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About Hollis Mead

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The dairy rebels of Dorset

From our wild and wonderful organic farm in West Dorset, we’re disrupting the dairy industry with our unapologetic mission to produce wholesome, eco-friendly milk that makes a noise about nature.

Welcome to the cult of cream – we’re lifelong members

Good ol’ fashioned dairy that tastes like a dream and is known for its cream is our religion. We worship wildlife, have faith in organic farming to the extreme, and pray to the glorious goddesses of milk – our beautiful cows. We’re not a big, faceless entity; we’re a band of merry milksters, living and breathing life on the local land we love.

It’s a family affair with Oliver Hemsley and his family at the helm. From farm manager Ian and his wife Fiona to her twin sister Ali, who’s the dairy delivery queen, everything is produced and carried out by local folk who make up team HM. You’ll find us all mucking in on our beautiful farm and you can set your watch by our ‘grab your wellies and white coat – it’s kefir bottling’ time, which is 7pm by the way!

We pamper our beautiful girls, hold music festivals with incredible artists like Ben Waters for our cows’ enjoyment, and check prickly guests into our hedgehog hotel – it’s not your average office! What brings us merry milksters together? A love of udderly good dairy, produced with tender loving care, that’s breaking the shackles of commercial milk production. Join our revomootion – dairy has never tasted so good!

The history of Hollis Mead

We like to think that destiny has played a part in what Hollis Mead Organic Dairy stands for today and so, we must go to the start, in 18th century rural Dorset, and introduce you to Thomas Hollis – the original founder.

A man who was dedicated to promoting civil and religious liberties (he was a liberal Whig – some would call a radical dissenter) and is widely acknowledged for his protection and advancement of English liberty. Thomas Hollis gave both books and money to Harvard University’s library and other libraries throughout Europe.

Although he primarily resided in London, Thomas’ generosity extended to those living locally to his Estate in Dorset and, in 1746, he paid for the complete repair to the damaged local Church of St Marys.

Hollis died suddenly in 1774 whilst talking to a labourer on his farm. He was buried in an unmarked grave on the farm alongside his horse in the same field as he fell, with the field ploughed over as he had instructed.

So, from one man and his horse challenging the norm, to a man and his herd disrupting the scene – Hollis Mead is, and always will be, about freedom.

No whey? That's cool

Let’s be honest, when we find something that tastes good, we almost brace ourselves for the ‘catch’. Well, feast your eyes on the delicious facts that make Hollis Mead dairy guilt-free.

Facts

The ‘D’ word

Is certainly not a taboo around here – dairy is brimming with health benefits! Eating yogurt daily cuts your chance of liver cancer.

Facts

Hedge-ucation

Hedges are JUST as important as trees; they counter flooding, capture carbon and boost biodiversity. That’s why we’ve planted over 30 miles!

Facts

Heart of milk

A 200g glass of the good stuff provides 70mcg of iodine – half of your daily recommended dose and reduces heart disease.

Facts

Bumble Bee-p Bee-p

Our glorious hedgerows, which we fiercely plant and nurture, act as a motorway for British Bumblebees and provide tasty nectar too.

Facts

Seasonality of milk

Often overlooked, milk is seasonal. It’s a direct reflection of the cows’ diet and exposure to seasonal changes – how amoozing!

Facts

Udder protein

Dairy is considered as a ‘complete protein’ meaning it contains the building blocks of amino acids that our bodies cannot produce alone.

Hollis Mead won't cost the earth

We’re rebelling against modern farming practices that guzzle up our beautiful planet’s resources to produce thin, commercial, heartless milk. Organic is just our starting point, we’re lovers of all things wild – life, nature, animals, and Earth. Our dairy is GUILT-FREE.

Dairy to your door

For the organic dairy obsessed – follow the wild, wonderful and milky shenanigans at Hollis Mead HQ where you’ll also have access to our latest milky inventions, dairy-based tips, fun farm events and more!