regenerative farm cluster
Guided by the Holistic Management principles, the well-being of the farmer and the environment are placed at the centre of all decision making.
Sarah Dusgate at NEW HOUSE FARM
Although I didn’t come from a farming family, growing up in rural West Wales surrounded by farms, I developed a deep passion for agriculture. After studying Bioveterinary Science at the University of Liverpool, I gained more practical experience working on farms across England and experiencing different stages of land transitioning to regenerative agriculture principles.
I moved into New House Farm in the spring of 2024 – shortly followed by the arrival of my herd of native Aberdeen Angus cattle to the farm in June.
My focus over the last two years has been on infrastructure and pasture establishment across the farm to support an adaptive grazing system with my cattle to help promote certain plant species, reduce soil compaction and protect the water quality in the surrounding streams and rivers. These changes have made grazing more flexible, allowing me to adapt to weather extremes, grass growth and ground conditions as they change. In time, we will increase stocking density, but only when the land is ready.
The Aberdeen Angus suckler herd is being built carefully to suit the land and the system, with an emphasis on fertility, hardiness and temperaments. The core of the business is selling pedigree breeding stock as well as genetics into the dairy industry, alongside beef and pork being sold directly to consumers. As of January 2026, the farm is in the process of Organic conversion. As the farm moves through Organic conversion in the next few years, my aim is to continue refining a system that is low input, economically viable and grounded in ecological processes – one that supports both the land it sits within and the people connected to it.
A new water system has been installed across the farm, including 60,000 litres of storage and a solar-powered pump. This allows cattle to access drinking water throughout the grazing platform, reducing the need for them to enter streams and helping to prevent bank erosion and improve water quality flowing into the River Trothy. A further 15,000 litres of rainwater harvesting has been added on the barns.
Hedgerows and pasture diversity are central to how I think about resilience. In the last two years we have had funding from some fantastic local organisations towards herbal ley establishment on arable land, new hedgerow planting and hedge laying courses. Almost a kilometre of new hedges have been planted on contours to help slow the movement of water through the landscape, hold soil in place and in the long term will create browsable shelter for livestock – also planned for infrastructure efficiency within the paddock grazing system. Diverse, deep-rooting leys are improving the farm’s ability to cope with extreme dry and wet periods, extend the grazing season in the shoulder seasons and support pollinators later into the year. We are very grateful to the funders and support from volunteers in the planting of these projects.
Opening the farm to others, in particular for rural skills courses is something I have really enjoyed. We have hosted hedge laying courses in the winter of 2025/26, with more planned for the next season. We hosted our first supper club in the Autumn of 2025 – show casing some of the produce from our farm as well as other local producers in our corner of Wales. In December 2025 we opened the farm gates for a winter produce market, and welcomed almost 200 visitors to the farm, helping to connect customers to the farm and begin to share with the local community what we are doing.
For updates on the farm including beef and pork for sale, and dates of future courses and events please visit www.newhousefarmwales.com
https://www.instagram.com/sarah_newhousefarm/
Emily & Alex Crawley at COURT FARM
We are working with Sam & Clare to manage Court Farm, much of which is registered historic parkland. We run Grazing Management Ltd, a specialist ecology-led conservation grazing business which uses a range of hardy native breed cattle, goats and sheep to support landowners and land managers in restoring habitats such as wildflower meadows, heathlands and peat bogs across the region. We work with charities, Government bodies, councils and private landowners on conservation projects, prioritising rare and endangered species and habitats; Old-Lands is Grazing Management’s home farm in Wales, where animals return between grazing “jobs” and where we train and assess new animals joining our hard-working herd and flock.
While on-site, our herd of 50 Belted Galloway and Ancient Cattle of Wales cattle provide the careful grazing required to create the perfect conditions for wildflowers and invertebrates to thrive. The cattle wear geocollars, allowing for targeted grazing in specific areas so that we have full control of the grazing pressure and are able to respond quickly to changing conditions, ensuring the best outcomes for the biodiversity of the site. The cattle are out-wintered at Court Farm, enjoying a quiet season away from the busy public-access nature reserve sites they work on for the rest of the year. The site also provides us with an invaluable opportunity to trial new approaches and technologies, and to benefit from being part of a supportive and dynamic farm cluster.
We are passionate about environmental conservation and farming and have set up our business to bring together our professional expertise in agriculture, environmental management, and nature engagement. We are first-generation new-entrant farmers and were proud to be winners of our category at the 2023 British Farming Awards and finalists in the 2025 BBC Food and Farming Awards. We now graze across 450 acres, working in partnership with multiple land managers such as Natural Resources Wales, Wye Valley National Landscape and Severn Trent. We have a team of five and the assistance of many wonderful volunteer livestock checkers.
Alex is an ex-soldier and diplomat. This taught him to manage challenging situations in some difficult places. Aged 35 he career changed to agriculture, attending the Royal Agricultural University, and winning the National ADAS Pinnacle Award for entrepreneurship in farming after completing his studies. He is currently undertaking a Nuffield Scholarship, studying the role of innovation and technology in extensive grazing systems.
Emily has a background in environmental management and education and has previously worked for several food, farming and environmental education charities, consultancies and think tanks.
Dan & Ellie Smith at TY MAWR FARM
We have been farming in Monmouthshire since 2017, after many years in the Cotswolds. Alongside our two young children, we are building a regenerative future at Ty Mawr, where we have established Roots In, a farming and consultancy business that blends innovation, education, and community engagement.
With over a decade of experience using a working farm as a setting for residential therapeutic care, we bring unique soft skills in empathy, mentorship, and empowerment. Combined with their hard skills in agroecological farming, we believe that true regeneration requires both technical expertise and human connection. Our move to Ty Mawr in 2024 coincided with me ( Dan ) being awarded a Nuffield Farming Scholarship. My chosen subject, “Generation Regeneration”, provided the space to explore how our skills and passions could be combined to lay the foundations for the future of Ty Mawr.
Roots In now serves as a platform for supporting others on similar journeys, offering mentorship, opportunity, and space that integrates technical farming knowledge with human-centred approaches. We are both committed to welcoming innovative ideas and empowering new entrants into the industry. Current enterprises at Ty Mawr include Wildfarmed arable, pedigree beef and sheep, a cut flower garden, a market garden, beekeeping, and wood turning, while future developments such as a farm shop, agroforestry, wetland creation, and regenerative equine livery are already on the horizon. These enterprises run alongside considerable environmental improvements, reflecting our commitment to resilience, inclusivity, and regeneration. We have held several engagement days to explore their approach with other organisations.
The consultancy allows us to scale our approach by assisting in all aspects of regenerative farming from farm design, recruitment and management to social projects and technical assistance. Projects include several private farms, Landscape Recovery Schemes, Pasture for Life and National Landscapes.
Through Roots In at Ty Mawr, we define the values we live and work by for ourselves, our community, and the land, creating a farm that is both a home and a platform for innovation, education, and meaningful change.
Dan is a director of the Oxford Farming Conference
https://www.instagram.com/roots_in_
https://www.nuffieldscholar.org/scholars/2024/dan-smith
Estate farms map
