La Ferme d’Esclaye – a visit to remember

Arrival at the farm, at the end of the track.

Two brothers, a herd, and calves growing up with their mothers

Pondrôme, near Beauraing · Summer 2026

During the holidays, I made my way to Pondrôme, very close to Beauraing, to meet Jean-Philippe and Marc-André Henin. The two brothers, representing the fourth generation to farm the same land since 1929, now run a 111-hectare organic and agroecological farm in the heart of the Calestienne region.

In the field, with Jean-Philippe

We find ourselves in the field, facing the herd, talking about livestock farming under a vast blue sky.

What struck me about them was a simple yet rare choice: to let the calves grow up alongside their mothers during the first few months of their lives.

The result is plain to see: calves in excellent health, fed on their mothers’ milk, and a calm herd. And behind this decision lies a whole philosophy — less intensive farming, greater biodiversity, a reduced carbon footprint, and a workload that the mother takes on for the most part.

“You very quickly realise that this technique promotes animal welfare.
That is the guiding principle behind our approach.”
A calf amongst the cows, out in the open field.
One last look before hitting the road

Thank you to Jean-Philippe and Marc-André for the warm welcome and for your time.
We’ll stay in touch — and I can’t wait to see where this takes us.

Ferme d’Esclaye — 24 Rue d’Esclaye, 5574 Pondrôme (Beauraing)

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