Recycling and composting facilities are available on-site. We have a commercial recycling contract and each of the barns is equipped with recycling bags and kitchen compost bins.
We have installed an electric car charging station to allow you charge both your car and your own batteries overnight! Bring either your 13 or 32amp charge cable with you please.
The eco-laundry is a purpose-built communal laundry. It acts as a heat dump for the boiler during off peak times, making it a perfect drying room.
The farm aims to create and maintain biodiversity and wildlife habitats through such things are hedgerow management, providing wild bird cover and creating buffer strips alongside the edges of cropped fields.
Thousands of hedgerow plants have been planted, acres of wild bird seed planted and dozens of bird and owl boxes put up to encourage the already large populations of bird species (incl 10 on the BTO red list).
We have a family of wild deer at the wood, and a large number of hares and owls.
Regular RSPB bird surveys have been carried out showing a large increase in bird populations since the environmental work commenced.
Chris Tomson, RSPB said: “Through wildlife-friendly farming schemes and his own initiative, he has undertaken a huge amount of conservation work for the benefit of everything from butterflies and bats to skylarks and hares. The farm throngs with wildlife and is a joy to visit.”
Richard gets involved voluntarily hosting farm walks around the fields and demonstrations in the farmyard for interest groups eg. The University of York, RSPB and Wildlife and Nature Groups.
In 2018, Richard was the first ever recipient of the NFU ambassadorial farming award, the Meurig Raymond Award.
In 2014, he was the winner of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society Tye Trophy for excellence in farming and conservation.
In 2013, he was the northern regional winner of the National RSPB Nature of Farming Awards.
In 2009, Richard was a finalist in the Countryside Farmer of the Year Awards.
A ‘Yorkshire’ welcome basket is provided for both our short break and weekly stay guests. In it a selection of Yorkshire and locally grown produce is supplied as well as homemade brown bread.
We work with local people to help service your comfort, whether it be handmade soft furnishings, artwork on the walls, pampering you with beauty treatments, home chef or coach hire for large groups.
Our complimentary toiletries are the Gilchrist & Soames ‘Bee Kind’ range, fully recyclable packing and printed with soya ink. They do not contain parabens, phthalates or artificial colours. A proportion of the proceeds from these products goes towards supporting honey bee and sustainable pollination research.
For cleaning products, washing up liquid, dishwasher tabs, etc we purchase the ECOVER and METHOD range of green products. For items that cannot be sourced locally like coffee, we purchase FAIRTRADE branded items.
The buildings have been designed to maximise on energy efficiency and have been insulated beyond all building regulation levels. The windows and door glazings have all been argon filled to ensure minimal heat loss.
We have built a purpose-built boiler room to house the technology controls, boiler and thermal store. We are happy to demonstrate these to you during your stay.
The hot water generated ensures constant supply to your en-suite showers and baths. In addition, all properties are heated on all floors by under floor heating which is a healthier alternative to conventional radiators and is a more efficient form of central heating. Each area is thermostatically controlled for your comfort.
We produce twice the amount of electricity than we use. The surplus goes into the national grid, however to cover peak periods we are signed up to ‘Green Energy’ a company that only uses renewable sources for its electricity production.
Low energy bulbs and energy efficient ‘A’ rated appliances are installed throughout.
We encourage you to use the public bus service which operates from the barns into York city centre. Timetables and directions to bus stops as well as details of the ‘Park&Ride’ bus service operated from the York Designer Outlet are discussed on arrival. Please see the LOCATION page for links to online bus service timetables.
There are walks in the guest information file as well as a copy of the cycle sustrans ‘Solar System’ route which operates into York from nearby. We are members of the national Walkers and Cyclists Welcome schemes.
