Picturesque rural landscapes, spacious livestock pens, cozy farmhouses - that's what many people imagine when they hear the word 'farm'. They don't know how diverse the farm is.
Genetically modified animals, coffee plantations covered in elephant dung, and swarms of bugs—these and many other types of farms are found all over the world. Let's see what else there is!
1. Spider Goat Farm, USA
At the University of Utah, there is a goat farm where the animals are fed, cared for, and milked. Sounds like a plain old farm, right? The only odd thing about this farm is that the local goats have been genetically modified - they've been grafted with the spider gene, and they can now produce silk alongside milk.
2. Black Ivory Coffee Farm, Thailand
The exclusive Black Ivory Coffee is known to many fans of "Black Bean Soup," but not everyone knows where and how it's made. The farm that produces the coffee beans is located in Thailand, so you already know that elephants are somehow involved.
In fact, these gigantic animals play a key role in the production of this elite coffee brand. The elephant ate the coffee beans, and after a while, pooped them out. A kilogram of this premium coffee costs around $1,000.
3. British Leech Farm
Despite all the advances in modern medicine, leeches are still very important. A farm isn't the most pleasant environment to work in, but it pays well and helps people.
Swansea Farms' clients include health centers and hospitals from across Europe, and the farm supplies them with around 60,000 leeches a year, netting more than £1 million a year.
4. Australian Snail Farm
A few years ago, Alistair and Linda Primrose from Tasmania noticed their garden was full of snails and thought, "Hey, let's make a living from this!"
Today, their ecologically clean snail farm is one of the most respected in the world, a testament to how juicy those snails are.
5. French Polynesia Pearl Farm
There is a small family farm in French Polynesia where pearls are grown under natural conditions. This farm produces the highest quality pearls without harming shellfish populations in the ocean.
Pearl oysters are housed in baskets or nets, suspended vertically at a depth of about six meters. They stay there for two years until pearls form in their shells.
6. Malaysian bird's nest farm
One of the strangest farms on earth collects swiftlet nests. Made from the sticky saliva of birds, swiftlet nests are a unique delicacy loved by gourmets around the world. Georgetown Farms creates ideal conditions for the birds.
The bird's nest obtained from the farm is served as an expensive exotic dish in the best restaurants in Asia, Europe, and America, and is also used to make the famous bird's nest soup.
7. Insect Farm
Disgusting as it sounds, this is a cockroach-infested place, not a New York apartment. Scientists have been arguing for decades that insects may well be the food of the future, and these cockroach, cricket, and mealworm farms have been wildly successful. Even if you're not hungry enough for a crunchy cockroach snack, the bugs can be sold to fishermen or fed to pigs. They are cheap, grow fast, and require minimal effort.
For example, crickets and mealworms can be ground into flour or eaten like juicy popcorn. In 10-20 years, these insect farms will be the norm.
