From the outset of River Cottage HQ, the intention was to create a site that was low carbon, low energy and that considered the various issues of sustainability on the site.
River Cottage developed a holistic approach for the site that would assure nothing went to waste and that all aspects of the energy creation, infrastructure and physical build were realised with maximum sustainability.
Everything from the materials sourced to the systems used, strives to have minimal impact on the environment.
Through numerous systems like a bio-mass boiler that is fuelled with clearings from local forests to the reed beds that naturally process effluent from the site; sustainability has been the primary design focus of the project.
We harvest rainwater from our roof and the Proven WT2500 wind turbine at the top of our hill supplies some of the electricity for the site. We average around 168,000 kWh per year, which is approximately 9-10% of our usage.
Our new River Cottage Kitchen & Store was previously our main office and we have tried, wherever possible to upcycle/recycle all the materials, fixtures and fittings from the original building. Where we have used new materials, these have been chosen for their high environmental standards.
We are ambassadors for the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
We are proud that our farm carries organic certification as accredited by the Soil Association and is managed under Countryside and Environmental Stewardship; schemes run by Natural England.
These schemes help land managers look after natural habitats and bio-diversity, in co-operation with food production. Particular habitats of note are our species-rich hay meadows and the management of traditional hedgerows. We grow high quality organic fruit and vegetables on 1.5 acres of the farm providing a wide variety of produce for our kitchen, all year round.