A different approach to farming
Pentrefelin is a working, mixed regenerative farm in the Vale of Clwyd. We produce genuinely good food while managing the land to support soil health, biodiversity and long-term agricultural productivity.
The cattle at the heart of everything
Why we chose Red Polls and a different way of dairying
Our Red Poll cattle are at the heart of everything we do at Pentrefelin. We started with just four heifers, and we've gradually built the herd into what it is today.
I chose Red Polls because they're a traditional British breed that can produce both milk and beef from grass. Rather than chasing the highest possible milk yields, I wanted cattle that would suit our land and the way I wanted to farm.
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We also do things a little differently in the dairy. Our calves stay with their mothers, and we only milk the cows once a day. It means we produce less milk than a conventional dairy, but it's a system I believe works better for our cows, their calves and the farm as a whole.
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The beef is just as important to us as the milk. By using a dual-purpose breed, we can produce both from the same herd, making better use of the animals and the grass we grow here at Pentrefelin.
Farming with nature
Our cattle are managed through rotational grazing, moving between paddocks and allowing grazed areas time to recover. We use diverse herbal leys containing grasses, clovers and other forage species, alongside lucerne grown for grazing and conserved winter feed. Our aim is to build a productive, low-input farming system that makes good use of grass and forage, supports soil health, reduces dependence on purchased feed and creates space for wildlife. We believe cattle, when managed appropriately, can play an important role in maintaining healthy, productive landscapes.
Growing our own resilience
At Pentrefelin, we grow diverse herbal leys containing grasses, clovers, plantain, chicory and other forage species. These provide varied grazing for our cattle and help us build a productive grass-based farming system. We also grow lucerne, which plays an important role in feeding our livestock. We conserve it as silage for the winter and use it for grazing when appropriate. It is particularly valuable for helping us finish beef cattle without relying on grain or concentrate feeds. Growing more of our own forage is central to our ambition to create a productive, resilient and financially sustainable farming business.
Trees, livestock and a living landscape
At Pentrefelin, we're developing agroforestry systems that bring trees back into productive farmland. We've planted hundreds of fruit trees, creating rows and corridors through our grazing fields. These trees form part of our longer-term vision for the farm, combining food production with livestock grazing while creating additional habitats for wildlife. As the trees establish, they will provide vital shelter for livestock, support biodiversity and eventually produce fruit alongside our existing farming enterprises. We believe productive agriculture and a thriving natural environment should work together. Our aim is to create a farm that produces a diverse range of food while becoming more resilient and productive for future generations.
More than a livestock farm
Pentrefelin is developing into a genuinely mixed farming business, with food production extending well beyond our Red Poll cattle. Alongside our livestock, we're establishing a productive market garden with polytunnels, outdoor growing beds, seasonal vegetables, soft fruit and perennial crops. Our longer-term ambition is to integrate vegetables, fruit, poultry and livestock into a complementary farming system, making better use of the land and creating more opportunities to produce and sell food directly. We see diversification as an important part of building a commercially resilient farm, with different enterprises supporting one another rather than operating in isolation.
A new chapter in pasture farming
Poultry with a purpose
This summer we've started experimenting with another enterprise here at Pentrefelin: pasture-raised chickens.
We began with two trial batches of 50 broilers, using mobile housing and moving them around the farm in rotation behind our cattle.
The idea is to make better use of the grassland we're already farming. As the cattle graze, they leave behind dung and nutrients that support insect life. Bringing chickens through afterwards gives them the opportunity to forage, scratch around and spread some of that dung, helping return nutrients to the soil.
It's another example of how we're trying to make different parts of the farm work together, rather than treating every enterprise separately.
We're still learning and refining the system, but the initial trials are an important first step. Over the coming year, we're hoping to increase the number of chickens we rear and develop pasture-raised poultry into another source of food and income for the farm.
As with everything we do at Pentrefelin, the aim is to produce good food while making the best possible use of the land we have.
Pigs with a purposeÂ
Pigs with a purpose
Making the most of what we grow
Our pigs have an important job to do at Pentrefelin, particularly in the market garden.
Once we've finished harvesting, we move the pigs onto areas of the garden where there are leftover vegetables and crop residues. They'll happily clear up what's been left behind, while rooting through the soil and helping us prepare the ground for the following year's growing season.
It's a simple example of how we want the different parts of the farm to work together. Rather than letting perfectly good food go to waste, the pigs make use of it, return nutrients to the land through their manure and help us get the garden ready for another year.
And at the end of it, we're producing our own pork to sell alongside our beef, milk and vegetables.
For me, that's what mixed farming should be about. Finding ways for one part of the farm to benefit another, while making the whole business more productive and financially sustainable.
Farming for the next generation
At Pentrefelin, we're working to demonstrate that farming can be productive, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable at the same time. Everything we're building, from our cow-and-calf dairy and grass-fed beef to our market garden, agroforestry and direct food sales, is part of a wider ambition to create a resilient farming business. We want to develop a model that supports the land, provides genuinely good food and creates a viable future for the people working in agriculture. Our ambition doesn't stop at Pentrefelin. Over time, we hope to work with other farmers, landowners and estates to bring this approach to more land, developing commercially viable farming enterprises built around each property's opportunities.