Lesson from a Wind Miller at a Windmill in Holland

I was in Holland a few weeks ago and had the opportunity to speak with a real life windmiller.

I thought that wind mills in Holland were used for grinding grain or creating some type of power. Boy was I way off base.

The lowest lands in Holland sit about 4 meter below sea level and each of the windmills was used to pump the water out and into dykes.  In 1633 there were about 52 windmills in the region that moved, on a good day, 1000 liters of water every second to pump the water out of fields!

I was inspired by this just because of the sheer ingenuity of the process.  I also learned that each mill had a family that lived inside the windmill at all times because they never knew when the wind was going to come and they had to be ready to turn the sails in the direction of the wind.

Well instead of letting me bore you with these details and writing this out, why don’t I just introduce you to Fred who operates a mill that has been in his family for generations.

Take it away Fred!