Goat milker Evelien Moren is always cheered by ‘her’ goats

Evelien Moren was still at school when she signed up with AB. Clemence and Maurice Dezaire, owners of Ravensbosch Care Farm, needed help for two evenings a week because Clemence was pregnant. A wonderful opportunity for Evelien: ‘Goats are amazing. I’m constantly talking to them and cuddling them. They always make me smile. Working with animals has always attracted me,’ says Evelien, who grew up on a dairy farm. ‘I could start immediately.

After the initial introduction, I did the milking on Monday and Friday nights.’  Evelien finished school and, besides milking in the evening (now four evenings), went to work during the day at various agricultural businesses. ‘After fourteen years, I’m still not bored! I was happy to leave school. I really wanted to work, be actively occupied. Work on a farm never stops, even on holidays, and the fact that milking has to be done in the evening doesn’t bother me.’ On the subject of AB Werkt, Evelien can be brief: ‘Everything is well organised. I rarely call them, but when I do I get good service. I always try to go to the New Year’s reception and the summer barbecue. It’s really nice that they organise these get-togethers.’

Organic farming

Clemence and Maurice have been running the dairy goat farm in Hulsberg since 1998. In 2014, they switched to organic farming. This means that the goats go out to pasture during the summer months and employees do not use pesticides and fertilisers. Employees milk the 380 goats twice a day. Evelien: ‘Milking takes about two minutes to milk for each goat and yields half a litre to three litres of milk. In total, it takes me about two hours a night.’ Most of the milk ends up as milk powder or cheese. ‘When I walk into the barn, I greet the goats,’ laughs Evelien. ‘My fans!’ I yell. The goats are always looking at me, hoping that I’ll come and pet them, and many of them follow me around.

There are always a few who walk the wrong way or get in the way because they want attention. Sometimes I really have to push them out of the shed.’ Even when Evelien is in a bad mood and would rather get home as soon as possible, the goats know how to cheer her up again. ‘I’ll stand there nagging them to hurry up. But after ten minutes, I’ll be petting them.’ However, it’s important to stay alert. ‘Once I bent over too far and a goat pulled a tuft of hair out of my head. And sometimes I get bitten. That’s not nice, but even on one of those evenings, I leave smiling.’

Lambs

Q fever took its toll in 2009. Then some of the boxes were empty. After that, new lambs were bought. ‘Then I got a message from Maurice, he was absolutely delighted.’ Evelien is happy with Maurice, Clemence and their children anyway. ‘They are a nice family, they really support me. When new goats arrive, Maurice or his son always help me. New goats need some extra guidance. But goats are not shy. They get used to new people quickly. They cling to you immediately.’ Saying goodbye to goats when they die is the darker side of the job. ‘I’ve seen an older goat close her eyes good.

She was one of my favourite goats. That was sad, but yes, that happens.’ Evelien had a scare the other day when she saw a goat with only half an ear left. ‘The other half was further down the stall. The goat had probably got stuck in the fence. She looked very unhappy. But the next day, she was her cheerful self again. She has been called Half Ear ever since. And she seems to have become even cuddlier.’