The story of Sommerbjerg

The story of Sommerbjerg

Mads Helms represents the 4th generation of milk producers on the moors around Gludsted Plantation. 

1884: Edvard Helms (Mads Helms’ great grandfather) takes over the farm Granly and is one of the first to farm the meagre moorland areas surrounding Denmark’s biggest forest area, Gludsted Plantation.
1916: Mads Rasmussen (Mads Helms’ grandfather) takes over Sommerbjerg.
1957: Mads’ father, Edvard Helms, takes over the neighbouring farm Sommerbjerg together with the daughter on the farm, Minna, when the father Mads Rasmussen is killed by a close encounter with a bull. Edvard later marries Minna.
1966: Edvard Helms builds one of the first free range barns in Denmark with room for 100 milking cows. 
1983: Edvard Helms enters a partnership with his son in law Hans Erik Skov, who lives on a neighbouring farm and has 50 milking cows. At this time Sommerbjerg also has 50 milking cows.
1992: Mads Helms enters the partnership Sommerbjerg with his father and Hans Erik Skov leaves – later he re-joins in the period 1999-2007.
1996: The Sommerbjerg farm partnership is changed to organic dairy production with 100 milking cows.
1999: New free-range barn with 285 cows is added to the farm.
2005: The free-range barn is extended to 420 cows.
2012: New free-range barn with composting flooring is built for 350 cows. Sommerbjerg has 700 milking cows.