In a pub in Groningen in 1979, Koster suggested creating a literary magazine in Drèents. His fellow student, Ton Kolkman from Twente, was instantly enthused. That same day they wrote the first issue of Roet (Drèents for garden weeds). From its improvised beginnings, the magazine went on to become one of the house publications of the Drèents emancipation institute Huus van de Taol. It profiled itself as antagonistic towards stiflingly old-fashioned, conservative and untalented writing. The time of siep, schaop en scheuper (sheep dog, sheep and shepherd), proclaimed the editors, was over.Martin Koster (ed.) (2004), Strèupers van de taol: 25 jaor Roet, Zuidwolde: Het Drentse Boek Shortly before starting Roet, Koster had been an editor of De Pennevogel (appearing between 1974–1979) which, on a similar tack as its predecessor 't Swieniegeltje, had included work in several varieties of Low Saxon from the Netherlands and Germany.
