About

The Team

Charlie

The Farmer

Susie

The Farmer’s Wife

Becca

The Farmer’s Daughter

Beth

The Operations Manager

Nick

The Farm Foreman

Heidi

The Office Manager

Dottie (THE BOSS)

The Farmer’s Granddaughter

Jen

The Head Barista

Dogs

–

Current Farm, Wildlife & Sustainability

Holden Farm produces cereal crops of wheat, barley and oats. The oats are bought by the same grain merchant that sells to (un)ordinary oat drink, therefore an oat or two or three of ours is in the drink we serve at the cafe!

We have a small flock of sheep that are part of our wildlife management. They graze large swathes of wild flower meadow and enhance the habitat.

We have always been passionate about our wildlife. We have joined the Winchester Downs Cluster in order to share our work with the wider public with the assistance of the South Downs National Park and work with our neighbours to provide better wildlife corridors.

The Winchester Downs Cluster have a particular focus on the habitat and well being of the Lapwing, Grey Partridge and Barn Owl.

You will notice at Holden Farm that we have beautiful wild flower meadows and hedgerows which have encouraged many butterflies, bees and other insects.

We actively ask our campers to look out for wildlife as we have a small number of Barn Owls on site, a growing population of bats as well as hedgehogs, deer and other wildlife.

Please let us know if you see anything as we like to keep a record of all sightings!

Farm History & Family Story

The Corbett family are guardians of Holden Farm and have been for over 100 years. Currently it is run by Charlie and Susie Corbett with their daughter Becca.

The farm has seen many changes over the years. It is said that the name Holden derived from ‘Holding’ – the farm was originally a holding place for animals heading to market in Alresford. One of the principal trades in Alresford during the Middle Age was wool and Alresford’s wide streets made an ideal place to trade livestock. The Alresford Sheep Fair was an integral part of the local economy only to die out before WW1.

After this the Corbett family have been in residence. The farm was originally home to a full time dairy herd, over 500 lambing ewes and even Wild Boar cross Tamworth pigs. However, for many reasons, the farm has diversified to what you see today.