Ecofriendly

Our Approach to the Environment, Life and Everything

• Food Miles

In the shop we look to promote local produce. Not simply because it tastes miles better, but to reduce the impact of food miles – the distance that food travels from the producer to the consumer who eats it. Food miles matter. More food miles mean more cost to pass on to the customer. More fuel being used. More carbon dioxide emissions – and more pollution brings a greater risk of global warming.

• A real Bag for Life

Famous throughout the area, Farrington’s environmentally-friendly cow-print Canvas Carriers are seen as a must have fashion item, as well as being the ideal way to cut down on the usage of pliatic bags. Unolike those now being offered by the big supermarkets, our trendy bag is really tough and durable – a real bag for life!

• Fair trade

We care about the way we behave as a business too. At Farrington’s we make sure that all our producers – even the smallest enterprises – are properly and promptly paid for their products. We value our staff and work with them to ensure that they can develop their full potential through training. And we invest in our own environment by ensuring that all our cardboard waste – and we have plenty of that – is compacted daily and sent for recycling.

• Ecological awareness

On the farm, crop rotation is a vital part of the farm’s management, decreasing the incidence of pests and disease naturally, rather than relying on the use of chemical sprays. Our management of hedges, the introduction of flower-rich field margins and unsprayed headlands, and the creation of a pond has resulted in a wide variety of habitats for both plants and animals.

• Environmental responsibility

However, the main benefit to wildlife is our 10 acres of developing woodland, which was planted in 2003. It features many native tree species such as beech, alder, oak, rowan, sycamore, silver birch and ash, together with shrubbier hazel, hawthorn, holly and Guelder rose.

Over-wintered stubbles – something you don’t find on many farms – have also made a significant contribution to increasing wildlife on the farm. Today, we can find examples of 44 bird species and 20+ species of butterflies and moths. We are seeing more and more wildflowers and, with a nest box already in place, we are anxiously awaiting the return of the Barn Owls.
All of the wildlife photographs featured have been taken on the farm.

As well as looking after our environmental responsibility around the farm, we also recycle paper, cardboard, metal and glass from our shop and cafe.