7th Generation Dairy Famer Sells Land for $21,000,000

For more than three decades, the northeast corner of Hawes and Warner has been home to one of East Mesa’s most recognizable agricultural landmarks — the family dairy operated by Pieter Van Rijn. That chapter is now turning a page. Pieter — a seventh-generation dairy farmer from the Netherlands — sold just over 60 acres of his land for $21,000,000. The shift symbolizes one of the most notable land-use transitions in the region in recent years.

From the Netherlands to the East Valley

Pieter Van Rijn’s story is rooted in heritage. His family has been in the dairy business for seven generations, carrying a European farming legacy that dates back centuries. After immigrating from the Netherlands, Pieter established Van Rijn Dairy in East Mesa in 1990 — bringing Old-World discipline, family-run stewardship, and a commitment to quality to the Arizona desert.

Over the years, the dairy became more than a business — it became part of the fabric of East Mesa. Residents driving past Hawes and Warner would have long associated the open land, grazing cattle, and agricultural scenes with a lifestyle quickly disappearing across the East Valley.

Why the Sale Matters

The sale of more than 60 acres isn’t just a land deal — it’s a symbolic shift. As the city expands eastward, agricultural parcels are becoming magnets for development. The Hawes and Warner corner, once surrounded by farmland, is now a focal point for residential and commercial interest.

For the Van Rijn family, the decision to sell did not come lightly. This land has been farmed, cared for, and lived on since the early 1990s. But the realities of growth, zoning changes, and increasing land values created an opportunity that aligned with the region’s evolving landscape.

What Comes Next for the Land

The land that once supported dairy operations is now part of a proposed expansion under the Hawes Crossing master-planned community. The development plan aims to rezone the more than 60-acre parcel to accommodate new housing.

Plans for the site include:

• A sizable single-residence community with hundreds of homes.

• A mix of housing types: traditional single-family homes and potentially higher-density housing.

• Neighborhood amenities, open space or green areas, and improved pedestrian and vehicle access.

• In short: the land where cows once grazed is now poised to become homes where future East Mesa families will live.

Honoring a Legacy

Even as the land transitions, the legacy remains — carried not only in memory but in the impact that Van Rijn Dairy had on local agriculture, community identity, and Mesa’s history.

The sale reminds us of:

• A living link to the Valley’s agricultural past

• A family-operated business built on generational knowledge

• A rare story of Old-World farming transplanted successfully into the Arizona desert

A Community in Transition

As farmland disappears and rooftops rise, stories like Pieter’s remind us of what came before. The East Valley’s growth has been fueled by pioneers who worked the land long before developers ever drew plans.

Now, future families will call this corner home — living on soil shaped by generations of Van Rijn stewardship.