My father and John started their special calf rearing cooperation back in 1982. They each had their own business but were helping each other with feeding. Later, when I became involved, John and I wholeheartedly switched to the Peter's Farm concept together. We’ve always got on well, having known each other since we were in the same class together at school.

You really notice how everyone pitches in around calving time. My parents, John and I and our families all live within 100 metres of each other. My father has been easing down his workload of late, but you can always count on him at such times, just as you can with John’s sons. That gives a nice sense of belonging; we're really doing this together.

"We do it together"

Loving your work is truly a requirement on a Peter's Farm. We are constantly doing rounds of the stalls to keep an eye on the calves’ well being. I love that degree of contact with the animals. Initially, I had great difficulty with the modern information technology that comes into play on a Peter's Farm. You do get a lot of help, but it took some time before I had mastered everything. 

I am really proud of the new stall that we built. With Skippy balls, teats and wall-mounted brushes. It's a playground paradise for the calves. We mix the calf milk powder with groundwater that’s heated using a wood burning stove. We’re now working hard to improve things even further. If you place the animals at the heart of your business, you will never get bored and never stop learning. That is the nice thing about Peter's Farm.

• Bertus Prins and John van Achteren
• Located in Ruinen, Drenthe
• One child (Bertus); two children (John)
• A Peter's Farm since 1999
• Interesting facts: Bertus and John share a Peter's Farm.
• Hobbies: Bertus: motocross, tinkering with engines;
  John: training police dogs.