Since the 15th century, Texel island in the Netherlands has been an important anchorage on the North Sea route. Today it is known as a kingdom of sheep, with a tradition of family farms and the appeal of sheep's milk cheese.
As many sheep as people
Flocks of sheep on rolling green land look from afar like moving white pearls. Texel's beauty is bound up with a tradition of commercial and family farms. The island has 13,000 residents and about as many sheep.
Jan, owner of De Waddel sheep farm, said not only farmers but the Dutch government values sheep farming, which has historical importance and has made Texel a tourist attraction.
Strict stocking limits
Keeping more than 10 sheep per hectare is prohibited. With 50 hectares, Jan, a medium farmer, can keep 500 sheep.
Famous cheese
Texel's short-tailed sheep are world famous, less for meat than for tasty cheese. Most farms have cheese dairies, which have helped make the Netherlands the world's second-largest cheese exporter. Mariana, another owner of De Waddel farm, said cheese is made traditionally here: there are machines, but the main work is done by hand.
Source: Shykh Seraj, Hridoye Mati O Manush. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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