Set at the heart of the 12,000 acre Sussex estate, Goodwood Home Farm is one of the largest lowland organic farms in the UK.
The farm nestles at the foot of the Sussex Downs and has soil which is mainly free draining chalk, ideal for spring malting barley, used to brew ale and lager and for the grazing of sheep and cattle. The arable acreage provides the animals with organically grown cereals to balance home grown forage fed to them in the winter months. Crops are grown in rotation, a traditional system helping prevent disease and maximising the soil’s nutrients.
Good soil health is key to the nutrition of livestock and plants on any successful organic farm so the condition of the soil comes first in everything they do. It influences crop quality and production as well as having a direct benefit to both animal and human health. Goodwood work closely with the Soil Association who monitor their systems regularly and thoroughly.
Tim’s eight-year tenure as general manager of Home Farm has had a dramatic effect on the business. Born and bred in Sheffield, Tim’s childhood home backed onto a small family-run farm and as a seven-year-old he would spend all his free time there. He fell in love with the way of life, being outdoors and looking after the animals. He left home and school at the age of 16, determined to become a farmer.
Since then he has worked on numerous mixed-use farms, from Blagdon Estate in Newcastle to Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire. It was his experience on these varied farms that made him realise going organic was the only way forward and so when he was approached to join Goodwood, he jumped at the chance. In 2015, Tim won Farmer’s Weekly Farm Manager of the Year Award, for his pioneering approach at Home Farm.
The herd of 200 milking cows are mostly Dairy Shorthorn cross of pure Dairy Shorthorns, a breed which originated in the 16th century, the best milking cow of its time. The milk, which is non-homogenised, tastes just like milk used to as it retains all of its good fat particles. Deliciously rich and creamy, Goodwood organic milk is available as whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed and is processed on the farm, together with Goodwood cream. In addition, Goodwood are one of the few producers selling raw milk; a milk that is not pasteurised and which, some believe, is a more healthy dairy option.
At Home Farm they raise native breeds, some indigenous to the estate, so that they can offer the best dairy products. They have a firm commitment to securing the future of these breeds as part of their heritage, cultural identity, dedication to conservation, landscape management and the future of agriculture. The cows graze on a different patch of grass each day within a 21 day cycle, to ensure that they consume a wide range of nutrients.
Tim and his team are totally committed to the care of our livestock and to the sustainability of the countryside. They use no pesticides or fertilisers at Goodwood Home Farm, ensuring that the wildlife, hedgerows and centuries old natural ecosystem is protected and that our produce is as wholesome as the land from which it comes.
The attention to detail at Home Farm is second to none, from the cows living environment to ensuring that they have a varied and balanced diet. Tim has a real sense of pride in what he does, and puts the welfare of the livestock before everything else. We were amazed by lengths that him and his team go to to produce such a fantastic product for us. We were incredibly lucky to have Tim show us around not only Home Farm, but the whole Goodwood Estate from the race circuit to the horse racing track. He taught us a great about milk production, breeding and the difference between 'fat cows' and 'skinny cows'! Thank you for having us.
