John & Betty Stracey started out on 10th December 1937 with a run down farmhouse (White Pond Farm) and 120 acres of land in very poor condition, hard to believe now!  There was an opportunity to take over more land including Balhams Farmhouse but it was in a state of disrepair without windows and overgrown with weeds and was deemed unviable at the time.

The dairy herd of about 30 Friesians and Shorthorns were milked in the building that has been converted to Cowslip and Bullrush.  Over the years the herd increased to 110 Friesians by breeding from our own cows (i.e. a closed herd), and the milking moved from the cow shed to the milking parlour.

In 1961 Rose Farm (Turville Heath) was amalgamated with White Pond Farm enabling more cereals to be grown and a beef enterprise to be started. John and Betty's son, Simon and his wife Lindy started their married life in Rose Farm and were soon to be joined by Victoria (Tora) and Edward (Eds), cheap labour at last! 

In 1970 Balhams became available to rent (excluding the farmhouse, which had been sold off previously), and this increased the acreage to 420, again allowing more cereals to be grown and further expansion of the dairy unit.

Sadly in 1988, John died and the tenancy was passed down to Simon, who with Lindy, Tora and Eds, moved down to White Pond to live with Betty. The principal landlord converted one end of White Pond to a self-contained annex for Betty (Farmhouse Wing); it was better known as 'Granny's End'! This was exchanged for Rose Farmhouse.

The farming policy didn't change from dairy (the main enterprise), beef & arable for many years and up until April 2003, 110 friesian cows could be seen strolling the hills.  Due to the poor state of the milk market a decision was made to sell the dairy herd and replace it with a beef suckler herd.  The old cowshed was then converted, with full support from our principal landlord, into 'Bullrush' and 'Cowslip' as two self-catering cottages.  The work was done by traditional local builders.

White Pond still consists of 520 acres (from 5 different landlords), 290 of these are down to grass which is grazed by our suckler herd of 60 Aberdeen Angus and Belgian Blue cows.  They calve in the spring and their progeny are reared and fattened and eventually end up on the butcher's counter of Waitrose.

Our total number of cattle is now upto 320.  We are affiliated to FABBL (Farm Assured British Beef & Lamb) and 'Freedom Food' (click to read an article about White Pond Farm) which is a RSPCA based scheme.  This assures the customer that the product they are buying has been reared to the best possible standards.

The arable side of the farm consists of 90 acres of wheat, 35 acres of beans and 80 acres of barley, this is assured by ACCS (Assured Combinable Crops Scheme).  The wheat goes for biscuit making and the barley and beans are kept to fatten the beef on.  We also have 25 acres of set-a-side which can be grazed in the winter.

Recently we have taken on 120 acres which we contract farm from a very good friend of ours who produces the best Christmas Trees at 'The Tree Barn'  in Christmas Common.  The cropping for this bit of land is 50 acres of beans and 70 acres of malting barley.

Simon and Tora run the farm with the help of Ken who has worked at White Pond for 50 years and knows the farm like the back of his hand.

Lindy is in charge of the accommodation which includes The Wing, Bullrush and Cowslip.  The accommodation has proved very popular and we are now having our guests returning year after year which is a great compliment.  Not bad for an idea dreamed up around the breakfast table.

The farm has been used for filming many times with James Bond, The Living Daylights being one of the first.  Since then we have had three episodes of Midsommer Murders filmed here and the last filming we did was 'Enduring Love'.  Filming inquiries are always welcomed.

Our latest venture is to sell turkeys for a friend from Aldworth, Berkshire.  Last year we sold over 100 and hope to expand as they taste superb.  It is a fun day when the customers collect their turkeys from our old timber barn.  Last year 5 gallons of mulled wine were consumed.

Life has not been dull since the milking cows went in 2003 and no doubt there will be another venture soon.