Heaver Agriculture

The Heaver family have been farming in Sussex since the seventeen hundreds, whilst six generations have farmed consecutively around Chichester since 1860.

Our current landholdings are split into three principle blocks at West Stoke, Bosham and Tangmere. We're blessed with a variety of some of the richest, most productive soils in England – from downland chalk in the South Downs National Park, to the high quality loams of the Chichester plane stretching to Bosham Harbour.

We take a long-term approach to farming, with a key focus on improving soil health, water quality, wildlife conservation and combating climate change, whilst recognising their responsibility to grow high yielding conventional arable crops that the land is capable of producing.

Our land is part of the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier Scheme and the Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme. We are dedicated to reducing inputs like fertilizers and pesticides, planting cover crops to protect and enhance soil health during the winter, and designating large areas of the farm to grow diverse crop mixtures that support birds and insects. Each year, approximately 200 hectares (494 acres) contribute to these efforts. Additionally, we aim to restore around 12.5 kilometres of hedgerows while enhancing and expanding our woodlands.