ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

At Tanner House and Tanner Farm Park we are committed to reducing the impact of our activities on the environment. The Park is recognised for this fact in being awarded Gold status in the David Bellamy Conservation Awards. We are also participating in the Green Tourism Business Scheme and have been awarded Silver category. The Farm is also aiming to protect the environment in the way it is managed. Here are some of our objectives.

LITTER We don’t like it! We aim to keep Tanner Farm as litter free as possible. There are plenty of waste bins on the Park and we would ask all our visitors to ensure that litter is put in the receptacles provided.

DOG WALKS If you are staying on the Park and you have your four-legged friend or friends with you, please ensure that you clear up any messages and place in the ‘Dog Bins’ which are situated around the Park and Farm. Packs of doggy waste bags can be purchased in the Park Shop.

WASTE The waste bins on the Park are emptied daily. There is a glass re-cycling unit by the Kent Barn on the Car Park. There are also crates for bottles around the Park. These are collected daily. There is a re-cycling point in the Library Car Park in Marden village.

ENERGY We use low-energy light bulbs in Tanner House and on the Park; outside movement sensors; time clocks; off-peak electricity amongst other energy-saving devices.

TIMBER As far as possible, fallen timber is used in Tanner House, or left so that wildlife can flourish.

WATER We monitor our water usage very closely. We prefer showers which use less water. We use non-concussive taps in the Park Shower Blocks.

TREES We are very protective of all our trees, whether young or old. We do not like to see items nailed to them. Ouch! We get quite sad when someone has broken branches through pure vandalism. Remember – without trees and plants, we will not be able to breathe!

PRODUCTS We use re-cycled or environmentally friendly products where possible. This includes the waste bin liners in Tanner House which are usually courtesy of Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Waitrose, Co-op, Tesco, Carrefour – we do not have favourites!

GRASS CUTTINGS Grass cuttings are composted and the resultant compost used on the flower beds and borders.

WALKS We have devised several walks and cycling routes which you might like to try. Leaflets are available in the Park Shop price 20p per copy. Although we try to give clear instructions, people have been known to wander! We also sell Ordnance Survey maps of the area which you might find useful.

ANIMALS We have various farmyard animals. Our lambs, which arrive in April, are all orphans – aaah! So they have to be bottle-fed. The feeding times are displayed in the Shop and the Information Room and you can help feed them if you wish – it only takes about 5 minutes for them to guzzle a bottle! The piglets come courtesy of Her Majesty – well not quite. They are bred at East Sutton Park which is a local Prison near Sutton Valence. They are very friendly. The Shire horses, Skylark, Tom and Toby are usually worked at week-ends. All the animals have their special diets, and we would appreciate it if you did not feed them. However, the ducks on the pond love all the bread which you throw at them! So please continue. We also have some Guinea Pigs, some fancy poultry and three Pygmy Goats. And last, but not least, there are the inhabitants of the Aviary – Budgies, Finches, Cockatiels, Lovebirds and a Rosella. The Grey Cockatiel flew into a customer’s awning on the Park. It was obviously lost and on the loose, but it seems to enjoy staying at Tanner Farm! Our resident Parrot is on loan from a customer. It squawks a bit but we are teaching it to talk!

SHOPS & L0CAL PRODUCE You are staying in the renowned ‘Garden of England’ so named because almost all types of agricultural and horticultural production are undertaken in Kent. Locally to Marden as you are exploring the area, you will find roadside stalls where you can buy home-grown produce, particularly apples, pears and soft fruit in season. Shops in the area also stock locally-grown produce. ‘Fair Trade’ items can be obtained at the large Co-op supermarket in Cranbrook. Our local Butcher in Marden – Ken Ballard’s – sells a wide range of locally produced beef, lamb, pork and poultry. He makes his own sausages and also sells a wide range of Bar-b-que meats and kebabs.

OFFICE SUPPLIES We use re-cycled paper and envelopes and our empty print cartridges are donated to ‘Tommy’s’ – in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. As far as possible, we try to use e-mail wherever possible to save on paper and postage.

CHARITIES You can freeze your ice blocks in the freezer in the Information Room. We do not charge for this service, but we do ask you to make a donation in the ‘charity bottle’. There is a library of books which you are welcome to use. Again we would appreciate a charity donation. The funds collected during the year are donated to our local Medical Centre and to a nominated charity. In the past we have donated funds to Macmillan Cancer Relief, Cancer Research UK, Cystic Fibrosis & Deaf Children. Thank You.