We are always looking to improve our environmental position, whether in the way we farm, through producing energy, through biodiverse solutions, government schemes for sustainable farming or looking to the future aiming for carbon net zero alongside our customers. It is about balance, ensuring that our crops are looked after, inputs are minimised but necessary and protecting our waterways from any farmland pollution.
We have 720 kW of solar which is spread across our poultry shed roofs. On one of our poultry sites is up to 70% self sufficient as we also have huge batteries that store 220 kW Our first solar array was erected in 2010 and in 2025 we continue to expand our solar installations with a vision of becoming as self sufficient as possible.
We have three huge 600kw biomass plants that combust all the chicken manure that we produce, they provide heat for the following cycles of chickens – the bi-product ash is always removed from the county and our local watercourses. Alongside this we dry timber for the building and carpentry industry with the excess heat that we produce. We also have a 160 kW wood chip boiler that keeps all our holiday guests cosily warm. All of our wood chip is sourced from our sustainably managed estate woodlands.
We use various measures across the farm to help biodiversity. Currently we have a large area of sustainable farming incentive land which is planted with phacelia, kale, milet and quinoa providing a wonderful habitat and larder for bees, butterflies, insects and farmland birds. A local beekeeper has a number of hives across the farm and we bring in additional bees in the summer to pollinate the fruit crops. Most of our fields have 6 metre margins full of wild flowers and pollen and nectar mixes as well as in non-productive field corners. Hedges are cut 2 in 5 years to provide overwinter fruit for birds, in field trees have grown up and there are over 50 bird boxes around the farm. All our ponds are carefully managed and we are looking at introducing an on-farm wetland in the next year or so. Our pest management is carefully monitored and managed so we minimise sprays and maximise production responsibly.