POLDER MILLER
The identity of the Netherlands is inextricably linked to its mills. Starting in the 16th century, the Dutch began reclaiming land from the sea. Dikes were built to keep the water out and the water on the low-lying land was pumped back into the sea by the polder mills. In this way, the Netherlands drained more than 50 percent of its present land.
A modest layer of snow covers the vast polder landscape. The whirring of the wind sounds through the spinning blades. At the bottom of the mill is the miller’s house. The stove is burning and Marloes is peering outside. “From this chair, I can watch the sails through several windows,” she says. “The weather can change rapidly and a miller must always be on her guard.”
Marloes is not a stereotypical miller. She is a young woman, lives in the heart of Utrecht and studied Anthropology in London.
She works a lot at the computer, so she wanted to do more with her hands. “I learn a lot about the weather, I can work with my hands and contribute to the preservation of Dutch heritage, I’m very proud of that.”
People like Marloes are desperately needed. Because although the Netherlands still has 1,200 mills, there are only about 40 professional millers in the country. The rest of the mills are kept running by more than 1,000 volunteers, averaging 61 years old.
In 2022, Marloes launched the “She is a miller” project, through which she hopes to get more women interested in the milling profession. “Women can also take responsibility for preserving our heritage,” Marloes believes. The percentage of women millers has doubled from 5 to 10 percent since 2020.