Spring is a season to look forward to. The days are getting longer, the sun is regaining its strength and nature is awakening all around us. In the meadows, lambs happily hop about, blossoms colour the trees and also on the farm everything is happening. Calves take their first steps, cows get ready for their annual cow dance and the first fresh milk of the season flows abundantly again. Spring is a time of new beginnings - and we like to celebrate it.
With the arrival of spring begins a period full of growth. The meadows grow greener and new life appears everywhere. In the stable, the first calves of the year are born, curious about the world around them. They love getting attention and are always in for a visit. A great reason to drop by and admire these young animals up close!
When the temperature rises and the grass grows again in abundance, the cows can finally go outside again after the winter months. They won't let you tell them twice! They run, jump and throw their legs in the air - a joyous scene known as the cow dance.
Why is this necessary? In winter, the grassland often remains too wet and fragile, so the cows stay indoors. But as soon as spring comes and the grass is strong enough, they can enjoy the fresh air and tender grass again. And when you see how happy that makes them, you immediately understand why we call it the cow dance!
Want to see this happy scene for yourself? Then watch the video and see how enthusiastically our cows dance into the meadow: Watch the cow dance here.
On the farm, everything is about balance. The cows have plenty of space in the potting shed, where they decide for themselves where they want to lie and when they will be milked. The pastures are managed naturally, giving herbs and flowers a chance to grow and keeping the soil healthy. This ensures not only nutritious grass for the cows, but also rich biodiversity in the pastures.
Working sustainably means always looking for improvements, big and small. For instance, solar panels are used to generate energy and residual products such as whey are cleverly reused. Cheeses that are not quite perfect in shape but still taste delicious find their way to processed cheese producers. Everything to avoid food waste and get as much out of the natural cycle as possible.
More and more people are consciously choosing products they know where they come from. How is a product made? What steps are needed to turn milk into a beautifully ripened cheese? On the farm, you will get clear answers to these questions. Visitors are always welcome to see for themselves how the cows live, how the milk is processed and, of course, to taste the cheeses at cheese farm De Jacobs Hoeve. An experience you not only learn more about, but also really enjoy.
With the arrival of spring, it is also time to discover new flavours again. Try a surprising cheese board with fresh spring flavours or a recipe with seasonal produce. Did you know that goat's cheese and sheep's cheese are best in spring? Read more about spring cheeses here or get inspired by our delicious spring recipes and enjoy everything this season has to offer!
Also check out our carefully selected Easter cheese gifts that are perfect for spring!
Check out Henri Willig's delicious recipes below.
Popping Spring Cheeseboard The happiest season of the year. Manon from @courgetticonfetti made another gorgeous, colourful spring cheese board. The cheeses you see on the board: Lavender cheese Green pesto cheese Smoked goat's cheese Sublime old sheep's cheese She also made 3 simple recipes and further filled the shelf with things you can put directly on it. Incredibly easy, but it looks great! The extra things on the shelf: Spicy mustard Chef's selection Roasted tomato dip Strawberries Olives Mandarin Radishes Nectarine Pistachios The 3 simple recipes: - Egg muffins with smoked goat cheese Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grate 50 g smoked goat cheese and keep half of it aside. Mix the other half of the cheese with 4 eggs, 6 sun-dried tomatoes (in pieces), 10 olives (in slices), 1 pressed clove of garlic, 1 tsp Italian herbs and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix well. Grease a muffin tin (for 6 pieces) and divide the batter in it. Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese over the top. Put them in the oven for 20 minutes. - Muhammara Mix 80g roasted paprika, 80g walnuts, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, a pinch of cinnamon, 30ml olive oil and 20g pomegranate seeds in your mincer to make a tapenade. - Beetroot goat cheese Blend 1 beetroot and 200 g goat cheese until smooth. Present this explosion of colour on the table and enjoy!
Beautiful cheeseboard inspiration for Easter! Our firm tip for a creative cheeseboard; cut the different cheeses in various ways. On this cheese board: - Shaved slices of lavender cheese - Dots of aged sheep's cheese - A rose of organic Jersey cheese - Sliced slices of Green Pesto cheese - Crackers - Tomato - Passion fruit - Pistachios - Balsamic dip The pretty flower shape was created by slicing the organic jersey cheese and placing all the slices in a round dish around each other, giving that pretty effect! The green pesto cheese was cut into wedges and placed placed in another dish. This way, your cheese board is playful and just a little bit different than usual! Thanks Manon from @courgetticonfetti for this colourful creative board!