Patrick Holden
Director of the Soil Association
Patrick Holden was brought up in London. He visited a dairy farm near Epping aged five and decided he wanted to milk cows. He studied biodynamic agriculture at Emerson College and started a community farm in West Wales in 1973. It is now the longest established organic dairy farm in Wales, with a herd of 65 Ayrshire cows – the milk from which is made into cheese by his son Sam. He has worked for the Soil Association since 1988 and as Director since 1995. He is a regular broadcaster and speaker and was awarded the CBE for services to organic farming in 2005. Patrick still milks his cows at weekends.
