Case Study: Ouseburn Farm – from tins to bees, growing greener ideas through community and creativity
Business Overview
Ouseburn Farm is a much-loved city farm in the heart of Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley. As a registered charity, the farm welcomes over 40,000 visitors each year and offers a mix of educational activities, a retail shop, working gardens, and placements for adults with learning disabilities. Sustainability has always been part of the farm’s values. Green Street helped it build on this through practical support and by helping the team shape and deliver new ideas.
The Challenge
During the Green Street Pioneers project review, the farm went through a change in leadership. The review and action plan helped the new team quickly understand the most impactful next steps, and they set up a sustainability working group of volunteers to help prioritise and implement changes. One clear area for improvement was the shop. Although sustainability was part of the farm’s wider ethos, the shop was still using single use plastics and did not yet reflect the values found across the rest of the site.
The farm was also keen to explore how it could support other local businesses by hosting new initiatives such as composting and growing, and for these to be a potential revenue source as well. These ideas needed development, design and clear pathways to get off the ground. Another key challenge was that the farm had ageing renewable technology and its rain water harvesting system was not working effectively.
What They Did
With Green Street’s support, the farm took action across several areas:
- Green Street prepared an inspiring shop guide for the team, with ideas for products, point of sale materials and visual displays that reflect the farm’s values and help visitors shop with ease.
- Refreshed the farm shop with more local products, less plastic and more educational and second hand items.
- Worked closely with Green Street to introduce a returnable tin scheme for animal feed, replacing 12,000 paper bags per year and helping customers connect with the farm’s low waste values.
- Used the returnable tin project as a starting point for wider messaging and education on reusables, with Green Street helping to shape the branding and communications.
- Agreed to host a Rent-a-Beehive scheme in partnership with a local restaurant, providing honey for the restaurant, a new revenue stream for the farm, and a boost for local pollinators.
- Hosted an event for external partners, set up by Green Street, to explore whether the farm could become a base for a local composting scheme. The plan did not go ahead due to a lack of funding, but the conversations created new connections and opportunities.
- Green Street introduced the idea of a fresh food collaboration with Ernie’s Pop Up Shop, which is now being explored by both parties as a model for local sourcing and joint working.
- Has been recommended to the BEST energy team to explore the future of the site’s older renewable technology and unlock further support.
The Impact
- Eliminated yearly usage of 12,000 single-use paper bags for animal feed by replacing them with the returnable tin scheme.
- Increased shop income by around £1000 in September through improved layout and stock.
- Supported clearer customer journeys with a more attractive and aligned shop offer.
- Built stronger local partnerships, including the new Rent-a-Beehive scheme and potential collaboration with Ernie’s Pop Up Shop.
- Started conversations on a new local food waste solution through the composting event.
- Strengthened team ownership of sustainability through a new, internal working group.
- Gained a practical and inspiring framework for future shop development through the Green Street merchandising guide.
- Positioned the farm as a local sustainability hub with strong potential to influence beyond its own site.
What Other Businesses Can Learn
Ouseburn Farm shows how a strong community ethos can be turned into clear action with the right support. The returnable tin scheme delivered immediate impact, but also became a springboard to build better messaging, engage customers and rethink the farm’s shop offer. With Green Street’s help, the team took a hands-on approach to change, turning ideas into action and building internal momentum through a new sustainability group.
This is also a great example of how collaboration creates momentum. Whether it is through bees, compost or shared food ventures, the farm is now part of a wider local conversation about what sustainable business can look like. Even when a project does not go ahead, hosting the space for discussion helps new ideas take root.
