Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to discover exactly when the farm was built.

It is estimated that this happened around 1900.

My (Corinda) great grandparents bought the property in 1933.

They went to live here together with their only child, my Grandma. She married my Grandpa in 1933.

Together they had 5 daughters and 2 sons.

My grandfather cultivated land and of course had animals for that purpose.

Two strong Belgian tubers that helped him to work the land.

He also had a number of cows to provide the family with dairy and meat.

And of course the pigs, chickens and rabbits could not be missed.

To counteract the amount of mice and rats that these animals brought with them, they also had a number of cats and a so-called farm fox that took care of this job.

The boys helped with the work on the land and the girls were always the ones to milk the cows.

During the war, the Allies broke through the dike to use the water to drive out the occupiers. The result was that Koudekerke was also flooded.

The water level in the farm was up to 120 cm high.

That must have been a terrible time. They all lived on the top floor.

And what about the animals?

My grandfather came up with a brilliant plan and got the cows into the attic of the barn.

How did he manage to do this?

My grandfather stopped farming in 1972, everything had left the house and there wasn't much help left.

Only the youngest two, including my mother, still lived at home.

My parents moved here in 1977.

The house was then renovated, but everything else remained intact.

The farm barn and the animal shed were simply used as barns.

My grandfather still worked the land that was next to the house as a hobby and so we ate healthy food from the garden.

He grew old and this too could not last any longer.

The former cattle shed where the young cows that had to calve for the first time used to be kept was converted into a studio for rental.

Now called “Grietje”

In 2015 we felt that this space was ready for a good refresh.

Martijn and my father thoroughly renovated the house.

A bedroom was added. The kitchen was equipped with modern conveniences.

Central heating was installed, but TV and internet were also included.

Outside, an area was fenced off to create a lovely seating area.

In 2017, Martijn and I came to live on the farm together with our daughter and son.

The barn had not undergone much maintenance over the years.

Our next job was waiting..

You can see photos of the renovation on our Facebook page.

Literally everything has been tackled, the foundation, the floor, the walls, the roof.

The barn has been thoroughly renovated with the aim of preserving the farm as much as possible in its original state.

The old stable doors and shutters are visible again, as are the beautiful arched windows.

The Mendeuren are still original and have been completely restored.

These special elements were made by a seasoned craftsman who learned the tricks of the trade at a very early age. And wanted to apply the old and original carpentry skills.

But indoors it is more difficult...what use are we nowadays for a cowshed, horse stable, threshing floor and the bag??

We have built a holiday home on the site of the cowshed, called 'op stal'.

In the future, a holiday home will be built on the site where the horse stable used to be.

We will use the remaining part to expand our own living area.

So for now we are not done yet..

But that's how it should be if you live on a property called "Zeldenrust Court"!