AGROECOLOGY at SCALE

Whole Farm Approach: Tree and Pasture Management 13th August 2026 

 Kate Gasgoyne from The Farmer Network attended the Agroecology at Scale event hosted by Jenny and Mark Lee at Park House Farm in Torpenhow, Cumbria. An organic, pasture-grazed Jersey-Friesian dairy farm on the northern edge of the Lake District, Park House Farm is one of the LUNZ Grasslands Pasture for Life cluster farms and is certified by both the Soil Association and Pasture for Life. 

Organised by the Soil Association, the event brought together farmers, advisers and others interested in making the most of their farms through thoughtful, integrated management. The focus was on how a whole-farm approach to tree and pasture management can support resilient and productive farming systems. 

Alongside Jenny and Mark, were contributions from Gary Waters of Oak and Field Land Consultancy, Katie Dubarry from Innovate UK, and Elly Archer, Jerry Alford and Katrin Hochberg from the Soil Association. 

A whole-farm approach to pasture 

Park House Farm’s location on the northern edge of the Lake District is a great part of the country for growing grass alongside native clovers, chicory, herbs and legumes. These diverse pastures impart a unique and changing flavour to the farm’s milk and cheese throughout the year. 

Everything the cows eat is grown at Park House Farm, either directly from the pasture or harvested as straw or silage for consumption during the winter months, when the herd is housed to escape the worst of the Cumbrian weather. 

By sowing deep-rooted plants into the grass sward of their pastures, Jenny and Mark can let nature capture nitrogen and fix it in the soil for the grasses to utilise. The grazing cattle also naturally fertilise the paddocks and, with careful grazing management, help stimulate further growth. 

Their mob-grazing system allows the herd to use one paddock a day on a 28-day rotation, giving the plants and soil plenty of time to rest and grow before the herd returns. 

The grazing system is complemented by a flock of free-range chickens that follow the cows through the pastures. In doing so, Jenny and Mark mimic the natural relationship between birds and large herbivores, helping to build soil and make use of the different elements of the farm system. 

Bringing trees into the farming system 

Trees are another important part of Park House Farm’s approach. Jenny and Mark use agroforestry alongside their pastures, combining hedgerows, planted alleys and woodland within their farming system. 

They also harvest tree hay in August to provide feed over winter, demonstrating how trees can play a practical role in supporting a pasture-based farming system. 

 This integrated approach to pasture, livestock and trees was at the heart of the Agroecology at Scale event, offering an opportunity for farmers and advisers to explore how different elements of a farm can work together to support productivity and resilience.  

Mark was also one of the LUNZ Grasslands speakers at Groundswell this year, contributing to the ‘Farming well for the future: How grasslands can help meet sustainability challenges’ panel session. 

 You can find out more about Park House Farm here.
 

The event was part of the Soli Association Agroecology at Scale Programme, a ground-breaking Farm to Fork Partnership between Ocado and the Soil Association, which has been established to help transform the way we eat, farm and care for our natural world.