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It is our vision to have a plan, and that even if the plan needs altering we can be prepared for our future generations of farmers and nature lovers.   Please take you time to read this policy document about our calculations for the future, and how we will be trying to make a difference: Environmental Sustainability and Net Zero policy for Cragend Farm 2024   Community tr ...

Environmental Sustainability and Net Zero policy for Cragend Farm 2024   Community tree planting and tour projects are the main part of our plan to offset carbon usage to the value of approximately £1000 per annum which equates to our carbon footprint we emit currently in cost terms according to reliable calculator sources. We also plan to harness the water for troughs using ...

Storm Arwen took hold on Friday 26th November and we thought that historically it was important to record it. It blew from Friday at 4pm until Sunday with added snow and ice and freezing conditions. We were hosting a supper bookclub and half of the guests were unable to come out at all, and those that did had terrible trouble getting out from here because of the high winds ...

Well-loved Local Rothbury resident plants a dedication tree in April 2021.   Anthea Logan-Wood planted this Red oak tree on Sunday in the sunshine. She is a well known and loved Rothbury resident. As a child, she was evacuated to Cragend Farm during the Second World War, and her family stay is part of the history at Cragend Farm.  Her ties to Rothbury and Cragend Farm are stro ...

Merry Christmas! 2019 has been an amazing year at Cragend Farm. Our holiday accommodation business is up and running and we now have a flock of Cheviot sheep and a small herd of Rare Breed Whitebred Shorthorn cattle to look after as well as our chickens, peacocks and dogs. Our new arrival, Dax, a Border Collie dog, is now 1 year old, and training to be our trusty sheep do ...

Tree Dedication: The Storer family have lived in the Coquet Valley for over 300 years, and to celebrate this Rob and Helen Storer decided to dedicate a tree to the family past and present as part of our Scots Pine Stand at Cragend Farm. The trees are positioned on a high point on Cragend Farm. The tree furthest east has been dedicated to William Storer and all his forebears. ...

The green oak beams in the kitchen that Shaun cut in 2013 have now been in situ for over 5 years and are really settling in well. We are really pleased with how they  have turned out.  It was a huge task, using 6 oak trees, which we cut ourselves. Our fantastic joiners on site helped us position them, and then Shaun polished them. They were cut from our plantation wood ...

Green Award for Sustainability We have been accredited with a  Green Award for Sustainability at East Cottage for doing our part to help the environment and recycle, remain carbon neutral/negative and energy light. We make every effort to make the cottage as comfortable as possible without waste or excess and hope you enjoy your part in saving our planet by staying with us ...

Storm Ali brought several trees down on the farm. We have spent a great deal of time and effort clearing the wood, for use in our log burners, and have made this 2 seater seat near the River Coquet out of the trunk that snapped. ...

Snow in March The weather has been bad all over Britain this month and Northumberland had its fair share of snow. At Cragend Farm it is a chance to have some fun, once we have made sure the animals are all fed and watered. We managed to have 5 days of sledging and plenty of snowmen and snowballs. Our biomass log boiler worked well and kept us all toasty warm, and the Esse 990 ...

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to your fantastic farm on the Historic Houses tour on Tuesday. We both agree that it was the most interesting HHA visit we have ever done - and we have done many over the years! We had no idea of the extent of the Armstrong connection or what you have there, having visited Cragside on so many occasions in the past 50 years or so. And indeed looked down on the farm from the walks at Cragend quite recently. We particularly enjoyed ascending and descending the ladders to look at the hydraulic equipment and get an idea of how it all functioned, the beautiful and unusual buildings which had housed the cattle, and were intrigued by the contents of your "underground " loo! Peacocks and chicks, hens and a beautiful pet lamb added to the feel of the farm.

Shaun & Lou Renwick are keen to harness the farm's natural resources, using wood to heat their water, to cook with on a wood burning range, and to heat the houses on the Farm. Even if your house is not equipped to totally run on wood there are things you can do to make sure you are using the best quality wood for your fires.

Why use Seasoned Wood?

Seasoned wood is a definition for 'wood drying'. About 5% of the energy of the log is wasted through evaporation and heating the water vapour of damp logs.

Moisture effects the burning process with unburnt hydrocarbons going up the chimney, which can in time create 'sooting' in the chimney, with the possibility of a chimney fire, all of which requires specialist sweeping.

Drying the wood before burning reduces moisture content in the wood before it is used for burning,

Air drying is the most traditional method, and it takes time. usually over and above 2 years! The fire will use less energy to burn the log if the water content is below 20%. Therefore is can give OUT more energy in the form of heat!

Cragend Farm endeavours to provide their customers with the best seasoned wood possible.

if you would like further information on the process of burning wood please contact us and we will be happy to help.

Why seasoned wood?

Thank you so much Lou and Shaun for a great holiday break on your farm at Cragend last week. East Cottage was a super place to stay. Very comfortable accommodation with everything we needed for self-catering and situated next to the beautiful Cragside National Trust gardens. It was super for our dog with fields to walk across as well as a secure fenced place for her to run off lead! Such interesting history too about the farm and how you have restored the buildings, the Victorian silo and so much else of the past farming life at Cragend. We look forward to returning! J&M Nottingham.

Award Winning Accommodation