If he can do it, then so can I!

Maarten is one of our member dairy farmers. He, his wife Dianne and their three children live in the village of Aalten in the Dutch province of Gelderland. Maarten and Dianne are both members of the cooperative, and they took over the farm from Dianne’s parents. They have 145 dairy cows and 86 hectares of land, of which 14 hectares are a nature conservation area.

“I was born and raised on a farm. From the time I was little, I knew I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. So did my older brother. The way it worked out, he took over my parents’ farm, and my wife and I took over her parents’ farm. It is a beautiful farm that has been in the family for many generations in various locations around the country. In other words, it is a true family business! My father-in-law has turned 72 in the meantime, but he is still very actively involved in the farm. It would really upset him if I told him he could no longer come here. He still comes to milk the cows even when he is feeling under the weather, and he is always ready to offer advice. His love of farming continues to flow through his veins; that kind of thing never fades!”

A farmer's life is very dynamic and no two days are ever the same.

“To me, the best thing about being a farmer is that you work with animals, interact with nature on a daily basis and have to constantly respond to developments. A farmer's life is very dynamic and no two days are ever the same. After secondary school, I attended HAS University of Applied Sciences and then worked as a feed consultant for a while until I could take over my in-laws’ farm. Now I finally have my own farm. I still wake up with a smile on my face every day and I am proud to be a farmer. I love working in the field and getting my hands dirty.”

“In addition to the cows, we operate eight wind turbines together with a few of our neighbours. We've been doing this for 11 years. Our wind turbines generate enough power to provide the entire village with green energy. The wind turbines sometimes attract attention. For example, I regularly have people walking onto the property to take a closer look. I am happy to stop and chat, and I always invite them to have a look inside the barn, too. It is important that we as farmers learn to explain better what it is we do, and especially what a great job we’re doing! To a certain extent, I have started to farm more consciously in recent years. Sustainability is an important aspect of business operations on our farm as well. That has always been the case. If we as farmers do not work sustainably, our farm will simply not be viable. Sustainable business operations means profitable business operations. After all, our income depends on healthy soil and healthy cows. To make sure that we do – and continue to do – the right things, we joined the Fertile Recycling Achterhoek (Vruchtbare Kringloop Achterhoek) study group six years ago. In this group, we discuss protein from our own farms, soil nitrogen balance, greenhouse gases and so on. It is fun and educational to talk with fellow farmers and consultants. When you see another farmer successfully taking on a certain challenge, it makes you think “If he can do it, then so can I! ”.”