Every spring, Dutch people flock to their local farms to watch ‘the dance of the cows’ (koeiendans), which occurs when cows are first let out to pasture after winter housing.
According to one Dutch farmer, the custom signals the start of spring in the Netherlands and a way for townsfolk to reconnect with nature.
For the last 13 years, Timo van Vilsteren and his family have welcomed residents of nearby Zwolle, a city of some 140,000, to their organic dairy and poultry farm where they host the annual koeiendans event, which typically occurs one weekend in late March or early April.
Since then, the custom has soared in popularity, with thousands of people attending their farm, ‘Biologisch melkveebedrijf Het Rode Huis’ to watch their 120 Holstein cows being released onto grass after months of being cooped up in cattle sheds.
Timo van Vilsteren explained: “Back in the day, we didn’t announce when the cows were going to be let out to grass but because we live quite close to the city, a lot of people kept asking when were the cows going outside again and if they could come and watch.
“So around 12 or 13 years ago, we decided to announce the date publicly and invite anyone who wanted to come and watch to the farm.
“That first year, around 200 people came but that number grew year on year and before Covid-19, we had around 1,400-1,500 people attend the occasion.”
Koeiendans 2025
The van Vilsterens are set to host this year’s koeiendans on Sunday, April 6, which they suspect will attract over one thousand spectators, who will mostly travel to the farm by bike, as is customary in the Netherlands.
According to the young farmer, the farm gates will open from noon for people to come and walk around the farm and meet the farm animals before the big event takes place at 1:00p.m, which consists of cows “dancing” in delight at their new found freedom.
While some Dutch farmers have started demanding attendance fees, the van Vilsterens insist on keeping their event free of charge as a means of giving back to their community and their customers, who support the family’s farm shop from which they sell their organic produce.
“We don’t charge and that’s the way we want to keep it. It’s about celebrating spring and just having a laugh with your neighbour – we do it for fun more than anything else.
“I also think it’s a nice way to show people around the farm and explain to them what we’re doing and where their food comes from. Farming is an important way of life in the Netherlands and koeiendans recognises this.
“I think it’s a bit like Christmas in that you are celebrating a new season. It’s a new dawn and the sun is shining again,” van Vilsteren mused.
