George Burrell, Broome Park Farm

George Burrell, farmer, Broome Park Farm

Broome Park Farm in Northumberland is a 620-hectare upland beef and sheep farm. It has gradually transitioned from traditional farming methods towards agroecological practices. This shift, led by young farm manager, George Burrell, is aimed at building resilience both economically and environmentally. The farm now outwinters livestock on herbal leys mainly on permanent pasture and has significantly reduced its inputs.  

Growing a resilient and sustainable farming business 

“We started ways of doing things that were more time efficient for the team, and better value for every pound spent on the farm”, says George. He found that reducing inputs led to improved working conditions and better agroecological practices, driving a profitable and resilient business. 

Planning grazing strategies 

Broome Park Farm has shifted to more intensive and planned grazing strategies. George explains, “Instead of random rest, our grazing is now well-planned, and we spend a lot of time on it.” 

The farm outwinters their Aberdeen Angus cattle in mobs of around 50 to 100, giving each group 2 hectares for 2-5 days before moving on. Bale grazing is introduced when the grass runs low, with the farm using only 260 bales for 240 cows last winter. Only weaned male calves are kept indoors. 

Maximising land types for livestock welfare 

The farm's diverse land types, including drier, rocky areas, are used strategically during the wettest parts of winter. George is convinced that this system not only reduces costs but also improves animal welfare. 

“Initially, we thought we were pushing the stock harder, but now we feel the opposite. Our cattle are genetically designed to have higher body fats, so they’re more stressed in +17°C, high humidity sheds than they are at -7°C outside. They’re much happier outdoors”, George explains. 

By ensuring dry lying spaces, access to rocky areas during tough winter conditions, and providing proper shelter through hedges and trees, the farm has seen improvements in cattle health. This has led to a reduction in calving assists from 2-3 percent to just 0-1 percent, and a decrease in antibiotic use.  

Investing in infrastructure and shelter for livestock 

The farm has invested in infrastructure, including water points and planting more hedges and in-field trees to provide shelter for livestock. George was inspired by a neighbouring farm that outwinters with established hedges, saying, “It was an eye-opener for us, seeing how much animals benefit from it.” 

So far, Broome Park has planted 3,000m of hedges, with another 2,000m planned, much of it funded through grants. 

High-quality, low-cost forage 

Optimising grass management has been key to Broome Park Farm’s success. The introduction of herbal leys, grazed down by dry ewes before direct drilling, has provided high-quality dry matter at a really cheap cost, says George. 

The challenges and benefits of an agroecological transition  

The biggest challenge has been planning grazing rotations and making timely decisions on when to move livestock. George admits, “I’ve certainly overgrazed herbs in some fields, which reduced the number of species. But in others, the grazing has been spot on, and after four years, there are still heaps of herbs.”  

However, the challenges have been hugely outweighed by the benefits. The agroecological transition has improved climate resilience and working conditions at Broome Park Farm, building environmental and economic sustainability.  

Find out more

We're using the term 'agroecology' in a very specific way in relation to farming, referring to 'whole farm' systems that benefit nature, animal welfare, soil health and climate resilience. This is just part of its full definition, which you can read more about here.

More low input farming advice can be found here.