3
Louane revealed the ultimate goal, feeling Nolwenn was ready to hear it.
Nolwenn: "I realize you’re well aware that milk production is no longer profitable for our Breton farms, Louane; your idea is excellent."
Louane signals to Nolwenn, and the two women leave the meadow to return to the living room terrace—this time for a cold drink.
Louane then explains the strategic nature of her position—even as a part-timer—at the fertility clinic in Rennes.
If she accepts the role, she will be the one to identify couples struggling to conceive and offer them a little calf instead.
The calf will be partly theirs, as Louane doesn't plan to use bulls to impregnate her cows, but rather the husband of the couple—provided it turns out the wife is the one who is infertile.
Nolwenn: "That’s very ingenious; I imagine that way you ensure their silence regarding the circumstances of the little calf's conception?"
Louane: "You guessed right; the cow's mating will be filmed so the couple can't have any regrets later on."
Louane asks her friend if she has any plans for the afternoon or if she has time to stay until evening for the milking, cleaning, and feeding of the herd. Nolwenn agrees without hesitation, excited at the prospect of discovering Louane’s farming methods.
Louane smiles, thinking to herself that Nolwenn is truly throwing herself into the project.
It is a huge relief for her and for the future of her business.
The two women use the time remaining before the herd returns from the pasture to talk about Nolwenn’s new job.
She works every morning at an assisted reproduction center in Rennes, as most of the activity takes place during that time.
Her role involves welcoming couples, explaining the various assisted reproduction procedures, and guiding them through the entire process.
She was hired because the number of infertile couples is rising, and her colleague previously handling the role could no longer keep up with the workload; she is currently responsible for following about thirty couples.
Louane asks Nolwenn about the couples' profiles.
Nolwenn: "Couples from all social backgrounds, hailing from across central Brittany. There are people from Rennes, of course, but also many couples traveling from further afield, since the next largest fertility center in the region is in Brest."
Louane: "Are they all Bretons?"
Nolwenn: "That depends on your definition of 'Breton'! They all live in Brittany—that’s one of the eligibility requirements; otherwise, I think we’d be drawing from a much wider area given the high demand. There are 'true' Bretons, certainly,
but also plenty of 'neo-Bretons'—city dwellers who moved here, often for work."
Louane: "Among the people you deal with, do you think any might be interested in our future calves?"
Nolwenn: "Almost certainly. Some couples tell me that if their attempts to conceive fail, they’ll look into adoption, though they know it’s a long, complicated process. Others don’t even consider adoption—and refuse to contemplate failure—because their desire for a child is so immense."
Louane: "And financially speaking, what do you think is a reasonable price to ask for a calf?"
Nolwenn: "I think we should align ourselves with the rates charged for surrogacy in France. We have a huge advantage here: we can guarantee that the cows are fed organic produce, don’t smoke or drink, and are raised in the fresh, bracing Breton sea air. I can quietly look into the details for you,
if you like."
Louane happily agrees and is pleased with Nolwenn’s initiative.
Louane sends a message to Gwendal to reassure him and confirm that Nolwenn is coming on board for the venture.
As it is relatively warm, Louane decides to bring the cows in a little early.
They cannot drink—even if a water trough were placed in the pasture—because of their halter bits.
However, the bit is mandatory to keep them from bellowing at the top of their lungs in the field and potentially attracting the neighbors.
It is 5:00 PM when Louane asks Nolwenn to join her.
She hands her a stick identical to her own, and the two women head to the pasture, signaling to the cows that it is time to come in.
This time, the two Holsteins have no desire to get cold, wait for nightfall, or—above all—go without food until the next morning.
The women herd the animals back to the barn and guide each cow into her stall.
Once that is done, Louane shows Nolwenn how to remove the halter while leaving the collar and bell on each cow.
She then moves ahead, deciding to change each of the four cows.
Nolwenn recognizes the texture of the diapers she used to handle at the maternity ward.
She watches Louane change Sarah and offers to do the same for Alma.
Although changing diapers wasn't part of her official duties at the maternity ward, she had done it regularly.
She handles Alma very well; the cow is quite docile and happy to have a fresh diaper after leaving a large mess in the old one.
Louane explains that she chose the bedding system to keep the barn clean and ensure the pasture isn't littered with cow dung.
Nolwenn approves and thinks the barn—made entirely of beautiful light-colored pine—is magnificent.
Louane then takes over to change Anneliese and Hilda, who are still a bit resistant to the process.
The two women take their time, and Louane answers Nolwenn’s many questions.
They finish at 6:15 PM. Louane decides to move straight on to milking.
She starts by putting a halter on Hilda and leading her to the milking parlor.
Just like this morning, the cow does her best to make the task difficult, but Louane remains calm, adjusting her prodding until the rebellious Holstein is in the third stall.
She then goes to fetch Anneliese, all while Nolwenn watches the maneuver closely.
With the second Holstein in place, Louane is proud to show that Sarah and Alma have already got the hang of it, coming to position themselves in their stalls for milking on their own.
Once everyone is tethered and the udders are exposed, Louane attaches the milking units; milking begins in stalls 1 and 2, while stimulation continues in stalls 3 and 4.
Nolwenn watches the milk flow into Sarah and Alma’s individual jars.
Once milking is done, Louane places the milk jars in the refrigerator.
The cows are then released from their stalls and return to their respective pens.
Louane then shows Nolwenn how she refills the water bottles and places the grain-mix bottles in the stall doors.
The cows quickly drink them down; Louane and Nolwenn stay to watch them finish their bottles through the bars of the stall doors.
Nolwenn suggests making nameplates for each cow to hang on their stall doors, adding a personal touch to the décor.
Since she has a knack for drawing, she offers to handle the task herself—an offer Louane happily accepts.
Louane: "You’re welcome to stay for dinner, Nolwenn, and you can ask Gwendal for the wooden boards to make the nameplates."
Once the work is done, the two women head back to the farmhouse and start preparing the evening meal. Gwendal returns at 8:00 PM after a long day; it is harvest season, and with the weather holding steady, they need to work quickly to get the crop in safely.
Gwendal greets Nolwenn with a kiss on the cheek and thanks her for accepting their proposal to collaborate.
Nolwenn: "I’m the one who should thank you for your trust. I always enjoyed working with Louane back at the maternity ward, so the idea of collaborating again delights me."
Louane and Gwendal had given this arrangement plenty of thought beforehand; they want to involve Nolwenn fully—just as they did with Lo?c—since both play a strategic role in the business. Louane explains this to Nolwenn at the end of the meal.
Louane: "Lo?c, a close friend of ours, supplies the cows. To compensate him, we proposed an arrangement similar to a livestock lease. Although it isn't an official contract—given the unique nature of our herd—he effectively owns a 20% share of every cow he provides.
That means he receives 20% of the income generated by that cow: currently from milk, and eventually from calves."
Given the important role you play in our organization, we are proposing that you become the owner of 20% of the herd, meaning you would receive 20% of the revenue generated by the cows.
You would remain a part-time employee of my umbrella company—as that is crucial—but we will stop offering the sponsorship program to new clients so as not to overwhelm you with new customers.
It is more important for you to be able to help me in the barn as the herd grows. What do you think?
Nolwenn: "That’s very generous of you, and it comes at a perfect time; I don’t intend to remain a renter forever—I’d like to save up to become a homeowner."
Louane: "If you want to save money faster, we can put you up; the farm has an annex that used to be Gwendal’s grandmother’s living quarters."
Nolwenn: "I can’t accept that; it’s too much."
Louane: "Don’t feel bad about it. While Gwendal and I are deeply committed to getting this business off the ground, we’re going to need some time for ourselves—a weekend off now and then. It’s hard when you have livestock to care for, but if you could cover for us one weekend a month,
you’d more than pay your rent."
Gwendal agrees, and the decision is made.
Nolwenn beams, delighted with how things have turned out.
She plans to give notice to her landlord immediately—without waiting out the full notice period—so she can move onto the farm as early as next weekend.
She’ll save time on her commute, as she currently lives thirty minutes away; given her long workdays, that’s time she’ll be glad to reclaim.
She hugs the couple and heads home after a day filled with new discoveries and emotions.
The following Monday, Nolwenn has no milk collection rounds.
She heads straight to Rennes for her job at the fertility clinic, viewing the work with a fresh perspective.
She realizes she is in a unique position to spot potential buyers for the farm’s calves.