About Heart of England Farms Ltd

Heart of England Farms was established in 1983 by Ole Gronning and from very modest beginnings has grown to become one of the countries leading breeders, hatchers and rearers of game birds.

Ole’s passion for pheasants started early, with the hatching under broody hens of a wild nest found on his father's small holding in Warwickshire whilst still at primary school. Just as soon as he could drive, Ole secured a job on a game farm in the famous shooting county of Suffolk. Here he gained a great deal of experience before leaving for agricultural college where he studied for an HND in Poultry Practise. Part of this course involved a period of work placement and it was during this time Ole spent six months working for a large game farm in Buckingham - It was the Pheasant stock acquired from this farm that started the Blackneck pheasant flock which is still maintained today.

On returning back to Warwickshire Ole rented some land, and Heart of England Partridges was formed, later becoming Heart of England Farms when a small farm in Claverdon was purchased. Further land has since been acquired which allows the adult breeding bird pens to be kept separate from the rearing bird fields which rotate over one hundred acres of maize crops and grassland.

The business is now split, with the breeding flocks and hatchery under the control of Heart of England Farms and the poult rearing enterprise under the company Heart of England Farms Ltd. All accounts and administration are kept in house, the division of the business being for administrative purposes only and therefore making no difference to the daily running of the office.

Our long term policy of over-wintering a large breeding flock in addition to the hatchery and poult rearing program creates numerous full-time jobs for dedicated staff who between them have decades of game rearing experience. This knowledge and experience is essential in the busy summer rearing season when inexperienced casual staff could compromise both bird health and welfare.

We are proud of our livestock and methods of production and customers are welcome to visit the farm. In view of the veterinary requirement for ever tighter bio security it is necessary to limit these visits to February and March and before chicks start to hatch in April. Should you be interested in visiting the farm then please contact us and we can arrange this for you.