About the Farm

Nothing White House Farm is located in the beautiful Upper Alde Valley. It is also home to the annual Alde Valley Spring Festival [ www.aldevalleyspringfestival.co.uk ] and the Alde Valley Food Adventures.

These are a rolling programme of events that celebrate the importance of food, farming and local knowledge in our rural landscapes – also combining research projects in the UK and abroad [www.foodadventures.co.uk]

The farm is part of an award winning partnership family farming business called Great Glemham Farms. The latter has been working in the Alde Valley for more almost 40 years, growing a range of niche arable products in association with FS Watts & Sons of Framlingham. Cereal crops include seed wheats, seed malting barleys, vining peas, potatoes, oil seed rape, beans and sugar beet.

White House Farm is managed using a set of Sustainability Criteria developed by the Alde Valley Food Adventures. These follow a philosophy of 'co-living', in which the farm house and farm land are treated as a shared living space with local wildlife. Economic productivity and ecological enrichment are pursued as interwoven management themes.

The farm is part of a larger Higher Level Stewardship scheme supervised by Natural England. Key projects include : restoration of historic orchards ; restoration and enlargement of important hedgerows ; creation of mini wetland areas ; restoration of flood meadow dykes ; introduction of mixed grazing ; revival of bird nesting box schemes ; planting of Wild Bird Seed areas and Pollen and Nectar areas ; restoration of species-rich traditional hay meadows ; and educational access.

Alongside these government supported projects the farm has also trialled hand sown wildlflower headlands, butterfly mounds and small nature walks for educational use. In working with a 'co-living' principle, one aim is to test whether this philosophy is economically effective, whilst bringing in local ecological, educational and energy benefits. Early results suggest that it is.

White House Farm is part of the Great Glemham Farms partnership, Holding Nos 38 / 129 / 0013 & 38 / 15 / 38. SBI 1065821891. * Farm events are also twinned with Pesta Nukenen Bario in the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, Heart of Borneo. Wildlife and conservation projects at White House Farm are supported by Natural England [ www.naturalengland.org.uk ] with additional advice kindly provided by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust [ www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org.uk ]. Advice on other projects has been provided by ADAS [ www.adas.co.uk ] and the English Beef & Lamb Executive [ www.eblex.org.uk ].

* [Finalist 2008 Future of Farming Awards. Runner-Up 2009 FWAG Kerr Cup Farm Conservation Competition. Suffolk Agricultural Awards 2010 Special Award for Conservation.]