Swedish/Dutch guest wanting to meet horse farmers

[Wiebren]

Hello,

My name is Wiebren Boonstra and I am currently visiting/working at Rutgers University in New Jersey. I am Dutch but have been living in Sweden for the last 10 years. In Sweden I just purchased a small farm and intend to work it using horses. I have been around horses since I was 8, only never used them as draft animals.

While being here in New Jersey (for 6 more months) I am trying to get as much exposure to draft horses and farmers as possible. Although I am a bit limited due to work and family obligations (and living in New Jersey), I could very well travel a bit to meet horse farmers who are interested in talking to a beginner, or to spend a few days helping out.

So, if you know any horse farmer, or are one yourself, who doesn’t mind to talking to me about his work, please let me know!

Best regards,
Wiebren Boonstra

[LongViewFarm]

We’d be glad to have you visit up here in NH. We have a spare room and a team of percherons that we use for farm work, mostly on weekends. We’re having a specific forestry event on Dec 12th, but most any weekend you could visit. We are also near (within 30-90 minutes) of several more horse farmers that might make good day trips.
I’m happy to tell you more. We have an airbnb site that shows you our place, but not much of the horses. Also we are on facebook.
Enjoy the visits. I hoep they go well in any case.

Jay

https://www.facebook.com/LongviewFarmInc/
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5236213?preview

[JaredWoodcock]

What type of farming are you interested in? With that information we can point you in the right direction.

[Wiebren]

Thanks for the replies!

I am interested in mixed farms (crops/animals) but would also like to talk to pure grazers or crop farmers. At home I intend to use horses for pasture management, hay making, and logging.

Wiebren

[Jeroen]

Hi fellow dutchman!

Good to see someone from the Netherlands wanting to go draft horse farming. There are too few from this crowded too rich country. Can’t help you in person, because I am in France, but feel free to ask questions.

Hartelijke groet,

Jeroen

[Wiebren]

Hallo Jeroen!

Just as you I left the Netherlands for 10 years ago to settle in Sweden in search for more space and some land to use. Now I finally got some so need to get into draft horses! Maybe I can ask how you got hold of equipment in Europe?

Groeten,
Wiebren

[wally b]

Workhorseworkshops has a draft horse teaching program. Check it out:
workhorsworkshops.com
or on facebook

[Jeroen]

Hi Wiebren,

Tack is from the Netherlands, Uk and USA (when the dollar was still ok). All other materials I can still find plenty for almost nothing, because the French are not so neat. In stead of clearing out Dad’s barn the offspring when taking over the farm prefer to built a new modern barn next to the old one and leave everything as is. As soon as they know you are working with horses they come up with (grand)dad’s treasures.

[Jelmer]

Hello Wiebren,

Good to hear from you here.

Like Jeroen, it does good to know more Dutch are on Dapnet here.

Concerning your search in Europe for implements, there are few new innovative European brands around.
Albano Moscardo, ownes a one mane company called “Noi e ill Cavallo” making new implements. He has quite some experience on that. Recently I bought a Multi V, a modern simple tool carrier. It can carry 14 different tools. It’s light and easy to adjust.
Here a link

I’m a member of Schaff mat Paerd, a none-profit organisation which wants to stimulate and innovate the use of draft animals and its implements. We are working on several projects as making new implements. Currently on a potato planter and different tool carriers.
Here a link to that.

Your name sounds very Frisian to me…
Myself I farm in Friesland with a Frisian horse for cultivating .my asparagus patch.
Here’s a link to my farm’s website. (it will appear this year in English aswell).

Good luck with your search.

Groetnis,

Jelmer.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by Jelmer.

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