Foggy countryside

Two more photos from yesterday. Here we are on foot on our way to Bronneger, a hamlet near Borger.

The weather still allows cattle to be outside.

Fresh milk

During one of our hikes recently we passed a dairy farm along the Oranjekanaal in Zuidveld, near Orvelte. The sign saying 'melktap' ('milk pump') caught our attention..

.. so we had a closer look and discovered a 24/7 self-service organic milk device..

..and even a place to sit and rest. Isn't that nice? We went along without taking a bottle of milk in our rucksack, but I'm sure many passers-by do so.

Sugar beets harvest

Two weeks ago the sugar beets on the field behind our back garden were harvested. Being able to watch this from so close is one of the advantages of living in the country! :)

The sugar beets will be transported by truck to a commercial producer of sucrose (table sugar) in Hoogkerk, about 50 km from here. Last year 600 million kilos of sugar were produced in the Hoogkerk factory, though due to this year's dry Summer it is expected to be less this season.

Rusty bike

You might think this bicycle doesn't have a caring owner, though as it was parked in 'museum village' Orvelte it is likely that the bicycle isn't meant anymore for daily use.

Iron Age farm

Following up on yesterday's post about the village of Orvelte: This is a reconstruction of a farm as they could be found in the north east of the Netherlands during the Iron Age. It's a 'longhouse' in which both people and livestock lived. The lay-out of the building seems more or less similar to the farm I showed you yesterday: divided in 3 parts.

This particular farmhouse was built in 1978 using the model of a pre-historic farm that was discovered in archeological findings. Volunteers renovated the structure in 2003. All materials that were used to build it come from the region. There's an entrance on both sides, and inside it was empty and dark.

Orvelte farmhouse

A farm in the small village of Orvelte.

And the same farmhouse from the other side. Orvelte presents itself as a 'museum village', as there are several historical sights like a saw mill and a blacksmith. A number of farmhouses and other buildings are open to the public -which wasn't the case though with the farmhouse on the photo.

Barns

A farm house with 2 barns in Zuidveld near the village of Orvelte, photographed from the sand road that we walked on across the Oranjekanaal ('Orange Canal') yesterday afternoon. I'm linking to Tom's Barn Collective.

Smeerling #1

Restaurant 'Gasterij Natuurlijk Smeerling' is located in a former -and completely renovated- farm house and barn, in the heart of the Westerwolde region. The entrance is around the corner here.

A closer look at the weathered roof tiles.

I'm linking to Tom's Barn Collective.

Driving back home..

..in the early evening. Photo taken somewhere between the villages of Zoutkamp and Grijpskerk.

Cattle farm

Yesterday I showed you the North Sea side and beach of the island of Schiermonnikoog, today a view from the dike along the Wadden Sea side, that has several cattle farms.

Gate

Spotted in the rural area around the village of Schoonoord.

Onions

During our hike last Sunday that we started from the village of Schoonoord we passed this field with... yes, onions! They were all lying on top, waiting to be collected.

And another view, with the farm on the right.

Mr and Mrs Straw Bale..

.. selling pumpkins and gourds. Photo taken in the village of Bourtange earlier today.

Cornfield

There are lots of cornfields in our region. Due to a lack of rain the past months many fields don't look as green as this one though. Photo taken last Sunday during our hike, near the village of Aalden in the province of Drenthe.

Pumpkins and gourds

A farmhouse cart filled with pumpkins and gourds for sale tell that somewhere, someday, Autumn will come..
We still manage to hold on to nice and warm weather though. Photo taken last Sunday in the small village of Wezup, about 30 min by car from our house.

Aalden farmhouse

One more post with photos from our hike last Sunday, with a farmhouse and barn in the village of Aalden.

The separate barn in front of the farmhouse has been decorated with plaited reed, something that can be seen more in this region. To see a previous post about this click HERE.

I´m linking to Tom´s Barn Collective.

Klencke

Crossing a brook in the Klencke nature area, near Zweeloo.

Countryside

Continuing with our hike from last Sunday with a view on farmer's grounds near Zweeloo. The path we followed is on the right.

Dry spell

We have been having warm and dry Summer weather lately, which is giving farmers a hard time as they need rain for their crops. Due to the falling underground water level it has been forbidden to water the fields in some parts of our country, here it is still allowed though.

A Smeerling barn

A barn at the back of a farmhouse in the tiny village of Smeerling. This one also has a lot of flowering rhodondendrons..

..and cow parsley next to the bycicle/hiking path along the side.

I am linking to Tom's Barn Collective.