The Farm
In the heart of Thetford Forest
Stonehouse Farm is situated within Thetford Forest, if you look at an OS map you will see we have trees around most of our boundary. We have farmed using organic principles for several years and most of the land is looked after in such a way to encourage wildlife. We have a suckler herd to produce organic beef and a pedigree flock of ewes to produce organic lamb.
The farm consists of 1660 acres of organic grazing.
There is currently 113 suckler cows in our herd and their off-spring. These are either sold to local butchers or kept as replacements. This is a closed herd to minimise bringing in disease.
We have 600 pedigree Lleyn breeding ewes. The offspring are sold to local butchers, kept as replacements or sold as breeding stock.
The principles and methods employed result in practices which:
a. Coexist with, rather than dominate, natural systems.
b. Sustain or build soil fertility.
c. Minimise pollution and damage to the environment.
d. Minimise the use of non-renewable resources.
e. Ensure the ethical treatment of animals.
f. Protect and enhance the farm environment with particular regard to conservation and wildlife.
g. Consider the wider social and ecological impact of agricultural systems.
h. Maintain or develop valuable existing landscape features and habitats for the production of wildlife with particular regard to endangered species.
Agricultural principles:
i. The production of food of high quality.
ii. Respect for and operating in accordance with natural systems and cycles, throughout all levels from the soil to plants and animals.
iii. The maintenance of and/or increase in the long term fertility and biological activity of the soil.
iv. The ethical treatment of livestock, respecting the expression and needs of their innate behaviour.
v. Respect for regional, environmental, climatic and geographic differences.
Environmental principles:
i. The encouragement of biodiversity and the protection of sensitive haditats and landscape features.
ii. Maximum utilisation of renewable resources and recycling.
iii. Minimisation of pollution and waste.
The principles of organic production have been agreed by the Soil Association, based on those defined by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
Living by the principles of an organic lifestyle
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