Willowbrook Farm (Eggs)

OUR BRAND VALUES*

OUR COMMITMENTS*

Sustainability

Over the years we have built all the structures on the farm and have sought to use simple natural materials. This culminated in the completion of our Earthen (Cob) farmhouse in 2015. Constructed entirely of natural materials mostly drawn from the farm itself. It is designed to maximise incoming solar heating due to its alignment and is insulated with our own lambs wool. Its thick walls provide great and the thatch roof gives a traditional and natural finish.

Environment

Our farm is located in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside and falls within the Cherwell Valley Environmentally Sensitive Area. We have always felt it is our responsibility to ensure the maximum bio-diversity of habitats, plant and animal life can thrive. We have planted several thousand trees over the farmand created two large natural ponds to encourage a wide range of wildlife. No chemicals, herbicides or pesticides or artificial fertilisers are applied to the land and natural ecosystems have been allowed to recover.

Local Communities

We have strong charitable links to the Oxford homeless centre and encourage our customers to make a donation while placing their order. This approach relies on local relationships, with our customers, our suppliers, our volunteers and the local community in general. We hope to contribute to the development of an alternative economy, where nature is valued, produce is reared with respect and responsibility is taken for our energy use, our waste and our buildings. We welcome community involvement and we are open to suggestions for events and activities.

Packaging & Waste

Visitors to our farm will be familiar with our traditional composting eco-toilets. The second generation versions are being constructed as we speak, available both at the campsite and close to the farmshop. Since 2017 we have recycled all the poo you leave behind. This is part of our efforts to take responsibility on the farm for our waste products. We also compost all vegetable waste producing a valuable compost for the vegetable garden. We also minimise paper and plastic use on the farm and recycle or re-use where possible.

Inspiring & Educating

No information supplied

Energy Reduction

Over the years we have installed wind and solar power systems on the farm which provide a large proportion of our electricity needs. More recently we have build our "boiler room" (pictured above) housing our solid fuel bio-mass boiler system which utilises the sustainable source of timber we have planted on the farm. Our boiler provides all the heating and hot water requirements of the farm and the solar panel tiles on the roof provide the majority of our electrical demands.

Nutritional Values

No information supplied

Animal Welfare

Unlike most commercial farmers, rearing large numbers of fast growing hybrid birds, we choose to rear only traditional and natural breeds of chicken. We maintain our flocks at naturally sustainable and manageable stocking levels, providing them with plenty of access to fresh pasture, providing a non-GM diet, using no chemicals, medication or hormones, on our animals or on our land. Our sheep are extensively reared in a small sustainable flock, on natural grassland and managed with a personal interaction rather than impersonal commercial farming methods and routine antibiotics or chemicals