farming and processes
Our land is managed carefully to ensure that the soil maintains optimum health. We grow a diversity of crops on a rotational basis and only use fields at the most appropriate times of year. For instance, we use our land with light soil, such as the sandy loams at Petworth, during the early season as we often find the soils moisture retentive elsewhere. Coastal areas such as Selsey are used in autumn, where diseases such as mildew are minimised. Compost and cover crops such as grass and clover leys are also used to ensure nutrient levels are retained.
The ground is prepared for planting with as few operations as possible to ensure that the loss of organic matter is minimised. This is achieved using innovative technology which combines operations such as ploughing and subsoiling. These processes also reduce the amount of diesel used and consequently our carbon footprint.