Jan Grashuis: Man with a mission

Memories of his daughter Tinneke

“I am the youngest child in the family and grew up in the villa on the De Schothorst estate. What a wonderful place to grow up: plenty of space, freedom, and nature. There was always something fun to do,” Tinneke recalls with a broad smile. The children of the employees also have fond memories of that time. During the reunion of the Schothorst 'family,' they shared their stories, such as the rides in the pony cart that Jan Grashuis had arranged for the children.

Hard worker

"My father was truly a hardworking man. He gave thousands of lectures and courses to farmers all over the country. He never stayed anywhere overnight and always drove back home. My mother made sure someone rode with him so he would get home safely. But even after such a long day, he always made a round of the stables before going to bed."

When Tinneke went to school parties in Amersfoort, she was always picked up by her father at half-past ten. "There was a boy who sometimes offered to take me home after such a party. My father would say, 'Come sit in the back seat, you can come along and then walk back.' Of course, those boys would back out."

Tinneke also often went with her father to lectures. "I sometimes found that a bit uncomfortable, especially when he started with 'Madam, gentlemen...' in front of a hall of 500 farmers. Then all those farmers would turn their heads to see who that 'madam' was."

Despite his long working days, Tinneke never experienced her father as absent: "He had a study in our living area of the Schothorst villa, so his children and later his grandchildren could always walk in and play in his room while he was working." The door was also always open for his employees, although you were better off approaching him with difficult questions only after he had enjoyed his first morning coffee with a cigar, Tinneke recalls. "After such a conversation with my father, the employees would often have a cup of coffee with my mother Gerda, for the coziness and to catch up."

Jan Grashuis took his work for De Schothorst very seriously and felt responsible for everything that happened at the institute. "To clear his head and think about issues, my father liked to mow the grass with the scythe. When we saw him doing that, we knew he was struggling with something," Tinneke says with a wink.

Man with a mission
Grashuis had a huge sense of responsibility for his people, his work, and the world around him. He had deep respect for his mentor, Professor Sjollema, who was an advisor at De Schothorst for a long time. Many farmer's sons from the Achterhoek came to De Schothorst. The family farm usually went to the eldest son, and Grashuis felt responsible for the well-being of the second sons of 'his' farmers too.

Mr. Regelink, who was in charge of the feed trials in Zelhem, also moved to De Schothorst with Grashuis. Regelink often drove with his boss to lectures and sometimes babysat Tinneke in the evenings. "Regelink was a wise man, not highly educated, but an important conversation partner for my father and mother. When my mother worried about my father's hard work, Regelink would say, 'Ah, dear, you can't turn an oak into a pine.' In other words, that drive is in him, and you can't take it out."

"Helping farmers move forward was my father's mission, and his sharp eye was unmatched," Tinneke says proudly. "He considered the trust of the farmers as a precious asset and always wanted to handle it carefully. Working independently for the farmers was essential to him. That's why he turned down positions that could threaten his independence throughout his life. 'Never sell your freedom for money,' was his motto."

It's clear that Jan Grashuis played a huge role in the development and professionalization of animal feed in the Netherlands. But that's not all: Grashuis cherished values that still form the core of Schothorst Feed Research: Independence, transparency, scientific foundation, attention to people (farmers and employees), and social involvement.

Who was Jan Grashuis?

Jan Grashuis was the founder and first director of De Schothorst. As a veterinarian in Zelhem, he expanded his practice to become the largest in the Netherlands. During his work, he saw many deficiency diseases in livestock, often caused by nutritional shortages. When he studied in Utrecht, there was little focus on nutrition, which motivated him to conduct feed research in Zelhem and advise farmers on improvements.

In 1932, Grashuis graduated cum laude under Professor Sjollema with his dissertation on the shortcomings of meal rations for fattening pigs and the associated disease symptoms. At that time, pig feeds were mainly based on available raw materials, without considering the specific needs of the animals. There were significant differences in feed compositions between different parts of the Netherlands.

Grashuis' passion for animal nutrition and his commitment to increasing knowledge in this area led to the establishment of the CLO control (CLO stands for Central Agricultural Organizations) in 1934. With this, Jan Grashuis laid the foundation for today's Schothorst Feed Research. In 1935, he became the director of the CLO control, and the Grashuis family moved to Arnhem. The Zelhem Experimental Farm was placed under the CLO control Management Committee, but Grashuis wanted more opportunities for nutritional research.

In 1938, the De Schothorst estate became available, and the Institute for Modern Animal Nutrition De Schothorst was established there. Grashuis moved with his wife and children to the estate and became the director of this brand-new research institute.