Our Family's Farming Journey: From the Netherlands to Norway

As a family of five with three kids, we've always had a passion for agriculture. My spouse and I met after me attending agricultural school, i worked on dairy farms and horse facilities in the Netherlands. We were driven to build a life surrounded by nature, hard work, and a sense of community. However, as much as we loved our homeland, we soon realized that there was limited room for us to start and grow our own farm. That's when we decided to take a chance on Norway.

We were drawn to the country's stunning landscapes, friendly people, and opportunities for growth. We started small, with 6,000 laying hens and 250 cows on a shared owner-managing position. It was a great way to come and live here, but we soon realized that this setup wasn't our forever home. We began looking around for a place to call our own, somewhere we could build a long-term future for our family.

Then, our dream farm became available, and we knew we had to take the leap. It was everything we had been searching for – a beautiful piece of land, a comfortable home, and endless possibilities. We poured our hearts and souls into building our farm, and for a year, everything seemed perfect. But our dreams were short-lived. The government suddenly announced new nitrogen rules, which meant that we could no longer expand our farmland. It was a devastating blow, as we knew that our current operation wouldn't be enough to sustain us in the long run. We were faced with the harsh reality that our farm, as it stood, wasn't viable for our family's future. After much contemplation, we made the difficult decision to sell our beloved farm and start searching for a new place to call home. It wasn't an easy choice, but we knew that staying would only lead to frustration and stagnation.

We're now on a mission to find a place where we can grow, thrive, and build a sustainable future for our family. As we embark on this new chapter, we're filled with a mix of emotions – sadness to leave behind the life we've built, but also excitement and hope for what's to come. We're grateful for the experiences we've had, the lessons we've learned, and the people we've met along the way. And we're confident that our next adventure will be just as rewarding, if not more so.