Metske Van Der Laan
An organic grower for over 20 years, Metske runs the Bore Place market garden as a standalone business. He supplies guests and the kitchen at Bore Place as well as local farm shops and wholesalers and runs a weekly stall at a farmers' market in Stoke Newington in London. Metske employs a small team in the growing season.
Metske is committed to exploring ways to farm that encourage biodiversity at Bore Place and is evangelical about the benefits of organic farming and food. Visitors and staying guests can book tours and talks with him, where he shares his extensive knowledge and passion for organic growing.
Dan Burdett
Dan is the contract organic dairy farmer, working in partnership with Bore Place to build a successful dairy farm that has regenerative practice at its core, whilst integrating with the other enterprises on site.
Dan has been an organic dairy farmer in West Sussex for the past 13 years and is firmly committed to the principles of organic farming. He is passionate about building diversity into everything we grow at Bore Place, to benefit the farm’s ecology, as well as improving the estate’s soil. He is also committed to helping to build a connection between visitors to Bore Place and where food comes from.
You can find out more about the farm at Bore Place, and our regenerative journey here.
Dave Holton
Dave leads the award-winning Blackwoods Cheese Company producing soft cow's milk cheese, made on-site at Bore Place using organic milk from our dairy herd. All the cheeses are made by hand using as little intervention as possible.
Dave has made, matured, and sold cheese across the world. His experience includes working for Neals Yard Dairy and with British cheese-making pioneer, Mary Holbrook on Sleight farm in Somerset.
Visitors to Bore Place can buy Blackwoods cheese on-site as well as experience guided cheese tastings. Dave also offers apprenticeships and training opportunities to people starting in cheesemaking.
John Waller
John has been working at Bore Place since the early 1990s and is a traditional craftsman using "underwood” or “coppice-wood” as well as being responsible for managing our woodlands. John makes baskets, living willow work, continuous fencing and hurdles, as well as running courses in these rural skills.
John’s aim is to promote the health and viability of our woodlands whilst spreading knowledge and enthusiasm for traditional rural skills. You can find out more about John and the courses he offers here.
Rachna Jhala
Rachna founded Happy Belly Foods in 2009 after learning about the benefits of kefir from a neighbour in New York City. Using raw milk from the Bore Place herd, Rachna makes a selection of fermented dairy products at her workshop close to the Bore Place estate. The range includes an array of 'gut-friendly' products including raw milk kefir, sweet coconut raw kefir, yoghurt, labneh (a type of cheese), and ghee.
Much has been written recently about the human microbiome and the link between our gut and our wider health. Rachna has personally experienced the benefits of improved gut health acquired through drinking kefir and is a great proponent of what it can offer. Rachna runs yoghurt and kefir making workshops for guests staying at Bore Place as well as part of our community programme of events.
Chris Allwood
Chris Allwood is the man behind Free Range Glamping, situated here at Bore Place. Chris's background is in charity work, helping develop social enterprises.
His passion has always been woodwork and making things and Chris now builds and maintains the yurts and shepherds huts that can be found at Bore Place and runs these independently as Free Range Glamping, which shares its revenue with Bore Place and broadens the opportunities to stay here.
Zowie Martin
Zowie Martin lives on site at Bore Place and offers yoga and Thai massage to visitors and staying guests by appointment. Zowie is a British Wheel of Yoga teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience and additional training in Pregnancy Yoga and Mindfulness.
Her approach combines mindfulness techniques of focusing on the breath, bodily sensations and mental activity with yoga asana for a slow-paced meditative practice, inclusive and suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.