In the Kaišiadorys district, the couple set up an unusual farm – no easy money

Aspersa reigns supreme on Ernest and Daiva Vaičiai’s farm. They are grown here as an exotic delicacy, supplied to the Lithuanian market for cafes, restaurants and people.

There were no agricultural traditions in Lithuania.

“In 2008 our family bought a 4 ha piece of land in a beautiful place next to the Strėva river. We bought with the idea of ​​escaping from the city and living surrounded by nature. It was sand dunes where the traditional way of farming did not work. It was worth it. We wanted to have a summer house here for a family vacation, for hours in nature. This special place attracted so that in 2012. we dared to leave work and decided to make a living with the land we had. We have been looking for ideas about what might work in the village for many years, but when we discovered it, we believed it. Our family has had to travel many times through France and Italy. These are countries with deep agricultural traditions. Family farms are nurtured from generation to generation generation, with a special aura and a set of deep traditions. Inspiration was born from trips and excursions, to establish a small family farm, to cultivate traditions unique. The sand dunes that we have were not a very conducive place for traditional agriculture. We think about how to make the most of our environment. The snail farm and its establishment were a novelty not only for our family, there were not many similar agricultural traditions in Lithuania. They both had to learn again, accumulate new knowledge, acquire new practices, ”said Ernestas Vaičius about the somewhat unusual business in Lithuania and its establishment in the village of Pavuolis.

The first year is a disaster

The farmer says the first year of cultivation is a disaster. It was a year in which I wanted to leave everything. The family realized that money could be earned more easily, but stubbornness encouraged them not to abandon their chosen path. And acquaintances and friends, who had learned of the cardinal’s plans to change careers, turned their fingers to the incense at that moment. According to the interlocutor, now the founders of the snail farm, they were both engineers at the time: he himself was a civil engineer, and his wife, Daiva, was a clothing technologist.

“In the first year of livestock that we study, we try to get to know a unique animal, in the second year we raise it. It seems that we have already accumulated enough knowledge, we have been able to cultivate a quality product, unfortunately this has not ensured financial success. Lithuanians did not eat snails at that time, so it was hard for society to gradually discover this delicacy in our countries as well. We looked for opportunities to export snails as raw material to other countries, but it turned out that the international market also had sufficient own production. I had to travel all over the world, meet snail farmers in France and other countries and learn from their experience. However, the essential vision was to continue being a family farm that nurtures traditions, we did not want to work in large supermarkets, immerse ourselves in mass production ”, the founders of the family farm opened.

Appreciate a fresh product

“During our trips to the snail farms, we realized that consumers and gourmets highly value fresh produce, which is why many French farms work for their region. We discussed that Lithuania could be our region. These were the times when we not only found this farming method, but there were already more than 120 snail farms in Lithuania. The vast majority grew mother snails and sold them to other producers. We chose the other path, not chasing money in the short term. We focus on a natural, fresh, non-mass-produced product, flavored with homegrown parsley, butter. Of course, the cost of our snails was higher, but at exhibitions, fairs, consumers appreciated the natural taste, good quality. We started preparing snails according to the traditional Burgundy recipe, ”said the snail farmer about his business.

He assured that there were very few of the snail farms from then on the Lithuanian market. The slow growth of his business, the difficulties overcome and the idea of ​​becoming a family farm supplying fresh produce to the market have paid off. There are summer houses on the farm, so the best holidays are every summer, in nature, surrounded by snails.

In winter, the family returns to the apartment because there are no options on the family farm where they could live in winter. Support from the European Union often reaches Lithuanian farmers as well, but for the snail farm, it was not planned, so step by step and very slowly, the snail farm grew without any support, with its own resources.

Now there is a production workshop, in the premises rented so far, only family members work in it, Ernest and Daiva Vaičiai are also very helpful. There are no employees, so all products are produced as if they were for themselves.

No easy money

“When we started farming, we realized that there is no easy money. If it had been easy to survive in this business, it is likely that there would be more farms of this type in Lithuania. When raising cows or bulls, things are different: they express their problems with flapping, they can see sad eyes and snails, it takes a lot of experience and skills to understand them. They don’t fade, it’s hard to see their eyes. Now, we already understand when snails are not good when they are happy. And it was very difficult in that moment, “said the interlocutor about the unique pets.

He opened that in this business you have to communicate a lot with farmers from other countries, take care of snail farming, exchange them for mixing pet blood. You have to work on the farm much more than usual, but when you work with enthusiasm, everything is done. And as for the holidays, the family can rest in February. It is said that from time to time it is possible to leave for 2 weeks, unfortunately, other times, farmers do not go on vacation, they are “tied up”.

Live with snails to the rhythm of an eternal vacation in nature. At Aspersa’s farm, the snails feed on specialty foods and the ensiled broadleaf plant they grow, a hybrid of Chinese cabbage and rapeseed. Their leaves provide shade, as well as forage. The work is greatly facilitated by an automatic irrigation system. For the wife’s delicacy, snail eggs, to fulfill, it was necessary to acquire technology and a recipe.

“We learned a lot from our mistakes, tests, experiments, what works and what doesn’t,” said the farmer about his business.

The whole family works on the farm, both children and other relatives. Only when the snail harvesting season begins in the fall, more helpers are invited. The Vaičiai family is trying to do without the loans: everything they need to grow snails has been bought and installed for their money.

“So far we are wandering between the farm and Žiežmariai, the wintering facilities for snails are located in Žiežmariai. The processing workshop facilities are also rented in Žiežmariai. I would like to have everything in one place and that requires investment. We prepare a project. requesting EU support. However, the Ministry of Agriculture is still considering whether snails are animals or not, “smiled E. Vaičius.

Education

Daiva and Ernest’s family not only raised snails for the market, they also organized excursions, tastings and treated the products of their farm. The family is looking forward to the end of the quarantine, when they will be able to receive guests at their farm from May.

“We had to accept life’s challenges and act like the whole world, or shut down. Therefore, we set up a production workshop, which produces snail products: snail eggs,” burgundy “prepared snails, snail sandwiches, which they can only be heated in the oven, “the production workshop was established and the final product was offered to the consumer.

The family farm grows and feeds consumers about 10 tons of snails during the season.

It is true that this year they will grow less, because the quarantine has stopped the activities of restaurants and cafes. Gourmet restaurants were good buyers of produce. The pandemic will also change educational programs this year. If before the virus, the farm accepted tours of at least 10 people, this year individual families will also be welcome. As the farm is not yet available, from mid-May to mid-September, guests are welcome in the farm gazebo. France is being built in the Lithuanian countryside.