Some Estonian Farms Withdraw from Open Farm Days Over Animal Health Fears

This weekend, Estonia is hosting its annual Open Farm Days, with hundreds of farms opening their gates to the public. Among the participants is the Hindreku farm, run by Marju Lutt, which specializes in flowers and beekeeping. Visitors can see floral arrangements, chickens, rabbits, and even a bee therapy house. Another participant, the Soodevahe farm, showcases cattle, crayfish farming, greenhouse grapes, and offers homemade café food. However, not all farms are taking part. The well-known Nopri farm has deliberately skipped the event for the second consecutive year. Owner Tiit Niilo explained that the decision is driven by biosecurity concerns, specifically the risk of visitors spreading bovine infections between farms. He noted that while the event is important for many farms, a single disease outbreak could cause long-lasting damage. Nopri remains open to visitors daily, but only to those coming from urban areas who have not visited other cattle farms beforehand.