Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Denmark
Attraction of the Month, Denmark
A day on the farm In this day and age, it can be difficult to know where your food comes from and how it is produced. Åbent Landbrug (Open Farming) is, for the 19th time, opening the doors to farms across Denmark on 18 September so that you can experience vegetable, meat and dairy production first-hand. By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Landbrug & Fødevarer
“We want to invite people inside the farms so they can see first-hand what goes on and have a conversation with the people behind it all,” says Karen Hækkerup, CEO of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council. This year, 50 farms are opening their doors on 18 September. At Åbent Landbrug you can experience everything from calves to chickens, while also trying to shake cream into butter or grinding flour. There are stalls where you can buy local produce and plenty of activities for both children and adults, including climbing on hay bales, which is always a hit regardless of age. In 2015, over 118,000 visitors enjoyed a day on a farm.
Opening up the world of farming “Each year we set a new record in terms of visitor numbers. People really enjoy this day because they get to explore their relationship with farming and have a great day out at the same time. It’s also interesting 100 | Issue 91 | August 2016
because farming is so different to what we’re taught in school, and it’s constantly changing, so I think it’s an eye-opener for many,” explains Hækkerup. All the farms that participate in Åbent Landbrug are part of a farmer’s association and range in size and production. Some produce vegetables while others are dairy or meat farms. “The variety in the farms also reflects the variety in our farming. It’s not just pig farming in Denmark,” says Hækkerup with a smile. Åbent Landbrug provides an educational yet entertaining way of seeing what a working farm is like and the immense amount of work and effort that goes into putting food on the table. Enjoy a day out where both adults and children can have a chat with the farmer, get up close and personal with the animals and learn all about where our food comes from.
Karen Hækkerup
ABOUT ÅBENT LANDBRUG: When: Sunday 18 September 2016. Opening hours: 10am-4pm. Who: 50 farms across Denmark. What: Discover cows, pigs, calves, sheep, hens, fruit and vegetables. Get close to the animals, talk to the farmer, play on the hay bales and taste the local delicacies. See all the activities and find out more at: www.aabentlandbrug.dk