Grise plow round eco-fields near Vejle

The agricultural landscape near Vejle River Valley looks a bit special, and it takes some time to get an overview when you stand on organic farmer Michael Kjerkegaard's property for the first time.

You look out over 30 small fields, divided into circles.

"Come on," calls Michael Kjerkegaard, and immediately a flock of large pigs with curly tails runs across a round, bare, and trampled field where they have been for a week.

"The pigs are both a plow, a manure spreader, and they also generate income," explains Michael Kjerkegaard as he leads them to a new, fresh field, where they happily grunt and throw themselves over grass, clover, and herbs.

The animals change fields every week, and after they have been through all 30 round fields of the property, they are slaughtered.

Between three fields, a 'polytunnel' is placed throughout the cultivation system, functioning as a greenhouse for vegetables – but also as a hut for the pigs while they are on the fields.

Perhaps the system at Michael Kjergaard's special farm could also have worked with square fields, but he prefers round ones.

"It's an opportunity to think a little differently, and I think there are enough square fields in Denmark," he says with a big smile.

The pigs' 30-week journey through the fields is very carefully planned according to a strict schedule, which means that the fields can be utilized optimally while the soil is simultaneously regenerated.

For Michael Kjerkegaard, it is absolutely crucial that the farming method should have a regenerative effect on the soil. The system should build up the soil and its fertility and embed a lot of carbon.

And on the way across the field, he bends down and shows something that, according to him, is a sign that the process is underway.

"This is actually my employees – the earthworms. Down here, I have a small hole, and there is simply worm poop – pure gold. It's great to see it slowly come up, and they help make the soil healthy and fertile. So we take very good care of them – and that fits very well with the fact that no pesticides are used here," he says, and puts the worm's droppings back on the field.

Here, the pigs immediately start 'plowing' the field with their snouts while they grunt loudly, and after a week, this field will also be bare and trampled – ready to be sown with crops like grains or vegetables.

In the huts – the polytunnels – potatoes can be planted in spring and summer, for example.

"The main income will come from vegetables, which we sow in mid-summer, and in addition, we will earn from the permaculture areas we have between the round paddocks. We expect to produce about 100 tons of vegetables, and we also have about 40 tons of apples that we can sell when the trees mature. And then we have the pigs, geese, and cows," he explains.

In the somewhat awkward areas between the circles of the fields, fruit trees and berry bushes are planted as part of permaculture, which will also supplement the income.

Furthermore, the sizes of the areas ensure that the property gets the optimal benefit from EU subsidies.

"Each paddock is 0.4 hectares, because they need to be large enough to qualify for agricultural support. We utilize everything that is available – just like all other farmers," he assures.

A strip around the fields is grazed by 500 goslings, which are also included in the farming system. They are hired as 'harvesters' on the round fields. When they need their final fattening before slaughter, the geese are released onto the grain fields and eat kernels directly from the ears.

They thus function first as mowers and later as harvesters.

"It looks really funny when they go in and simply break off the ears and eat them. There is absolutely no waste, and they don't trample the ears down until they've eaten them," explains Michael Kjerkegaard.

However, a smaller tractor and machinery are used to feed the pigs – and also to operate the seed drills in the fields. Of course, the fieldwork is done in circles.

The new round organic fields are established directly over an area with entirely new water wells for both Fredericia and Vejle municipalities.

"There are some huge wells in three places on the property. This whole project is on one of the 'vulnerable water extraction areas,' so there is a spraying ban here. And the whole idea is to show that it is possible to create regenerative farming on top of vulnerable areas," says Michael Kjerkegaard.

The system with the round fields is still under development, and it will take several years before the trees between all the circles bear fruit and berries.

But even if the system becomes a success, Michael Kjerkegaard doubts that the round fields will be the model for future Danish agriculture.

"Not all farmers can do this, but I imagine that around the big cities there could be five to ten of these types of properties, selling vegetables into the cities. I think it could create a really, really good connection between city and countryside,"

This article was written as part of the Innovation Center for Organic Farming's project on regenerative agriculture, supported by the Alcohol Tax Fund for Agriculture.