Our Sustainability Commitment

At Manor Farm Fruits, we believe in farming with the future in mind. As custodians of the land, we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact and making thoughtful choices that benefit both nature and our visitors. Sustainability isn’t a buzzword here; it’s built into everything we do.

Reducing Waste & Single-Use Plastics

We’ve made conscious decisions to cut down on single-use plastics across our entire operation:

Our Pick-Your-Own Approach

Our Pick-Your-Own fruit punnets are made from 100% recycled plastic, ensuring that we’re keeping waste out of landfills from day one. Even better, we encourage visitors to reuse them: returning with their punnet earns them a discount based on the weight of their container. This innovative incentive creates a circular economy where our visitors become active participants in waste reduction and have tangible savings to show for it.

Comprehensive Recycling Programme

All paper and cardboard are carefully sorted and recycled, reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill and supporting the UK’s circular economy. Every material we can responsibly recycle goes back into the recycling system rather than ending up in waste streams.

Reuse Over Replace

We don’t just recycle; we actively reuse materials wherever possible, extending their lifespan and minimising the resource demands of our farming operation.

Polythene Management

The polythene used on our poly tunnels is reused season after season, dramatically reducing the need for new plastics. This practice prevents significant volumes of plastic from entering the waste stream whilst ensuring that our growing infrastructure remains effective year after year.

Returning Organic Matter to the Land

The coir (coconut fibre) used in our strawberry growing systems is returned to the land, specifically the areas where we grow our Maze Maize and Pumpkins, to improve organic matter in the soil. Rather than treating this material as waste, we recognise its value as a soil amendment. Strawberry waste is also added back to the land, acting as a rich, natural fertiliser that builds soil health whilst closing the loop on our production cycle.

Event Sustainability

For events we design and build most of our props in-house using reclaimed materials, ensuring they’re reused and adapted each year. This reduces the demand for new manufactured materials and demonstrates to our visitors that creativity and sustainability go hand-in-hand.

Smarter Water Use

Water is precious, especially when you grow fruit. We’ve invested in efficient irrigation systems to protect this vital resource while maintaining healthy, thriving crops.

Drip Irrigation Systems

We’ve implemented drip irrigation systems across the farm to deliver water efficiently and minimise waste. This system targets root zones directly, reducing evaporation and runoff while keeping our crops healthy. Research shows that drip irrigation can reduce water consumption by 30-50% compared to conventional methods, whilst often delivering improved crop yields and quality through more consistent soil moisture management. The precise application also reduces nutrient leaching, protecting groundwater quality and further supporting local ecosystems.

Natural Approaches to Pest Control

We take a low-impact approach to crop protection, working with nature rather than against it.

Biological Control Methods

Biological control methods are used wherever possible. We encourage natural predators to do the hard work for us and only apply targeted treatments when absolutely necessary. This approach protects both our crops and the broader farm ecosystem from unnecessary chemical exposure. Research into zero-residue fruit production demonstrates that integrated pest management (IPM) and biological control methods can be just as effective as conventional pesticides whilst eliminating residues and reducing environmental impact.

Supporting Natural Predators

By maintaining habitat features like our hedgerows and wildflower margins, we create the conditions for natural predators to thrive. Biological controls such as parasitic wasps, predatory mites, and beneficial insects naturally regulate pest populations, allowing us to achieve healthy crops without relying heavily on synthetic inputs.

Boosting Biodiversity

Our farm is home to far more than just fruit. We actively manage our land to support a rich diversity of wildlife and habitats.

Wildflower Margins & Mature Hedgerows

We maintain and protect wildflower margins, mature hedgerows and natural habitats across our land. These features are not merely decorative; they form the backbone of our farm’s ecosystem. Hedgerows provide crucial habitat for birds, insects, and mammals whilst also playing a significant role in carbon sequestration. Research from the University of Leeds shows that soil beneath hedgerows stores 31% more carbon than adjacent intensively managed grassland, with older hedgerows storing almost double that amount. England’s hedgerows currently store 9 million tonnes of carbon, and we’re proud to be part of maintaining and extending this vital resource.

Tree Planting & Carbon Sequestration

To further support wildlife and capture carbon, we’ve planted 900 new trees along our nature trail: a project we’re incredibly proud of. These trees will mature into a thriving habitat for wildlife whilst playing a vital role in carbon sequestration. As they grow, they absorb atmospheric CO₂, contributing directly to climate change mitigation. Our nature trail also provides visitors with a tangible example of how land stewardship and carbon action work in practice.

Creating Safe Habitats

We’ve installed features such as bug hotels and wildlife boxes to provide safe homes for beneficial insects and animals. These interventions actively encourage biodiversity whilst creating visible engagement points for our educational visitors.

Educating and Empowering Visitors

We want our visitors to be part of the change. Sustainability is not something that happens in isolation on farms; it thrives when communities understand and support sustainable practices.

Sharing Our Practices

Our sustainability efforts are shared through social media, staff briefings and here on our website. By being transparent about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and how our visitors can help, we create accountability whilst inspiring others to make sustainable choices in their own lives.

Encouraging Responsible Visiting

We encourage customers to bring their own containers, recycle correctly and respect the land by avoiding littering and sticking to the paths. Every visitor action (whether it’s reusing a punnet, participating in waste sorting, or staying on designated pathways to protect soil) contributes to the farm’s sustainability goals.

Educational Programmes

During our Educational Visits we talk about boosting biodiversity and the connections between healthy ecosystems and sustainable food production. Our Fruit Trail booklets (available at admissions for a small cost) provide visitors with the opportunity to learn more about our farming practices and the natural features they encounter on the farm. Research consistently shows that agritourism experiences and farm visits significantly increase environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour among participants, particularly young people. By welcoming visitors and educating them about where their food comes from and how it’s produced, we’re investing in a generation that understands and supports sustainable agriculture.

Our Ongoing Commitment

Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. We’re always looking for better ways to farm, serve our visitors and care for the planet. Whether it’s introducing new eco-friendly materials, investing in renewable energy or partnering with local conservation initiatives, we’re committed to doing more with less impact.

We recognise the UK’s ambitious net-zero targets and see our role as food producers as integral to achieving them. We monitor emerging best practices, participate in sustainability initiatives where appropriate and continuously assess our operations for opportunities to reduce environmental impact.

Because small actions, when multiplied by thousands of hands, create big change.

Questions about our sustainability practices? We’d love to hear from you. Visit us, join one of our educational programmes, or get in touch with our team to learn more about how we farm with the future in mind.