The Farm and Food

The farm at Huntingford Camping runs along the River Wey valley and is mainly on sandy soils that underlie the Commons at Frensham and Hindhead. The meadows that lie along the river are excellent grazing for livestock. Fields higher up the valley provide drier grazing over winter, so our cattle and sheep can be outside all year round, in their natural environment.

All our animals are native breeds, several of which are rare, and their conservation is very important to us.  By this we contribute to the biodiversity of the local area.

We have a herd of pedigree Aberdeen Angus Cattle and a few crossed British Whites, who can make the most of the quite poor grassland , particularly in the recently dry summers. We sell the youngstock on to be fattened up by other farmers to enter the food chain.

We have a flock of award-winning pedigree Wiltshire Horn Sheep who provide excellent meat and maintain the grassland in good condition. They are unique in that they do not have wool, but hair, which thickens in winter and is shed in the spring. This of course saves on shearing and is the reason why other farmers are looking towards this once near-extinct breed to introduce into flocks across the UK.

In addition we have pedigree Berkshire and Tamworth pigs, both breeds are at a high risk of extinction. We sell youngstock but rear the majority for meat that is sold locally. We keep chickens, ducks, geese and guinea fowl for their eggs.

The majority of the farm is grassland interspersed by small patches of woodland. This provides all the food for cattle and sheep through the year and is home to a range of wildlife from red kites and buzzards at the top to voles, finches and butterflies at the bottom.

In the early mornings you may even be able to see the odd deer!

All our animals are bred for food, so their health and welfare is of upmost importance.

The beef is fattened elsewhere but the sheep are butchered on site and sold in the autumn or early spring to local supporters.

All the meat is butchered here by us. The pigs produce a variety of products which you are able to buy at reception. All of our sausages, bacon and hamburgers are made according to our own recipes we have developed over the years.

Our chicken eggs are available, through the camping season, to buy from reception.

We also produce a selection of jams, chutneys and jellies that we make from a surplus in the garden and hedgerows.

We breed these animals for meat and to sell on as it is the only viable and sustainable way to preserve and increase the numbers of the species, to prevent them from going extinct. For example, there are only 363 pedigree breeding Berkshire sows in the UK, of which we have 4. The reason why these breeds are rare is because they take longer to rear than commercial breeds, so are more expensive in terms of money and time. By buying our hand-reared and hand made products, you are supporting us and playing an important part in breed preservation.