Here’s our cover crop this week — a mix of forage rye, vetch, and some very welcome volunteer forage rape. This field was so badly affected by flood last year its great to see the improvement, but the real magic is happening above it, beneath it… and on it.
Because this year we’ve added a new regenerative ingredient:
a flock of small Welsh sheep.
They’re tidy, efficient, and far better nutrient distributors than any machine we own. And, in true Welsh fashion, they get on with the job without fuss, paperwork, or commentary. For us, they’re not just sheep — they’re mobile fertiliser units with hooves.
Why Sheep + Cover Crops = Regenerative Farming Done Properly
The shepherd wins.
We win.
The soil wins.
The system wins.
The shepherd benefits because the cover crop gives him winter grazing he wouldn’t otherwise have. Meanwhile, we benefit from a 24/7 manure delivery service, complete with hoof action, trampling, and natural nutrient cycling.
Then there’s the wee… yes — we’re talking about urine.
Because sheep urine contains urea, which is a natural source of nitrogen. Instead of buying artificial urea in spring, the sheep deliver it themselves — evenly spread, free of charge, and with no diesel required.
This is what regenerative farming looks like in real life: simple, practical, mutually beneficial biology doing the job far better than chemicals alone.
How This Field Nails the Six Principles of Regenerative Agriculture
This one field ticks every single principle:
Soil covered — Rye, vetch and forage rape protect the soil and keep it productive throughout the winter months.
Living roots — The plants pump carbon into the soil right up until termination.
Minimal disturbance — No ploughing or big cultivations.
Diversity — A multispecies forage mix gives soil biology a proper buffet.
Livestock integration — Sheep bring nutrients, and real fertility.
Reduced inputs — IMPORTANT…. Less artificial fertiliser needed thanks to dung and natural urea.
This isn’t regenerative “theory”.
This is a field working as part of a living, breathing system.
Measured Progress: Our Soil Organic Matter Is Rising
We’re not guessing — we’re measuring.
Since starting our regenerative journey, we’ve increased soil organic matter by +0.07%.
That’s real, quantifiable change.
More OM means:
- more carbon stored
- more water held
- more resilience in drought or deluge
- more microbial life
- more productivity
Our next round of soil testing happens in January 2026, and that will show exactly how much further this system has moved, which will give us a five year result since we stopped ploughing.
The proof, as they say, is in the pudding — or in our case, in the soil core.
This Is Regenerative Farming
It’s not a slogan.
It’s not a drill.
It’s not posting a cover crop photo once a year and declaring mission accomplished, and it’s definitely not what a lot of farmers claim regenerative is…
It is…
- keeping fields alive all winter
- bringing livestock back into cropping rotations
- cycling nutrients naturally
- reducing artificial inputs
- improving soil year on year
- and letting biology get on with it
It’s practical.
It’s measurable.
It’s not perfect.
But it’s genuine progress — and the soil will tell us exactly how we’re doing in 2026.
Until then, the sheep will keep working and we will aim to improve our soil, improve our biodiversity and improve our own business and farm.