Today, Day 6 in The Netherlands started off with a delay to our schedule. The group was setting off for Rotterdam when our train was cancelled because of an accident on the track. However, we still arrived in Rotterdam in time to go to the best site visit so far on the trip, Floating Farm. This was by far my favorite destination because I was able to pet cows.

Floating Farm is a private and sustainable organization that built a farm that was floating in the Rotterdam Port. Despite the smell of the manure this was by far the most comprehensive company visit as we were able to get up close and personal with their machinery, cows. Their cows were native to The Netherlands and are known for producing milk high in protein and fat content. The group was able to pet some of the cows as they were feeding which was definitely a highlight of the trip for me. What as interesting to me about the day to day operations of the farm was how the company was able to procure feed for the cows because they did not have much physical land. The main way that the company gets their feed at a low cost is by getting leftovers from local businesses that would otherwise be thrown away. For example; they get day old baked goods from local bakeries, leftover wheat, barley and hops from a local brewery and vegetables from restaurants. The owner of the farm said that the next step for the company was to make a vertical floating farm that could produce fruits and vegetables. This would allow the farm to be more self sufficient as well as the ability to provide a wider variety of products. The owners mentioned that one of the biggest restrictions of where they can implement their product is hurricane conditions as it could cause major structural damage to the farm. I am excited to head back to Amsterdam tomorrow as Rotterdam is a little too modern for me.