Catherine and Malcolm Barrett, Tregooden Farm

Catherine and Malcolm Barrett, Tregooden Farm

Tregooden Farm in Cornwall is a 300-acre mixed arable and beef farm. It's been on a journey towards agroecology since Catherine and Malcolm Barrett took over its tenancy four years ago. As part of the Duchy Natural Capital Farm programme, they’ve focused on introducing natural capital while reducing inputs and creating a more circular farming system.

Creating new habitats 

The Barretts have dedicated over 43 acres of the farm to creating more habitat areas. This includes ponds, scrapes, in-field trees, wildlife corridors, and taller, thicker hedgerows. Malcolm says, "to me it was initially farmland that was lost because I couldn't particularly earn money from it, but now there are SFI opportunities". Malcolm also points to other long-term benefits, “Yes, it will take a few years for the trees to grow, but they will eventually provide shade for cattle in hot periods. We can still graze cattle through the trees so there are supplements from browsing on the bushes and trees”.

This mindset shift has shaped the farm’s overall business approach. It focuses on reducing costs and trialling different approaches to find what works for them. They carefully consider how each change benefits the whole farm system, with a particular focus on soil health.

Improving soil health through cover crops and grazing

One example of their approach is their use of cover crops. A cover crop of westerwold rye grass is broadcast onto an early established maize crop. It forms a vegetation understory that reduces soil erosion and adds more living roots to the soil thereby improving its condition. After the maize harvest, this cover crop provides a grazing platform as part of their cattle’s out-wintering rotation.

 “The soil is so much more friable now,” Malcolm says. “Even with cattle on it all winter, we don’t have to ‘beat the living daylights out of it’ to break it down for the next crop. We’re still minimum-tilling to plant the next crop.”

Moving toward minimum tillage and direct drilling

Catherine and Malcolm’s move to minimum tillage and direct drilling was made possible by their decision to purchase a Mzuri drill. This can plant directly into uncultivated stubbles as well as into cultivated ground when needed. Although a large upfront investment, it has paid off by reducing the number of tractor passes, cutting down on fuel use and compaction issues. It has also reduced chemical sprays and fertilisers by allowing cover crops to be grown to help improve soil health between cash crops in the crop rotation.

“We’re now establishing crops with about 9-litres of fuel per acre”, says Malcom. This has saved significant costs that more than offset any reduced yield in the crop. While they’ve faced challenges, including crop failures due to wet weather, Malcolm remains optimistic:, “We take small calculated risks. Some have failed and others have worked, but you learn from it all.”

Integrating livestock and arable systems with cover crops

The farm is split between arable land and permanent pasture for grazing cattle, with some crossover. On the arable land, they’ve introduced a 7-seed cover crop mix specifically designed for livestock grazing, which also boosts soil nutrients and keeps the soil active. The mix is comprised of crimson clover, forage rape, stubble turnips, winter vetch, westerwolds, beans, and black oats.

One challenge the Barretts faced was splitting the cattle into smaller blocks for short rotation using temporary fencing. As both of them often work off-farm, this system proved impractical. By adapting the basic principles they have found a system that works for them. They now manage the whole herd on a larger paddock, grazing for 3-5 days before moving. This change has enhanced grass growth and has better suited their work-life balance. “We made the grazing work for us because of the lifestyle we wanted. Everyone has a different idea of what works, but you have to make the system work for you,” Malcolm says.

 

Introducing herbal leys and flower meadows

Tregooden Farm has also introduced a 5-seed herbal ley. This will be used for grazing the cattle in their rotational system. They have also been managing a flower meadow for diversity. The herbal ley was established by grazing the grass short before direct drilling the mix. In the flower meadow, flower seeds were spread using donated green meadow hay, which was taken from species rich grassland from another farm. They discovered that grazing the flower meadow harder in winter helps knock back grass competition, allowing flowers to thrive in the next season. The meadow is cut for hay and sold locally to the equestrian market after the flowers have gone to seed, ensuring a replenished stock for the next year.

Key takeaway: challenge yourself to try new approaches

Malcolm’s advice to other farmers is simple: “Challenge yourself a little bit. We often think, ‘We can’t do that,’ but you don’t have to do everything at once. Simplify your system and try new approaches, and you’ll see results. Just take small steps and see what works for you.”

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