Vogels kun je niet melken

The black-tailed godwit is disappearing from the Frisian landscape, but a dairy farmer does everything he can to protect the bird. To his sons’ displeasure: they prefer to put their cows on top of the list.

Bote de Boer from Tjerkwerd Súdwest-Fryslân is eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the black-tailed godwit. All across Friesland, this farmland bird is rarely spotted anymore, but Bote still sees them arriving in great numbers. He is prepared for their arrival: groundwater levels are high, the bogs have been prepared, the right old meadow grass is teeming with herbs and insects. His dairy farm is known as the last pearl of Friesland. But his sons, who want to take over the farm, do not care a bit about this label. And the cows? They are not doing so well.