'Free trade in potatoes is part of doing business'

organized for the sixth year in a row Boerenbusiness the crop tour. Also this year we are following ten arable farmers throughout the Netherlands in the cultivation of French fries potatoes with the variety Innovator. In this series of business reports, we introduce the entrepreneurs. This time: Leon and Thomas Zandee from Zeewolde (FL).

The brothers Leon and Thomas Zandee participate in the Gewastour, together with their father they run the arable farm in Zeewolde. Thomas studies arable farming at the Aeres Hogeschool in Dronten and Leon works at home on the farm and also at another arable farmer. The ultimate goal is to take over the company from their father.

That is why 21 business and personal questions to the brothers Leon and Thomas Zandee, participants in the Boerenbusiness Crop tour potatoes.

Which potato varieties do you grow?
"We grow the Innovator, Agria and Melody varieties. We are growing Agria for the first time this year, the variety replaces Lady Anna for us. We couldn't keep up with the kilo yield of that variety. For the quality of Lady Anna, you get paid more. The variety also looks good throughout the growing season and then you really think: 'this is going to be something'. But when you finally start harvesting, it is not easy in terms of yield. We grow Innovator and Agria for the yielding capacity in kilos We grow Melody for the table potato market and leave with the export."

What is the pre-crop for growing potatoes?
"For the Gewastour plot, the pre-crop is spring barley. For the other potato plots, the pre-crop is onions and wheat.

What do you think is the most beautiful crop to grow on your farm?
Leon: "I am charmed by onion cultivation. I also like growing potatoes, but onions appeal to me more. I don't know exactly why." Thomas: "I think potato cultivation is the most beautiful crop."

Are there any side activities on your farm besides arable farming?
"We do do some work for third parties, such as potato planting, harvesting and crop care."

Chopping or baling straw?
Leon: "Pressing. We have always pressed straw and are set up for it. Straw costs nitrogen to digest. So if you sow a green manure, nitrogen must be spread. Thomas thinks that spreading nitrogen on green manure is not possible. We press the straw in small packs. The straw is usually delivered from land. When it is tight, we store it in the barn."

What kind of tillage/fertilization is done at the front of the potato crop?
"The main tillage is plowing in the autumn, so that the soil can weather in the winter. Before planting, we spread chicken manure and gypsum. We opt for chicken manure because it contains a lot of phosphate. The gypsum is sprinkled for the structure of the soil. Worms can sometimes be a problem in a wet autumn. Potassium and nitrogen are further sprinkled on advice. When it freezes, we like to sprinkle potash over the frost."

French fries (fries) or boiled potatoes?
"Fries, although boiled potatoes are not bad either."

What is the crop protection strategy in potato cultivation?
"I think this is standard for most growers. We determine our strategy together with the cultivation advisor. We do not use any support systems. We often look at our plots ourselves to see whether an early stage of disease and pests are visible. We regularly have to carry out a short interval, because many organic growers also grow around our company."

What are your hobbies?
Thomas: "Work and football." Leon: "Working and of course going out at the weekend, but that's not really a hobby."

What are you most proud of when you look at the company or cultivation?
Thomas: "I am most proud that we can do most of the work with the three of us. We do almost everything in-house, except wheat threshing and beet harvesting." Leon: "Potato digging is, we always do that with the three of us."

What has been the best choice / change in recent years at the company?
"The bunker harvester has been one of the best changes. We used to always work with a self-propelled harvester. In time, that harvester needed to be replaced. We both did internships with other arable farmers who both harvested with a bunker harvester. We thought that was something Our father didn't really like that at first, because a bunker harvester is heavier than a wagon harvester. Now we can unload at the headland, so we no longer have to go onto the land ourselves with the tippers. We really like that."

What is number 1 on your bucket list?
Thomas: "I would like to work in Australia again. Last autumn I was there for three weeks with a few mates. Now I want to go there myself." Leon: "I don't have anything I want to do right away. Maybe look abroad and work again."

What activities are you most looking forward to during the year?
Leon: "I like sowing and planting in the spring best. I also like the harvest, but spring is a bit more preferable." Thomas: "I think the harvest is the best, you see what you have worked for all season."

Potatoes from your own company or potatoes from the supermarket
"Potatoes from our own company."

What is the sales strategy of the products?
Thomas: "We sell all potatoes from storage and nothing goes off land. In general, you get good quality potatoes on heavy soil. So we try to store the potatoes for a long time. We grow 350 tons of Innovators on contract. usually collected in April or May. We now only store our potatoes with outside air. We are looking for a cooling system to store them longer, but also because it is getting warmer earlier and earlier. Cooling may also allow us to store longer then April or May. We grow part of the Innovator on contract and the rest freely. "Leon: I believe: you are an entrepreneur, so free trade is also part of it. We grow part of the contract to cover the costs."

What occupation would you have had if you had not been a farmer?
Leon: "I have sometimes thought about that. It is certainly something related to the agricultural sector." Thomas: "Something in the agricultural sector, but plant-oriented."

What do you see as the opportunities and threats for the company?
"A threat is of course that at the moment there is little certainty from regulations, because they are now changing all the rules, such as with the nitrates directive and the CAP."

Can there be watering? If so, what strategy do you use?
"We can irrigate here. We irrigate with surface water, but that is also on the salty side. We never really start irrigating early."

Sun holiday or winter sports?
Leon: "I think it would be nice to go on a winter sport once, because I have never done that before." Thomas: "I think both sun holidays and winter sports are very nice and with winter sports you are still active. You usually don't do much on a sun holiday, I also like that."

What is the reason you are participating in the Potato Crop Tour?
"It is interesting to hear from others about their experiences. On the other hand, it is true that on heavy soil it is not always a party. So that can also be seen. It is also instructive for us."

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