Author: Earth Cycle

The journey to becoming Organic

We’ve been farming at Woodhorn Farm since 1882 and during that time there have been some key milestones. Some of these came from technical advances, some were driven by the need for diversification, but some were key decisions about the direction we wanted to take the business in and the role we have as custodians of the land.

Probably the biggest decision was the move to becoming a fully organic farming operation in 1998. Looking back there’s little else that would have such a fundamental impact on the way we operate as a business – even Brexit.  So whilst we continue to diversify, like with the launch of our milk vending operation recently, and continue to reach key milestones in our business growth, the decision John Pitts took 25 years ago was a significant one and dictates almost everything else we do today. As a result the markets we now sell into are more limited than if we weren’t organic and we have to achieve a slight premium to cover the increased costs of production. On the flip side, the success of our milk vending operation is in part due to the benefit of being able to offer organic whole milk direct from the dairy – rather than just fresh milk.

The other consideration in choosing to farm organically is that it’s not an overnight process. It’s certainly not as simple as wanting to become organic tomorrow! Our farm, like many others, had been farmed traditionally for generations with an impact on the soil quality that needed to work its way through. Today we’ve developed ways of working and our own supply chains of fertiliser and humus that support us in being organic, but these didn’t exist on day one. So, we had to work through a transition period, set up new relationships and fundamentally alter our way of working and thinking! And this is a key point. Organic is not just a way of working – it’s also a thought process and a way of life.

Protecting and encouraging wildlife

From a farming perspective organic means farming in a way that protects and encourages wildlife whilst looking after the health of the soil. So, instead of relying on chemicals, we strive to work with nature to feed the soil and control pests. We use crop rotations, legumes, clover and vetches along with our own composted cow manure to build fertility in the soil.

There are plenty of benefits of organic farming, though most people think of the absence of pesticide and/or antibiotic residues first. For us it is also about the environment as a whole; by not using pesticides we’ve seen a transformation of the flora and fauna on the farm. No herbicide usage means that all our crops have varying levels of weeds and wildflowers in them. These act as a habitat for a wide range of insects, small mammals and ground living birds.

Animal welfare

Where animals are concerned, organic is about maximising their welfare, concentrating on the principle of prevention rather than cure. Organic means free-range and all our animals are grazed on fresh grass throughout the spring, summer and autumn period and fed home grown forage through the winter. All our feeds are, of course, GM free. We proudly antibiotic free across the herd now, with herbal and homeopathic remedies the preferred options for dealing with health related issues.

We’re not leaving it there

Once we’d made the decision to become an organic farming operation, there’s little else that can be changed in agricultural terms that has as big an impact. There are no ‘levels’ when it comes to organic and it’s impossible to become more organic…! So, anything we do now concerns better land management and increasing the positive impact of our work on the soil, wildlife and our animals. Here’s what we’re planning or already underway:

Land management – we now have a zero bare soil policy. This means there is always something in the ground, so as we finish cropping and harvesting, we immediately replant with a different crop or natural green fertiliser. Rather than being classed as intensive farming, this process is referred to as a ‘green bridge’ helping hold nutrients in the soil, limiting erosion and reducing run off into rivers and ditches.

Land management – we’re working towards minimum tillage. Each time the soil is disturbed, nutrients escape and the structure is broken down a little more. This also releases carbon that would otherwise be sequestered in the soil. Ploughing and tilling the fields can have a detrimental impact on soil health as well as releasing carbon into the atmosphere. We’re therefore looking at how we can minimise surface and ground disturbance. It is a bit of a trade off as to use our own green fertilisers (vetch, legumes, clover etc.) to maximum effect, they need to be ploughed back into the ground to encourage them to break down and release nutrients at root level. At present, we plough ahead of our main crops, but our cover crops and fertilisers are drilled directly into the soil. It’s an area whereby there is currently a lot of research and innovation taking place and so we’ll continue to adapt as soon as we can.

A bold move that has paid off

Back in 1998, John’s decision was still something of a bold move. Other farmers were moving to partial organic farming but John felt it needed to become a wholesale change across the entire farm. Today our organic farming activities extend to 1,500 acres on the Chichester Plain and the South Downs. We have a 250 head of organic dairy cows and sell our milk, some 5,000+ litres a day, through our organic co-operative, Organic Herd, and directly to the public via our Woodhorn Farm milk vending machines. Our crops go to organic producers manufacturing a range of foods and drinks, like our barley which is used by a European organic brewery.

We understand what it takes to be an organic farm and actively embrace it. We also have plans to do more. It’s not necessarily been easy; organic farms are often more at the mercy of nature than non-organic farms and major diseases or extremes of weather can, and have, impacted us more than other farmers over the years. But organic remains a philosophy we’re committed to, ultimately we believe that how we farm matters.

Why did we choose to diversify at Woodhorn Farm?

Our organic farm lies at the heart of our business. Since 1882 the Pitts family has worked the land in and around Oving, and John Pitts, our owner, still oversees our operations today. Since John took over the reins in the late 1980s the Farm has diversified into several other business streams. Here we share some of the reasons behind our decision to diversify…

When we began farming here in 1882 everything was centred around our crops and cattle. These mainstays of the business meant long hours and hard work but provided good sources of income, as well as employment opportunities to the local community. Through two World Wars and the inter-war period the Pitts family oversaw the Farm, including a revolution in food production at Woodhorn.

When John took over the Farm in 1989, it was against a backdrop of tough times for farmers – nationally the sector experienced enormous challenges with squeezed prices, tighter margins, intensification and the use of chemicals taking its toll on livelihoods, soil health and production.

Farming is of course vulnerable to various risks, including weather-related disasters, pest invasions, market price fluctuations and disease outbreaks. Diversification into other areas can help mitigate these risks and avoid the Farm having to bear the responsibility of the whole enterprise. Added to this John had a growing interest in the Farm’s responsibility to the wider environment and the community.

So change was necessary for a range of economic and environmental reasons. Sustainability became an important factor and the search for new and alternative revenue streams became a key focus.

In 1995 we took the first step, converting some of our old farm buildings into office space for local companies to use. Today we have a mix of 27,000sq ft light industrial, storage and offices supporting more than a dozen businesses.

Three years later came the decision to start the process of conversation to a fully organic farm. At the same point we began a green waste composting business taking waste from gardens and the horticultural sector to create peat-free products. This has developed into a core revenue stream, with three sites, diverting 100,000 of green waste from landfill and producing 50,000 of compost and topsoil for gardeners and landscapers.

And in 2012, we took advantage of the combination of our position in sunny West Sussex, to establish our own solar farm which now is home to 13,800 solar panels creating 5.4 MW of power. 

Today the Farm supports an organic dairy herd of 250 cows. We grow a range of crops – the majority of which feed our dairy herd; we are 96% self-sufficient. But we also supply wheat for organic bread making, barley to a European co-operative for organic beer, and oats for oat milk. The Farm works on the basis of very little bare soil – providing a green bridge between crop yields to reduce run off and manage rainfall. And we operate within DEFRA’s mid-tier Countryside stewardship scheme to help the environmental value of our farmland. We’re also part of Organic Herd, a co-operative of organic farmers with 120 members across the UK. Together we supply milk to Yeo Valley and Sainsbury’s, amongst others and champion sustainable and ethical practices for animals, the environment and dairy.

Our latest venture, launched in 2023, is selling our organic milk direct to the public through The Oving Cow Shed, in our local village. The milk is pasteurised in our dairy, before being transferred to the Shed less than a mile away for people in and around the area to enjoy.

At the core of these steps to diversify has been a focus on conservation and welfare – of people, animals and the land which everything rests upon. We’re a farm that’s been part of the community for a long time. Diversification has given us the opportunity to ensure that remains the case for many years to come.

Winter Site Operating Hours 2021/2022

Woodhorn Group - Topsoil Production

 

Please be aware that from 1st November 2021 – 31st January 2022 we are operating within our Winter hours. Our current hours are as follows:

1st November to 31st January

Monday to Friday: 8am–4pm (last weigh out 15:30)

Saturday: Tangmere 8am–1pm

Runcton & Hayling Island (Manor Farm) – CLOSED

Sunday & Bank Holidays: CLOSED

Our Christmas & New Year opening times ae outlined below:

Woodhorn Christmas 2021 open times

 

All operating hours throughout the year can be viewed here

If you have questions regarding our waste management and recycling sites please call us on 01243 781730 or email info@woodhorngroup.co.uk

Futurescape 2021

FutureScape 2021 - Exhibitor

 

FutureScape is the UK’s must-attend landscaping event. This bustling two-day show includes informative seminars and live debates full of practical business advice and a chance to connect, share and collaborate.

You’ll be in good company at this FREE to attend event, with hundreds of like-minded professionals exhibiting, attending and speaking. FutureScape Expo acts as a meeting place and information hub, for you, your colleagues and associates to view the latest products, materials, technology and services that matter to you in your work.

The Woodhorn Group will be on hand to showcase our British Certified soils and PAS100 Compost to the landscaping community. We manufacture over 35,000 tonnes of soil each year, supplying new housing estates, groundworks, and landscaping projects across the south coast and further afield. We also receive over 90,000 tons of local green waste each year at our sites in Tangmere, Runcton and Hayling Island, which is composted to create our high quality peat free PAS100 compost and soil conditioning products.

Visit us at FutureScape to find out how we can help supply your next project.

Date: 16-17th November 2021

Location: ExCel London

To find out more about the event and to book your FREE place visit www.futurescapeevent.com

Diane deadlifts to glory!

weight-plates

A huge congratulations to our very own Diane Leach who won 2 Gold Medals at the Amateur British Powerlifting Championships in Manchester last week!
No stranger to winning, being both the World and British Champion in deadlift, Diane won gold in the full power event with  110kg squat and a personal best bench press of 52.5kg to become British champion! Diane then went on to defend her title in the deadlift event and win gold.

Diane Deadlift

In 2019 Diane lifted a record-breaking 130kg at the Amateur World Powerlifting Championships in Orlando, Florida. She was able to match this extraordinary feat of strength, this time on home soil, lifting 130Kg once again.
Congratulations to Diane!

Weighbridge Closure – Wednesday 30th June

Weighbridge with Green waste lorry 2
Due to essential maintenance work on Wednesday 30th June 2021 the weighbridges at both our Runcton and Tangmere Composting sites will be closed for collections of loose material and tipping of green waste at the following times:
Runcton – CLOSED 8am-12pm
Tangmere – CLOSED 12pm-4pm
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but if you have any questions or concerns, please call us on 01243 781730 or email info@woodhorngroup.co.uk

The Woodhorn Group is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

This year the theme is Nature and how connecting with the natural world can support good mental health.

Today marks the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health.

The week, which is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, is in its 21st year and runs from 10-16 May.

This year, the theme for the week is ‘Nature’. Across the country, people will be celebrating the mental health benefits of being around nature in their local community in a range of digital and creative ways. In Chichester, The Woodhorn Group will be running activities for it’s employees throughout the week, such as a group bike ride on Tuesday and a nature walk on Wednesday, as well as wellbeing workshops covering topics including, managing anxiety and confidence building.

Mark Rowland Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation said: “Mental Health Awareness Week has grown to be one of the biggest awareness weeks in the UK. This year the theme is on nature and its central role for our mental health. Since the beginning of the pandemic, millions of us turned to nature to help us get through lockdowns and our research shows that good mental health depends on us being able to connect with nature in some way and its power in both prevention of and recovery from poor mental health.”

“During the week, we want to hear millions of people’s stories about how the natural world has supported their mental health.”

“We also want to highlight the huge disparities between who is and who isn’t able to access nature. We want the week to explore how everyone across the UK can connect with nature and experience the mental health benefits wherever they live.”

Some of the ways people can participate in Mental Health Awareness Week:

– During Mental Health Awareness Week, why not try to make a habit each day of connecting to the nature in your local area? Stop to listen to the birdsong, smell the freshly cut grass, take care of a house plant, notice any trees, flowers, or animals nearby. Take a moment to appreciate these connections.

– Share images/videos/or just sound recordings of the nature on your doorstep (and how this made you feel) on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

Use Mental Health Foundation resources in your family, school, workplace and community to join with thousands of people who will be finding new ways to connect with nature in their local environment.

Earth Cycle receives Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award 2021

Feefo Platinum Trusted Customer Service Award 2021

Earth Cycle has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service award, an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences, as rated by real customers.
Created by Feefo, Trusted Service is awarded only to businesses that use Feefo to collect genuine reviews and insights. Businesses meeting the high standard, based on the number of reviews they have collected and their average rating, receive the award. A highly-valued badge of approval, this accreditation remains unique, as it is based purely on the interactions with real customers. As all reviews are verified as genuine, the accreditation is a true reflection of a business’s commitment to outstanding service. Feefo gives Platinum Trusted Service awards to businesses that have achieved the Feefo Gold standard for three consecutive years or more. The Feefo Gold Trusted Service award recognises organisations that have collected at least 50 Feefo reviews in a year and have achieved a service rating of at least 4.5.
Nick Martin, Marketing Manager at The Woodhorn Group commented “We’re very excited to receive this award from Feefo because it’s based on the feedback of real customers, who are the most important judges of all. It recognises how hard we work to give all our customers the best possible experience, even in a year as tough as 2020. Everyone at Earth Cycle is fully committed to the highest quality of service, so it’s important for us to listen, understand and respond to all our customers. The beauty of Feefo is that it enables us to consistently improve, so we’re looking forward to another successful year.”
The Earth Cycle brand of peat-free composts and topsoils are sold primarily online, and to be recognised for the award after a year which saw a huge surge in demand for gardening products due to the first national lockdown creating a wave of new gardeners ordering online, makes this an especially satisfying award for everyone at Woodhorn involved in the processing, manufacturing, and sending out of these orders at a difficult time where we had to adapt quickly. It is recognition of how everyone in the company worked together as a team to meet the expectations of our customers.
Feefo is a reviews and customer insights technology company that provides businesses with the tools to collect real, purchase-verified reviews and insights. Working with over 3,500 clients, Feefo ensures that all feedback is authentic, by matching it to a legitimate transaction, in order to increase consumer confidence and enable businesses to make smarter business decisions.

COVID-19: England Lockdown – January 2021

Topsoil Production at The Woodhorn Group

 

As with previous government lockdowns in England, we would like to reassure everyone that our sites in Tangmere, Runcton, and Hayling Island are permitted to continue to operate as usual during the new lockdown now in force across England. The Woodhorn Group will remain open for the disposal of green waste and collection of topsoil and compost during this period.

We have a number of contingencies that have been in place throughout the pandemic to help protect our customers from any impact to the service we provide and to protect everyone from any additional risk of contracting the virus whilst visiting our sites.

Facemasks must be worn when entering the weighbridge office and hand sanitisers are positioned at our weighbridges at Tangmere, Runcton and Hayling Island composting sites to encourage strong hygiene regimes while on site. Please can all drivers and visitors to our sites observe the hygiene requirements and use the hand sanitiser prior to entering the weighbridge. If this represents any concerns then please get in contact.

Our staff have all been issued with clear guidance on how to assess and minimise the risk posed by Covid-19. We have robust contingencies in place to ensure any impact of Covid-19 is minimised on site and that our disposal and processing services continue unhindered.

We will endeavour to provide our usual high level of service throughout this latest lockdown in England. If you have any queries regarding the contingencies please do not hesitate to contact us.

In addition we have robust contingencies in place with our suppliers of products, predominantly Europe based, and are well stocked to handle any potential gap in the supply chain.

We send all of our customers and suppliers our gratitude and best wishes during these testing times.

If you have questions please feel free to call us on 01243 781730 or email info@woodhorngroup.co.uk