ACRE Farm is the vision of husband and wife team, Emily and Alexander Aitchison alongside Alexander’s parents Caroline and Robin. Based in the heart of East Suffolk at Monewden Hall near the market town of Framlingham.

In 2022, Emily and Alexander started their journey to regenerate the farm, soil and local community. The first project was a designated 10 hectare area for an Agroforestry project supported by the Woodland trust. By the start of 2024, we have planted 2,500 trees and over 1500 metres of hedges. The vision for ACRE farm is to bring it back to an old system of farming, whilst regenerating the soil and essentially using no external inputs, fertilisers or herbicides. A constant principle will guide: get the most out of services rendered by ecosystems.

The goal in the medium term is to achieve a self-fertile system that dramatically reduces dependence on fossil fuels and provides the local community with an abundance of food that covers many nutritional needs, with excellent variety and quality. The heart of the entire project is a wood fired bread oven. Whilst producing delicious sourdough bread, there will also be a range of other baked goods; as well as products from the fruit crops including jams, chutneys, preserves and seasonal bakes.

Plans for the future see the establishment of silvo-pasture, improved water management systems and plenty more tree and hedge planting. Watch this space for updates….