At South Farm, our relationship with the land has always been about more than what happens within our gates.
Nestled on the borders of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, we have spent years quietly tending to our 20 acres of sustainable grounds – growing our own food, nurturing our gardens through every season, and doing our small but considered part to tread as lightly as we can on the landscape we love. It’s at the very heart of who we are as a sustainable wedding venue.
But our commitment to the land stretches far beyond the farm gate. Back in 2014, South Farm’s Managing Director, James Paxman, negotiated a remarkable agreement that would quietly shape the future of this stretch of countryside in ways none of us could have fully anticipated at the time. That deal led directly to the establishment of the Mill River Nature Reserve – a pioneering project that has since placed this corner of Cambridgeshire firmly on the map for all the right reasons.
The reserve management team, led by Simon Saggers, South Farm’s Small Holding Consultant, and his colleagues, have grown into recognised leaders in chalk stream restoration — their expertise earning them selection as pathfinders for the Water Board’s significant £9 million Cam Catchment Restoration Project. It is work we are immensely proud to have helped set in motion.
Most recently, South Farm was honoured to chair the inaugural meeting to restore the entire length of the Mill River — from its source all the way to its confluence with the main River Cam.
What is the ‘Friends of the Mill River’?
The Friends of the Mill River is a wonderful voluntary group open to anyone with an interest in the Mill River and its surrounding catchment area and as South Farm sits within that catchment, we are proud to count ourselves among them.
The group’s mission is an extremely meaningful one: to draw together the historic records of the Mill River — its physical changes, its social history, its evolving landscape — alongside a clear picture of where things stand today and a long-term vision for the next 50 years and beyond. The goal is simple but vital: to preserve and enhance this beautiful stretch of river for generations to come.
After the meeting in the Horse Barn, guests relaxed in The Old Dairy for lunch — a freshly prepared spread made entirely from produce grown right here on our smallholding. A small but considered reminder of why caring for the land we farm matters so deeply to us.
Why This Matters to Us
As one of the most sustainably minded barn wedding venues in Cambridgeshire, we have always believed that caring for the environment isn’t a trend — it’s a responsibility.
Our field-to-fork kitchen relies on healthy soil, clean water and thriving ecosystems. Our gardens are home to insects, birds and wildlife that depend on the wider landscape around us. And our couples, many of whom choose South Farm precisely because of our commitment to sustainability deserve to know that our values extend far beyond the wedding day itself.
The Mill River is part of the living, breathing world that surrounds South Farm. Supporting its future feels like the most natural thing in the world.
What we love most about the Friends of the Mill River is that it is open to everyone. You don’t need to be a scientist or a conservationist — just someone who cares about this special stretch of countryside and wants to see it flourish.
If you live or work in the Mill River catchment area and feel moved to get involved, we would warmly encourage you to do so. The more voices, the richer the picture and the brighter the future for this remarkable river and all who depend on it.
At South Farm, we are proud to play our small part. Because looking after the land — all of it — is something we take quietly, and seriously, to heart.
South Farm is an award-winning, family-run sustainable wedding venue on the Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire border, set within 20 acres of seasonal grounds. To find out more about our approach to sustainability or trying to plan a sustainable wedding , give us a call us on 01223 207581 or contact us via the link.