National Mill Day

The second weekend of May is Nationale Molendag.  What a great day to be in The Netherlands.  This weekend the Molenaars (Millers) open up their mills for the public to come and explore.  Last year I went to two windmills near where I live and spent about two hours at each talking to the molenaar and watching them do their work.  Everyone knows The Netherlands is famous for their windmills but there are about as many water mills here as well.  There are nine water mills and six windmills within six kilometers (6.2 miles) of my village (Schimmert).

I am fascinated by mills and always have been.  The primative but effective machinery inside them is very interesting to me and the workmanship is incredible.  It is amazing to think about how these massive structures were constructed up to three hundred years ago and how they have survived to this day. 

I have been to several mills and because I speak some Dutch I have been able to listen to the molenaars tell their story.  As usual, I will start a conversation in Dutch and when I run into a dead end with my vocabulary I have to switch back and forth to English.  But the Dutch love when you attempt to speak their language and are usually very willing to conduct a bi-lingual conversation with you.   

Of course there are tourist areas like Kinderdijk that are businesses and you can tour mills there but the most interesting way to learn about mills is to just stop your car and walk up to a working mill and ask if you can go in and see it.  A molenaar, like any craftsman, is proud of his/her work and they are equally proud of their mill.  I have often been amazed at how long they are willing to stop their work and talk about milling.  If you show some knowledge and, more importantly, some interest, they will treat you right.  I have been taught by a windmill operator how to shut down a mill at the end of the day and furl the canvass "sails".  Another molenaar walked me through the entire grist (grain grinding) process from the sacks of grain coming into the mill through bagging the flour.  All you have to do is ask.

So where are all the mills?  Use the following link to go to a site that will show you the mills around any particular town.  Just type in the name of the town where it says "Adres/Platts" and the number of kilometers out from that town you want to look in the field labeled "Afstand" and then click on "zoek molens".  This will bring up a Google map with icons for windmills and watermills.  Just click on the icon and you will bring up some information on the mill.  Like any Google map you can zoom in and get directions.  It is a great tool to help you explore the area around your town. http://www.nationalemolendag.nl/index2.php?molenkaart=1

 

Today is a near perfect day for visiting windmills.  It rained last night and this morning but now it is cool but sunny and more importantly, very breezy.  Windmills are much more fun to visit when the wind is blowing and the sail is able to drive the machinery.  The average size windmill generates about 75-90 horsepower at the shaft under full sail with a steady, full wind. 

The Dutch used wind and water mills for centuries to pump water, grind grain for flour and and oil seeds for the oil, some were used as sawmills, some were papermills, and some drove other misc. machinery.  They are amazing examples of technology.  Kinderdijk is famous and it is an interesting tour but make an effort to get out and see the mills in your local area. 

Tot Ziens!