Farming at Orroland: a living landscape
Orroland is a peaceful place to stay, but it is also very much a working farm. Farming has shaped this special landscape over many generations and remains part of daily life on the estate.
Our farming story
The Kennedy family actively farmed Orroland from 1971 until the mid-1990s. Over the years, we kept sheep and cattle and grew a variety of arable crops.
The land here is particularly well suited to growing grass. This reflects the wider area, which has a long tradition of livestock and dairy farming.
Since the mid-1990s, we have rented the farmland to neighbouring farmers through various seasonal arrangements. This has allowed the fields to remain in productive agricultural use.
Farming at Orroland today
Most of the farmland is now rented by a neighbouring dairy farm. During summer, the grass is cut for silage to feed the dairy herd through the winter. Sheep then graze most of the fields during the colder months.
If you stay during the summer, you may encounter the large machinery used for silage making. You may also see manure being spread across the fields. The timing depends on the weather, so farming activity can sometimes begin at short notice.
In winter, the estate has a different character, with sheep grazing in fields around the cottages and grounds.
Shaped over generations
The fields and open landscape you see at Orroland have not appeared by accident. They are the result of generations of farming and careful land management.
Farming continues alongside our woodland, gardens, wildflower meadow and wildlife habitats. Together, they form the varied landscape that makes Orroland such an interesting place to explore.