Farm
“The Holt, with its balance of habitats and farming practices ….. is poised on the cutting edge of land management with parkland and wood pasture at its centre”
Kim Wilkie, landscape architect, 2018.
History
The Holt has been farmed by three generations of the same family. It is 780 acres divided into approximately 270 acres of arable land, 80 acres of pasture and 430 acres of woodland. The main house is dated 1687 and there is evidence that there was an earlier house on the same site. Little has changed in the area surrounding the main house for several hundred years and there is traditional species rich parkland which is grazed with cattle and sheep. It is managed to encourage the native flora and fauna.
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Livestock
Devon Cattle
The Durwood Herd of North Devon Cattle have been at The Holt for the past 50 years, and are a good-looking docile traditional breed and renowned for their delicious meat and excel in conservation grazing. They are recognised internationally for their ability to produce the very finest beef on a low input system.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, food writer and broadcaster, is also an owner of Red Rubies and knows first hand the qualities of Red Ruby Beef:
“Red Ruby Devons are beautiful animals producing beautiful beef. When grass fed they have excellent marbling and superb flavour. As far as I’m concerned, Red Ruby Devon beef is as good as it gets!”
For Sale:
Devon Steers & Heifers – 12-14 months – Available now.
Wiltshire Horn Sheep
Wiltshire Horns have a short fleece which naturally sheds in the spring. Their lambs have the ability to grow without putting on excess fat and are able to finish off grass. Their meat is therefore of exceptional quality. The ewes have high maternal instincts and they are a hardy native breed. Do get in touch if you are interested in lamb for your freezer or shearling ewes for breeding or grazing.
For Sale:
Wiltshire Horn Shearlings for sale – All pedigree and registered with the Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society.
For more information or to arrange a visit please contact info@theholtestate.co.uk.
Visit Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society for more info about this good natured and low maintenance breed.
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Both the Devon Cattle breed and the Wiltshire Horn breed are on the “at risk” register and have been in existence for centuries. It is important that the genetic conservation of these breeds are preserved.
The pasture benefits from grazing with cattle and sheep and with careful management wild flowers are encouraged to grow in our chalky soils.
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Crops
The crops rotate annually but often comprise of wheat, barley or borage. We also plant specialist mixes of wild bird seed.
