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.
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