Author: Emma Cooper

Celebrating our heritage

Posted on July 8, 2025 by - Uncategorised

The roots of The Woodhorn Group are rooted in agricultural heritage, dating back to the 19th century.

In 1882, the Pitts family, dairy farmers from the West Country, relocated to West Sussex to take over Church owned tenanted farms in Chichester, Amberley, and Oving. Leading the move was Fred Pitts, a famer and businessman (something of a rarity at the time) who not only managed the family farms but also served as Managing Director of The Belgravia Dairy Company. Fred recognised the superior soil quality in Sussex compared to Devon and likely saw the added benefit of being closer to London, particularly to the company’s headquarters in West Kensington.

Since then Woodhorn Farm in Oving has remained under the guardianship of the Pitts family, and our Group founder, John Pitts is now the 4th generation of the Pitts family to farm here – a long heritage!

Embracing organic farming

One of the boldest decisions made by John was to move to organic farming in 1998. At the time some farmers were beginning to switch to partial organic practices, but John believed wholeheartedly that how we farm matters, and began the process of wholesale change. It wasn’t easy; becoming organic is not an overnight step. Like many farms, Woodhorn had been managed using traditional methods, which had taken a toll on the soil quality, a legacy that couldn’t be reversed overnight. Today, we’ve established our own systems and supply chains that enable us to farm organically, but these weren’t in place from the start. The transition required time, new partnerships, and a complete shift in both our practices and mindset. And that’s an important point: organic farming isn’t just a method – it’s a way of life.

Since those early days we’ve embraced organic practices, and become part of Organic Herd, a collective of British farmers who champion organic farming and work together to supply supermarkets and supply chains. Our relationship with Organic Herd has also seen us adopt other measurement standards, such as monitoring and measuring our own water and crop inputs and outputs. Today our dairy herd is 96% self-sufficient, and our arable crops are farmed with a zero bare soil approach, where we plant and harvest year round to ensure there is always a ‘green bridge’ holding nutrients in the soil.

Branching out

As well as developing the farm, John understood the need for diversification. Given the state of the British farming sector, it was clear that alternative sources of income were needed. The first steps were to convert a few of the unused farm buildings into commercial and storage space. It was well received: good office space, with plenty of parking and surrounded by green space, appealed to a number of local firms and today the Woodhorn Business Centre is home to more than 15 companies, with over 27,000 sq ft of space available.

The next step, given the land and space available, was to dedicate areas to green waste recycling. As the concept of green bins took off, enabling homeowners to easily recycle their garden waste, local authorities needed ways to collect and manage this influx. From sites in Tangmere and Runcton, we began recycling local green waste from Hampshire and Sussex into organic, peat-free composts and soils. Endorsement from the Soil Association and others meant our soils were officially recognised for their quality too, and demand for them grew across the horticultural and building sectors.

Establishing Earth Cycle

From this fairly industrial green waste business originated Earth Cycle, our consumer brand, which now supplies gardeners and landscapers up and down the UK with quality garden supplies. We started off supplying our own composts, topsoils, barks and mulches locally, and later online in bulk. As Earth Cycle’s presence grew we added other products – decorative stones for landscaping projects, logs from sustainable British supplies and high quality, British made tools. The pandemic created huge demand for gardening supplies, delivered to people’s homes in bulk, and Earth Cycle became a larger player in the horticulture sector. Today, as Earth Cycle celebrates its 20th birthday, we are on the cusp of rolling out a brand new look with a refreshed brand and website. We’re also working with a dedicated set of partners to extend our range to better meet the needs of gardeners – adding seeds and gardening essentials including organic feeds, recycled watering cans and eco-friendly pest control products.

Our commitment to conservation, innovation and people and animal welfare has helped drive our business over the past decades, and we’re sure that our next steps will help ensure that our operations remain relevant for a long time to come.

Grown for good: our organic crops

Posted on May 30, 2025 by - Blog, Farming and Dairy

Our business is rooted in a 1,500-acre organic arable and dairy farm nestled between the Chichester Plains and the South Downs. This rich, fertile space allows us to grow a range of organic crops including maize, oats, wheat and barley, which are generally sown in the spring and harvested from August onwards.

We farm organic crops for two key reasons:

  • Self-sufficiency – growing our own helps us protect our dairy enterprise against a very volatile organic market. It means we can feed our cows all year round, rather than having to purchase food externally. Around three-quarters of the crops we grow are used to sustain our herd.
  • To sell – growing crops makes full use of the good quality soil that we are fortunate to be farming. This enables us to sell our crops into premium quality and export markets.

Changing times – organic crop rotation

Since converting to organic farming in the late 1990’s we now follow a diverse crop rotation programme. This helps sustain fertility in the soil and promote good soil health. The 7-year rotation requires crops such as clover to be planted, which fixes nitrogen in the soil naturally helping support future crop growth. With a grass-fed dairy herd, we also need a grass grazing platform that forms part of the farm’s rotation. This is located close to the dairy and linked to the permanent tracks used by the herd as the cows walk to and from the milking parlour.

What are the crops used for?

We typically sell the oats, barley and wheat which are grown here:

  • Oats are sold for organic porridge oats and organic oat milk in Cheshire
  • Barley is sold for malting to make organic beer in Belgium or Sweden
  • Wheat is usually sold for milling to make organic bread or biscuits by Doves Organic in Hungerford

We also sell our barley and wheat for seed production. Once cleaned it’s sold via our grain merchant to other farmers for crop growing on their own farms.

Which crops are used to feed the cows?

The crops we grow for our dairy herd are used in different ways:

  • Maize can be cut as a whole plant and chopped to make silage. This is then fed to the cows over the winter when they are inside the sheds. Some of the maize is left to grow and mature before being cut for its grain only, rolled and ensiled as a high energy feed for the cows.
  • Clover is usually around three times a year using a mower. It’s left to wilt and dry out before being picked up, chopped to a uniform length and ensiled in large storage bunkers. It’s then used as winter feed.
  • Barley is used in two different ways; when’s it’s not fully mature it can be cut to produce a whole crop silage for the cow’s diet. Or if it’s matured further (but not fully ripe) it can be harvested, and the grain crushed for winter feed. 

Why does organic matter when it comes to crops?

The organic standard is legally binding in Europe and the UK. Farming to this standard – without chemicals and synthetic fertilisers and following higher animal welfare standards – enables us to sell to a premium market. It also improves the biodiversity, soil health and climate resilience of the farm, helping us meet our own sustainability goals as a business.

What are the biggest challenges when it comes to growing crops?

In recent years the weather and climate change have been the biggest challenges. Extreme weather patterns through the growing season means we have to adapt. Global instability and Covid have also affected grain markets, impacting prices in the UK and Europe. The organic grain market currently makes up less than 10% of the UK total grain sales, but sales of organic grain products are growing between 7% and 10% annually. We’re also seeing growing consumer demand driven by younger customers who are keen to seek out provenance and choose organic, less processed foods.

A Day in the Life –Tim Eames, Tangmere Recycling Site Manager

Posted on May 8, 2025 by - Blog, Soils and Composting, Waste Management, Woodhorn Group

Tim Eames manages our green waste recycling site at Tangmere in West Sussex. As part of our meet the team series, Tim explains what his role entails and shares how a typical day on site looks.

I’m usually up by 6am, fuelled by a strong coffee and a quick breakfast. While I’m waking up, I check over the day’s plan and pick up any early messages – if someone’s off or something’s changed, I’ll tweak the schedule before heading out.

By 7:20am I’m on site, giving myself a bit of time before the team arrives. Our daily briefing kicks off at 7:30am. It’s our chance to sort the plan for the day – who’s doing what, any safety points, visits from contractors, that sort of thing. We’ll go over everything from green waste processing and compost screening to batch turning, production and any machinery faults.

By 8am we’re in full swing. I make sure all the kit – loaders, shredders, and screeners – are running properly, then do a walkaround to spot any issues that might’ve cropped up overnight. I’ll check fences, lagoon levels, and generally make sure the place is good to go.

Mid-morning, I take a closer look at the site operations to make sure we’re sticking to the rules and the Site operating safely. It’s also a chance to see what needs tidying up and prompt the team with any operational support in each area, we do get regular visitors, so keeping the place looking sharp matters.

Lunchtime is usually quick – just a bite while I catch up on admin. I’ll input daily numbers, look at weighbridge logs, and keep the health and safety records up to date. I also spend some time offering support on how the team’s doing and jot down notes for any training or development chats we’ve got coming up.

Early afternoon, I dive into the more behind-the-scenes stuff – ordering parts and supplies, tracking down anything we need to keep the place ticking along. That means everything from workshop tools and PPE to getting quotes from suppliers and checking we’re getting a fair deal.

Later in the afternoon, it’s often time for meetings, either with customers, contractors, or just internal catchups. We talk about how to improve the site layout, make things easier for vehicle access, deal with any drainage or safety issues, and plan ahead for upcoming operational needs.

By 4:30pm, we’re wrapping up. I check that all machinery’s shut down and site is being prepared for being locked with one last walk around. By 5pm, we’re all closed and ready for tomorrow. It’s a good feeling to know the site’s clean, the team’s done a solid job, and we’ve stayed on top of everything.

Then it’s time to clock out, take a breather, and get ready to do it all again tomorrow in the world of waste and compost.

Playing our part in the local community

Posted on March 26, 2025 by - Blog

Contributing to the community in which we belong is important to us – as individuals and as a business. At the heart of our operations is the land on which we’re located; Woodhorn Farm has been managed by the Pitts family since 1882. As a result taking an interest and supporting the local community in which we’re based means a lot to us.

As well as our work to champion gardens and green spaces with schools, charities and community initiatives as part of our Earth Cycle brand, we also work in and around our local area with regular support for handful of organisations.

Oving Youth Club
Our local youth club meets weekly and offers sports, events and activities to young people between the ages of 9 and 16, who live in and around Oving. Residential activities are offered including overnight stays at Lodge Hill too. We provide sponsorship to the Club, to enable to team who run it to offer a wide variety of subsidised events, and regularly welcome them all to the farm for visits to meet the team and our cows.

The Aldingbourne Trust
For many years we’ve actively supported The Aldingbourne Trust, a charity that provides care, support and employment opportunities to people with learning disabilities and autism in West Sussex. As well as funding the creation of a hedge maze at the Aldingbourne Country Centre, we actively support their thriving wood recycling enterprise and have provided bark chip and composts for their children’s play areas. Our owner John Pitts is also a Trustee, providing guidance and due diligence to ensure the Trust delivers on its purpose.

The Oving Cow Shed
Our newest venture, through our Woodhorn Farm brand, has seen us set up The Oving Cow Shed – a milk vending machine at the Oving Jubilee Hall, so that our local community can buy the farm’s organic milk, along with produce from other local suppliers. Our arrangement with the Hall also means that we donate some of the profits from the Shed to support other community events.

Local Schools
For our local village school, The March CE Primary, we’ve been delighted to help transform their garden with both materials and design help. In Chichester we’ve supplied some of the materials for the garden at St Joseph’s Nursery too. And on the coast in Selsey we regularly support the team at Youth Dream with their gardening and environmental therapy project, The Hidden Garden.

St Richards Hospital
At our local NHS hospital a garden has been created, linked to the Donald Wilson Neurological Rehabilitation Centre, which is a specialist centre helping support adults with brain injuries to live independently. As well as supplying topsoil, compost and bark, our team got stuck in to help bring the garden to life too.

We’re very proud of all that goes on in our local community and look forward to continuing to support these amazing organisations during the months and years ahead.

Supporting local businesses

Posted on November 26, 2024 by - Blog

The Woodhorn Business Centre, set in the superb West Sussex countryside, supports a diverse range of businesses. We’re home to more than a dozen companies ranging from management trainers and camper van hire to fabricators and architects.

When our owner John Pitts took over Woodhorn Farm more than 25 years ago, he was keen to explore ways in which to diversify the business. With a set of farm buildings no longer required for agricultural use, the decision was made to convert them, and the business centre was born! We now have over 27,000 square feet of mixed commercial use space, including self-storage units, offices, warehousing and light industrial workshops.

Today we are very proud to be supporting a fantastic group of local companies including:

With easy access to the A27, both Chichester and Bognor Regis nearby and free parking, our commercial spaces offer a stunning rural location with views of the South Downs, plenty of beautiful outside space and our herd of Organic dairy cows often found in nearby fields.

Both of our West Sussex sites in Oving, the Woodhorn Business centre and Ham Farm, are highly sought after but to discuss future availability, please contact Kayleigh Akehurst.

Down On the Farm – November 2024

Posted on November 25, 2024 by - Blog

Reflecting on what’s happening down on the farm, John Pitts, our owner and fourth generation farmer at Woodhorn, shares some thoughts about the farm’s relationship with Organic Herd.

Organic Herd is a farmer owned co-operative of around 100 Organic dairy farmers across the UK and we at Woodhorn have been proud members for the past 25 years. Organic Herd supplies milk to the likes of Yeo Valley, Wyke Farms and Kendal Nutricare baby foods. As well as being the only 100% Organic dairy cooperative in the UK, they are also the only supplier of milk in Europe that come from farms that never use antibiotics.

A year ago Organic Herd launched an own range of speciality cheeses, butters and chocolates. None of these are available in supermarkets simply because the big chains expect to take such a big percentage of the sale price that, after production costs, there would be nothing left to go back to the farmers.

So instead these products are available through delis across the country, stores such as Planet Organic and in our vending machine at Woodhorn Farm!

All products are made by artisan producers that fit Organic Herd’s ethos (“How We Farm Matters”), are made to historical recipes, are additive free and of course are made from milk that is certified Organic and antibiotic free. Cheeses are made using traditional cultures and matured in wooden boxes, whilst butters are cream tumbled in 1960s butter barrels and then hand salted and churned in small batches.

Whilst this might seem an Organic Herd advertisement, it’s simply another part of our story and who we are at Woodhorn, supporting all the things we are trying to achieve.

A day in the life – Morgan Davies, Materials Recycling Director, The Woodhorn Group

Posted on September 10, 2024 by - Woodhorn Group

Waste management

Morgan Davies is our Materials Recycling Director. As part of our meet the team blog series, Morgan shares more about his role and what a typical working day looks like.

Morgan Davies - Materials Recycling Director

I’m awake just before 6am, and head downstairs with the dog to sort the kitchen out from the night before. With my children old enough to get themselves to school, I’m free to head off to work just after 7am. Depending on the traffic on the A27, I’m usually in the office before 8am, and settle myself with a cup of tea to check emails and our in-house systems to see what activity looked like from the day before.

I’m responsible for our Waste Recycling Enterprise – we have two sites in West Sussex and process up to 100,000 tonnes of green waste each year. We work with a range of organisations, including local authorities, national companies and trade landscapers, processing green waste into compost, topsoil and other garden products. With a move to sustainability and recycling it’s a busy and growing sector. As well as exploring new business opportunities I work closely with our key clients and support our Area Operations Manager in leading our 21 strong Waste Recycling team. We’re proud of our Quality and Environmental ISO standards – and another part of my role is ensuring we remain audit compliant.

The team dynamic

It’s great to work in such a lovely green space – in the Sussex countryside outside Chichester – and I enjoy collaborating with our people and being part a dynamic and successful team. Independence and trust are championed here so it’s great to be able to take full ownership of various projects and tasks – and then cascade that autonomy through the rest of the team.

Typically my time is spent reviewing various health, safety, quality and environmental management documents, updating statistics and KPIs and staying in close contact with our key clients. Alongside this I’ll manage PAS100 and ISO audits through the year, as well as keeping budgets updated and reporting on performance to the rest of the management team and the Board.

It’s been a much more stable few years, especially given the turbulence we saw at the start of the pandemic, and the significant increases in the cost of fuel. The past few years have seen us with a number of challenges including staff shortages and the political and socio-economic impacts faced by many organisations. And with both our compost production and farming operation there have been the inevitable issues caused by more extreme weather events. But we’ve learnt to adapt and overcome, and our strong team culture has certainly helped us navigate through tricky times.

Embracing wider responsibilities

Whilst I head up all things involving waste recycling and mainly focus on that area, as a Director I’m also heavily involved in our business-to-consumer division, called Earth Cycle. I keep a close eye on which products are selling, and quality control of our product range. And while I’m usually at my desk, there are regularly visits to the compost sites for scheduled meetings and catch ups.

Being in the office so much sometimes means it’s tricky to get my steps in every day, so I often run during my lunchbreak, aiming for at least 8km twice a week. With plenty of fields and trails around the office it makes for a good break. If the weather is against me I’ll use the gym!

Afternoons are usually set aside for other meetings, and I’ll thoroughly track and report on our financial and operational performance too. I keep a close eye on our health and safety and it’s also critical to keep up to date with the latest legislation for obvious reasons.

Before finishing I’ll check my calendar to see what’s planned for the next day – and make sure I’m well prepared. Then it’s back in the car and home!

A day in the life – Raimonds Mamonovs, Area Operations Manager, The Woodhorn Group

Posted on August 23, 2024 by - Woodhorn Group

BS3882 Topsoil

Meet Raimonds Mamonovs, our Area Operations Manager. In this meet the team blog series, you can find out more about our team, their roles and a what a typical working day looks like.

I’m awake at 6am, and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee whilst checking the day’s weather forecast to prepare for whatever conditions lie ahead. The past few months have been challenging, with one of the wettest spring’s on record, which has impacted the volume of green waste we’ve received, and our compost production, so the weather is a high priority! I’m at the office around 7.20am, to welcome the team as they arrive. Once we’re all in we gather for our morning meeting, to discuss the day’s agenda and share any updates. It’s a collaborative and energising start and gets us all ready for the day. I also make it a point to conduct a walk around our Tangmere site, inspecting operations, ensuring everything is running smoothly and addressing any issues. I’ll also head to Runcton a few times throughout the week. These visits are essential for making sure all sites are running smoothly and efficiently. During these visits, I also run health and safety checks, and environmental assessments, to maintain all regulations and standards.

Back at my desk I make time to review our procedures, update documentation as needed, and implement improvements – we’re always keen to be efficient and effective.

Composting and Collaborating

As Area Operations Manager I oversee our day-to-day operations and the management of our two licensed composting facilities. I’m responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of our machinery, coordinating staff, ensuring health and safety standards are met, and maintaining consistent standards across our sites.

A key aspect of my role is to manage the composting process efficiently, adhering to all health and safety, environmental, and quality standards. This includes maintaining detailed records and ensuring compliance with relevant protocols and regulations.

As part of the management team I also get involved in strategic planning, decision-making, and making sure our organisational goals and objectives are on track.

The best part of my job is undoubtedly the fact that no two days are ever the same. I thrive on the variety and really enjoy problem-solving, which puts my creativity and analytical skills to the test. With a team of  18 to manage, I find working closely with people is incredibly rewarding. Whether it’s collaborating with colleagues to overcome obstacles or interacting with clients and stakeholders, building relationships and making a positive impact is always fulfilling.



Covid Changed Everything

One of the most challenging moments was navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything shifted overnight – from the way we worked to the way we interacted with customers. As people took to their gardens, our sales surged, so we had to meet increased demand whilst keeping everyone safe. Implementing strict health and safety protocols, such as social distancing and enhanced hygiene, became paramount. And staffing shortages due to self-isolation and ensuring adequate spacing between team members added an extra layer of complexity!

Despite these difficulties, our team rallied together with flexibility and dedication. Strong communication, problem-solving and great teamwork ensured we served our customers effectively during these uncertain times. It was a period that truly tested our mettle but also highlighted the strength of our team and our ability to adapt.

Signing Off

Before heading home, I try to tie up any loose ends and prepare for the next day. As well as checking my emails and calendar for future tasks and meetings, I take a final walk around site to ensure everything’s in order. Finally, I check that all equipment and facilities are securely locked up and put away, ensuring the safety and security of our premises. This always helps my peace of mind, allowing me to switch smoothly from work to home life.

Embracing new environmental schemes

Posted on July 25, 2024 by - Blog

irrigation

Environmental stewardship schemes, which DEFRA manages, aim to encourage farmers to put land aside to improve wildlife and reduce farming’s impact on the environment. As part of our role as custodians of this special area of Sussex farmland, we’ve embraced some of these schemes to help protect the environment. Cameron Lewis, our MD, shares details of some of the environmental schemes we’ve adopted on the Farm and the benefits we’re seeing.

Farming in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way is very important to us. Being part of national environmental schemes matches both our vision and mission as an organisation. There are clear benefits of taking part – for both the land, and our culture as a business. There’s also, it has to be said, an element of income support for the farm – which helps too!

We’re currently signed up to a 5-year Mid-Tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme, which runs until December 2026. We’re also part of a 3-year Sustainable Farming Initiative which runs to the same timeframe.

What’s involved in environmental schemes?

All schemes require a significant amount of additional work. This can range from additional soil testing to measure soil health, to planting specific seed mixes on a specific piece of ground that will feed birds through the winter months. We’ve got a number of measures in place that enhance our natural hedgerows and create wildlife corridors that shelter the smaller birds and mammals on the Farm. Other measures like planting winter cover crops or herbal grass leys help to reduce nutrient leaching into the water courses and lower the risks of soil erosion during heavy rainfall periods. We treat the management of these schemes like any other cash crop to ensure the measures we sign up to are effective and get the right attention through the farming year.

What are the benefits of taking part?

Over the last 25 years of being certified organic and participating in the numerous environmental schemes we’ve seen a huge increase in wildlife diversity. This is across the food chain too – from birds of prey to the insect life and improvements to soil health.

We’re very much in favour of these schemes. They’re always evolving, have generally improved and are easier to tailor. Getting a balance of farms in the UK producing food for the population as well as looking after the environment is challenging, but so important.

We’ve also gone further with some of our own environmental projects too, from installing solar energy for use on Farm, to working to ISO14001 international standards for environmental management. This acts as a framework for the business in setting continuous improvement goals and reducing our impact as a business on the environment we live in.

Hedge Laying

What’s next?

We’re keen to get more involved and sign up to more measures that will help the bio-diversity within the Farm estate. We’re also working on a Group-wide project to set out our longer-term plans around the environment, sustainability and how we govern the business to ensure these areas progress into the future.

Down On the Farm – July 2024

Posted on July 18, 2024 by - Blog

cows in farm shed

Reflecting on life down on the farm, John Pitts, our owner and fourth generation farmer at Woodhorn, shares some of the latest developments.

We have taken another positive step on our sustainability journey with the installation of solar panels at Reeds Farm which will provide renewable electricity to the dairy.  Our main demand for power comes from the milking parlour, the hot water required for milking plant sterilisation and the milk cooling in our bulk milk tank. In addition, our new pasteurisation plant will be entirely powered by solar energy, so hopefully another positive for those of you enjoying our milk from The Oving Cow Shed!

solar panel in field

Our main use for electricity at night is for lighting in the cow sheds when solar panels are asleep. We are about to upgrade all of our lights which will be significantly more energy efficient and will then consider installing a commercial battery storage system so that these too can run on solar power.

Harvest is approaching, although expectations are rather low this year following the incredibly wet winter and spring. Wet, cloddy seed beds inevitably meant that plant populations were low on emergence with many seeds not germinating. Across the country many thousands of acres were not able to be sown at all, so the farm team at Woodhorn did extremely well in the face of one of the most challenging springs in memory.

Continued wet weather created enormous disease pressure in all our crops and even conventional farmers, with the massive armoury of chemicals at the disposal, struggled to control the likes of septoria tritici in wheat and crown rust in oats. Being organic and chemical-free means that ‘disease years’ (like this one) significantly reduce our yields but one might argue that the ‘gap’ between Organic and Conventional farming systems is even more stark when the amount of chemicals applied is so high on other farms.

Whilst the subject matter of these articles is naturally governed by the title ‘Down on the Farm,’ I thought I would give a mention to our teams on our green waste sites at Tangmere and Runcton. Wet spring and summers inevitably generate more garden waste than normal, and this puts huge pressure on everyone during a time of year that is already extremely busy. What is more, the active composting material that has sat on-site over the winter is, inevitably, incredibly wet which has made screening the finished compost at best extremely challenging and at worst impossible. I often refer to the dedication of our farm teams and the same very much applies to all our staff involved in the composting enterprises. Thank you, all of you!

green waste being recycled

We are on course to process over 110,000 tons of waste this year, all of which would otherwise have been landfilled and as most of you know, we turn this into a variety of peat-free soils and compost mixes which we retail through our Earth Cycle brand. We are also currently providing c.8500 tons of a bespoke British Standard peat-free topsoil mix for the new sports pitches at Shopwyke Lakes, which have suffered significant delays due to the wet weather – are you noticing a theme to this article?!

Until autumn…