HOW A DUTCHMAN AND AN AUSTRIAN FOUND HAPPINESS NEAR SRBAC

While many dream of a better life in more developed countries — stable jobs, secure incomes, predictable routines — some choose a completely different path. Among them are Denis Tijsman (45) from Rotterdam and his wife Julijana (31) from the outskirts of Vienna, who traded big-city life for the quiet hills of Sitneši near Srbac, where they have spent nearly four years living in harmony with nature, far from the noise and pressure of urban life.

PHOTO: Dejan Jovičić / Glas Srpske

Their decision was bold, almost unconventional. They arrived at a hilly property beneath Mount Motajica with no prior experience in livestock, farming, or sustainable living. Denis had worked in management in a private company, and Julijana left university driven by a desire for change. Both walked away from a safe, predictable lifestyle and stepped into the unknown.

The couple met in 2015 in Thailand, where Denis worked as a diving instructor and Julijana was his student. After she became an instructor as well, they traveled the world teaching diving. Their journey to the Balkans began through WWOOOF, an international network connecting volunteers with organic farms. They originally planned to visit eight farms, but never made it past the first — Sitneši won them over instantly.

“We planned to stay only two weeks, but we loved it so much that we extended our stay to three months. That’s when the idea of having our own piece of land was born,” Julijana explains.

In the beginning, they slept in a tent, cooked over a fire, and learned everything from scratch. With no water, electricity, or tools, giving up still wasn’t an option.

“We were like a team learning how to survive and organize life. It wasn’t hard because we never cared for luxury,” Denis recalls.

Their motto “little by little,” tattooed on their skin, became a symbol of persistence. Today, their farm operates as a small, self-sustaining ecosystem. Denis handles infrastructure, and Julijana takes care of the animals and production. Most of what they know about rural life they learned from books and the internet, researching techniques and gradually building knowledge.

“At first we raised sheep, but switched to French Alpine goats. Goats eat everything — bushes, shrubs — which fits our land much better. Now we even make hay out of branches from cut trees,” Denis says.

Over time, a donkey named Ludwig joined their farm as a guardian for the herd — an idea inspired by Canadian farmers who use donkeys to protect livestock.

“One time a jackal took a lamb, so we decided to try with a donkey. It worked. When a predator appears, Ludwig simply kicks it and scares it away. Later, a female donkey, Heidi, joined him, and now she’s pregnant. We plan to produce donkey milk in the future,” Julijana says.

They also have a Belgian Malinois trained for more than 300 hours to monitor the sky and react to hawks and other predators.

“We trained him to warn us by barking, and he does a great job even though dogs usually don’t expect danger from above. His only flaw is that he also reacts to airplanes,” Denis adds with a laugh.

Another unique feature of their farm is a mobile chicken coop moved every two days.

“The manure falls directly onto the soil, so the chickens fertilize the land themselves. The earth regenerates naturally. With our old fixed coop, the soil became too acidic. Now, everything grows healthier,” Denis explains.

The couple produces almost all their food. Their land holds around 200 old fruit trees scattered across the property. Julijana makes vinegar, jams, and natural creams. They still buy a few basic items, but their goal is full independence.

“A neighbor taught me how to make cheese and kajmak. I also make homemade elderflower, blackberry, and strawberry wine for the evenings after work. We even bought a beehive — though we lost three hives the first year due to cold weather. Now they’re in a better spot, so we hope they survive winter,” she says.

Caring for health and nature is their top priority. They avoid chemicals and cosmetics because their water source lies below the property.

“Anything artificial would end up in our spring. So we wash with natural soap, and honestly, it’s better for our skin and our sanity. I don’t even bother with makeup — the only ones who see me are the goats,” Julijana adds.

Although they don’t yet fully live off the farm, they earn additional income from the Netherlands and Austria.

“We work 80 to 100 hours a week, but it’s not exhausting. It’s better to be tired from real work than stressed out in an office. Life is fuller now. People want instant results, but we’ve learned to wait — sometimes for months, sometimes for years. When I see that the number of birds on our land has increased tenfold, that’s the greatest reward,” Denis says.

Julijana runs their Instagram and TikTok profiles under the name a_good_eggsample, sharing stories from life on the farm. With a talent for writing, she hopes to write a book someday, though for now there’s little time for that.

Denis notes that people often romanticize this lifestyle, but behind every photo lie hours of physical work.

“If I could choose, I would do everything the same — only earlier. At 45, it’s harder on the body. But I couldn’t imagine doing this without Julijana. It’s important that both partners share the same vision. Even when we disagree, we find compromise. Our life together is built on years of trust and understanding,” Denis told Glas Srpske.

Julijana’s mother and stepfather frequently visit. They even bought land next to their property — planning to build a weekend cottage on half a hectare and use the remaining four hectares as a small farm.

“At first, my mom didn’t like my decision at all, but now she visits often, stays ten days at a time, and helps us. She even sleeps on our property, while my stepfather prefers a hotel. We also discovered that although my stepfather is Austrian, my mom’s family originally comes from this area — her maiden name was Vidović, which is common in the nearby village of Srđevići. In a way, that connects us even more to this place,” Julijana says.

The couple quickly made friends in the village — from local butchers and restaurant owners to mechanics and construction workers who helped them settle in.

“People here are wonderful; everyone helps each other. It feels good to be part of a community. Once we were looking for our lost dog, and every neighbor invited us in for a drink. In the end, we spent more time socializing than searching for the dog,” Denis laughs.