Environmental Plan

Orchard Farmhouse has an environmental plan. 

Within the house we are working to reduce our electricity consumption while keeping things comfortable.  We have an excellent woodburner to reduce our use of oil.  We plan to install solar panels soon and next year, a biomass boiler.

In the garden we encourage wildlife with bird seed, boxes and a dovecote.  In the fields we plan to create ponds, a copse of english broadleaved trees and a community garden.  We are also looking at encouraging friendly bees through a biodynamic approach to flora in the fields.  We are even looking at going one better with natural beekeeping.

We will soon be planting a community orchard and then following on from that, a forest garden.

We already have a small orchard in our garden but we are planting some additional apple and cherry trees in the field to share produce.  The forest garden will be a mix of trees and shrubs, most bearing fruit, nuts or producing a product that is useful.

Carbon offsetting 

You can now click on buttons when you book a holiday to do your bit for the environment.  How much nicer to be able to ask for trees to be planted for you then go and see them and enjoy them.  And one day be picking something from them perhaps!  Ask us how to take part.  You do not even need to stay with us.  The trees will be accessible from a public footpath (The Hardy Way).

If you would like to help or can offer advice on our woodland, wildlife and renewable energy initiatives, please get in touch by emailing rupertemerson@hotmail.com.