Cow shopping

Since the cows have been taken into the cow house, the amount of milk that has been milked has been about 100L less than usual. Must be coz they are not getting to eat fresh green grass, or coz 3 cows are not being milked (2 coz they are having calves soon, and 1 coz she’s on medication). Or maybe coz big black’s gone! Anyhow given the situation, one of the solutions is to go get a new milking cow.

Unni had seen an ad in the paper of a farmer which has 3 cows on sale. So on Sunday, we went cow shopping.

On the way out of the house, once again, our fantastic cats left us a present by the door.

another dead baby rabbit. This time without a head somemore. Ewwwwwwwww....

And there's Inge with the cows while waiting for us to come out. I've always found the lone cow on the left really cute. Coz it has white legs which not only makes her look stunted, but makes her look as though she's floating in the air.


The farm was located some 1 hour’s drive away so we had to start right after breakfast. While on the way out of the island, Inge spotted a sea eagle sitting on the rocks by the beach. He even made a U-turn back so we could go check it out.



Surprisingly, the cows were out in the field grazing when we got to the farm. Apparently the farmer used some kind of grass such that it was growing for the third time, so he still had a whole lot of area of fresh green grass for the cows to chomp on.

We got out and made our way to the field. And who’d have guessed that the minute I get out of the warm and toasty car and attempt to cross a ditch, I slide right in. Damn. Which left my shoes wet and muddy for the rest of the day. What a bummer.


The farmer has around 15 cows. Only 3 were on sale. So we had to walk around to go find the 3. As usual with all the Norwegian talk, I had no idea what was going on, and so just stood around, snapping away.




After much talk, the decision was made to purchase a cow. But since she’s having a calf soon, she’d only be delivered to the farm about a week after she’s given birth, coz the first week after the birth, she’s gotta be around to give the calf milk.

(newest cow soon to join the Hov farm - 0360)

After cow shopping, we were supposed to go to Bcc and Trond’s place for dinner. But we still had a lot of time, so we took a little road trip to Laukvik. Unni took the chance to get Inge to stop at camping places along the way so that she can go see what others are doing with their camp places and hopefully get a few ideas on how to improve hers. (pics below are from a camp place which had a really big area for animals)




We got to Laukvik hoping to stop at a café for some coffee. But there was nothing open there. So we just had to make our way back to Svolvaer bcc’s place.


Half hour later, we turn up at Bcc’s place. Thank goodness, coz my feet were starting to get a little cold. The starter was on the table already. Smoked whale meat with onion and sour cream. It’s a good combi I tell ya, and the way to eat it is to take some flatbread, spread a little sour cream on, put the whale meat in with a dash of fresh onions and bon apatite.


Main course was lamb leg with brown sauce, tyttebaer jam and veges and potatoes on the side. The tyttebaer was from the stock which Bcc had hand picked the day before, so it’s really fresh jam.

And finally for dessert, crème brule. Which bcc made in the morning and Trond fired up so that the top is nice and crusty.


Of course with Norwegian dinners, there’s always the traditional coffee to finish off everything. Or tea if you like. Or Baileys if you want as well.


(L - R: water, Baileys, coffee, red wine)

Soon after, it was time to leave and it was back to Gimsoy, to the cow house for their evening milk.