We much rather try and fail than not having tried at all. I like the idea that I have met a farmer who can think out of the box. Whatever we do, we give it our best and don't give up halfway. In that respect, we fully complement one another. We give each other energy.
"I am a farmer in heart and soul, but when it comes to the crunch, she comes first."
"She has an enormous drive. "Can't do" is not an option."
"We first met at school. I was into floral art; he was into dairy farming. Having a farmer as a boyfriend was fine with me. When things got more serious, I told him: if you ever want to move abroad, you'll be on your own. I have been in paid employment and had my own company. After our third child was born, I stayed a home. If you're not raised on a farm, you must feel some connection. He is not the kind of person who wants to be on the farm 24/7. I'm not saying I like all of it all the time, but I understand. Farming does not come with only disadvantages, it has advantages as well. Our sons did not have to go to a day-care centre after school, we were always there for them. Geertjan is not the kind of person who wants to be on the farm 24/7. He enjoys the second branch, people on the farm. We know exactly what we want and how we want it. I like what we are doing, I enjoy organising or making lunches for groups. We are a great team together at our farm, but we both have our own tasks and interests. That way, we always have something to talk about.
Every once in a while, I keep reminding him to speak in simple terms.
We like to connect people from elsewhere to the green sector. Sometimes, when Geertjan shows a group around, I have to remind him to talk in simple terms. But it gives us great satisfaction if we manage to reach out to a group that thinks it has nothing to do with the agricultural sector. Where do we differ? Geertjan can be very messy inside the house, but he thinks I leave a lot of stuff lying around in the yard. Neither of us is good at making time for ourselves. I like many things about Geertjan. He is an enthusiastic, caring father and he is open to new ideas. I guess I would not be where I am now if he hadn't reacted so positively. He sees opportunities. We much rather try and fail than not having tried at all. I like the idea that I have met a farmer who can think out of the box. Whatever we do, we give it our best and don't give up halfway. In that respect, we fully complement one another. We give each other energy."
