Twitham Court Farm, Kent, England

How does Twitham Court Farmhouse minimise its impact on the environment and contribute to a sense of place?

Logs from the farm’s own woods are used on wood burners and open fires. The old farmhouse is very well insulated and secondary glazing is on the majority of the windows. All appliances are A rated. All plastic, glass and paper/cardboard is separated and recycled. To minimise plastic waste, refillable dispensers for items, such as shampoo and hand soap, are used for guest rooms. The farms’ chickens eat the cooked food waste and the raw food waste is composted. To reduce water consumption, there are no power showers and all toilets are dual flush. Water butts around the property collect rainwater, which are used to water the garden.

Most of the food is purchased from a farm shop which is 2 miles from the house and a seasonal breakfast is provided throughout the year. A lot of produce is from the farm’s garden and jams are homemade. For guests, water is supplied in glass bottles, which is sourced locally. All toiletries are bought from a local supplier, which supports the local economy. To minimise car miles to reduce traffic congestion, guests are encouraged to arrive and explore the area by public transport; there is a local station and the bus stops at the end of the drive.