About us


We are Gary and Joanna, who, five years after meeting in Africa, (both doing VSO), were married on a farm in Kent. He was growing strawberries, apples
Any regrets? Yes! We didn’t have strawberries for
The years (and 3 children) have rolled on and we’ve lived in Nigeria, England, Spain, Portugal, Kenya, England again, France and most recently, Tanzania; with our children when they were young, and without them when they weren’t. Joanna has been teaching and Gary’s been mostly growing fruit, vegetables
Since we built the Higher Holcombe farmhouse in 2005, we’ve been hosting all kinds of festivities and special occasions!
Carousing in the courtyard, rocking it up in the Old Dairy (before it was revamped), or gently sipping wine in the meadows or on the slopes – it’s the perfect place for very special occasions! Over the years we’ve transformed the pastureland into woodland glades and with your parties in mind, have renovated the Old Dairy for year-round comfort. We offer you a perfectly secluded countryside canvas with our beautiful barn, maturing woodland
So what else are we doing?
In a small
This is the biggest contribution to the planet the family
We are working on practical ideas and policies to cut down packaging and waste. So far, there is only one rule: no bottled water! The fresh water from our own borehole will taste better than anything you can buy! It is free, and not a scrap of plastic has been involved.
The Old Dairy has just been renovated and fitted with an air-source heat pump to fire up the hot water and the underfloor heating.
Jo & Gary xxx
Get to know us!

GARY
Favourite song: Here, There, Everywhere (Beatles)
Favourite festival: Beautiful Days (Ottery St Mary)
Favourite food: Cheese
Favourite drink: Otter Ale
Favourite trip: Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall
Favourite film: Groundhog Day

JOANNA
Favourite song: Drops of Jupiter (Train)
Favourite festival: Sauti Za Busara, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Chilled Marlborough Sauvignon in the evening.
Favourite trip: Crossing the Sahara in 1981 and climbing the
The team
ANNIE-MAE
Annie-Mae first proved her party-prepping mettle as a 6th former planning a ‘
Favourite festival: Beautiful Days, Ottery St Mary


KIPPER
We first met Kipper when he dug the foundations for the Higher Holcombe farmhouse. Since then, he’s been the first port of call whenever we’ve had a go at
Favourite machine: 3 tonne Digger