Posted on 06/23/2004 2:55:14 PM PDT by knak
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - It's healthy and tasty, for those with expensive tastes. Farmers in northern Sweden are milking moose and making cheese, which they sell for a lot of dough nearly $500 a pound. The buyers include upscale hotels and restaurants in Sweden.
AP Photo
Christer Johansson and his wife, Ulla, started their 59-acre dairy farm "Moose House" seven years ago in Bjursholm, 404 miles north of the capital, Stockholm. They claim it is the only moose dairy farm in Europe.
The Johanssons currently have 14 moose in the fields but only three "Gullan," "Haelga" and "Juna" can be milked.
The three cows, who stay outdoors all year, were abandoned calves found in the woods around Bjursholm and taken in by the Johansson family.
"Fortunately they know and love us, because they weigh about 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). They see us almost as their own calves," Christer Johansson said.
The Johanssons were inspired by similar facilities in eastern Russia, although those produce only milk, he said.
The moose only produce milk between May and September, the time from when they calve to when they are in heat again, Christer Johansson said. It takes up to two hours to milk a moose and they each produce up to a gallon of milk a day.
"That's one of the reasons why the cheese is so expensive," he said.
The milk, which contains 12 percent fat and as much protein, is refrigerated and curdling is done three times per year, crating about 660 pounds of cheese a year. It is made in three varieties and can be sampled at the farm's restaurant.
"We hope later on to be able also to export more of the cheese, especially the somewhat sour feta-type, which is laid down in oil and easy to transport," he said.
The Johansson farm attracts about 25,000 visitors a year.
I forgot to add: BAD, BAD BOY!....;)
I was wondering if *our* moose are different from Swedish elk.
He said the biggest was about 500kg, and it usually took an hour, 3x/day, because they have small teats.
He also said the cheese tastes closer to a cow than to a goat, so I'm somewhat perplexed by the feta reference.
Maybe that was for the most popular of the three types.
Yikes!
Moose goosing and cheese in the SAME thread!!
(There's gotta be a legendary FR joke in there somewhere.)
ya think?
o.0
Naaaaaah.
*Chuckle*
did I tell you that a Moose once bit John Kerry? In Vietnam...
Und here Swedish Chef discusses køøking der Møøse
However, Swedish Chef sometimes confuses Turkey for der Møøse:
LOL!
He got a purple heart for being hit with Moose cheese too.
John Kerry once bit my sister.
Help me.
please.
Did he tell her to put some ice on it?
Oh wait, wrong RAT party scumbag. Sorry.
I pray she was up to date on her shots - the form of lycanthropy known as werelogism is difficult to treat after it becomes entrenched.
Moosian invaders!
A game for everyone... who happens to own an Atari 2600.
*chuckle*
Way too much fun today.
Caution: Moose Crossing!
All we need to do is capture moose cows, the bulls will follow, and we can begin our very own moose dairy industry.
Fortunately, Maine Moose, like their Swedish Cousins, are easily captured and domesticated. A rear projection device simulating a pickup truck on a dark road will provoke moose right into your arms, where a bit of simple lasso work can do the rest. Also, pretending to be a locomotive might work.
Also, we coud get H-1 visas for Swedish Moose Workers to train our local Somalis in this arcane art. It won't be hard for them, after all they are used to milking camels and goats. How difierent or much more difficult can this Moose thing be?
Get Baldacci on the phone.
Next Week: Dolly Parton Cheese.
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