From father to son.

“Both my grandfather, Frans Lageschaar, and my father, Job, were dairy farmers. In their footsteps, I became a dairy farmer, too. The profession was passed down from father to son. This farm is now about 20 years old. Before this, we had a farm in a neighbouring village called Vragender. I really love working on the farm, and my wife has other things to keep her occupied. We have hired someone to help with the milking and I also regularly hire an agricultural contractor. You must not try to do it all yourself.”

“My grandfather and my father both belonged to a cooperative. My father was a member of Coberco, and I am a member of FrieslandCampina, which took over Coberco. I deliberately chose to join a cooperative because the milk price is good, better than at many other companies. Plus, they always come to pick up your milk. A cooperative means you are in it together, and that is important to me. I know that we are facing major challenges nowadays, but I believe that we will find the answers together, as long as we keep talking to each other! That is also why I attend the regional meetings. I enjoy these because I meet lots of fellow farmers, hear a lot of news and information and get to say my piece about what happens in the company and in the cooperative.”

“I have been participating in PlanetProof milk since it began. We already met the requirements anyway. We will now continue to work on biodiversity. We use coppice fences to fence off the land. That provides insects with a place to live, so it is good for the birds as well. I realise we are lucky to have this place. We have a lot of land around the farm, which means we can easily let our cows out in the pasture. In addition, we can grow the feed ourselves. We have invested a lot in land and we grow our farm by small steps. This way, we can continue to make adjustments. We do not have to worry about the farm. When I walk through the barn in the evening and the cows are lying quietly, I am truly happy. We have a daughter and three sons. What are their plans? Well, the middle son for sure wants to study at HAS University of Applied Sciences. Although he will graduate with the right degree, I do not know if he will take over the farm. You should not push your children in a specific direction; they will choose their own work and their own lives. After all, being a farmer is more than just work; it is a way of life.”