My internship at Zittrauerhof

Hello, I am Ilse and I come from the Netherlands. For a few weeks now, I have been able to spend my internship abroad at Zittrauerhof – an experience I wouldn’t want to miss.

I have been enthusiastic about agriculture since I was a child. At home, I work on a dairy farm with 230 dairy cows and 175 young cattle, as well as on a calf farm with around 970 beef calves. These experiences motivated me to study animal husbandry at Aeres Hogeschool in Dronten.

For my internship abroad, it was quickly clear to me that I wanted to go to Austria. I am fascinated by the smaller family farms where work is done with a lot of heart and soul. I also love the mountains and wanted to improve my German skills. When I discovered Zittrauerhof on the internet, I knew immediately: this is exactly the right place for my internship.

Today I can say that I really feel at home here. My everyday life is varied and exciting. In the morning, the day starts in the barn, where I help feed and care for the animals. I especially enjoy looking after the calves: every day I go out to their pasture, check that everything is alright with the little ones, that there’s enough water flowing, feed them, and when that pasture is used up, I bring them with Katharina to another paddock.

Depending on the weather, I also work in the meadows, help with haymaking, mowing with the brush cutter, or help out in the garden. But there is also always something to do in the house – from cooking to looking after the guests.

It is precisely this mix that makes the internship so special for me. I don’t just work with animals, but also get to talk to many guests. It gives me pleasure to bring them closer to everyday farm life and to show them how much work and passion goes into high-quality food.

Of course, there are also exhausting days. But when I look at the mountains in the evening and see what we have achieved together, I know why I enjoy this profession so much. I learn something new here every day – about Austrian agriculture, life on a family farm, and about myself.

After my studies, I’d like to work as a consultant in the young cattle sector. At the same time, I want to always stay connected to hands-on farming. Because this is exactly where I feel I belong. Ilse