Thursday 1 September 2011

Enter the Soil Association Raffle and win a week’s holiday!

As a company based in the West Country, with our properties strewn across some of the most fantastic natural landscapes to be found in Britain, we share many ideals with the Soil Association, a membership charity campaigning for planet-friendly food and farming.

If you buy organic food at your supermarket, you’ll likely have spotted their logo – the Soil Association symbol is the UK's most recognised trademark for organic produce. When used on food packaging, it tells you that produce is certified to high organic standards and provides an assurance of organic authenticity.

The Hayloft, Kentisbeare
If organic living is important to you, you’ll be pleased to hear that this year, together with Maddocks Farm Organics, we’re supporting the Soil Association by providing part of the first prize for their Summer Raffle - a week’s holiday for 12 people at The Hayloft in Kentisbeare, east Devon. The winner will also receive £1,000 spending money - and there are super prizes for the runners up too.

The Hayloft, a very roomy and comfy house beautifully converted from a barn, is just over a mile from both Kentisbeare and Cullompton, in the middle of rolling farmland and on the edge of the Blackdown Hills. The property is located on a 5 acre organic smallholding (loads of fresh vegetables available), which you are welcome to walk, with lovely views across miles of countryside. We’ve had lots of positive feedback from people who’ve enjoyed happy holidays here.

Whether you’d like to enter the raffle yourself or sell tickets to raise extra donations, you’ll need to request your books of tickets by 12th September and return your entries by 29th September. The draw will be made on 30th September. So be quick and good luck!

You can find full competition details on the Soil Association website.

We’ve some other lovely holiday homes on organic farms or smallholdings. Take a look at Mallard Cottage (pictured left) in Poltimore, east Devon, a comfy cottage in the grounds of the owners' 60 acre organic farm which you are welcome to roam or Stickwick House on Dartmoor, a fine, Grade II listed, 18 century Georgian country house surrounded by lush farmland and a 50 acre organic farm. 

In the South Hams, you’ll find delightful Crannacombe Farmhouse on an 80 acre organic farm in the beautiful river Avon valley and excellent Blackthorn Barn near Kingsbridge on an organic 300 acre sheep/beef farm which you are welcome to wander. Or how about spacious Merryfield Farmhouse in St Cleer, south Cornwall, beside a 114 acre organic farm?

The Soil Association is the UK's leading environmental charity campaigning for sustainable, organic farming and championing human health. You can follow them on Twitter and Facebook.