Here at Court Lodge we are always looking for ways to become more sustainable.

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For Climate Change....

We have installed solar panels on the roof of our farm buildings to power generate our electricity sustainably.

Some of the farming techniques we use to conserve carbon in the soil:

We aim to minimise soil disturbance when cultivating the soil by undersowing (for example a silage crop of oats and vetch is undersown with grass and clover to form a second crop without the need to plough again).

We grow herbal leys for the cows to graze. Herbs such as chicory and ribwort

In 2009 we planted a 2 ½ acre wood to help sequester carbon.

Where possible we use shared transport, collaborating with others to minimise carbon footprint.
We pipe water used for cooling the yogurt vat to a water trough for the cows to drink, and save rainwater from the roofs for washing down the milking parlour.

 

For the wildlife....

Part of our farm extends into the Sussex Wildlife Trust Pevensey Marshes reserve and we work with the Trust to ensure our young cattle help to manage the habitat through conservation grazing.

We have created a 16 acre reedbed which has proved to be a haven for a wide range of invertebrates – beetles, dragonflies, spiders etc., as well as frogs, newts and some specialist reedbed birds.

Pevensey Levels is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, for the flora and fauma of the ditches, which contain some special plants, and invertebrates such as the Fen Raft Spider; by avoiding the use of artificial fertiliser and agrochemicals we protect them, and the cows create small pools with their hooves which are perfect habitats.

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Click here to see what the Soil Association have to say about organic farming

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Click here to see an invertebrates survey from our reedbed

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