Welcome to the Spring edition of the E C Drummond newsletter and things are certainly ramping up here on the farm! Our teams are hard at work preparing the packing houses for a busy harvest season in a few short months. Cultivations are well on the way for potatoes and cereal crops and the drill/planter isn’t far behind.  Our first strawberry crops of the year are coming along nicely, and our purpose built packing house is really starting to take shape. At E C Drummond we prioritise sustainable farming and environmental awareness, and as we go into full picking and packing mode, we remained focused on how to achieve the best produce while protecting the environment. Here we share with you how we will continue our commitment to being green in 2017.

 

 

Protecting our countryside

 

Ross on Wye and the surrounding areas have been home to the Drummond family for generations, and the countryside is an important part of our heritage. Our deep love and respect for the environmental welfare of this area is reflected in our sensitivity to the impact that our operations can have on the local wildlife. We are passionate about protecting the countryside in which we both live and work, and are actively involved in rural conservation projects. Our aim is to send zero business waste to landfill and we work to reuse and recycle materials across all our sites. The E C Drummond farms have been awarded Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) and Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) from DEFRA as part of their nationwide environmental welfare scheme.

 

Protecting our produce

It goes without saying that good ground produces good crops. By protecting and promoting our rural landscape, we increase the quality and quantity of our yield year in, year out. E C Drummond have farmed premium soft fruit and arable produce for over 50 years, so we know what good produce looks like. We perform in-depth soil analysis across our farms to monitor soil PH and regulate our crop regime, minimising pesticide use wherever possible. Combining modern technology and our extensive experience enables us to employ environmentally safe methods of farming to maximise production and consistency.

 

 

 

Protecting our promise

 

Since 1956, we have partnered with local residents and welfare groups to make good on our promise to put the countryside first. We are members of the Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) organisation who work to encourage responsible farming and share best practice on how to enhance our local area and build a thriving business using sustainable farming methods. We are privileged to enjoy the wildlife, flora and fauna on our doorstep and we regularly consult the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, (FWAG) to limit any adverse effects that our operations could have on the local area. E C Drummond invest in the very best facilities both environmentally and operationally and are proud to see the brand-new packing house start to take shape.

 

To find out more about our commitment to being green contact us at: hello@ecdrummond.co.uk