Picture this a vast expanse of reclaimed land a testament to centuries of human endeavor. This is the Boterhuispolder. It’s one of the oldest reclaimed areas in the Netherlands a true gem in the Green Heart region. Right here before you lies a landscape shaped by generations of farmers.
The Boterhuispolder’s story begins long before its official founding in 1634. Its unique and irregular block division dates back to the Carolingian era 742-814. Imagine farmers painstakingly carving out small plots from the marshy peatland. They dug drainage ditches. They widened existing creeks. Winters brought floods. Springs brought dry land. This was the beginning. A slow patient reclaiming of the land.
In 1634 eleven smaller polders united. They formed the Boterhuispolder. A single windmill the Boterhuismolen took over the draining. This mill was located near an old butter house. Farmers likely brought their products to this butter house. It eventually developed into a large farmstead called Tengnagel owned by a wealthy Amsterdam merchant Johannes Spiljeurs. This butter house gave the polder its name.
The waterschap or water board managed the peat extraction drainage and later the water management. It eventually became part of larger water boards. Today the Boterhuismolen operates on a volunteer basis. An electric pump near the Zeldenrust farm provides additional assistance.
The Boterhuispolder is remarkably unchanged. The layout land management and drainage systems have remained largely consistent. It’s a typical Dutch open peat-bog area. Farms cluster on higher ground near creeks and polder edges. The peat layer is about 10 meters thick. It’s topped by a thin half-meter layer of marine clay. Cattle particularly blaarkoppen grazed here for centuries. The Zijleinde farm has been in agricultural use since at least the 16th century.
To the north lie the Kagerplassen. These lakes formed after a significant flood in 1134. They’re among the oldest water sports areas in the Netherlands. A network of small reed-lined ditches and canals surrounds them. The Zijl a short river connects the Kagerplassen to the Oude Rijn. It existed as a tidal creek over 1000 years ago. Its dredging in the 12th century was a massive undertaking. It marked the beginnings of regional cooperation in water management later evolving into the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland.
The Boterhuispolder once supported 15 farms in the 1960s. Only two remain today. This area bears witness to centuries of human adaptation and innovation. It’s a story of water land and resilience. It’s a landscape waiting to be explored. Take a moment to appreciate the Boterhuispolder. Its quiet beauty speaks volumes.