remains airy and moist. Frequent and deep ploughing damages soil life. Hooidammer farmer Jakob and his son Feitze tell us that they have not ploughed their land for about 15 years. This is also visible above ground. Their plots are much more colourful than those of their neighbours. Buttercups, dandelions, cuckoo, sorrel, etc. make for a colourful meadow. “A meadow as a meadow should be.” Meadow Cows graze in the meadow and dump their patties, a source of life, directly into the meadow. This creates small oases that attract all kinds of creatures that feed on them. Dung beetles and birds then distribute the flans across the meadow, providing nutrients in a natural way to grass, clovers and herbs as well as soil life. The insects, in turn, are a source of nutrition for the birds and rodents, which, in turn, are food for the predators, and thus a beautiful ecosystem is created. Hooidammer farmer Remco is an advocate of natural farming and is testing early grazing after the winter. By allowing cows to graze in a low density in very early spring, the faeces attract insects which are important food for the young meadow birds. His land is part of the Fochteloërveen, the protected breeding area of the Crane. Water A lot of life takes place in and near water. Ditches on agricultural land play an important role in water management and biodiversity. Ditches drain off excess water and thus prevent flooding. Moreover, rough ditch BETWEEN THE REEDS Hooidammer farmer Jurjen regularly sees roe deer hare disappear into the reeds. He therefore mows the reedbeds only in August and uses the reed for the young cattle then. “In this way, the minerals from the reeds are eventually reabsorbed into the soil through the manure, creating a natural cycle.” MEADOWLARKS Hooidammer farmer Remco is a big supporter of natural farming and is testing plenty with early grazing after winter. By allowing cows to graze in a low density in very early spring, the poop attracts insects which are important food for the young meadow birds. His land is part of the protected breeding area of the Crane, the Fochteloërveen. As a result of intensive meadow bird management, Marten sees the number of pairs on his land increasing so rapidly that the cows will soon be in trouble. “I’ll soon have to keep enough space for them to graze,” he says. 21 “and what is good for the earthworm, is good for the cow!” Jan-Klaas - Hooidammer farmer
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