What Waltham Place Farm does

Waltham Place Farm is a 220-acre organic and biodynamic farm and garden estate in White Waltham, Berkshire, UK, privately owned by the Oppenheimer family since 1984 (with the estate itself under family ownership since 1910 and documented history dating to AD 940). The operation functions as a near-closed agricultural system integrating livestock (pedigree Jersey cattle, Castlemilk Moorit sheep, Tamworth pigs), arable crops, ancient grain landraces (Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt, Black Emmer, Khorasan), orchards of ~105 heritage fruit trees, a 12-acre woodland, ornamental walled gardens, and a kitchen garden. The estate holds dual certification — Soil Association organic since 1984 and Demeter biodynamic since 2006 — and is endorsed by the Biodynamic Association Board of Studies as a training site for the Level 3 Diploma in Biodynamic Farming and Gardening.

The business operates a diversified, transaction-based revenue model across five primary streams: on-site farm shop sales of seasonal produce (raw Jersey milk, frozen meat, apple juice, ancient grain flour, preserves, books); The Barn tearoom serving seasonal lunch on limited days; guided individual and private group garden tours (£15 and from £23 per person respectively); charged courses and workshops including basketmaking, topiary, cosmic gardening, and conservation events (£30–£130); and curriculum-linked school visits (£8/child, minimum £120). Wholesale distribution of apple juice is handled through partnerships with Drover's Hill Farm and Wildpress (from 2020). Customer segments span garden and nature enthusiasts, school and home-educator groups, biodynamic apprentices and student interns, and special-interest/accessibility-focused visitors (sight loss, dementia outreach).

The estate is supported by a community-led, event-driven go-to-market approach, with visitor acquisition through the website, weekly email newsletter, organic social media, school and apprenticeship partnerships, and a 2024 centenary programme celebrating 100 years of biodynamic agriculture. Core agricultural technology centres on biodynamic preparations, the BeeKind log hive beekeeping system (adopted 2018), on-site grain de-hulling and milling, and active wildlife monitoring (565+ moth species documented since a 2002–2004 baseline of 273). Operations are notably small (approximately 6 employees) and seasonal, with the farm shop and tearoom open on limited days to reinforce scarcity and seasonality.

Name

Waltham Place Farm

Legal name

Waltham Place Farm & Gardens

Website

https://walthamplace.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Waltham Place Farm is a 220-acre dual-certified organic and biodynamic farm estate in Berkshire, UK, owned by the Oppenheimer family since 1984. It generates revenue from a seasonal farm shop, tearoom, guided garden tours, courses, school visits, and limited wholesale of apple juice and ancient grain flour.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic and Biodynamic Farm and Garden Estate

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Agritourism Eco-Lodges & Farm Nature Stays (THAAAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm-to-Table & Agritourism Dining Experiences (Farm Visits, Harvest Meals) (THAJAGAK), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Biodynamic farming
• Organic agriculture
• Farm garden tours
• Heritage orchards
• Agricultural education

Headquarters

HQ city

White Waltham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Farm Shop — Fresh Produce and Provisions: Seasonal farm shop selling biodynamic/organic fruit, vegetables, meat (pork, lamb, mutton, beef), raw Jersey milk, preserves (jams, chutneys), apple juice, ancient grain flours, and published books. Open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday during the growing season (June to December). Products are priced higher than conventional alternatives to reflect welfare and production standards.
2. The Barn Tearoom: Seasonal lunch restaurant (The Barn) serving dishes made from home-produced biodynamic and organic ingredients. Lunch served 12–2 pm on Wednesdays (and Saturdays in peak season). No table reservations accepted. Revenue from food and beverage service.
3. Garden Tours and Events: Guided garden tours at £15 per person (including organic cordial), private group tours at £23 per head with tea package, and special interest events (bat walks, moth nights, etc.) priced at £5–£15 per person. Booking is essential and pre-payment secures places. Cancellation charges apply (50% within 14 days, 100% within 13 days for tours).
4. Courses, Workshops and Educational Events: Charged educational events including basketmaking (£130), topiary (£80), cosmic gardening (£60), save your own seeds (£30), make your own compost (£30), and school visits (£8 per child, minimum £120 per visit). Biodynamic apprenticeships are supported via the Biodynamic Agricultural College. Revenue supports the estate's educational mission.
5. Wholesale and Partnership — Apple Juice and Grain Products: Apple juice is pressed, pasteurised, and bottled at Drover's Hill farm (local partner). In 2020, Waltham began supplying heirloom apple varieties to Wildpress for their single and combined juice presses. Ancient grain flour is sold through the yearly Christmas Shop. These channels diversify revenue beyond direct retail.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waltham Place Farm is a 220-acre organic and biodynamic farm and garden estate offering pre-booked guided garden tours of its 17th-century walled and naturalistic ornamental gardens, a seasonal farm shop selling biodynamic produce (raw Jersey milk, heritage meat, ancient grain flour, apple juice, preserves), and The Barn tearoom serving farm-to-table lunches. Educational offerings include school visits, skill-based courses (basketmaking, topiary, composting), biodynamic apprenticeships, student internships, and wildlife events (bat walks, moth nights). The estate operates as a near-closed system where livestock, orchards, kitchen garden, ancient grains, and honeybees feed one another.

Product overview

Waltham Place Farm is a 220-acre organic and biodynamic farm offering a diverse range of products and services. The core offerings include guided garden tours of naturalistic ornamental gardens, a farm shop selling seasonal biodynamic produce (raw Jersey milk, organic meat, ancient grain flour, apple juice, jams and preserves), and The Barn tearoom serving seasonal menus. Educational offerings encompass school visits, biodynamic gardening courses, apprenticeships (Level 3 Diploma), student internships, and special interest events including wildlife walks. The farm also produces books documenting estate life and offers a vegetable box scheme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Barn: The tearoom at Waltham Place offering seasonal dining with home-produced biodynamic and organic produce.
• Waltham Place Farm Shop
• Waltham Place Raw Jersey Milk

Products and services

• Garden Tours
• Farm Shop
• The Barn (Tearoom)
• Raw Jersey Milk
• Organic Apple Juice
• Spelt, Emmer & Black Emmer Flour
• Biodynamic Meat
• Preserves (Jams and Chutneys)
• A Year at Waltham Place (Book)
• The Covid Years – Waltham Vol II (Book)
• School Visits
• Biodynamic Gardening Courses and Workshops
• Wildlife Events
• Biodynamic Apprenticeships
• Student Internships
• Vegetable Box Scheme

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ species of wildlife recorded on the estate including 565 moth species, 61 bee species, 73 bird species, and 56 spider species, demonstrating exceptional biodiversity driven by the estate's chemical-free management.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WildpressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020In 2020, Waltham Place began supplying specific heirloom apple varieties to Wildpress for their single and combined juice presses. Wildpress founders Adam and Nadeem source, taste, and pair lesser-known heritage apple varieties from small local orchards. Waltham's contribution to this partnership extends the reach of its orchard produce beyond direct farm gate sales.
• Brenthurst Gardens and St Andrew's Office Garden, JohannesburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Waltham Place took the log hive beekeeping idea to Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2019, making two log hives for Brenthurst Gardens and St Andrew's Office Garden with help from Brenthurst staff and attendees of the 2019 Oppenheimer Research Conference.
• Matt Somerville / BeeKind HivescoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Matt Somerville, a cabinet maker and beehive designer, developed the log hive system for honeybees. Vinnie (Waltham Place beekeeper) attended a log hive course with Somerville in April 2018 and subsequently adopted the system. The log hives are designed to mimic natural wild honeybee cavities raised 12–15 ft off the ground. The estate also offers yearly courses on making log hives.
• Berkshire Moth GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013The Berkshire Moth Group has conducted annual moth surveys at Waltham Place since 2013, including public Moth Night events. Led initially by David White, Les Finch, and later Bernard Clark, volunteers have contributed night-time light trapping surveys. The resulting moth species list stands at 565, up from the 2002–2004 baseline of 273 species.
• BuglifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Buglife conducted a three-day invertebrate survey of the estate in 2008, recording 346 species of which 10.4% were of conservation significance. This survey established a biodiversity baseline and highlighted the estate's deadwood management policy as a key driver of habitat quality. Buglife also completed a spider survey in 2017.
• Biodynamic Agricultural CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaltham Place supports the work-based training offered by the Biodynamic Agricultural College, hosting students on the Level 3 Diploma in Biodynamic Farming and Gardening — a two-year programme combining practical on-farm experience with theoretical seminars during winter months. Students gain hands-on experience working alongside experienced practitioners at the estate. Waltham Place provides the on-the-job training component of this formal qualification.
• Berks and South Bucks Bat GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRose Ann Movsovic of the Berks and South Bucks Bat Group leads the annual public bat walk at Waltham Place in August. Recordings made by Movsovic during bat walks in 2020 contributed to evidence for the possible presence of the rare barbastelle bat on the estate.
• The Seed Co-operativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kitchen Garden grows seed crops under contract to The Seed Co-operative. This partnership diversifies the kitchen garden's output and supports the cooperative's mission to provide open-pollinated seed varieties. The relationship reflects Waltham's commitment to seed sovereignty and biodiversity.
• Drover's Hill FarmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaltham Place's apple juice is pressed, pasteurised, and bottled at Drover's Hill farm, a local partner. This arrangement enables value-added processing of the orchard harvest while maintaining a low carbon footprint through proximity.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sissinghurst Castle Garden: Sissinghurst is a National Trust heritage garden in Kent with strong visitor education programming. It is comparable on the heritage walled garden + visitor education + plant retail model, though not a working farm.
• Kew Gardens: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a leading botanical garden attraction with significant education, research, and conservation programmes. Comparable on the botanic garden visitor + conservation + education axis, though at vastly larger scale and as a public institution.
• RHS Garden Wisley: RHS Wisley is a major ornamental garden attraction in Surrey with garden tours, education, and a large plant/garden shop. It is comparable as a visitor garden experience with educational programming, though operated at a much larger scale and without the working-farm component.
• Riverford Organic Farmers: Riverford is one of the UK's largest organic vegetable box and farm shop operators. It is comparable on organic vegetable box scheme and farm-grown produce, though its scale and box delivery model dwarf Waltham Place's on-site retail.
• Daylesford Organic Farm: Daylesford is a much larger organic farm estate in the Cotswolds with a flagship farm shop, cafés, cookery school, and home delivery. It is a direct comparable on the organic farm shop + café + education axis, though operating at significantly greater scale and a broader commercial footprint than Waltham Place.

Regional players

• The Lost Gardens of Heligan: Heligan is a heritage estate in Cornwall with restored gardens, food and beverage, and educational programming. Comparable on the heritage garden visitor estate + on-site dining + education model, with a different climate and crop mix.

Direct peers

• Tablehurst Farm: Tablehurst is a community-owned biodynamic farm in Forest Row, Sussex, with a farm shop, butchery, and on-site processing. It is the most direct UK biodynamic farm comparable to Waltham Place, mirroring the Soil Association/Demeter dual certification, rare-breed livestock, and farm shop model.
• Huxhams Cross Farm: Huxhams Cross is a biodynamic farm in Devon growing heritage grains and vegetables with a CSA and on-site flour production. It is a direct comparable on the biodynamic ancient grain landrace + on-site milling axis that Waltham Place has built.
• Plaw Hatch Farm: Plaw Hatch is a 200-acre biodynamic farm in East Sussex with a farm shop, raw milk, meat, and café. It is a near-twin comparable in scale, certification, and product mix including raw milk and community-supported farming.

Emerging players

• BeeKind Hives: BeeKind Hives designs the log hive system adopted by Waltham Place in 2018. It is comparable as the technology partner for Waltham's bee management approach and runs related log hive courses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/walthamplace.farm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waltham-place-farm
• Instagraminstagram.com/walthamplace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waltham Place Farm