Latvian family expands from grain fields to poultry farming
The "Vosukalni" farm in Ape parish this year added poultry farming alongside its traditional grain and potato growing, turning it into a family project. The farm now keeps over 200 hens and sells eggs legally under official food-safety registration.
The Purakalns family, who run the "Vosukalni" farm in Ape parish, have long been known for grain and potato growing. This year they added poultry farming after Kristīna Purakalne attended an online seminar in spring covering the essentials of raising laying hens, including food safety requirements for selling eggs, common infectious diseases, and parasite prevention.
Biosecurity and hawk threats
The farm's hens have access to netted outdoor enclosures designed to limit contact with wild birds and reduce disease risk. Even so, hawks and wild predators remain a serious threat — in one incident, a hawk tore through the netting and carried off several birds. To deter hawks, the family has hung old CDs near the enclosures, whose reflected light is meant to scare the birds away. The family stresses that good animal welfare starts with basics: fresh air, free access to feed, and a dry, clean coop.
From a handful of hens to over 200
What began as a way to supply eggs for the family has grown into a flock of more than 200 hens of various breeds, including Dominant, Leghorn, Australorp, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock and Brahma, sourced from several farms across Vidzeme. The project has become a genuine family hobby — children help release the birds each morning, provide food and water, and collect and sort eggs, continuing even after the school year began.
Egg sales and other farm work
"Vosukalni" is officially registered as an egg trader with approval from the Food and Veterinary Service, and has built a steady local customer base in Ape parish, with home delivery available. Alongside poultry, the farm manages 380 hectares of land, growing grain and just under two hectares of potatoes. This season proved difficult for potatoes due to a dry spring and frequent sandstorms, and the family expects a below-average harvest.
Three generations work the farm together — Guntars oversees operations, his son Ernests handles machinery and technical work, Kristīna manages the household, and daughter Nadīna assists with both digital and practical tasks. Guntars also pointed to rising agricultural costs and encouraged rural residents to vote in the upcoming elections to make their voices heard on rural development policy.
