Our farms

We think of our farm ownership as the children’s savings of the future, with which we ensure a better Earth for our children and grandchildren. Here you can read a little about the farms we own and the talented stewards you can meet on each farm

Steward farmers

In Andelsgaarde we have steward farmers who lease our farms. They run our farms as their own company. We just make sure they have the best conditions to farm sustainably, so biodiversity is increased and the soil does not emit but rather absorbs CO2. Our stewards sell back to us directly on farms and at markets, to local people, folk schools etc. They always set the prices themselves, but we always advise them to set the price so that we can pay what it costs to grow sustainably.

Farm 1:

Lerbjerggård

The Association’s first farm is located in North Zealand right by Melby Station, a 10-minute bike ride from the beach.

Lerbjerggård is located at Melbyvej 129, 3370 Melby. The train stops right at the door, and it only takes 1 hour and 30 minutes from Copenhagen Central Station. It is about 2 hours by car from Odense, and from Sjællands Odde it is 1 hour by car via Rørvig-Hundested.

Meet Nanna and Christopher

Lerbjerggård is managed by Nanna and Christopher, both graduates from Kalø Økologisk Landbrugsskole. Nanna and Christopher are in charge of the farm’s organic vegetable production, which provides more than 40 different types of vegetables and many more sorts. The crops are sown continuously, so there is a wide variety of freshly harvested vegetables throughout the season. In addition to vegetables, cut flowers are grown and forest farming has been established with around 500 trees and shrubs. As a principle, Nanna and Christopher strive to keep the soil continually covered – either with live plant roots or with other organic material to stimulate a living soil. Therefore, all vegetable beds are, as far as possible, sown with catch crops or covered with e.g. straw after harvest, so that they remain covered throughout the winter. The vegetable beds are also permanent and are cultivated with minimal tillage. The ambition is to build up the interaction between the living roots of the plants and a diverse population of organisms underground as well as above ground. Together they contribute to the storage of atmospheric carbon in the soil, and over time will build up the life, fertility and biodiversity of the farm.

Percentage of land devoted to nature conservation: 59.5 %

Turnover per m2 of vegetables grown:

DKK 172

Share of Landbrugsstoetten's aid in total turnover: 4.3 %

Farm 2:

Spaanbrogård

The Association’s second farm is located at Baunemosevej 6, 5800 Nyborg. It is located near the small town Bovense, just between Kerteminde and Nyborg. From Nyborg Station, it is a brisk bike ride of about 30 minutes along the water, forest and fields. By car, it is 30 minutes from Odense, 1 hour and 30 minutes from Copenhagen and 1 hour and 45 minutes from Aarhus. The beach is only 10 minutes away by bike.

Meet Sif and Andreas

Spaanbrogård is managed by Sif and Andreas, both graduates of the Norwegian Sogn Jord- og Hagebruksskule. Sif and Andreas cultivate a small part of the farm in intensive, organic and regenerative vegetable production. By cultivating only a small area, space is given for nature to unfold on the farm’s remaining land, where, among other things, a forest is being established. The aim is to offer fresh organic vegetables, fruit and berries with a short path from soil to table. In the vegetable production, Sif and Andreas maintain a high level of diversity. They choose and select the varieties that do best in a sometimes unpredictable Danish climate. In addition, the vegetables are grown according to regenerative principles. This involves building up the important layer of topsoil and organising a healthy symbiosis of life above and below ground. In this way, they help to future-proof and make Danish food production resilient in the meeting with climate change.

Number of beds:
80

Number of meters with vegetables: 2,1 km

Number of carrot seeds in a season: 31.559

Farm 3:

Brinkholm

The Association’s third farm is located near Karise in South Zealand, not far from Lille Linde station. You can bring your bike on the train from Roskilde or Køge, and then it is only a 7-8 minutes bike ride before you reach Brinkholm. You can also drive; there is always a parking space available. Brinkholm is located at Kulagervej 23. The farm is over 30 hectares and lies on both sides of Tryggevælde Å stream in a beautiful and varied landscape. Brinkholm has a lovely community room with kitchen facilities for all Andelsgaarde’s members, and there is a shelter for overnight stays. Even before Andelsgaarde took over Brinholm, the place had a long tradition of community ownership.

Meet Nikolaj and Zoe

Brinkholm is managed by Nikolaj and Zoe. Nikolaj is a qualified production gardener from Vilvorde, where he has specialised in growing vegetables. Zoe is originally from Istanbul, where she has produced documentaries shown on Turkish TV. At Brinkholm she focuses on herbs, flowers and pumpkins. Nikolaj and Zoe are passionate about a sustainable transformation of Danish agriculture, with a focus on producing food for people rather than feed for animals. Based on regenerative, no-till and organic principles, they grow a wide variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers. The farm’s mill is supplied with grain from their own fields. The foundation for harvesting healthy and nutritious foods is a diverse and active micro life in the soil. The soil’s micro-organisms are fed by the excretion of sugars by living plants, as well as dead and decomposed organic matter. With intensive use of green manure and catch crops, Nikolaj and Zoe make sure there is always food for earthworms, beetles, bacteria, fungi and much more. The soil is only tilled in the top layers, so fungus hyphae and other life are not destroyed, and carbon can be stored. 1/3 of the soil is left to rest each year, so no crops are harvested. Green manure is sown to keep the soil covered and the microlife active.

Nikolaj and Zoe grow more than 75 varieties

1/3 of the cultivated fields are "rested" in rotation

Distribution between wild nature and cultivated fields: 35/65

Do you have a farm?

We are always on the lookout for farms that could become the next cooperative farms. Perhaps you have a smaller farm that would be a good fit. Maybe some unused land or other land you think would be perfect to lease to us for a later purchase agreement. Or maybe you would even like to donate or have us inherit your farm and convert it to be used for the benefit of the public, for forest or for nature restoration to benefit higher levels of biodiversity. The possibilities are many. If we make a deal, we will hire a steward, perhaps with a family, or several couples, who will cultivate the land organically, biodynamically, or in some other sustainable way that ensures biodiversity, and brings landscape and soil into balance – and not least dedicate their daily lives to working for Andelsgaarde.