opportunity. We have learned and participated in all the steps of the harvest and refinement process. Working intensely with seaweed almost everyday has given me a deeper understanding for these plants and ultimately the product they become. Besides this there is a very special work environment here. We all have different paths and reasons for being here. Here you get a chance to work with locals as well as people from all over the world. That way everyone can learn from each other.

One of my favourite tasks is the quality check of the seaweed. We remove the other species from the seaweed. During this process, you are surrounded by Sugar Kelp or Winged Kelp and once in a while, you can even rescue the life of a little lumpsucker.

In our free time we have been foraging wild seaweeds. Some of the most beautiful moments here have been cooking and preparing the different kinds of seaweeds together. There are so many possibilities with seaweed in the kitchen!!! Every variety has its own taste. One is full of umami, the other one reminds you of pepper and the next one of truffle. You can ferment, dry, cook or roast seaweed. I love adding it in soups or dishes like Pasta e Fagioli. The seaweed by itself tastes also great when fried. I recommend sugar kelp!

You can also put seaweed on ice cream or in sourdough bread.

We had so many great moments during work and leisure time! Just come here and learn more about the cultivation of algae and get to know the stunning coast of Norway on land and from the water by swimming or diving!!