'In onions you see more results from everything you do'

organized for the sixth year in a row Boerenbusiness the crop tour. Also this year we follow ten arable farmers throughout the Netherlands in the cultivation of yellow seed onions. In this series of business reports, we introduce the entrepreneurs. This time: David de Wit from Lepelstraat (NB).

David de Wit is taking part in the Onion Crop Tour for the first time this year. His company is located on the Brabantse Wal in a transition area from sand to clay. De Wit also spends a lot of time without a tractor during a growing season. Pull up a plant, look, measure, weigh and assess how the crop is developing.

That is why 21 business and personal questions to David de Wit, participant in the Boerenbusiness Crop tour Onions.

Which onion variety are you growing this year? 
"We grow the Rockito variety. It was quite a search which variety we wanted. We think the quality of the onion is important and Rockito is just a very hard onion. In terms of yield, the variety can compete well with other varieties and it is relatively early. That's a good thing, because we usually harvest quite early. My father has the following rule: "Harvest the grain on August 10, the onions on September 10, the potatoes on October 10 and you have to leave the field on November 10." finished.' It doesn't work every year, but this is the goal."

What is the precursor for onion cultivation?
"The pre-crop for the onions was always a bit variable, but in recent years I have become a fan of grass seed because of the good rooting. I now take that into account in my cropping plan. I think it is a better dormant crop than wheat, because then you against straw residues again. That costs yield compared to grass seed. If I did have wheat as pre-crop for the onions, I would have had the wheat straw pressed for that reason. With grass seed, the grass naturally goes away as hay. So you don't have any problems there and you get nice loose soil. I have the idea that it is really good for the onions to root through."

What do you think is the most beautiful crop to grow?
"That's a good question. In any case, intensive crops such as potatoes, onions or chicory. Early on I would have said chicory right away. Now I will rather opt for potatoes or onions. I think chicory is still a very nice crop, but in onion cultivation you can send you more anyway. I like that, in onions you see more results from everything you do."

Are there any side activities on your farm besides arable farming?
"I myself work as a researcher at Wageningen UR open crops for four days a week. I combine that with at home. As a company, we still have storage for third parties. We work together in the machines with the neighbour, also to spread the work."

Chopping or baling straw?
"Basically, we have been chopping all the straw for years to preserve minerals and organic matter. The hay from the grass seed is pressed. As I said, if wheat is the pre-crop for the onions, I also press it."

What kind of tillage/fertilization is done for onion cultivation?
"With onions, I think it's important that the soil is loose. That's why we opt for plowing as the main operation. We try to plow as flat as possible, so that we can prepare the onion land with the quick harrow for onion sowing in the spring. sowing, we always spread 600 to 800 kg of polysulphate per hectare. Then often phosphate in the row and KAS starting dose. Then in the season when fertilizing with KAS and 16-0-30."

Fries (french fries) or boiled potatoes?
"French fries"

What is the crop protection strategy?
"We spray with a wingssprayer. In terms of weed control, you have to be very careful not to use too high a dose. When we switched to wingssprayer, we significantly reduced the amount of product use in contact herbicides. We prefer to only use soil herbicides and contact herbicides when it is really necessary. The fewer contact herbicides, the better the crop can continue to grow well. For disease control, I think the BOS systems are just not precise enough. In a wet period, spraying is sometimes advised again after three days. I think, yes, that goes against my common sense."

What are your hobbies?
"My hobbies are training the hunting dog and going hunting with it. I also do cycling."

What are you proud of when you look at the company or cultivation?
"Yes, I think we are in good shape as a company. The company has been in the family for a long time. We still have a deed of purchase of the farm from 1770 on the wall here. I think - if I eventually take over the farm - I am the ninth generation. I think that is a nice fact."

How do you see the future of the company?
"Ultimately I want to take over the company. The company is not very big, so we sometimes look at whether expansion is possible. But you do that in small steps and it is not the most important thing. I think it is more important that I achieve good returns and hectares more than earning something over many hectares. In the future, we would also like to work more intensively with the neighbor in order to be able to work efficiently, both in terms of labor and machines. Keeping the soil in good condition, that is the most important thing there is. In the long term I want to be able to fully focus on the farm. Now first combine it with work outside the door, I also learn a lot from that."

What has been the best choice/change in recent years at the company?
"If you look back a little longer, we built the storage shed. That has been a very good investment to be able to store our potatoes and onions. We purchased the irrigation reel seven years ago and that is also a machine that you can no longer do without We also had some plots leveled to keep them in good condition."

What is number 1 on your bucket list?
"I would like to go on holiday to Norway again, that seems like a really beautiful country. Canada also appeals to me."

What activities are you most looking forward to during the year?
"The harvest is always beautiful, of course. I think planting potatoes in the spring is one of the nicer activities. You're just busy and you do a lot in one day. It's the start of a beautiful crop again. Other than that, I think it's very nice to follow crop development. I am also quite busy without a tractor. Pulling up a plant, measuring, weighing and seeing how it develops and what I can expect from it. At the end of the season I also do yield measurements almost every week. Such as what is still growing, what can we expect or do we still need to do something."

Onions from your own company or onions from the supermarket?
"Here we only eat potatoes and onions from our own company."

What is the sales strategy of the products?
"The onions are actually always sold from storage. We grow all onions freely, but our tactics are different. In general, the export of the first six months always goes very well. Then there are those buying rounds and you have to be there "We always spray MH, so we can store for a long time. In years like this year and four years ago - years when there are really few onions - we dare to gamble. That we can get some extras from the market later in the season to fetch.

What occupation would you have had if you had not been a farmer?
"I now work as a researcher and I like it very much. I want to work in the agricultural sector anyway. I am also interested in giving advice. Then you are even more involved with plants. Then you look at arable farming more per season and as a researcher you really look at the long term."

What do you see as the opportunities and threats for your company?
"I see regulations as both an opportunity and a threat. It is made more difficult for you, but you have more chance to distinguish yourself. The yield will decrease, but that can have a positive effect on the market. I always feel like: ' the more difficult they make it for us, the better our situation can become." Only, you have to be able to handle it. Fresh water is also a subject that interests me, but it is still well regulated at the moment. If there are more dry come summer, serious questions will be asked about water use in agriculture. I do think it is essential to have enough good fresh water available."

Can the onions be irrigated? If so, what is the strategy you use?
"We can irrigate all our plots. We are fairly close to watercourses and we still have a few sources. There will always be a dry period in the growing season, in which we have to irrigate. Our tactic is then to try not to give too much at once , but to come back more often. We have learned that in recent years."

Sun holiday or winter sports?
"For me, that's winter sports. I happened to be twice this year. Nice skiing and clearing your head."

What is the reason you are participating in the onion crop tour?
"Especially to learn a lot from and get to know growers throughout the country. They do things differently in every area and I find that fascinating to experience. Also to see new innovations such as onions on beds or drip irrigation."

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