Groningen farmer Richard Knol (33) said he had a ‘wonderful’ adventure during Boerzoekt Vrouw. With highlighters at the ready, he worked meticulously in one of the first episodes to go through his sixty letters. And with success. Now he enjoys it with his Robin.
Five years ago, farmer Richard left Termunten in Groningen for Slovakia. To be a farmer there and set up a successful business. He succeeded, but at the beginning of 2023 he wants to get more out of life and will participate in the popular KRO-NCRV program Boerzoekt Vrouw. In the first episode he says he is looking for a partner with whom he can have a ‘great’ time. He soon becomes a crowd favorite and manages to hook city Robin (33).
How do you look back on the adventure?
“I am very happy that I took part. I hope I don’t have to do it again, but otherwise I would do it again. My friends gave up on me and then I thought: why not? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Not to praise Farmer Wants a Woman, but they know what it takes to make a good program. It is made by a young team and they let me do my thing.”
Sixty women liked you enough to write a letter to become your wife, that’s a lot.
“I was confident that things would turn out well, I’m not very insecure or anything, but it is still Slovakia. It is not a country like Germany or Denmark. The distance can still be bridged, but Slovakia is very different from the Netherlands in terms of culture and language. Besides, you have to leave a lot behind to choose me. Fortunately, Robin decided to write. It doesn’t matter that sixty women wrote a letter. Her letter was in there.”
What is it like to see yourself on television?
“I look back with a great feeling. It was a very impressive adventure. There were already a lot of recordings for the overnight stay week, so I could get used to the cameras a bit. But it remains a strange sensation: a camera crew and three women in your house. Especially because you have deep conversations about your emotions. They are already difficult to feed without cameras. Fortunately, Robin, Marijke and Marlies can talk well so there were no annoying silences during the overnight stay.”
What was it like to send Marijke and Marlies home?
“Making a choice is difficult, because you don’t see the ladies for so long. I think Marlies left again after almost 24 hours. During the overnight stay I wasn’t sure about anything so I really had to follow my heart. Of course you consider practical issues. Perhaps Marlies would have found it easier to settle in Slovakia. She had prepared well and her potential job was almost arranged.
But it’s not about practical matters. It’s about the feeling. When Robin and I walked to the supermarket and she told me that she liked me and would come to Slovakia for that, that was the deciding factor. The feelings were already there for her, but moving to Slovakia is no small feat. Even if you have children later, you must make a well-considered choice to let your children grow up in Slovakia.”
In the episodes and afterwards there was a lot of talk about your vegetarian cooking skills (Robin is a vegetarian and Richard is not, ed.), what do you think about that?
“Life is more than just cooking. Robin and I occasionally think about such a joke when we are in the kitchen and continue. I can often laugh at the reactions from the public and on social media. I have a block of concrete for my head. So that criticism doesn’t cut through that easily. It’s a shame that people mainly focus on the zucchini fun and the fact that Robin is a vegetarian.”
What was it like having to keep your relationship with Robin a secret?
“I am especially happy that it is over. The filming was last summer, so we had to keep our relationship a secret for four or five months. Robin lives in Utrecht. A lot of people live there so we had to be very careful: for example, being quiet when the neighbor came home and I could only enter the house in a normal way in the evening. Or I had to disguise myself. Then I would wear a hat or wig to go out on the street with her. Since last weekend we have only been able to take a normal walk and I can get breakfast at the supermarket in the morning.”
What is the best thing you learned from Robin?
“There is so much adventure in her. She is not surprised by strange things. She doesn’t know much about agriculture yet, but that doesn’t matter to me. Actually, I was looking for someone who is different from me. Someone who looks at the world in a different way and wants to experience life. That’s why we went for a lot of walking in the rugged nature during our city trip and there are plans to climb Kilimanjaro together. She is much more interested in art and culture.
Then she looks at a painting… (Richard falls silent for a moment)
Yes, then of course I have to mention a painting. (He stutters again). I can’t think of anything right now. Anyway, I also have it when I drive through a city. Then I see stone buildings, but she sees art, architecture. She can tell quite a story. She shows me a completely different world and that’s what I like about her.”
How do you see the future?
“Next week Robin is coming here again for a weekend. Then we go to the Christmas market in Vienna. She often tries to come here, then she is here for a week or weekend. But it remains difficult, she has a job from which she cannot always take time off. And because of the farm I can’t travel to the Netherlands that often.”
Has she met your family yet?
“No not yet. She only met my parents. But the family already knew about her existence. During Christmas we visit both families to meet everyone.
And that is also a thing with Farmer Seeks Woman. During the overnight stay week you try to find out if there is a match. Only after that week does the relationship begin. I am now getting to know her life in the Netherlands. Her favorite pub, the friends she hangs out with. But we enjoy life. In the long term she will get here, but we are not there yet. First we want to grow closer to each other. She is happy with me. And me with her.”
Would you ever go back to the Netherlands?
“I never rule it out, but for now I’ll just stay here. I am close to the Austrian border, the area is fairly well developed. Slovakia is not that different from Groningen. In some ways it is even better here. For example, there is a pub in the village here, but this is often no longer the case in Groningen villages. Moreover, there is a C&A nearby. I can hardly think of anything more Dutch. Our adventure has just begun, we will make something beautiful out of it, wherever it may be.”