Magdalena Substelna

Magdalena or Maggie (as everyone affectionately calls her) has been working as a team leader at strawberry grower Limbogt in Oisterwijk for 15 years. She actually came here just to temporarily fill in for the team leader who then went on maternity leave. That was 15 years ago. She liked the work so much that she stayed. It is truly seasonal work, and that is the attraction for Maggie. 'I only go on vacation when it gets quiet,' she says. 'I'm the last one to turn off the lights here and the first one to start when the season begins again.' The fun part of this job is working with people, she finds. She loves observing and helping people. 'But at the end of the season I have had enough of them. Then it's time to go back to Poland,” Maggie says.

The biggest tip Maggie can give to new co-workers is: 'Do everything in slow-motion. It's more important to learn well than to go too fast. Many people look at the other co-workers with 10 years of experience picking strawberries at a killer pace, but it takes time to gain this experience. So, start slowly and the rest will follow automatically. “You have to get a feel for it,” Maggie says.

In the winter months, Maggie goes back to Poland.  'When I'm here, I miss my family, especially my mother's cooking. She is a great cook and I can eat her soups every day,' Maggie says. Fortunately, some family members come over to the Netherlands. This summer, her favorite cousin worked with her to bring in the strawberry harvest.

With the winter months approaching, she has more time for her hobbies, including learning Chinese. “That's just fun to do,” Maggie said. She has a few thick books and listens to Chinese podcasts to master the language.

And next season, she'll be the first in the greenhouse again to prepare strawberry crops.