Thursday, 10th April was a special evening at Rhual Dairy, a strategic farm nestled in the North Wales countryside. Farmers, industry folks, and community members gathered for a guided farm walk organized by The Farmart Magazine and proudly sponsored by Compass Fuels. With clear skies and a friendly buzz in the air, hosts John and Anna Booth welcomed everyone to their 220-hectare dairy farm just outside Mold. The atmosphere was warm and community-focused – boots on, notebook in hand, people were eager to learn from one another and see first-hand the innovative practices that have made Rhual Dairy a local leader in sustainable farming.
Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/UpIx34_wKtg?t=699
A group of farmers and guests strolls across Rhual Dairy’s lush pasture in the evening sun during the farm walk.
Exploring Innovative Farming Practices
Our walk began out in the fields, where John and Anna shared some of the grassland innovations they’ve been experimenting with. One highlight was the benefit of “stitching” grass into existing pasture – essentially overseeding the fields with new grass seed without ploughing them up. This technique helps rejuvenate older swards by filling in gaps and introducing more productive grass varieties. The result is thicker, healthier pasture growth, which means more home-grown feed for the cows. As every dairy farmer knows, fresh grass is the cheapest and most natural feed for cows dairyglobal.net, so improving pasture in a cost-effective way is a big win. John pointed out how a relatively small investment in reseeding (often just drilling seeds into the current grass) can pay off with improved grass yields and quality. In fact, establishing a new grass ley can boost pasture productivity for 5–10 years, so choosing the right method and mix is key dairyglobal.net. Seeing the before-and-after on their fields made it clear why “stitching in” grass is often touted as one of the best investments for long-term dairy farm success.
Another fascinating topic was experimenting with different seed varieties. Rhual Dairy isn’t content with a one-size-fits-all approach to grass – they have trial plots with various grass and clover mixes to see which perform best on their soil. John and Anna shared how cows can be surprisingly picky grazers (some grass varieties are apparently much tastier than others!), so part of their strategy is finding mixes that the cows love and that thrive in their conditions dairyglobal.net. By testing diploid and tetraploid ryegrasses, plus species like clover, they aim to maximise grazing efficiency. Attendees could literally see the difference in some trial paddocks – one plot had a lush, dense sward thanks to a new ryegrass variety, while another showed how adding clover improved the protein content of the forage. This practical learning – right there in the field – really drove home how innovation in agriculture often starts from the ground up (quite literally with the soil and seeds). Everyone was keen to discuss which grass varieties have worked on their own farms, turning the pasture walk into a mini brainstorming session on forage improvement.
Spring blossoms frame a view of Holstein cows contentedly grazing at Rhual Dairy. The farm’s focus on pasture quality means cows enjoy nutritious grass, which is the cheapest and healthiest feed for milk production.
Of course, good grass is only part of the story. Herd health was another major theme of the walk. Rhual Dairy has made impressive strides in reducing antibiotic use in their cows, which is a cornerstone of sustainable and responsible farming. John and Anna explained some of the changes they’ve implemented to keep their cows healthier naturally. For example, they invested in an improved transition cow program – including a new transition cow barn and better ventilation in the sheds – to ensure cows stay in top condition around calving time. By focusing on prevention and cow comfort, they’ve seen far fewer cases of illness that require antibiotic treatment. The group was excited to hear that their efforts have led to a noticeable drop in antibiotic usage on the farm. This not only keeps costs down and milk quality up, but it’s also better for the cows and for antibiotic resistance concerns in general. In line with Rhual’s participation in the Strategic Dairy Farm network, the Booths are hitting their targets of improving transition management and cutting antibiotic use ahdb.org.uk. Standing in the calf shed, we even saw sturdy, bright-eyed calves that had benefited from these new practices – a real-life testament to how innovation in animal care pays off. It was inspiring to see how sustainability and animal welfare go hand-in-hand here: healthier cows, less medicine, and more natural resilience in the herd.
Fuel for Thought: Compass Fuels’ Mid-Walk Talk
About halfway through our walk, as folks paused to catch their breath, the Compass Fuels team (that’s us!) had a chance to contribute a different kind of insight. We presented a short talk about our smart fuel tank sensors – a bit of tech that’s helping many farms save money and hassle when it comes to fuel management. Compass Fuels’ sensors use a clever mix of hardware and AI to monitor fuel levels in storage tanks in real time . We explained how these little devices give farmers up-to-the-minute data on their fuel usage, sending alerts when levels are getting low or if any sudden drop suggests a leak. Why does this matter? Well, it means farmers can plan refueling much more efficiently instead of reacting last-minute. No one likes an emergency fuel delivery (or, worse, running out of diesel in the middle of silaging!), and with the sensors, those panicky moments can be avoided. By having visibility into fuel consumption, farmers can prevent shortages and even avoid holding excess fuel, which ultimately results in cost savings.
The crowd was intrigued – a few folks even pulled out phones to note down how to get one of these monitors installed. We kept the talk light and practical: sharing a quick demo of the user-friendly app that comes with the sensor, and a real example of a farm that saved a bundle by consolidating fuel deliveries after spotting inefficiencies in their usage data. It wasn’t a sales pitch, just a genuine discussion on how embracing smart technology can make day-to-day farm management easier and more sustainable. After all, if a simple sensor can reduce fuel waste and ensure you never run dry at a critical moment, that’s one less worry on a farmer’s plate. We at Compass Fuels are passionate about supporting our customers beyond just delivering fuel – and judging by the nods and thoughtful questions from the audience, the feeling is mutual. It was a proud moment for us to see how our sponsorship of the event could directly add value to the farming community through such knowledge sharing.
Collaboration for Sustainable Farming
As the sun began to set, our group made its way back to the farmyard, boots a bit muddier and heads full of new ideas. The evening wrapped up with hearty thanks all around. The Farmart Magazine team, led by Angela Bowcock, did a fantastic job organizing the walk – from the informative route around the farm to the delicious refreshments mentioned by attendees (the homemade cakes got a particularly honorable mention!). John and Anna Booth received a round of applause for opening their farm and candidly sharing both their successes and lessons learned. It’s not every day you get to poke around a working dairy farm and openly discuss what’s working and what’s not, and their openness embodied what a strategic farm is all about: learning together to improve as an industry.
For us at Compass Fuels, this event was everything we hoped for when we signed on as sponsor. It was never about logos or flyers, but about celebrating collaboration and innovation in agriculture. We were thrilled to see farmers swapping tips on grass management, an agronomist offering John a suggestion on clover stitching, and even non-farmers (like a local insurance broker who came to understand farm risks) gaining a new appreciation for the hard work and smart thinking that goes into modern farming. The farm walk underscored that when companies like ours partner with organizations like The Farmart and forward-thinking farmers like the Booths, we create a genuine community of practice. Everyone – from the small family farm to the industry supplier – has a role in making farming more sustainable and successful.
Looking back on that April evening, it’s clear that the future of farming is bright when we all work together. Compass Fuels is proud to play a part in that, whether by fueling tractors, introducing time- and money-saving tech, or simply by sponsoring and participating in knowledge-sharing events like this one. As we drove away from Rhual Dairy, the last light fading over the rolling Welsh hills, we felt grateful for the connections strengthened and the knowledge gained. Here’s to many more walks, talks, and collaborative efforts that keep our farming community strong!
