Castrolanda Colony

After the Second World War (1940-1945), many rural producers in the Netherlands wanted to reorganize their lives, economically and socially. Among other things, there was a concern about increasing the agricultural area so that their children could also follow in their parents’ footsteps and find a living in agriculture. In the Netherlands itself, this was difficult and many Dutch families decided to seek a better future for their children on other continents.

Through the Dutch government, several organizations encouraged emigration throughout the world.

At the same time, the Brazilian government felt the need to increase the production of dairy products and agricultural products, encouraging the arrival of settlers.

The meeting of the interests of both sides gave rise to the formation of the Castrolanda Colony: a name from the simple union of the name of the municipality of Castro and the country of origin, Holland.

Colonization began when the first group of three families of farmers and ten other people, children of farmers, carpenters and mechanics, arrived in Castro on November 30, 1951. This group settled on Felipe Fiorillo’s farm and began preparing housing for the subsequent groups, who would arrive until 1954, totaling 50 families.