Esbechgaard

Greenhouse and pigs are closely connected at Esbechgaard

Esbechgaard is located in North Funen with approximately 200 hectares of land along the beautiful Odense fjord, belonging to the Esbech family, who both operate an organic greenhouse and raise pigs on the farm.

At Esbechgaard, the pigs roam outside year-round near the small organic greenhouse by Odense Fjord. Christian calls his pigs "vegetable pigs" because the pigs play an important role in the organic greenhouse.

A significant portion of the vegetable pigs' feed comes from the greenhouse's discarded Jerusalem artichokes, kale, and vegetables. The pigs enjoy the vegetables, the farm avoids food waste, and the vegetables contribute to the unique character and good taste of the pigs. Additionally, the pigs provide fertilizer for the fields and the greenhouse.

Pigs with extra animal welfare

The Esbechgaard pigs are never confined to barns and live outdoors throughout their lives. The pigs are born and raised on the farm, where they enjoy life under the open sky. They do not have rings in their snouts and can freely root in the soil, as is natural for them. 

The sows spend their entire lives on the farm, and the piglets stay with their mother until they decide to wean themselves. Animal welfare is important at every stage of the pigs' lives; therefore, the pigs are slaughtered on the farm to avoid stress during transportation. 

Caring for nature

At Esbechgaard, they take care of the environment and the animals around the farm - a tradition passed down through three generations. The farm was established by grandfather Poul in 1966, who even then avoided the habitats of lapwings and redshanks in the fields.