TJASKER IT HEIDENSKIP

The tjasker is a very simple type of drainage windmill and was (is) mainly found in the peat area of Friesland, West-Groningen, and the northern part of Overijssel. This windmill, which was usually owned by a farmer, can be manually adjusted to the wind. A tjasker can drain a meadow of up to four hectares. If the meadow was flooded in winter, the tjasker was often disassembled and stored indoors.
Tjaskers essentially consist only of four blades and a drum. The drum is a screw-shaped piece of wood (mortar) surrounded by a wooden wall. The water is pushed upwards by the rotating screw.

In the Netherlands, there are still 25 tjaskers to be found, 11 of which are in Friesland. The oldest tjasker in the Netherlands is located in It Heidenskip. This post-tjasker was built in 1915 and restored in 1977. The mill is operational, but has been rendered inactive due to lowering of water levels as a result of land consolidation.

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