Fleurderij

Adapting Through Adversity: A Farmer's Resilience

Meet Michaël Vanhulst, a passionate pig farmer who embodies agricultural resilience in changing times. Facing increasing legislative challenges in Belgium's pig farming industry, Michaël and his wife Ciska started a pick-your-own flower field five years ago - not as a replacement, but as a vital diversification strategy. Their flower subscription service has become both a creative outlet and a practical response to an industry under pressure.

The Challenge of Seasonal Agriculture

Michaël's story reveals the beautiful uncertainty of working with nature. Operating on a subscription model where customers pick twenty stems weekly, he faces the constant challenge of ensuring enough flowers bloom each week. Weather becomes both ally and adversary - hail and storms can destroy half the tulip crop overnight, while too much rain prevents essential ground preparation.

A Life Philosophy

"I've never regretted a second of what I've done, because I simply do what I love," Michaël reflects. His advice to his daughter captures his approach to life: "You can study anything you want, but you must do something you truly love, because you'll have to do it for the rest of your life."

Finding Paradise at Home

For Michaël, happiness isn't found in distant travels but in the contentment of his own backyard. He rates living in Bierbeek "ten out of ten" - a place where he's lived his entire life and never wants to leave. When asked about vacations, he simply says, "We just don't go. We're so happy here." His Sunday afternoons are spent on his bench, enjoying conversations with customers who visit the flower field - a reminder that sometimes the best destinations are the ones we create ourselves.

This short video captures the essence of agricultural resilience, the unpredictability of farming, and the profound satisfaction found in adapting to survive while staying true to your roots.