Sustainability
Priory Farm is passionate about playing a role in preserving our environment, we try to do everything possible to minimise our effect on our planet with sustainability in mind.
Here at Priory Farm, our team are constantly exploring ways to become more environmentally friendly. All of our new buildings are energy-efficient and highly insulated and our ongoing building repair scheme ensures we do everything possible to make our historic buildings more sustainable.
Our goal is to be Carbon Neutral by 2021
Below are just a few of the steps we are taking to reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment.
Solar Power
On a bright day, our Farm Shop can be powered 100% off-grid, thanks to the solar panels located on top of four of our converted agricultural buildings. Any additional power they produce is given back to the national grid. During the darker days of the winter (and overnight), we do have to buy electricity, but we use an energy supplier that sources 100% of its power from sustainable sources – no natural gas, coal or nuclear power.
LED Lighting
95% of the lighting on the Farm is now lit using low energy LEDs, which are far more energy efficient and don’t give off any residual heat.
Efficient Heating
As we produce our own power on the Farm, we removed the LPG boilers from the Farm Shop in 2018. The shop is now heated & cooled with electric heating, the most efficient heating for the space. Our Lambing Barn venue is also heated with a log burning stove, using only logs from our farm as part of our woodland management program.
Supporting Local
Our extensive product range celebrates the very best of our local produce, helping to reduce food miles and ensuring traceability. When we buy from further afield, we will always try to use wholesalers, meaning that there are fewer small deliveries coming to us, helping to reduce logistics and thus emitting less CO2.
Zero Landfill Waste
None of our waste goes to landfill. Our waste contractor produces energy from the waste removed from our site. We also recycle whenever we can. In 2017, we purchased a baler for all our cardboard boxes, this drastically reduces our waste volumes and logistical emissions.
Energy Efficient Refridgeration
Most of our fridges & freezers are remotely refrigerated and operate on three phase power, meaning that they are more energy efficient. Being remote, the units don’t overheat therefore making cooling easier. We have also removed all old refrigeration units in recent years, as the gas used in these was proven harmful to the environment.
Single Use Plastic
We are constantly reviewing how to reduce unnecessary food waste and plastic packaging in our farm shop. In 2018, we started charging 5p for our biodegradable carrier bags. In 2019, we focused on improving our single use plastic, introducing 100% compostable disposable coffee cups and deli pots. In 2020, we introduced our self serve machine as one of the many steps to becoming a more sustainable business.
Composting
Our goal for 2021 is to build a composting site on the Farm for all our used pots, coffee cups and other compostable packaging. We will look to invite our customers to bring their used items too to be recycle, which will then be used on our fields to help our crops grow.
Woodland Management
We sustainably manage our woodland, coppicing chestnut to use for fencing around the Farm. In the last 10 years over 1000 new trees have been planted on the Farm.