'If someone says that is not possible, I ask, what is possible?'

Wouter Vierboom continued his father's arable farm. His father started the farm with 35 hectares and expanded it to 49 hectares. Wouter was only 17 years old when his father died and he had to continue the farm together with his mother and brother.

"My father advised against it, but I always wanted to," Wouter says about that difficult period. Although he sometimes regrets not having been able to let go of the company a bit more, he has learned that making mistakes is part of the process. "You learn by making mistakes," he says. This realization made him realize how important it is to get help. Hiring advisors helped him make better choices, which ultimately helped him move forward.

He has since expanded the company considerably. The company grew to 130-140 hectares, part of which is jointly managed with retired dairy farmers. Since last year, he has employed one employee. "The company has changed in recent years," says Wouter. For example, he built a storage warehouse and decided to thresh grain himself. Due to circumstances, he also started working as a contractor. "Sometimes a gap appears, and then you have to ask yourself: do I jump in or not?"

This year he started growing 8 hectares of seed potatoes, Fontane, which he will sort himself. He also grows 35 hectares of ware potatoes. The crop plan is also filled with onions, winter rapeseed for propagation, grass seed, triticale for propagation and yellow mustard. "Almost 50% of my land is cereals, because we farm on heavy soil," he explains.

Last year, beets were grown on the crop tour plot. The plot is 8 hectares in size and consists of lighter soil, 35% siltable. "The plot was ploughed after the beets. "I am convinced that good groundwork is important," says Wouter. "This year we have milled everything." This year he is putting extra focus on the preparation of all plots, because he thinks it is important to tackle everything thoroughly after the challenges of last year. "You have to do good groundwork to get the right result."

Fertilize at the base
When it comes to fertilization, he is very conscious. "Every year I take soil samples, so I know what is happening to my soil," says Wouter. He strives to invest as much as possible in the soil at the base. "I don't believe in spending a lot of money on foliar fertilization. If you look at what you can do at the base, I try to improve that."

Flooding is a recurring problem for him. "You can worry about flooding, but that is not always the solution," he says. "I did have a stomach ache about it last year, but in the end it was not that bad." Despite the worries he sometimes has, he remains realistic and looks for long-term solutions.

Working together for success
Wouter believes that agriculture will remain an important sector in the Netherlands. "Agriculture will definitely continue to exist, but space is the problem," he says. Collaboration is an essential part of the success of his company for him. "The biggest reason to expand is to deal with people and understand how they think," he says. "You can better assess the human dimension." Wouter acknowledges that he is dependent on others, but believes that this enriches the dynamics of the company. "The crop tour does take time, but it also yields something," he says, emphasizing the benefits of collaboration.

He has experienced several setbacks in his life. "The doors close, but they also open again," he says, reflecting on a difficult period. This experience has changed his perspective on life. "If the municipality says: this is not possible, then I ask: what is possible?"

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