History

Quoted the story of Jan Ruiter

"July 19, 1944 is the actual start of our company, because when my father and mother were married Jan Ruiter and Anie Botman in Grootebroek. In the middle of the war and then of course they knew not that the war would end in May 1945.

My dad started with nothing.

From his father he was an old wooden barge (capacity approx £ 2,000) and 30 cups potato planting his father. This enabled him to hire 2,000 rr country (about 3 ha) and he began to grow, even when he immediately started growing rape, gladioli, cauliflower, 70 and 50 rr rr tulips irises. For he had a tulip cultivation permit, if necessary also that you could rent.

Furthermore, he grew red cabbage, beets and onions (yellow and red), the land he plows through a contractor, with a horse. The bill was paid with tobacco what course he grew just as wheat where my mother baked bread.

Long time, the extensive cultivation as done what had the advantage that you include your own company had an excellent crop.

In the 60s it was gradually expanded the growing cauliflower and potatoes and vegetables curtails specialize so, what is most simple fetched and where you're good at that you will grow.

So I came about in 1963 as 16 years as full labor in the company, and my brother 5 years later. In 1965 I co firmant and 2 years later, my desire to build a new barn, 12 X 24 meters, with planting cells inside.

In 1977 at the age of 58 my father died after a long sick bed, for this reason he worked for a long time not fully involved.

Therefore it was expected of me that I am fairly young age drew the cart, and around that time we were 7 years with the forcing of tulips in the experiment.
First under artificial light in cells, and later in a self-made greenhouse of 130 m2.
So slowly but surely the hatchery and nursery tulips expanded.

The nursery of gladiolus already stopped around 1960, partly as a result of disease problems and crop rotation, cultivation of irises has long been a high priority, herein we were very good. Also we have a new sponsor in the market, "Blue Bird".

In 1988 my brother and I decided to split up, below, I went with my wife Carla continue at its current location in Andijk. The size and cultivation was then 9 ha, consisting of tulips and irises. After a year the first greenhouse was built for forcing tulips, from when it was generally invested heavily in buildings, mechanization and starting material.

Soon by continuing poor prices goodbye to the irises, and from that moment forward the tulip farm / hatchery the main activities of the company. With many species, I tried to maintain a high stall.

Since then I also started finishing, where we are today the first revenue from picking, with Special Rider and Radar Love both promising tulips for forcing nursery range.

In 1995, Niels in the company, and in 2000 Stef was there too. From January 2012 my wife and I decided to join the partnership, and go Stef and Niels further on the path my wife and i maked.