Preparing the Herd for Winter: a Catch Up with Darren

“We had a bit of fun and games with the cows. They really don’t like heavy rain and we had to round up a few escapees. We rotate the cattle through one-hectare paddocks and we plan the movements ten days ahead. The cattle get to graze long grass and they churn up and fertilise the land which is then left for at least six months to recover. Due to the wet weather, however, we’ve had to improvise and avoid the wettest land. We’ve arranged new paddocks for now and we’ll rotate back to the plan when we can.

“Winter’s nearly here and this is the week we move the Reds off grass and onto standing hay with sileage as a daily top-up. I’ve worked out a grazing plan based on realistic daily consumption and worst-case weather and we’ve got a good reserve of sileage; it’s been a good growing year for that.

“When I’m planning, I assume the worst, like I did with mountaineering. I’m planning a few years in advance on this basis. There’s always a possibility of freezing temperatures and snow in any winter, in which case we’ll bring the herd into the barns for a while. We do want them outside for as long as possible; they’re a native breed, they’re made for this landscape and outdoors is where they flourish.

“I’ve learned all about British summer and I’m about to learn about British winter. I’m looking forward to building knowledge. I love new information and I keep records and spreadsheets on absolutely everything. There’s never a set rulebook with farming. Next summer, when I’ve closed the loop and done a full year, I might put something together to help others.

“Next week, the vet is coming to see how many pregnancies we have. We put the bulls to the cows in August, a bit later than in previous seasons. As the herd is living outdoors all-year round, we want the calves to come in April and May rather than in January and February.

“We want to avoid calving outdoors in the coldest months. We’re also mindful that calves need around six months of development to be ready for their first winter. We’re hoping for an 80% pregnancy rate and it’s a bit like waiting for exam results. Nothing is set in stone with farming. It’s a like a game of chess.

“Despite all the standing water wherever we look right now, we’re thinking ahead to summers to come. The Estate’s own water sources are in good shape and we’re allowed to take up to 20,000 litres a day. We’ll use solar energy to move water up to storage tanks at the top of our paddocks and let gravity take it down to the cattle troughs.

“Regenerative farming is my vocation. I value the organic approach, minimising chemicals and boosting biodiversity. It really should be the way all farming goes.

“Winter should be interesting and I look forward to letting you know how we get on.”

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