Hawkers Farm Stour Provost

Hawkers Farm House was in a semi derelict state and on the Building’s at Risk Register when Jenny and Neil purchased the farm 15 years ago. The use of traditional and renewable materials and ensuring that the 500 year old building would be as energy efficient as possible were the principles behind the restoration. 

Insulation materials used included: sarking board,   wool, heraklith, crushed glass and LECA. In addition to the original elm floorboards, limecrete (with underfloor heating), oak, rubber, bamboo and local stone floors have been fitted. A variety of natural paints were used - lime wash, distemper, clay, soya and milk paint.

A 14kw PV array has been sited on the East/ West facing barn roofs (almost invisible) and two Sonnen Battery 10s provide 22kw of battery storage. The next phase is to fit a ground source heat pump.

Rainwater is diverted to fill a pond adjacent to the reed bed sewage system.

Raised veg beds have been made with surplus timber and there are several wild life areas recently created as well as five acres set aside on the farm to naturalise. The old orchard has been reinstated and hundreds of trees planted and hedgerows left to grow.

A sustainable sewing hub operates from a converted barn.