Photo by husband Pieter, taken during a break from teaching those Oyster Fishers in Yerseke, province of Zeeland in The Netherlands, with them on one of their boats...
Pieter in 1957, when he became an Assistent at the Dutch Experimental Station.
His specialty was writing Technical Tips for their magazine editions of the Dutch CHAMPIGNONCULTUUR. The above appeared in the 1957-7 edition.
At that time, Pieter did give training in the Western part of the Netherlands, in Yerseke, all the way from Horst, near Venlo and that Interstate was not yet built!
Sometimes rough for making that long trip in the winter time through snow and in the dark...
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This image above, also clearly shows the sea arms of the River Oosterschelde, a former estuary.
The main breadwinning was from mussel, oyster culture and some lobster.
They raised the young oysters on limed roof-tiles and it took about 6 years before they were mature and ready for being harvested!
Those oyster fisher students, could not stand being in-between four walls, so they begged Pieter to join them for a break, out on the open sea where they often scooped up a big oyster and enjoyed it 'fresh'.
In the winter of 1962-1963 a big frost killed nearly 80% of those oyster cultures and many more switched over into mushroom growing.
Later, with the completion of the storm barrier, the famous Delta Works, started soon after the night of January 31 into February 1, 1953 disaster of the North Sea Flood where 2,551 people drowned, the oyster farming nearly stopped.
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Also in the Standdaarbuiten, adjacent province of Noord Brabant, Pieter did give training, all the way from Horst.
Those were flax growers that were forced out of business by the upcoming cotton industry and synthetic fibers.
Those long distance courses were conducted till on February 9, 1963 the Mushroom Growing Training Centre got officially opened in Horst. Temporarily housed inside the Experimental Station for mushroom culture in Horst. Mr. P. J. C. Vedder is in charge of this entirely new educational establishment for The Netherlands. He is assisted by other teachers.
The vocational school was opened by Ir. W. J. Mulder of the Directorate of Agricultural Education in The Hague.
Related link:
Pieter's Former Student and Mushroom Grower Took us up into the Sky | previous post from Standdaarbuiten where previous flax growers had switched into mushroom growing...
I like the picture of the boats! Beautiful scenery!
ReplyDeleteDearest Endah,
DeleteThose Zeeland oyster boats were special vessels!
Hugs,
Mariette
What an interesting story and varied life.
ReplyDeleteGod bless always.
Dearest Victor,
DeleteYes, you noted that good a very varied life!
Both of us never knew the feeling of the word bored...
Hugs,
Mariette
Such fascinating history, Mariette. Going from oysters to mushrooms? Now, that's quite the change!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Dearest Martha Jane,
DeleteGuess it was quite hard for those men but they became excellent mushroom producers and loyal ones.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hello Mariette and Pieter, Good for those oyster fishers who branched out into mushroom culture. Sometimes as the world progresses people involved in an old occupation find their jobs becoming obsolete, as in certain fisheries or, say, tobacco growing. They can either complain and ask for government handouts, or they can join a new industry that is still practical and in demand--mushroom growing is the perfect example!
ReplyDelete--Jim
Dearest Jim,
DeleteYes, however hard that transition initially was for them, they proved to be serious and thus successful, as were the flax growers, they too became excellent mushroom growers. We all can adapt if we are willing to, if necessary.
Hugs,
Mariette
Oysters to mushrooms definitely would have been a big life adjustment for them, but it's good that instead of playing a victim role when circumstances took away their livelihood they adapted and changed and so were able to provide for their families, etc. And of course great that they had a terrific instructor! :-)
ReplyDeleteDearest Kim,
DeleteYes that group of oyster fishers and also the flax growers nearby, have proven that with dedication you can do it. Agreeing with you that in Pieter they had the best teacher/instructor in the world! Witness of that are his great reviews as you can read under the label 'editorial review' below my blog.
Hugs,
Mariette
How interesting photo! Hope you are ok.
ReplyDeleteDearest Anne,
DeleteYes, quite interesting and what a learning curve for those oyster fishers!
Thanks for asking and yes, I'm doing fine.
Hugs,
Mariette
Un gran cambio de actividad. Ellos son entendidos en el trabajo de la pesca, pero en el cultivo de hongos hasta ese momento, no han tenido ninguna explicación.
ReplyDeletebesos
Querida Antónia,
DeleteTal vez incluso mejor también para ustedes no tienen que volver a aprender las cosas que hicieron mal ...! Pero fue todo un cambio para ellos de todos modos.
Abrazos,
Mariette
What an interesting photo
ReplyDeleteDearest Jo-Anne,
DeleteA photo with quite a story to it!
Hugs,
Mariette