Wednesday 12th November 2025
Autumn adventure on the farm
The falling leaves in the Valley aren’t a signal that things are slowing down – quite the opposite! Looking after our over 400 British Friesian cows, 800 sheep, and 2,000 acres of farm and woodland means it's now time to prepare for the winter months ahead.
As the evenings begin to close in, the jobs on the farm need to be squeezed into a shorter day. Whilst organic farming is sometimes a battle against the weather, it can also be a race against time, and that’s certainly what it feels like in the autumn!
Harvesting the Last Cut of Grass
We made a fourth cut of grass for silage at the end of October, and now the silage clamps (the cows’ winter larders) are full. Silage is grass that’s “pickled”: cut, preserved, fermented, and compressed until it’s needed.
This year, we were working from 8 a.m. until past midnight to bring in the 400 acres of herbal leys before the rain arrived. You have to make the most of every sunny day on the farm!
Feeding the Fields Naturally
As the temperature drops, grass growth slows down, so all our work over the summer, bringing in winter feed, now starts to pay off. Being organic, we don’t use chemical fertilisers or artificial pesticides anywhere on the farm. Instead, we compost the manure the cows produce. We use this to feed the life in the soil, which helps to enhance the soil's microbiome.
The Cows Come Indoors
At the end of October, the cows came back into their sheds, not because they were scared of trick-or-treaters, but because the heavy and persistent rain had made the grazing fields too wet.
To protect the soil, we’ll keep them indoors now until the grass starts to grow again and ground conditions improve in the spring. This helps preserve the sward and the soil structure beneath it. Both are essential for healthy pastures next year.
A Mixed Organic Farm, Working With Nature
While everyone knows Yeo Valley Organic for our cows, our other animals and a variety of crops also play a vital role on the farm. Some examples are using our cover crops to protect the soil over the winter, whilst also providing feed for the sheep. Furthermore, the autumn crops are planted, ready to be harvested next year (winter wheat and beans.) Together, they provide natural fertilisers, pest control, and food, helping to keep the whole ecosystem in balance.
It’s this mixed farming approach, working alongside nature, that makes the farm more self-sufficient and resilient. Every animal and crop contributes to the health of the land, the food we produce, and the environment we share.
It just goes to show, nature always has the answer!
