Shopping Sustainably
Sustainable shopping is not only good for the planet but also supports ethical and socially responsible practices, helping to build a more sustainable future for us all.
Shopping sustainably has become increasingly important in recent years as we become more aware of our impact on the environment. Making small changes to our shopping habits can make a big difference to the planet, and there are many ways to shop sustainably.
Reducing Food Miles & Investing in Local Communities
We purchase the products for our Farm Shop from over 60 local suppliers. Purchasing from local suppliers is a simple and effective way for us to reduce the carbon footprint and ‘food miles’ of our products. The term ‘food miles’ refers to the distance that food travels from the supplier or farm to your plate, and the energy used in transportation contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.
By buying from local suppliers, you will be supporting the local economy and reducing the distance that your food has to travel. This not only reduces the carbon emissions associated with transportation, but also helps to keep our communities strong and self-sufficient.
Local Supplier Spotlight
Antur Brew Co.
Antur Brew Co. is one of our more local suppliers – they’re based just across the road from the garden centre! A microbrewery who have successfully created a space for beer enthusiasts – they operate on a small scale, producing 500L per batch and everything from grain to bottle is done on the premises!
Their core beer range is brewed with the highest quality ingredients, right down to Welsh Water. Taking inspiration from their favourite local landmarks within the Brecon Beacons National Park to create their modern core styles.
Black Mountain Preserves
Just down the road in the local market town of Talgarth, Helen hand makes her award-winning Black Mountains Preserves. Using traditional open-pan methods, Black Mountains Preserves lovingly produces chutneys, jams, marmalades and pickles with great care in small batches.
An average batch being only 7-12 retail jars, her preserves are completely free of artificial flavourings & sweeteners and have been recognized by the Worldwide Marmalade Awards, Great Taste Awards and the prestigious International Cheese Board Awards.
Two Farmers Crisps
Across the border in Herefordshire Two Farmers Crisps pride themselves on showcasing the best of the county, with everything from growing the potatoes to making the crisps happening onsite at the farm.
All their flavourings are sourced from their farm or from some of the best local producers and produced in small, quality batches. Many of their processes are powered by renewable energy and their packets are 100% compostable, all of which results in reducing their impact on the planet and local environment.
Sustainable Shopping Tips
Gardening With Sustainable Products
Pots made from recycled materials are becoming increasingly popular in the world of gardening. They are made from post-consumer plastic waste, which would otherwise end up in landfills, and help to reduce the demand for new plastic production.
Some of our suppliers such as Elho even generate their own electricity using renewable energy methods like wind turbines.
All of the products manufactured by Elho are made from 100% recycled plastic however Elho are also pioneers in using marine waste in the manufacture of their new range of pots – The Ocean Collection.
The Ocean Collection is a unique line of indoor flower pots that are made from recycled marine waste and plastic found in the oceans, including fishing nets, ropes, and dragnets. By using this waste material, the company is helping to prevent it from ending up in the ocean and contributing to ocean pollution.
Natural fibres such as coir, jute and burlap are also popular choices for sustainable gardening. These biodegradable materials can be used as pots for seedlings, vegetable growing or as weed barriers in garden beds.
Use natural jute twine or string when tying plants or plotting rows, instead of plastic alternatives which do not degrade and cannot be recycled.
Choose sustainably sourced wood products
The clear-cutting of forests for wood products, often without proper management and regeneration practices, can have devastating impacts on wildlife habitats, soil erosion, and global carbon emissions.
In addition, the use of illegally harvested wood products, known as “illegal logging,” is a major contributor to deforestation and the loss of biodiversity. This illegal trade also undermines the efforts of local communities who rely on forests for their livelihoods and perpetuates the cycle of poverty and environmental degradation.
By choosing sustainably sourced wooden products, you can help to conserve forests, promote biodiversity and support local communities and all of the wooden products we sell are made by suppliers who sustainably source all of their timber.
One of our favourite suppliers with a commitment to sustainable sourced timber is Zest, who use slow-grown yet sustainable softwood in their innovative garden products.
Based in Wales, they not only use sustainably sourced wood, but are also committed to re-planting and nurturing forests both in the UK and Europe. Their offices and warehouses are all heated by biomass boilers, using woodchip from waste wood, making full use of all aspect of timber production. They are also working with wildlife experts in Wales to help manage local woodland habitats.
Alexander Rose is another one of our suppliers which specialise in making quality outdoor furniture using sustainably sourced hard- and softwood. With each product using carefully selected timber that matches the properties required for each product, this quality furniture will last for years and look good in any garden.
Gift responsibly
Reducing plastic packaging and plastic waste is an important issue for lessening our impact on the environment, as plastic waste can have devastating effects on wildlife and ecosystems. From plastic bags and packaging materials, to single-use plastic products, the amount of plastic waste produced can quickly add up.
Our greetings card range from Woodmansterne uses ‘Smart Seal’ packaging, eliminating the need for plastic outer wrapping, making it a great choice for the environmentally conscious. All of our cards are made in the UK and can be fully recycled, as well as coming with recycled paper envelopes for a truly eco-friendly option.
Another way to do this is by choosing products that are made from recycled materials, rather than those that rely on virgin materials. And when it comes to toys, there’s a company that’s leading the way in this area: Keel Toys.
At Keel Toys, they are committed to using 100% recycled plastic in the making of their products. This means that they are not only reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and oceans, but they are also helping to conserve the Earth’s natural resources by reducing the need for virgin plastic.
So how do they do it? Keel Toys takes discarded plastic bottles and processes them into fibres, which are then woven into recycled polyester fabric. This fabric is then used to make all of their soft toys, from the smallest teddy bears to the largest stuffed animals. And this commitment to sustainability isn’t limited to just one range of their toys – it’s a constant throughout all of their products.
What’s even better is that the use of recycled materials doesn’t compromise the quality or safety of the toys. Keel Toys products are still soft, durable, and of the highest quality, while also being eco-friendly.
Choose peat-free compost
With concerns growing over the environmental impact of peat extraction, more and more gardeners are turning to alternatives that are kinder to the planet.
But what exactly is peat-free compost? Put simply, it’s a type of growing medium that doesn’t contain peat. Instead, it’s made from a variety of natural and sustainable materials, such as wool, coir, bark, wood fibre, and green waste.
One of the main benefits of using peat-free compost is that it helps to protect our precious peatlands. These delicate ecosystems are home to a range of unique plant and animal species, and they play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by storing carbon. By choosing peat-free compost, we can reduce the demand for peat and help to preserve these vital habitats.
But peat-free compost isn’t just good for the environment – it’s also great for your plants. Unlike peat-based compost, which can become compacted and waterlogged over time, peat-free compost has a looser structure that allows for better drainage and aeration. This means that your plants are less likely to suffer from root rot, and they’ll have access to the oxygen they need to grow strong and healthy.
If you’re an avid organic gardener looking for the ideal growing medium for your fruits, vegetables, and salads, Dalefoot Wool Compost might just be what you need. Made from a combination of sheep’s wool sourced from the Cumbrian fells and bracken, this compost is carefully blended to provide the perfect balance of nutrients for organic growing.
The sheep’s wool in wool compost provides natural water retention, which helps to keep your plants hydrated even during hot and dry weather. Additionally, the wool slowly releases nitrogen, which supports healthy growth. Meanwhile, the high level of potash in the bracken promotes flowering and fruiting, making it the perfect choice for gardeners who want to grow tasty and nutritious produce.
Sustainability from us to you!
Reducing our impact & shipping your shopping!
We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment by following the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This begins from the moment products arrive from our suppliers. All of our deliveries are stripped of any plastic, polystyrene, and cardboard packaging. We then sort the materials and put them aside for later use, with hard plastics being recycled.
After that, the products are booked in, and their cardboard boxes are stored in our warehouse either assembled or flatpacked, ready to be used for shipping out orders placed through our website. Any unusable cardboard boxes or boxes that have been damaged are put through our cardboard shredder, which provides a sustainable solution to protect items sent out in our orders.
Please don’t be alarmed if your order arrives in a reused box without our branding on it. We reuse all packaging materials from our suppliers to reduce waste and our impact on the environment. Your order may be packed in any size or shape of box, but we make sure that all items are well protected using either cardboard shredding and/or soft plastic, bubble wrap or polystyrene, which we set aside from previous deliveries.
While this can sometimes result in your box not looking brand new, we’d rather use what we have and reduce our impact than have new boxes and packaging that don’t fit with our ethic and lead to higher postage and packaging charges.
