A practical, farmer-led session exploring how adaptive grazing can support farm resilience, profitability and healthier soils.

Join the Nature Friendly Farming Network for a farmer-led networking evening exploring how adaptive grazing can support farm resilience, profitability and soil health.

Over pie and mash, hear directly from farmers using regenerative grazing approaches across different farming systems:

Richard Thomas, Risbury Court Farm, Leominster – mixed farming

Humphrey Wells, Llwynberried Farm, Hay-on-Wye – beef and sheep

Tim Downes, The Farm, Longnor - dairy and beef

Drawing on their own experiences, they will share how they have adapted their grazing management, including what has worked, the challenges they have encountered and the lessons they have learned along the way.

The indoor discussion will explore the potential benefits for soil health, biodiversity and water management, alongside farm resilience and the commercial realities of putting these approaches into practice.

There will be plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion, giving attendees the chance to share experiences and consider what might work within their own farming system.

Pie and mash will be provided, along with refreshments.

Speaker bios

Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas is a fourth-generation farmer at Risbury Court Farm near Leominster, Herefordshire, where he farms with his family. The traditional mixed farm includes sheep, pedigree Hereford cattle, arable cropping and cider orchards.

Richard takes a low-input, agroecological approach to farming, with a focus on building a resilient and profitable system alongside benefits for soil, water and biodiversity. He has introduced rotational grazing and diverse herbal leys to make better use of home-grown forage, alongside integrating agroforestry into permanent pasture. His approach centres on making different enterprises work together to get more from the land while reducing inputs and supporting the long-term sustainability of the farm.

Tim Downes

Tim Downes farms with his family at The Farm, near Shrewsbury, where they run an organic dairy and beef enterprise. The farm has been managed organically since 2000, with a focus on making the most of home-grown forage and developing a productive, resilient and low-input farming system.

Tim uses rotational grazing and diverse grassland swards to support soil health, pasture productivity and livestock performance. He has also integrated trees and hedgerows into the grazing system, exploring their potential to provide additional forage, shelter and benefits for animal health and biodiversity. His approach combines practical grassland management with a strong focus on profitability, sustainability and the long-term resilience of the farm.

Humphrey Wells

Rhiannon and Humphrey Wells farm at Llwynberried Farm near Hay-on-Wye, where they work alongside Rhiannon’s parents as the next generation of the family farming business. The mixed farm combines beef cattle and sheep with arable cropping.

They are developing a resilient, low-input farming system based around integrating livestock and cropping, using adaptive multi-paddock grazing, diverse herbal leys and longer pasture recovery periods to build soil fertility and make better use of home-grown forage. Their approach combines regenerative farming principles with a strong focus on practical and profitable food production, while creating space for nature and improving the long-term resilience of the farm.

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