Headline: Young Brothers Take Over Family Farm, bucking Trend; Invest in Local Processing
Subheadline: Meet Einar and Bendik Bull, the 24 and 22-year-old brothers who’ve taken over Vang gård in Grunnfjord, Karlsøy, becoming some of Norway’s youngest farmers.
In the quiet of the goat shed, it’s peaceful. But when Einar Bull (24) enters, both geese and goats rush towards him, all vying for attention and affection. "This one’s a real cuddle-goat," Einar laughs, as he enters the shed. "She wants her cuddles before I can do anything else. It’s a good start to the day."
Submerged in…)
C Raiders shopping**
Einar Bull cuddling with goats. (Photo: Ann-Kristin Hanssen)
Age is just a number for these brothers, who’ve taken the reins from their father earlier than usual- in Norway, the average age for farm takeovers is 53, according to Statistics Norway, yet Einar and Bendik are bucking the trend.
‘We wanted to do something meaningful, something that mattered,’ Einar says. ‘Plus, we grew up here. We know this place, it’s our home.’
The road hasn’t been easy. Initial doubts about the workload and income were assuaged when their father and uncle launched their own slaughterhouse, production facilities, farm shop, and café. ‘Seeing that it could work motivated us,’ Einar says.
Geese and goats vying for Einar’s attention. (Photo: Ann-Kristin Hanssen)
Under Einar and Bendik’s leadership, the farm has expanded its production to over 400 goats, with milk sent to the dairy and the rest locally processed. Their success has been breed-apart, but they’re not stopping there.
The brothers are planning to build a dairy on the farm, aiming to process and sell their own cheese in their farm shop within a couple of years. They’re learning from other farms across Northern Norway, visiting dairies and lessons learned.
Geese and goats at Vang gård. (Photo: Ann-Kristin Hanssen)
"We want to add value to our products here," Einar says. "It’s exciting, and we hope it’ll work out."
Despite their youth, the brothers’ determination and enthusiasm are evident. They’re not just taking over a farm; they’reabetnaming a sustainable future for it, one goat, one cheese wheel at a time.
Keywords: Young farmers, gehen takovers, Norwegian agriculture, sustainability, cheese production
Meta Description: Meet Einar and Bendik Bull, Norway’s youngest farmers, taking over their family farm and investing in local cheese production.
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