Welcome to the very first episode of FiPL Farm Diaries. This series is brought to you by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
In this premiere episode, we dig into the practicalities, challenges, and successes of transitioning to rotational and mob grazing. We speak with a new entrant farmer establishing his system from scratch, and a landlord-tenant duo working together to improve infrastructure for better grazing management.
🎙️ Featured Guests
James Newhouse | Long Preston James manages roughly 145 acres with Belted Galloway cows and Swaledale and Herdwick sheep. James shares his journey of:
Moving from "set stocking" to a rotational system.
Why he initially went down the "rabbit hole" of soil health and how he re-balanced his focus toward animal performance.
Using FiPL funding for hedging and fixed fencing rather than just electric.
The importance of adapting advice to fit your specific farm and soil type.
Steven Crabtree (Landowner) & Michael Thwaite (Tenant) | Airton & Bolton Abbey Steven utilised FiPL funding to upgrade a 120-acre plot of land at Airton with new hedging, electric fencing, and a solar-powered water system. We discuss:
Steven's motivation: restoring land fertility and supporting a young tenant farmer.
The infrastructure: Installing a solar pump and 20,000-litre bladder tank to supply water to split paddocks.
The tenant’s perspective: How Michael uses the new infrastructure to manage grass growth, increase rest periods, and keep stock healthy during dry spells.
This is episode 1 out of a 12-part series, looking at many of the Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL) projects across the Dales.
