16 March 2023

Who doesn’t know the farmer… FarmCamps Mariekerke

These are Albert and Annelie. Albert was born and raised on the farm in Mariekerke, and Annelie originally comes from Kruiningen. Together, they run a sheep farm. They milk sheep and make yogurt and cheese. They also have a few cows (as a hobby) and sell meat packages (Blond d’Aquitaine). Albert and Annelie live on the farm with farmer Ko and farmer’s wife Nelleke, Albert’s parents. They met each other through their Social Work studies.

How many animals do you have on the farm?

300 sheep, 5 cows, chickens, goats, ducks, rabbits, and a pony.

Why did you become farmers?

Albert's older brother stopped running the business, which gave us the wonderful opportunity to continue on the farm.

What does a typical workday look like?

The day starts at 5:30 AM with milking. After that, we feed all the animals, and then we usually do some general maintenance and odd jobs around the farm. Around mid-afternoon, we feed the animals again, and at 5:00 PM, we milk again. At the end of the evening, we do another round of feeding for the sheep… and then lights out!

What do you enjoy most about your job and what do you enjoy least?

It’s a beautiful job with a lot of freedom. The least enjoyable aspects are the uncertainties we always have to account for (prices, illness). But fortunately, the positive aspects definitely outweigh the negative ones.

What do you do as a FarmCamps farmer on top of all the other work you already do?

Cleaning all the facilities, organizing and running activities, and keeping the guests satisfied. There are also several behind-the-scenes tasks that you don’t see but that need to be done, such as the administration.

Why did you want to become a FarmCamper?

The combination of running a farm and entertaining people, letting them experience farm life.

What is the best thing you've experienced with FarmCamps guests?

Too many to mention, but satisfied guests are always our goal.

Albert and Annelie’s Favorites

Favorite vacation:

Relaxing and not having to think about anything is enough for us.

Favorite hobbies:

Albert: Riding his motorbike. Annelie: Taking a nice walk on the beach or in the forest.

Favorite food:

Albert: Soup

Annelie: Carpaccio

Favorite animal:

Our dog Max.

Our FarmCamps farms can be found throughout the Netherlands. Curious? Visit our handy farms page to find them all.

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