Woodhouse Farm in the Chilterns National Landscape has received £15,243 of Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) funding to purchase and install a small-scale stoneground micro-mill – the first functioning stone mill within 40 miles of the area in many years. Historically, there were over 50 active mills within 10 miles, and this project begins to restore that tradition. The mill is a collaboration between the farmer at Woodhouse Farm and the team at Imma Bakery, 2.6 miles away.

Closing the gap between farm and loaf

Woodhouse Farm is managed regeneratively – conserving the soil and supporting wildlife. Grain grown on the farm is now milled on site and supplied directly to Imma Bakery, where customers can read about where their flour comes from, how it was grown and what the project is doing for the Chilterns landscape. The result is a supply chain of exceptional transparency: from a field managed for nature, through an onsite stone mill, to an award-winning bakery, all within a few miles.

Many local farmers are interested in transitioning to regenerative agriculture but face real barriers – no guaranteed market, and a lack of small-scale grain buyers willing to purchase from smaller areas of land. The micro-mill addresses both problems directly. It offers neighbouring farmers a low-risk entry point: a small trial area, a guaranteed buyer, and agronomic support to help them make the shift. Since the mill was installed, there has been a great deal of interest from neighbouring farms.

Hamish Grant of Woodhouse Farm said:

“Receiving the FiPL grant has been the essential catalyst for this project; quite simply, the micro-mill would still be a distant dream without this funding support. We have already seen a surge of interest from neighbouring farmers as we hoped for the mill to be a low-risk gateway to trialling more regenerative practices. Seeing the Chilterns return to its roots as a hub for local milling, while creating a more nature-rich landscape for the future, is incredibly rewarding.”

A model for resilient, nature-friendly food systems

The project is designed to demonstrate something larger: that businesses can work locally in a sustainable way, and that the public can play an active role in supporting farming practices that produce quality food while caring for the soil and the landscape. In an era of long, opaque and globalised supply chains, a loaf of bread whose ingredients can be traced to a named field a few miles away is a powerful statement – and a practical model for building food systems that are resilient to global shocks.

Gareth Clay, FiPL Officer at Chilterns National Landscape, said:

“To have grain grown in a wildlife-friendly, sustainable way then milled and used for baking within a few miles, is quite amazing in an era of industrialised food production. This project really helps the public appreciate the importance of farming and the role it can play in caring for our soils, wildlife and landscapes.”