Carmarthenshire self catering cottage, Wales

The holding is managed in order to promote and maintain wildlife habitat (woodland, scrub and unimproved pasture). The whole of our acreage is defined as habitat under the Tir Cynnal agri-environment scheme to which we belong. No nitrates, pesticides or herbicides are used on any part of the holding including the vegetable garden or have been for at least 20 years. The sight is very rich in wild flowers hedgerow, woodland and grassland and we are aiming, further, to develop a grazing/mowing system for the pasture which will promote flower rich hay meadows. We keep bees which, as well as providing us and our guests with honey, also have a beneficial effect on local flora through pollination. We have a half acre lake which we are currently clearing of invasive weed in order to create more species diversity. We are currently organising a series of week-ends during which previous guests are invited to help with various conservation projects on the land in exchange for bed and board. As well as benefiting the site we hope this will promote understanding of the issues involved.

Our polytunnel is almost exclusively watered using a system for collecting rainwater and re-cycled bath water. Soil improvement comes from composted organic waste, from chicken and duck manure and also from the (well composted) product of our compost toilet. Our chickens are also fed surplus from the vegetable garden and are given access to the beds during the winter when there is nothing growing there. As well as manuring the ground they help reduce pest populations. We also grow various companion plants to encourage hoverflies and other insect predators.

Ways in which we reduce our impact include producing a lot of our own food e.g vegetables, fruit, honey, eggs, chicken and lamb. Otherwise we buy food that is mostly organic and wherever possible (and it often is in this area) locally produced. Recycling facilities including composting are provided and promoted. Harvesting our own wood for heating - our own house is heated almost exclusively with wood and the cottage accommodation also has a wood burner. All cleaning products, laundry products and washing up products both for ourselves and for guest accommodation are eco products. We use low energy light bulbs throughout the buildings and switch them off when we are not in the room we also have a “standby buster” for electrical appliances and use eco kettles in our own and guest accommodation. Our electricity supplier is a green supplier (Ecotricity). A compost toilet is available to guests (as well as a conventional flush toilet) This saves water and also serves as a bit of an education - almost everybody who uses it is favourably impressed. Furniture throughout is antique, second-hand or self-fabricated. Renovation work we have done in the cottage has made extensive use of lime and local sand. Paints are mostly lime wash and Cassein (traditional milk-based paint) with earth pigments. Where we have used modern paints they are eco emulsions or water-based eggshells.

We are always happy to collect visitors from the nearest bus stop (Pencader) or railway station (Carmarthen) so that, although we are remote, it is possible to stay here without a car - in fact many people have. Local shops are a 20 min walk away but it is also possible to have food boxes delivered. We aim to be actively involved in the local community, our children go to the village school and nursery and we make a point of trying to give guests a sense of what the area is like and what the realities of life here are. Like most rural areas there are many issues which visitors may not be very aware of. We also run classes for local people and provide a studio facility for local groups to meet.

The bulk of our ingredients are sourced from a local organic supplier (Organic Farm Foods) and the local whole food shop (The Mulberry Bush) , both in Lampeter. We also use local cheeses (Teifi, Caws Cenarth, Llanboidy, Gorwydd). For self-catering guests we have an arrangement with a local organic supplier, Face of Flowers, who will take internet orders and deliver them to our cottage free of charge. They have an excellent range of local produce including fresh vegetables and meat and dairy but also a very extensive range of dry goods and other products. We display and sell local artists work (for example CD's, ceramics, books, photographs) in the cottage. We ensure that information about local businesses, shops, farm shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs are readilly available to guests. We have a “we recommend” section in our information folder and also provide the excellent 'Buy Local' directory published by the Carmarthen Journal. The plummer, heating engineer, builders and electrician that we use all live within a 10 mile radius. We also use smaller local firms to supply building materials.