The cost of farming
Rebecca Heys
An important tenet in biodynamic farming is that a farm should run as a self-sufficient organism without the need for inputs. At Plaw Hatch, our farmers work tirelessly throughout the summer to ensure we have enough feed for the animals during the winter. We only raise the number of animals that we can feed. When the weather is kind, we can achieve this aim quite easily. Cold, damp springs can make this task much more difficult. So far, 2022 has been good for growing grass!
One commodity that we cannot avoid buying in is energy. Whether this be electricity for our buildings or diesel for our tractors and, like you, we have seen huge increases in both. Our electricity bill is set to double this year to over £65,000 and the price of diesel is through the roof. Of course, all our suppliers are exposed to these increases too, which inevitably, leads to price increases.
We are working hard to reduce the impact on our customers, knowing that we are all in the same boat. We are protected slightly, due to our biodynamic ethos of self-sufficiency, and can soak up some of the rises. If we raise a price in the shop, it will only be when we cannot cover the rising costs any longer. Our customers are at the heart of all we do, and together we will be able to weather the situation we are all facing.
