Switzerland: Cows for Rent

[Guest guest]

Interesting twist on buying sourced food. Cow Rental. I'll take mine in

the compact model.

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http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/ap/20030714/ap_on_fe_st/rent_a_co\

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BRIENZ, Switzerland - Lovers of fine cheeses are being given the chance to

hire their own cheesemaker . a brown-and-white cow living on a Swiss

mountain.

Dairy farmer Wyler is offering his cows for rent on the Internet,

with all the cheese they produce going to the " owner. "

" We have already had dozens of inquiries from people who want to rent one

of our cows, " Wyler told Monday's edition of the Lausanne daily Le Matin.

Cows cost 380 Swiss francs (US$276) for the summer, and Wyler looks after

the animals and makes cheese from their milk.

Each cow produces 70-120 kilograms (154-264 pounds) of cheese . soft and

hard varieties . which the renter of the cow can collect in September and

either sell or use as gifts for family and friends.

Until now, prospective renters have had to go to the pastures to choose

their cow, but Wyler is taking photographs of his animals so people can

choose them directly from the Internet.

Wyler himself owns 15 cows . hybrids of holstein and simmenthal . but his

plan has been so popular that other farmers are now joining in.

Wyler's cows graze on the Alp Tschingelfeld, 30 minutes' walk from the

road, and the " owners " are obliged by contract to visit them at least once

and spend four hours working in the fields.

Like many mountain farmers, Wyler has no electricity . light comes from

solar energy. His cheese is made over a wood fire, with the wood delivered

by helicopter.

Wyler came up with the idea because he could not sell as much cheese as he

produced every year. He already rents some of his cows to restaurants.