Why Coombe works

Last Updated on Friday, 11 June 2010 11:43

Coombe works because of the people involved, their separate expertise, points of view, ethics come together under the umbrella of Coombe. These people help shape Coombe and Coombe helps shape these people.

It is the people who live and work here, the friends who come here and the guests who stay here that make Coombe Farm and Woodlands really work. We especially value our workers whose enthusiasm to implement our sustainable ethics has been exceptional. Here's who they are:

Raymond and Bill maintain the gardens. Their loyalty and commitment is second to none. Raymond took over his father Walt's work at Coombe in the 90's after Walt passed away. Bill adapted to Devon life very well after moving down from London. The beauty of this team of gardeners is that they have an amazing knack of maintaining a balance between wildness and the manicured look which can be seen all around you as you walk through the grounds of Coombe.

Rachael has been our mainstay in cleaning Middle Coombe Farmhouse & Annex. She has saved us from crisis time and time again!

Our cleaning team are all trained in eco cleaning. You are guaranteed to hear laughter from the team as they work away merrily on our change-over days. Humour is a compulsory requirement for working at Coombe.

William & Pam made the transition from conventional farming to Soil Association organic certification back in 2001 when few were doing it. They own the Coombe organic beef herd and supply Tesco's. They also sell wholesale to local pubs and restaurants while developing their organic meat boxes. Of course many of the guests who stay at Middle Coombe Farm sample the meat. The feedback is excellent and usually results with guests purchasing beef to bring back home, some even order a quarter side and freeze it.
If you are lucky enough when you stay here to witness the movement of the herd from one grazing field to another, it's a site to be seen with William calling them and walking ahead like the Pied Piper of Hamlyn!
Pam and William also do horse livery. When you hear the clip clop of horses hooves at 7.00am you know that they have been up since the crack of dawn exercising their expertly groomed horses who adorn the fields so picturesquely. They own a race horse, Bishop's Blade, otherwise known as Bob, who won his first prize Point to Pointing last year! We consider ourselves very lucky to have such fine tenants.

The other Coombe farm tenants are Stewart and Nan who keep a watchful eye on the place and help in the organic veggie garden.

All our workers live either on our doorstep or at the most twenty minutess drive from Coombe.

Ron The Forester planted most of the pine trees in the Coombe woodlands, following this up by thinning them so that they would not blow over, then felling more for fine straight timber. This is all very skilful work, making sure that no dangerous gaps are opened up through which the winds could howl and blow all the trees down. But also allowing enough light through so natural regeneration can start. He's a man of few words is Ron, but much respected.

There have been many working groups of friends to numerous to name who have helped us plant our apple orchards and accomplish some of our major hedge laying projects.

Many wwoofers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) have helped harvest the willow and prune the apple orchard; assist in the organic veggie garden; clear the laurel in the woods and various other jobs.

Maggie the ringleader who organised the Farm House in its life-saving transition from family home to holiday let.

Stephen & Lizzy Jane, Sune & Naomi, our friends who asked to have their weddings here because they love the place so much and thereby proved to us that weddings could be a viable business.