LODDINGTON FARM
Loddington Farm
Based in Linton near Maidstone , Loddington Farm ( www . loddingtonfarm . co . uk ) is a fruit farm run by pioneer in sustainable farming methods , James Smith . Disillusioned with fruit growing in the UK due to concerns over the huge financial risks and the impact of chemicals on people ' s health , James decided to put his extensive knowledge and experience to make positive change . Encouraged to start a programme of self-education to see how we can produce better food he began a journey in producing food using nature , instead of chemistry in farming systems and now runs his farm and fruit juice company , Owlett , according to four main principles : improving people ’ s health through clean soil and nutrient dense fruit , enabling real , positive change for those in the farming industry , working in harmony with nature , and reducing the impact of climate change .
With plans to move to completely chemical-free farming in five years , James ’ apple varieties are all grown without using synthetic fertilisers or herbicides . This ethos underpins the entire growing operation and is reflected in the clean nature of Owlet Fruit Juice , the pressing and bottling of which is done onsite and therefore reduces the product ’ s carbon footprint – a zero-emission van for local deliveries helps even more !
With methods driven by biological processes , Loddington Farm is constantly striving to integrate natural systems into their way of producing food instead of chemicals , whilst improving yield and quality . James pays close attention to a variety of different factors to ensure this ethos is upheld including ; soil management and fertility , crop health and protection , pollution control and by-product management , energy efficiency , water management , and nature conservation .
When we asked James about Owlet Fruit Juice , he said ‘ We prefer to work in harmony with nature to produce more nutritious , environmentally friendly fruit for our juices . The simple pressing process we use retains the ‘ just picked ’ flavour of the fruit and we don ’ t add any sugar , artificial sweeteners , colours or preservatives .’
Hugh Lowe Farms
Hugh Lowe Farms ( www . hughlowefarms . com ) ask their customers when eating one of their berries to ‘ take a moment to remember that next to the field it came from , there are farmland birds nesting or feeding , wild bees buzzing or typical Kentish flowers blooming .’ Sharing their crops with beneficial wildlife and sparing the land next door for nature in order to build a productive berry ecosystem , as original
members of LEAF , Hugh Lowe Farms place sustainability and the environment at the centre of everything they do . ‘ Looking after our environment is a priority . Whether investing in renewable energy , water conservation , or protecting biodiversity , it all improves the bottom line .’
With management plans for water , waste , energy , soils , crop protection , biodiversity and landscape it is clear to see that nature and wildlife sits at the top of their priority list . To make sure their mission is met , Hugh Lowe Farms put great care into everything from managing meadows , wild field margins , hedgerows , trees and coppice woodland to planting seed mixes for wild birds to feed on in the winter and nectar rich flower mixes for bees and butterflies in the summer , as well as putting up nest boxes for birds and bats and gates for badgers , while trying to protect hedgehogs !
As well as looking after farm biodiversity , Hugh Lowe Farms have also pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero as well as look after their soils , trees and hedges , so the plants on their land are actively removing damaging carbon from the atmosphere . On top of this , all plastic waste is recycled , including tunnel covers which are used for several crops and then recycled into other items and misshapen fruit is not wasted , but sold to make jams .
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