A Hertfordshire brewery now has a permanent, environmentally-friendly home after receiving help from the Rural Development Service (RDS).
Edward Darling from Greys Farm, Therfield, near Royston, has converted one of his redundant farm buildings to accommodate Buntingford Brewery, with help from the Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES).
Mr Darling said: "We have been able to combine good business and environmental improvements, with RES making it all possible.
"The new brewery will bring more employment to the area, as well as producing popular beer and creating an additional income for the farm. This fits in with my long-term ecological commitment on the farm."
The converted farm building also houses offices, which are used by an environmental consultancy. Mr Darling added: "The beer would be a real local brew, using fresh spring water from a borehole on the farm and malting barley grown in surrounding fields."
Wildlife are also benefiting from Mr Darling's green solution to treating waste water from the brewery.
"A reedbed filtration system treats the waste, with the cleansed water emptied into a specially designed pond. Both the reed bed and the pond encourage wildlife onto the farm, especially rare farmland bird species," Mr Darling explained.
"The new reedbed has already attracted sedge warblers and green sandpipers, with lapwings regularly flying in to drink water from the pond.
Mr Darling also receives Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) funding to encourage farmland birds and rare arable flowers on Greys Farm through sensitive environmental management. By creating grassy margins and leaving stubble, he has created favourable conditions for the birds and flowers, which were once common in arable fields.
Nicola Newell, an advisor for the Rural Development Service in the East of England, said:
"This project provides a number of benefits, with Mr Darling now having a secure market for some of his malting barley. The local community can also visit the farm and brewery and buy good quality, locally-produced beer.
"The CSS agreement and the land management at Greys Farm, also help complement neighbouring Therfield Heath which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest."
