Author: Emma Cooper

Paul Crawley manages our farming operations. As part of our Meet the Team series, he shares some insights into his role and takes us through what a day on the farm looks like.

The time I wake up varies considerably, anywhere between 4:30am and 6am. As well as working at Woodhorn my wife Madeleine and I have a farm of our own, so the start of my day very much depends what needs to be done here! My wife looks after our farm during the day so I head off to drop my two daughters at school on the way in.

I live just ten minutes away and during term time I’m at work by 8.30am. My phone has often started ringing from 7:30am so I’m often liaising with the farm team or contractors at home and on my way in. When I arrive I’ll usually have a catch up with Sam, our Farm Foreman, and Ottis, our Herd Manager, and then it’s into the office to start replying to emails or to join meetings. Otherwise I’ll head out and about to make sure everything is running smoothly.

My role sees me overseeing the farm and dairy, as well as our milk vending operation. We have a separate team for each of these operations, and I support each of them, offering guidance where needed and helping sort out any issues that crop up. It’s a diverse role; one minute I can be helping remove a gearbox for repair and the next I’m designing an improvement to a cattle shed or farm building! I work closely with Cameron, our MD, helping plan the strategy for the farm whilst managing daily operations, from cropping plans to administering the environmental schemes we’re a part of.

Without a doubt the best part of the job is the team – they are a talented bunch and Sam and Ottis are an inspiring pair, who are always sharing fresh ideas. I also enjoy the variation which farming offers; I’ve worked on farms nearly all my life and love working in the environment and the challenges that come with that – from the joys of the weather to machinery breakdowns. There’s never a dull moment and every day is extremely varied; there’s always a new challenge to overcome. It’s part of the job – achieving the unachievable!

One of my most enjoyable responsibilities is preparing a Board Report to update our directors on operations and KPIs. It gives the opportunity to review what we’ve done over the month and share our achievements and the challenges which lie ahead.

I joined Woodhorn in 2024, so am still a pretty new recruit! The biggest challenge has been familiarising myself with the diverse business that Woodhorn is and getting to grips with the systems and protocols which keep everything running so well. It’s an exciting business to be part of; there are crops grown here that I’ve not been involved with for many years so I’ve had to refresh my knowledge. Luckily I’ve got a real interest in exploring new methods and systems for growing food in a sustainable way, and am keen to see systems that support the wild environment incorporated into the way we produce food.

Before heading home I usually catch up with the team to check on progress. It’s important to celebrate the wins as well as understand what hasn’t gone according to plan. And then it’s back to home – and farming news there!

Recycling green waste became compulsory when new legislation was passed in 2003. Local councils rolled out dedicated green waste collection services, and we were chosen by the team at West Sussex County Council to take on the process of composting green waste at our 4-acre site in Tangmere. At first the resulting compost was used on our own Farm, and by other local farmers and contractors. But with green waste recycling growing in popularity, it soon became clear that there was far too much to keep it to ourselves!

History of Earth Cycle

From this largely industrial green waste operation, Earth Cycle was born in 2005 – supplying composts, topsoils, barks and mulches locally. Much of the focus remained on trade sales, and local landscaping firms and contractors, who were impressed with the quality of the product (which was peat free and organic) and our accreditations (including PAS100 and BS3882). They began ordering in bulk, collecting from our Hampshire or West Sussex sites or opting to have loads delivered to site; we built close relationships with national delivery companies and even invested in our own truck to manage local deliveries. In time Earth Cycle also began to be more widely known amongst dedicated gardeners, who were keen to use quality soils and composts which were chosen by professionals.

The pandemic and a boom in gardening

The Covid pandemic, and subsequent lockdown across the UK, changed the shape of Earth Cycle almost overnight. With millions of people restricted to their own homes a boom erupted. Gardening became a vital pastime and created a new audience of keen gardeners who needed to order online and have what they needed delivered direct. This period fundamentally changed the way in which many people shopped for garden products and bought with it newer, younger customers who discovered a love of gardening and growing their own.

Our history of recycling green waste to create nourishing, nutrient rich soils, composts and mulches meant we were well placed to enjoy this incredible gardening boom, and Earth Cycle became a larger player in the horticulture sector. Our online store, home delivery service and eco-friendly products became a lifeline for new and seasoned gardeners alike. As Earth Cycle’s presence grew there was a growing demand for complementary products too. So we researched and added other items including decorative stones for landscaping projects, logs from sustainable British supplies and high quality British made tools.

A new look

As our original purpose shifted, and after 20 years with the same look and feel, it felt the time was right to review the brand’s identity, which had originally been designed to appeal to a local trade audience. It was important to capture a more modern design, and one which properly echoed Earth Cycle’s values – to act ethically and sustainably, champion green spaces, celebrate heritage and make an impact.  

Earlier this year we rolled 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 pots and watering cans and eco-friendly pest control products.

Today Earth Cycle is a consumer brand that provides gardeners and landscapers across the UK with premium garden supplies. Whilst remaining true to its initial remit – to recycle green waste into a quality product which can be restored back into the earth – we’re proud that our fresh look better echoes all that we offer gardeners as they enjoy time in their green spaces.

This summer we ran our first bird survey. The Sussex countryside is a haven for wildlife, with a wealth of habitats, and bird surveys can reveal valuable information about biodiversity and ecosystem health. They can also help us better understand any impacts which our farming practices are having on local wildlife. As an organic farm, and part of a number of environmental stewardship programmes, it’s important for us to monitor our bird populations, identify key habitats and demonstrate our contribution to environmental conservation.

Working with Chichester District Council, the bird survey was run in June 2025 and saw the specialist officers surveying three 500m transects for 45 minutes, walking from one end of to the other. Overall a total of 39 species was spotted, totalling 371 birds.

Here’s what bird life was seen:

Celebrating our wildlife diversity

It was great to see such a diverse number of bird species across the farm and encouraging to see some noteworthy birds too. The Skylark is always a joy to see and hear, with its distinctive trill sound as it hovers at height. The Green Woodpecker was another delight with its vividly coloured markings.

Some birds of prey, including the Common Buzzard and Sparrow Hawk, were seen demonstrating their different methods of hunting.

We are keen to identify areas and habitats that best suit particular species. Surveys like this also help us to identity where new habitats might need to be created, to help attract some of the rarer species, like the Corn Bunting, Turtle Dove, Curlews and Lapwings, all of which have been in decline in recent years.

We’re also looking at sitting an additional Barn Owl box to provide a nesting site for the resident Barn Owls. 

Why carry out a bird survey?

Bird surveys are a very useful tool for farms but the two key reasons we undertook the survey are for:

1. Biodiversity assessment and monitoring – to help us identify which bird species are present on our farm and in what numbers, providing a baseline for future comparisons.This helps us track changes in bird populations over time, identifying declines or increases in specific species. We can also see which habitats are most important for different bird species, allowing for targeted conservation efforts.

2. Environmental stewardship and conservation – to help us make the right decisions when it comes to conservation planning so that we can consider habitat management, such as creating or enhancing nesting sites, providing food sources or managing the grazing of our dairy herd.

We will be repeating the Bird survey again in December and April, so we can build a picture as to which species are overwintering on the farm. Hopefully over the coming years we can take measures to see both numbers and diversity increase.

Many thanks to the knowledgeable team at Chichester District Council for their help and support with this project.

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 20^th 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.