Farming in Nature

With his herd of entirely pasture-fed dual-purpose Red Poll cattle, Huw Foulkes of Fferm Pentrefelin in Denbighshire takes a regenerative approach to dairy farming. In this cow and calf system, the calves remain with their mothers until they are naturally weaned, the cows being milked once a day.  Huw’s first big move was to go completely organic and eliminate the use of fertilisers and chemical sprays, complemented by introducing nitrogen-fixing legumes, such as lucerne and clovers, into the farm’s pastures. Grazing management has also changed drastically, where Huw rotationally grazes the cows onto fresh grass every day, sometimes twice a day and also mob grazes. The introduction of trees onto the farm, and in particular a silvopasture trial, has also helped the farm become more nature-friendly.  Huw is passionate about a regenerative approach to dairy farming, where animal welfare and environmental impact aren’t sacrificed for large milk yields and turnovers.

“I started farming like this because I sell directly to the public and have to listen to what my customers want.  They have been telling me about their concerns for the environment which made me realise that I had to make the farm as sustainable as possible. Also, I wanted to secure a future for the business without having to rely on artificial inputs and supplementary feeds.  I feel very fortunate to be farming and want to produce food in the most positive way possible and have the least negative impact on the natural environment.”

Bryn Cocyn is a small mixed farm in the shelter of Moel Fodiar, overlooking the Vale of Clwyd.   They have sheep, cattle, cereals, apples, soft fruit and vegetables.  The farm has been in the same family for three generations.  It is the oldest organic farm in North Wales.  They have farmed organically at Bryn Cocyn since 1989 and are also tenants on some nearby hill land, which we have farmed organically since 1978. Their aim is to produce food in a way that will allow future generations to do the same, working with nature instead of against it and contributing to the local economy by selling through local shops and Farmers’ Markets. They believe that a high-yielding, efficient agriculture is essential to match the need for good food, but only to the extent that the soil and her laws of use-and-return can sustain!

“As a farmer I feel a responsibility to provide healthy food to a growing population, whilst caring for the environment we live in. I believe mixed farming, not relying on inputs but instead on livestock, cereals and horticultural systems working in harmony, can enhance biodiversity whilst protecting the air, soil and water we all rely on. This is what I am working towards on our small family farm.  The pleasure of raising a healthy crop and seeing nature flourish, is also a strong motivation for me to farm Organically and sustainably”.