Høkildegård Landhandel Farm Shop

A working South Funen farm with a family heartbeat

Høkildegård is a compact, family-run farm tucked into the rolling countryside of South Funen, just outside the village of Vester Skerninge. Three generations share the farmhouse and daily routines here, and that sense of family is woven into the rhythm of the place. The buildings cluster around a traditional yard, with barns and pens leading your eye out towards the softly folded slopes of Syltemade Ådal. Despite its modest size by modern standards, the farm feels busy but unhurried. You might glimpse someone moving feed, checking fences or chatting with a guest while children play between house and garden. It is a snapshot of contemporary Danish rural life that still leans heavily on hands-on work, close contact with animals and the practical skills needed to make high-quality food.

Free-range animals in a scenic valley landscape

Step beyond the yard and you are soon looking over pastures where free-range pigs root and doze, sheep graze and beef cattle slowly work their way across the grass. The animals are kept outside for much of the year, with shelter when the weather turns, and their presence is central to the farm’s identity. The focus here is on animal welfare, calm handling and giving each species space to behave naturally. The setting greatly adds to the experience. Høkildegård sits right on the edge of Syltemade Ådal, a green valley that opens towards views of the South Funen Archipelago. On clear days, the light can be surprisingly soft, with fields, hedgerows and distant water layering into a classic Funen countryside panorama. It makes a visit feel more like a small rural excursion than a simple shopping stop.

The country shop and its carefully prepared meats

The farm shop, Høkildegård Landhandel, gathers the results of the farm’s work into neatly arranged freezers and counters. Here you find a wide range of cuts from free-range pork, lamb and young beef, often portioned in practical sizes from small households to larger gatherings. The meat is butchered by trained professionals and packed on site, with careful attention to quality and clear labelling. Alongside the main cuts you may find sausages, roasts and seasonal specialties intended for everyday cooking as well as festive meals. The atmosphere inside is simple and functional rather than elaborate: shelves, freezers and blackboards create a straightforward space where the emphasis remains firmly on the products. It is the kind of place where visitors often plan ahead, filling their bags or coolers for the week or for holiday cottages around South Funen.

Meeting the animals and learning how food is made

One of the distinctive features of Høkildegård is the chance to see, hear and smell the farm behind the shop. Depending on the season and the farm’s daily routines, you may be able to walk a short way towards the pastures, greet curious sheep at the fence or watch free-range pigs investigating the ground. The farm environment makes it a particularly engaging stop for children and anyone interested in where food comes from. Without feeling like a formal museum, the place offers informal education: conversations about breeds, feed, slaughter age and land management often happen right beside the yard or inside the shop. The contrast between the living animals outside and the neatly prepared meat inside quietly underlines the full story from field to table, presented openly but without dramatics.

A calm rural pause between Faaborg and Svendborg

Located between the coastal towns of Faaborg and Svendborg, Høkildegård works well as a short countryside detour or a focused destination for stocking up on provisions. The pace is slow, the setting green and the experience compact enough to fit into a half-day exploration of South Funen’s small roads and villages. Visitors often linger a little longer than planned, simply to enjoy the quiet yard, the view over the valley and the company of animals and humans who share the space. Whether you arrive with a detailed shopping list or just curiosity about rural Denmark, the farm offers a grounded, sensory-rich encounter with local food production in one of the country’s gentler landscapes.