Henk & Truus(55)

For thirty years Truus and I ran a dairy farm in Emmen. Good land, good cows, but the Dutch dairy sector keeps getting harder: nitrogen regulations, manure quotas, land prices going through the roof. When the government offered buyout schemes, we started thinking. Our children didn't want to take over the farm. So why not start fresh somewhere?

Nova Scotia attracted us because of the Atlantic Immigration Program and affordable farmland. We flew twice to the Annapolis Valley — the most fertile agricultural area in the Maritime provinces. The second time we bought a 200-hectare dairy farm with 80 cows, a milking parlor and a renovated farmhouse. The price: CAD 850,000. In Drenthe the land alone would cost more.

The Canadian dairy system works with supply management — you need quota to produce milk, comparable to the old Dutch system. We purchased our quota with the farm. The milk price is stable and guaranteed by the Canadian Dairy Commission — no market fluctuations like in the EU. The system provides security that Dutch farmers lost long ago.

Adjusting to Canadian farm life was easier than expected. The technology is comparable, cattle breeds are the same (Holstein Friesian dominates here too) and the focus on animal welfare is strong. The big difference is scale and seasons: winters are longer and cows spend more months in the barn. We invested in better barn heating and insulated water installations to prevent freezing.

The community in the Annapolis Valley welcomed us with open arms. There are surprisingly many Dutch farmers in Nova Scotia — a small but tight diaspora. The local agricultural society organizes monthly meetings and 4-H clubs (youth agricultural associations) are active. Truus joined the Women's Institute and bakes Dutch apple pie for every community potluck — she's now the most popular person in the valley.

After three years we have our PR status, a running operation and the feeling that we're truly farming again. No nitrogen crisis, no manure bookkeeping, no evening news about farmers being forced to stop. Just cows, land and hard work. It was the bravest decision of our lives — and at 55 we're really just getting started.