Estonia's only snail farm in Jõgevamaa raises 600,000 snails for food

A young farmer in Jõgevamaa, Estonia, is raising 600,000 edible snails at Tammekivi Farm near Põltsamaa. Karl Markus Tamme and his father Ilmar Tamme are believed to operate the only snail farm of its kind in Estonia, now in their second season.

A unique agricultural venture is underway near Põltsamaa in Jõgevamaa county, where Tammekivi Farm is home to an estimated 600,000 edible snails — making it the only known snail farm in Estonia.

Young farmer Karl Markus Tamme runs the operation alongside his father Ilmar Tamme. The pair are now in their second season of cultivating edible snails, a niche but growing segment of European food culture.

Snail farming, known as heliciculture, has long been established in countries such as France and Italy, where snails are considered a culinary delicacy. Tammekivi Farm's venture represents a rare attempt to bring that tradition to the Estonian market.

The farm near Põltsamaa is believed to be the only such enterprise in Estonia, setting the Tamme family apart as pioneers in a largely untapped local industry.