Manor farms
Rich farmers, poor farmhands
Everywhere in Oldambt, you see farms with a kind of castle-like front house. They are the homes of the prosperous gentleman farmers of over a century ago. Growing grain brought them enormous wealth. The servants saw little of this. The farmers themselves, on the other hand, enjoyed it to the full.
A treasure trove for the boss
The money made from the grain gave the region a big boost. In many places, this new money went to the peasants' heads. They allowed themselves to be called 'gentleman farmers' and started doing things they felt suited their new status. Playing tennis, for instance. Some gentleman farmers did not hand over their workers' wages, but scattered them around the yard. Bowing to the boss, they gathered their money together. In winter, they sat at home unemployed. In the meantime, the gentleman farmers used their profits to build immense palaces with huge barns. The whole of Oldambt is still full of them.
Boerderij Hermans Dijkstra
One such manor boerderij Hermans Dijkstra is boerderij Hermans Dijkstra in Midwolda. Even the garden, with its winding paths and water features, looks just as it did in its golden heyday. The farmer at this farm was also strict. He brooked no contradiction and placed little trust in others. If money needed to be exchanged, he would rather send a child to the grocer than one of his labourers. Nowadays, the listed farmhouse is home to a restaurant. On National Heritage Day, the second Saturday in September, the entire site is dedicated to the farming life of yesteryear. On that day, you stap back in time to this era that was so defining for Oldambt.
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