The new Rierink tells…

(Narrated by the farm)

Over the past centuries, the water of ‘the Bolksbeek’ and ‘the Schipbeek’ has flowed abundantly over my soils. Dikes broke through and several Stokkumers died by drowning. That’s why it’s called “The Bróók” here. Only a few dared to settle here, on the Kooidijk. That was the only decent road that led to the duck cage, which could survive here. 

Stokkumerbroek around 1700

Stokkumerbroek around 1700

My first stones were laid in 1860 by Jan Hendrik Nijmeyer and Arendina Hesselink. Many friends and family helped them, as did their nine-year-old son William. When my trusses and my first walls were in place, the Nijmeyer family came to their new home by horse-drawn carriage. 

The young William died at the age of 26, 3 years after the death of his father. Childless, his widow moved to Rijssen and Arendina handed the farm to her brother Jan Harmen to be the successor on my property. 

The first of a row of descendants of the Hesselink family expanded my land with plots of the ancient ‘Erve Rierink’ (the heirs) and my size became more than 8 Dutch hectares. The horse in my stable has therefore done its hard work on my grounds surrounded by beautiful nature reserves and several hills, such as the ‘Herikerberg’ and the ‘Kattenberg’. 

Harsh times plagued me at the beginning of the last century, the crisis of the 1920s had broken out and in the surrounding countries it was war. My people were getting harder and harder. The only bright spot was the construction of the ‘Twente canal’, which to my delight brought an end to the flooding of my soils.

View of ‘t Nieuwe Rierink from the meadow

In the decades that followed, the habitation on my ‘Deel’ (the in-house stable) went from cows to pigs to sheep, the horse had disappeared from view due to the rise of mechanization and bad years caused the remote lands to be sold. Only a small two acres remained… and the “Deel” was empty. 

No one in the family took over the farm from the last Hesselink, so that two Westerners could settle here in 2015. 

I didn’t have much faith in it at first, but it was them who took horses, dogs and cats again, so that there was more than just human life. Year after year they worked on my appearance where they did not forget to show respect for my history and the surrounding nature. 

Japie van 't Nieuwe Rierink

Almost all conifers have left, diseased trees have been cleared and local planting has been put into the ground. My soil is being further and further purified from the waste that had been holed up there and the recall of the horse hooves creates the sound of life in the yard. The crowing of the rooster makes it complete, I feel farm again.

Japie van ‘t Nieuwe Rierink

Instead of cattle, guests now inhabit my “Deel”. The smells of freshly ground coffee and freshly baked bread surround my condside and dominate those of the local products, which are served on the breakfast table. The guests have the luxury of plenty of space indoors and outdoors, especially because of the beautiful nature they can enjoy on foot, on horseback or on bicycle.

Be welcome under my roof and experience the tranquility of ‘Stokkumerbroek’.