Farming has always been a male profession. But more and more women from farmers are claiming their own place within the company. Liza Simons (32) is such a farmer and she sees great opportunities: “If women are given a more active role, you can innovate faster as a sector.”
No, she did not participate in Farmer Seeks Woman. Liza, who grew up in Nijmegen, found love all by herself. At a cattle farmer in De Mortel to be precise. But in love or not, the transition to farm life was not without a struggle. “Especially the rhythm on the farm took some getting used to in the beginning. Your life is suddenly adapted to the rhythm of the animals. In the city you go by bike to the pub or the center. You don’t do that very quickly here.”
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And working in an office is not the same as on the farm. “I was used to relaxing a lot more. On a farm there is a lot of work. It makes you feel guilty when everyone else is at work. You have the feeling that you have to keep busy.” And then there were the in-laws: “They lived next door to us. You meet them all the time. And you don’t leave the house unseen, because your in-laws are nearby. You really have to find out what your role is.”
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This is what Liza’s life looks like now:
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Liza has now embraced farming life with full conviction. In fact, she has become an important part of her husband’s business. And she thinks it should be much more stimulated that other women become too: “Not so long ago, being in a relationship with a farmer meant that you got married and then took over the duties of your mother-in-law.”
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A prospect that does not quite fit in these times. But also a shame for the sector. “If women are given a more active role, the sector can innovate more quickly. Farmers’ women often have a different background and their own field of expertise. As a result, companies are increasingly expanding. For example, an additional care branch or childcare on the farm.”
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Yet there is often still a lot of doubt among farmers when it comes to changing their business. “Farmers often have the reaction: I have to see it first. In the beginning there is often little confidence. But if something turns out to work, you see that space is nevertheless being made in the company. It often also gives room for the farmer to take it a bit easier. ”
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