5 #2
Nolwenn’s arrival at the operation has been a godsend for Gwendal and Louane.
She is an invaluable help not only with Louane’s herd but also with Gwendal’s; she is learning to care for the latter so she can fill in for him, allowing him to take a few weekends off with Louane.
The three partners share all their meals and cooking duties, yet Nolwenn maintains her independence with her own living quarters—a balance that suits everyone.
They have just finished lunch and are having coffee on the terrace, overlooking the two herds in the pasture.
While checking her app that morning—and thanks to its translation and summarization tools—Louane realizes that the visits from the two client couples did not go unnoticed inside the barn.
Since then, speculation has been rife among the herd.
Gwendal, who is naturally a bit more of a worrier than Louane, regularly asks her for the latest updates.
Louane: "Our cows have several theories. Some think our visitors came to the barn because they are fellow farmers looking to buy one or more of us. Others believe they are couples who buy our milk and came to see the barn—specifically the cow that provides milk for their baby. Hilda,
who speaks French well—just like Anneliese—has heard the word 'calf' come up repeatedly in conversations but doesn't know what it means. They have realized, however, that they are categorized by breed; it’s even noted on the nameplates on their stall doors. Isla, our Australian,
may well have been raised on a farm; in any case, she recognized that all the breeds present in the barn that she was familiar with are dairy breeds, not beef breeds. This reassured many of the cows—even those who hadn't imagined they might be raised for their calves.
She leans toward the idea that the couples are investors buying cows—or shares in cows—which are then entrusted to farmers to raise."
Gwendal: "I’m surprised they aren’t trying harder to escape the farm; nothing on that front?"
Louane: "Yes, that is the underlying issue, but I don’t mention it because they haven’t found anything conclusive. As you pointed out, Gwendal, they considered a coordinated attack—the five of them together in the pasture, say,
just as they were heading back to the barn—but they get stuck on the next step. They don’t know how to open the barn’s entrance door, the one they glimpse at the end of the corridor when they go to the changing room on the left or the milking parlor on the right.
They’ve noticed the door has no handle. On the pasture side, several of them got a shock from getting too close to the electric fence, which put them off right away. They know their plans can only really work if they manage to get out of their jumpsuits and regain the use of their hands and feet,
but they can’t find a way to cut or tear the fabric. You did a great job, Gwendal; you didn’t leave a single sharp edge or protrusion in your construction—not even a wood splinter they could use. For now, they’re banking on finding a pair of scissors, a pen,
or some other object that Nolwenn or I might drop from our pockets, but so far, they haven’t found anything. They even dug a small hiding spot in the pasture near the third apple tree, just in case they managed to swipe an object like that. So, I discreetly check that spot regularly,
but I haven’t found a thing. I also regularly search under their bedding to see if they might be hiding something there. On the other hand, they’re very keen on the news shown on the TV screen during milking. They pass the information along between the morning and evening milking groups.
They have their little rituals."
Gwendal: "That’s perfect, but we’ll need to be very vigilant as the first test matings approach." "Have you identified which cow—or cows—are the dominant ones?"
Louane: "Hilda held the upper hand at first and is still widely heeded, but Isla—our Australian cow, who knows the ropes of farm life—has clearly become someone the other cows listen to and respect."
Gwendal: "So those are the two cows you need to keep a particularly close eye on."
Louane: "I’m actually going to go get the bedding ready in two new stalls. Bixente is arriving late Monday afternoon with the two Kerrys. I can’t wait to see this new breed for our herd. He’s staying at the same hotel in Vannes, combining the trip with a business engagement.
He’ll be staying for dinner with us tomorrow evening, and Lo?c will be there too."
Nolwenn: "I’m the only one who hasn’t seen photos of them yet, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them. It’s interesting to have a second red cow in the herd; I’m convinced there will be demand for them. Abbie is already spoken for by Morgane and Yann—unless they change their minds.
For my part, I’m seeing a couple at the clinic tomorrow who might be interesting prospects for us."
Gwendal: "Nolwenn, how is the work we assigned to Guéna?lle going? I rarely run into her because I’m usually in the barn when she stops by."
Nolwenn: "Very well. Since hiring her, we’ve revived the sponsorship program; since many young mothers need money, they don’t hesitate to sell us their surplus milk and spread the word to others. With Louane handling the accounts, we think that at this rate,
we’ll be able to move her to a full-time position. That would secure our relationship for the long term and solidify our status as the exclusive supplier for the Rennes University Hospital."
Agnès, the maternity unit manager, is delighted to have reliable supplies and to be able to provide emergency stock to other university hospitals for the time being; however, they still have unmet needs, so there is room for us to grow.
Ultimately, this activity is starting to generate significant revenue for us, thanks to the ramp-up of Guéna?lle’s operations and the expansion of our herd.
Gwendal, who is neither a numbers nor a money man, is certainly pleased with the successful results.
Above all, he is delighted by his partner’s success and the chance to live with her on this family farm—working hard, yes, but reaping the rewards and enjoying a highly enviable standard of living.
In any case, Louane has always worked long hours, often at night or on irregular schedules.
Farm life is structured but more consistent, and Nolwenn is there to help out as well.
They have planned a weekend getaway for next week, leaving the farm in Nolwenn’s capable hands.
They know they can do this with complete confidence now, and it will be a truly welcome break.
They’ve booked a fully equipped treehouse for a romantic weekend in the vast grounds of a Breton chateau; it looks magnificent.
Louane is back from the barn; everything is ready for the arrival of the two Irish cows tomorrow.
She and Nolwenn have scheduled the trial breeding dates for Alma and Abbie: next Friday for Abbie, and the following Tuesday for Alma. That means Morgane and Yann will be the first to stay in the chalet.
Monday, October 1st: Nolwenn is at her office in the clinic.
She is meeting for the third time with a couple she identified as potential buyers for a calf.
Their first two IVF attempts failed, and Louane has to break the news that the third attempt has also been unsuccessful.
Results are only delivered in person when it is the final IVF attempt, whereas for earlier ones, the couple is notified via message.
This approach helps soften the blow and, more importantly, allows the couple to start considering alternative paths.
The couple—both in their thirties and living in Vannes—are somewhat distraught.
The wife is a childminder, and her husband works for the Coastal Protection Agency (*Conservatoire du littoral*).
Both are native Bretons. They quickly show interest in an alternative solution like the one Nolwenn is proposing.
An appointment is set for next Thursday evening at the couple's home in Vannes.
As soon as she finishes work, Nolwenn heads back to the farm, knowing Bixente is on his way to deliver two Irish cows.
She wants to be there for their arrival and to help Louane settle them into the barn.
She makes it back with plenty of time to spare; although Bixente left Biarritz very early, he has a long drive to reach Brittany.
It is late afternoon when he finally pulls his van into the farmyard.
Lo?c is already there, and together with Gwendal, he sets about unloading the two magnificent Irish cows and taking them to the barn.
The red one is named Erin, the dark one Maureen.
Louane settles Bixente in the living room and serves him a cold drink.
Once the men have come back up, she and Nolwenn go down to tend to the two new cows.
The herd has thus grown to twelve cows in record time.
The four partners gather around Bixente to congratulate him on this latest pair of acquisitions.
After a well-deserved break, Bixente heads back to his hotel for a good shower; he will return for dinner.
Bixente has brought back not only two magnificent Irish cows but also some Basque cake.
Louane pretends to be offended, asking what he has against *Kouign-amann*, before thanking him for the thoughtful gesture.
Over dinner, the conversation turns to the repercussions of the disappearances of foreign female tourists.
The news has caused a major stir in Brittany, though somewhat less so in the Basque Country.
Bixente explains that he hopes this might dampen the enthusiasm of tourists visiting his own coast.
Being a realist, however, he knows it would take more disappearances to have a genuine impact.
That is why he is motivated to continue his efforts, provided his Breton friends have the space to take in more cows.
All eyes turn toward Gwendal, and Bixente doesn't immediately understand why everyone starts laughing.
Nolwenn explains the reason to him and Bixente cannot help but laugh in turn and apologize to Gwendal for the extra work he will have to do.
Gwendal: “No worries, I do stalls with my eyes closed from now on”.
Louane inquires about the real estate contacts that Bixente has made with his counterparts in Vannes.