A Cumbrian firm has won a major regional award for its pioneering work restoring damaged peatlands and its peat-free compost making.
Dalefoot Composts, based in Penrith, won the Sustainability and Environmental Impact Award at the recent Rural Business Awards.
The firm has been recognised for its efforts championing the use of peat-free garden composts and using nature-based solutions to help mitigate the impact of climate change.
News of the award win coincides with the company announcing a link-up with the Eden Project. The company’s Wool Compost for Potting has been endorsed by the world-renowned environmental charity and will include its logo on each bag.
Now one of the UK’s leading compost makers, Dalefoot Composts’ unique product range is made from materials grown on the farm using carbon-storing crops, making them climate positive.
Dalefoot harvests bracken from the Lakeland fells, and other sites of conservation across the country, blends this with wool from native hill sheep and then adds comfrey, grown on its farm, to make sustainable, climate positive and peat-free composts.
This unique mix of fully-traceable, fertilising ingredients provides slow-release nutrition for plants, so no need to feed, whilst also reducing the need to water.
The Dalefoot team also restores peat bogs, some of which were once owned by peat compost companies, across the country for the likes of Natural England, NatureScot, South West Water and wildlife trusts.
Peat bogs store more carbon than forests and many in the UK are now in poor condition, releasing carbon rather than just storing it. Dalefoot works with these agencies to help reduce carbon release and return the bogs to functioning, healthy eco-systems.
Professor Jane Barker, of Dalefoot Composts, said: “We are very proud to win at the regional final of the Rural Business Awards.
“We are passionate about what we do at Dalefoot and it’s a great boost to our team to win this award. It also helps to highlight why using sustainable, peat-free compost in your garden is so important and why it’s vital we restore and protect our peat bogs.”
Dalefoot Composts will now go forward to the national final of the Rural Business Awards and the winners will be announced in February.
