Meet the farmers

Will Gribbon - Heygate Farms

Heygates have been supplying Albert Bartlett and Sons, since 2006 from the Breckland sands near Swaffham in Norfolk. We farm around 5655 acres of land, 1400 making up our potato acreage of Rooster, Vivaldi, Estima and Maris Peer. In addition to potatoes we also grow wheat, barley, rye, oilseed rape, sugar beet and have a flock of 400 ewe lambs. We also lease land to Bartlett Chatteris to grow carrots, parsnips and onions.

We are involved with many environmental schemes on our farm. We are active in Operation Bumble Bee, designed to boost bumble bee numbers in arable farmland. Research has shown that these habitats increase bumble bee numbers by 600 times in two years. I am also a member of LEAF which has an Integrated Crop Management scheme that advises farmers about the best way to use their land i.e. contour ploughing can prevent soil erosion.

Additionally we are involved in the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme. Farmer-managed ESAs include some of our most important landscapes. Upland, wetland, and river valleys, which offer protection for some of our rarest plants and establish a suitable environment for the recovery of native species. We are also enrolled into the Entry level Stewardship Scheme which covers things such as hedgerow management, stone wall maintenance, low input grassland, buffer strips, and arable options.

Our farm is also home to 400 acres of managed woodland. The R.S.B.P. is also involved in surveying on site. This is focused on the Stone Curlew; a strange, rare summer visitor to England. The stone-curlew is a crow-sized bird with a large head, long yellow legs and relatively long wings and tail. Active at night, its large yellow eyes enable it to locate food when it is dark. It is not related to curlews and gets its name from its curlew-like call. The Stone Curlew is a bird of dry, open places with bare, stony ground or very short vegetation. Its UK strongholds are in Wiltshire, around Salisbury Plain, and in Breckland, Norfolk.

Heygate Farms own Swaffham Golf course. Nine Holes were established in the 1950s. A further nine holes were added in 2002 to bring us up to a full 18. We also sponsor the young golfers competitions year on year. Back to Farmers