Could you be farming's next big success story?

Find out why this farm’s holiday lettings business decided to move from solid fuel to LPG.

Farmer Michael Eavis has created one of the world’s most high-profile, on-farm, non-farm businesses. Still a dairy farmer at Worthy Farm, Somerset, he has been hailed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, thanks to his creation of a 135,000 person music and performing arts festival – known as Glastonbury to you and me - worth £37million.

And it would appear that many farmers and farms are diversifying into other areas, albeit not on the same grand scale as Michael!

Meet our farming family from South Norfolk; third and fourth generation farmers, the farm consists of 1,100 acres including a pedigree milking herd of 200 cows plus their offspring and 12,000 free range laying hens.  Arable crops grown on the farm include wheat, barley, sugar beet, oilseed rape, seed potatoes and maize and grass for livestock feed.

And if this wasn’t enough to keep our farming family busy, they also rent out eight luxury Norfolk cottages for holidays and short breaks.

But hot tubs, full central heating and top-of-the-range fully fitted kitchens and utility rooms all need fuel to function.  Initially utilising solid fuel, the owners soon realised that such costs could easily spiral out of control.

Farmer’s wife turned business entrepreneur explained: ‘We set our holiday rental rates 12 months in advance, so we need to know energy costs are consistent with not too many highs and lows.’

This was one of the reasons why the farm’s holiday lettings business decided to move from solid fuel to LPG.

‘Converting to LPG has been a seamless process.  Our supplier was extremely hands on and really committed to ensuring that our vision of offering accommodation on a real working farm was realised.  The planning process went without a hitch and the service we have received has been excellent.  We have been particularly impressed with the underground tanks and the state-of-the-art technology within them which means top ups are automatically requested.  Running both a farm and a holiday lettings business keeps us busy all year round so it is one less thing to think about.  Thank you LPG!’

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The trade association for the LPG and bioLPG industry in the UK