Episode 9 Weather Watchers with Barra Best


Episode 9

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Episode 9. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

It's all around us, it connects us.

0:00:050:00:07

Should it be wind from the west,

0:00:070:00:09

rain from the east or the sun above,

0:00:090:00:12

it's our weather.

0:00:120:00:13

'Today, I'm in County Down to meet up

0:00:380:00:40

'with organic farmer John McCormick.'

0:00:400:00:43

-How are you?

-I am very well, thank you.

0:00:430:00:45

Perfect weather for the garden, isn't it?

0:00:450:00:48

It's beautiful, a beautiful day.

0:00:480:00:50

'John is passionate about growing organic food, locally produced

0:00:500:00:54

'and completely dependent on our Northern Irish climate.'

0:00:540:00:58

John, a nice big tunnel here of cherry tomatoes.

0:00:580:01:00

They've done well with our weather this year.

0:01:000:01:02

Yes, I'm very pleased with them.

0:01:020:01:04

They are called Sakura, they are a very sweet tomato, so it would

0:01:040:01:08

be incredibly popular with children, as you can well imagine.

0:01:080:01:11

And you've got your normal amount of crops for this year?

0:01:110:01:15

Erm, yes, by and large the cropping would appear to be good.

0:01:150:01:20

We normally go for seven or eight trusses - this is a truss.

0:01:200:01:23

They start at the bottom and work right up

0:01:230:01:25

to the last truss at the top.

0:01:250:01:27

This would be the eighth truss on this,

0:01:270:01:29

So eight trusses is actually a very good yield if that,

0:01:290:01:32

between now and the middle of October, grows and ripens.

0:01:320:01:35

What doesn't ripen will go to chutney,

0:01:350:01:37

-but they're actually doing very well.

-Very well.

0:01:370:01:39

So another few weeks left and these boys will be ready to pick.

0:01:390:01:42

Five, six weeks before I start taking them out.

0:01:420:01:44

Food is a requirement for all life,

0:01:470:01:49

but we need the right weather to grow it.

0:01:490:01:52

County Down is one of the driest counties in Ireland -

0:01:520:01:55

it must have some benefits for your farm.

0:01:550:01:57

Well, I am very surprised to hear you say that!

0:01:570:02:00

Because while parts of County Down are dry, we are in Helen's Bay,

0:02:000:02:06

and Helen's Bay has a lough on one side

0:02:060:02:08

and the hills on the other side

0:02:080:02:10

and regularly, when it is raining here,

0:02:100:02:13

I would phone my friends in Donaghadee or Newtonards, even,

0:02:130:02:16

and the sun would be shining,

0:02:160:02:18

and we would be sheltering from the rain.

0:02:180:02:20

What can you do here that you can't do in the west?

0:02:200:02:24

I suppose we are blessed, in the sense that

0:02:240:02:26

if you want to be a vegetable grower, certainly you are far

0:02:260:02:29

better off here on the east coast

0:02:290:02:30

than you ever would be on the west coast.

0:02:300:02:32

We can just about grow everything, except bananas and citrus.

0:02:320:02:36

What I have noticed is, we seem to be getting extremes.

0:02:360:02:39

We are breaking records left, right and centre.

0:02:390:02:41

We're getting the hottest days that ever happened in the year,

0:02:410:02:44

we're getting the wettest days that have ever happened in the year,

0:02:440:02:47

and this does throw particular problems at farmers.

0:02:470:02:50

These nets, John, do a good job protecting against pests

0:02:570:03:00

and rabbits, that kind of thing,

0:03:000:03:01

but they also protect against our bad weather.

0:03:010:03:04

That's right, we are finding increasingly

0:03:040:03:07

that in the summertime we are getting

0:03:070:03:09

very, very heavy rainfall, and the result of that is

0:03:090:03:12

it splashes the mud back up all over the lettuce and makes it unsellable.

0:03:120:03:15

So the nets act as a barrier, so when the rain hits that,

0:03:150:03:19

it diffuses and you don't get that splash.

0:03:190:03:21

You've even had to dig trenches to keep the rainwater

0:03:300:03:33

away from your greenhouses because they were flooding.

0:03:330:03:36

Yes, what you find is, in the summertime, the ground is very hard.

0:03:360:03:39

In the wintertime, the ground is soft

0:03:390:03:41

and you tend not to work machinery.

0:03:410:03:43

And when the ground is soft, it will absorb the rain

0:03:430:03:46

and filter it and allow it to flow away.

0:03:460:03:48

But when it's hard, as it is in the summertime,

0:03:480:03:50

it hasn't got the capacity to do that.

0:03:500:03:53

The water hits it and has to flow over the surface,

0:03:530:03:55

rather than percolate through.

0:03:550:03:57

So with this intensity of rain, what we are finding is, it is

0:03:570:04:01

actually flowing into the tunnel and flooding our tunnels.

0:04:010:04:04

You also keep bees here. How has the weather affected them?

0:04:150:04:19

2015 has not been one of the great bee years.

0:04:190:04:23

We had a cold May, which wouldn't have been nice for the bees,

0:04:230:04:27

but they were busy enough and survived it

0:04:270:04:30

and managed to build up to a decent brood size for June.

0:04:300:04:32

And we had a nice June, a good June.

0:04:320:04:36

So the bees were very busy in June, and there was plenty of nectar

0:04:360:04:39

and pollen around and they started to bring in a lot of reserves.

0:04:390:04:43

But then July turned wet.

0:04:430:04:44

And by the end of August - we had another wet August -

0:04:440:04:47

they had already started to eat into those reserves.

0:04:470:04:50

There can be up to 50,000-60,000 bees in a colony

0:04:500:04:53

and they all need to be fed every day.

0:04:530:04:55

And if they can't get out to feed, they will eat the reserves.

0:04:550:04:57

So we won't be taking much honey off the bees this year,

0:04:570:05:00

simply because we want to

0:05:000:05:02

leave them with the reserves that are there.

0:05:020:05:04

They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating,

0:05:060:05:09

so from earth to plate, I'm going to sample John's organic produce.

0:05:090:05:13

Not often we get the sea air dining alfresco-style,

0:05:130:05:17

food straight from the field.

0:05:170:05:19

-You ready?

-I am indeed, yes.

-Let's tuck in, eh?

0:05:190:05:22

Very sweet. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't like tomatoes,

0:05:290:05:32

-but THAT I could eat all day.

-Wonderful.

-Very nice.

0:05:320:05:35

Why don't you try a carrot, see what you think of the carrots?

0:05:350:05:38

Very traditional.

0:05:380:05:39

-Any difference of flavour, these? Just normal?

-You tell me.

0:05:390:05:42

-Very nice, very sweet.

-It's nice and sweet.

0:05:460:05:48

Well, the secret to retaining the sweetness in both tomatoes

0:05:480:05:51

and carrots is, eat them fresh and don't cool them.

0:05:510:05:55

The minute you put them in the fridge,

0:05:550:05:58

they start to lose their sweetness.

0:05:580:06:00

So if you can keep them at room temperature,

0:06:000:06:02

they will always retain that sweetness for much longer.

0:06:020:06:04

Everything you see on this plate, bar that bread, is actually

0:06:040:06:07

grown within 40 metres of here.

0:06:070:06:10

-Brilliant.

-I feel very privileged - I eat this every day for lunch.

0:06:100:06:14

Well, thanks very much for letting me join you.

0:06:140:06:16

-It was delicious.

-My pleasure.

0:06:160:06:17

# Well, my momma told me there'd be days like this... #

0:06:170:06:22

But she also told me there would be days like this too.

0:06:220:06:25

Rain, rain, go to Spain, never show your face again.

0:06:260:06:30

Nope, doesn't work.

0:06:300:06:32

# Into each life some rain must fall... #

0:06:320:06:38

In the wettest areas of Northern Ireland,

0:06:380:06:40

over 55 days of rainfall is the norm in the three months of winter.

0:06:400:06:45

And over 45 days in summer.

0:06:450:06:47

I'd like to be able to report that the sun shines

0:06:470:06:50

continuously in summer, but that just wouldn't be true.

0:06:500:06:53

# All the ducks are swimming in the water... #

0:06:530:06:57

You'd be disappointed if I didn't say it,

0:06:570:06:59

so I'm not going to let you down.

0:06:590:07:01

It's great weather for ducks.

0:07:010:07:03

# All the ducks are swimming in the water... #

0:07:030:07:06

And this isn't an old wives' tale.

0:07:060:07:08

Research has confirmed that ducks like hanging out

0:07:080:07:10

there in the pond to enjoy the rainy weather.

0:07:100:07:14

Something else that relies on rain is bogland, and the blanket bog

0:07:140:07:17

of Cuilcagh Mountain in County Fermanagh

0:07:170:07:20

is one of the finest examples in Western Europe.

0:07:200:07:22

This may look like a nice scenic path

0:07:320:07:34

for the ordinary rambler, but of course

0:07:340:07:36

it's doing something important for the conservation of this area.

0:07:360:07:39

Yeah, the sole and only reason we put the boardwalk in is

0:07:390:07:43

to help conserve the habitat.

0:07:430:07:45

What was basically happening was, the footfall of walkers was

0:07:450:07:48

eroding this rare blanket bog, so we had to take some remedial action.

0:07:480:07:53

Today is quite a nice day here, but it's not great for the midges here.

0:07:530:07:56

We're being eaten alive. I think we need to go for a higher altitude.

0:07:560:07:59

Yes, I think so, try and find a bit of breeze.

0:07:590:08:01

-We're halfway up.

-Mm-hm.

-It's longer than it looks, isn't it?

0:08:050:08:09

-Yes, indeed.

-But some of the views, they are spectacular.

0:08:090:08:12

The views are certainly worth it, there is no doubt.

0:08:120:08:14

You're looking right across Fermanagh here,

0:08:140:08:16

out into Donegal, Sligo, it's pretty breathtaking, all right.

0:08:160:08:20

-So no trees.

-No trees, no.

0:08:280:08:31

Peat is not a very good growing medium, so it is only

0:08:310:08:33

specialised plants that can tolerate those nutrient-poor conditions.

0:08:330:08:38

We are almost at the top.

0:08:440:08:46

BARRA EXHALES

0:08:470:08:48

'The trail across the bogland is over 7km long

0:08:480:08:51

'and takes us to the summit of Cuilcagh Mountain, but so far

0:08:510:08:55

'it's been worth it.'

0:08:550:08:56

Well, here we are, Richard.

0:08:560:08:58

Up to the top, 660 metres. And it's still quite squelchy, isn't it?

0:09:000:09:05

You can really tell that the rainfall

0:09:050:09:07

shaped this land in front of us.

0:09:070:09:09

Yes, it has a profound effect on the landscape around us.

0:09:090:09:11

'And how important is the bogland and why?'

0:09:110:09:14

Well, the bog is important in its own right for its biodiversity

0:09:140:09:17

and its intrinsic environmental value

0:09:170:09:19

but, equally, it acts as a carbon store.

0:09:190:09:22

This blanket bog and other bogs in Ireland are literally storing

0:09:220:09:25

millions of tonnes of carbon.

0:09:250:09:27

The peak is basically vegetation which hasn't completely rotted,

0:09:270:09:30

so it is locked away in the bog over thousands

0:09:300:09:33

and thousands of years, so this is almost playing

0:09:330:09:36

the same role as the Amazon rainforest

0:09:360:09:39

in helping with climate change.

0:09:390:09:41

This is a European protected habitat,

0:09:410:09:43

and without that level of rainfall, it wouldn't exist.

0:09:430:09:46

So essentially, you don't mind Fermanagh being called

0:09:460:09:48

one of the wettest counties of Northern Ireland,

0:09:480:09:50

-if not Ireland?

-At times.

0:09:500:09:52

No, on me day off I would rather it is a bit drier

0:09:520:09:54

sometimes, but what can you do?

0:09:540:09:56

But still, today the views are breathtaking, aren't they?

0:09:560:09:58

It's fabulous, it really is.

0:09:580:10:00

And from a breathtaking but treeless landscape, to a lush forestry,

0:10:080:10:13

and my pathway to the underground, where the waters fell

0:10:130:10:16

in Cuilcagh bogland have made their way to the Marble Arch Caves.

0:10:160:10:20

-Michelle, how are you?

-Hello.

0:10:210:10:24

God, that's some walk. SHE LAUGHS

0:10:240:10:25

Great weather for it, though, isn't it?

0:10:250:10:27

-Yes, ready to go underground?

-I am indeed, let's go.

0:10:270:10:29

-Follow me, we will head on in.

-Perfect.

0:10:290:10:31

'Michelle is going to be my guide through this fascinating

0:10:310:10:34

'natural underworld of waterfalls, rivers, caves and winding passages.

0:10:340:10:40

'It is beautiful and brilliant.

0:10:400:10:42

'We are deep below Fermanagh, and you may be forgiven

0:10:420:10:46

'for thinking that the weather above won't affect us, but it does.

0:10:460:10:48

Yes, it does.

0:10:480:10:50

The rainwater that falls on Cuilcagh Mountain,

0:10:500:10:52

it's actually the catchment area for the three rivers that

0:10:520:10:55

flow into the Marble Arch Caves.

0:10:550:10:57

We are actually making our way up one of the rivers,

0:10:570:11:00

which is called the Cladagh Glen.

0:11:000:11:01

So you can imagine that the weather that we experience in Fermanagh

0:11:010:11:05

and in particular up on Cuilcagh Mountain has

0:11:050:11:09

a large impact in relation to the show cave.

0:11:090:11:11

We are able to come comfortably through this cave, but it all

0:11:110:11:14

depends on the amount of rainfall that we get above, doesn't it?

0:11:140:11:18

This cave tour is very much weather-dependent.

0:11:180:11:20

There are days where we have to opt that we don't

0:11:200:11:22

have a cave tour available.

0:11:220:11:24

It really depends on the blanket bog,

0:11:240:11:26

whether the blanket bog is dry or if it's saturated.

0:11:260:11:29

It depends if it's a local rain or it has fallen at a distance,

0:11:290:11:32

and also depends what the rivers are like,

0:11:320:11:34

if they have had a period of time where they have dried up

0:11:340:11:36

or there is no water in it, that is why the staff that work here

0:11:360:11:40

monitor the weather forecast on a daily basis.

0:11:400:11:42

You're actually going outside

0:11:420:11:44

and visually looking at Cuilcagh Mountain to see

0:11:440:11:47

if it is under a cloud, if it's raining, what you think is

0:11:470:11:50

happening on the mountain, because it has its own little climate.

0:11:500:11:53

In terms of weather, what is your perfect scenario?

0:11:530:11:56

Best-case scenario is probably the rarest situation that we

0:11:580:12:02

ever have, a heatwave.

0:12:020:12:03

I knew you were going to say that. SHE LAUGHS

0:12:030:12:05

But even at the moment, we have had a period, a whole week now,

0:12:050:12:09

where we have had just dry weather. It's not hot, it's not sunny,

0:12:090:12:12

but there has been no rain up on Cuilcagh Mountain,

0:12:120:12:14

And that changes everything.

0:12:140:12:16

It changes the amount of water coming off the mountain,

0:12:160:12:19

it changes the atmosphere in the cave.

0:12:190:12:21

I really like it when we have had a little bit of rainwater

0:12:210:12:25

and it is coming into the cave and the rivers are rising slightly,

0:12:250:12:28

and you can hear the rumbling of the river.

0:12:280:12:30

And that is part of the experience

0:12:300:12:32

and the excitement for members of the public.

0:12:320:12:34

So people who do arrive on a rainy day,

0:12:340:12:36

I don't think they are losing out, I think they are seeing it

0:12:360:12:39

in a different way, and to me that is what it is all about.

0:12:390:12:42

-Every cloud has a silver lining.

-Yes, we could say that.

0:12:420:12:45

THEY LAUGH

0:12:450:12:47

The relationship we have with the weather is a complex one.

0:12:490:12:52

We do enjoy sunshine, and we might complain about days being wet

0:12:520:12:56

and cold, but rain is refreshing and wind is bracing.

0:12:560:13:01

So I like to think that there is no such thing as bad,

0:13:010:13:04

only different types of good weather.

0:13:040:13:06

There is scientific evidence that the profusion of red hair,

0:13:080:13:11

fair skin and freckles is the result of living in a sun-starved climate.

0:13:110:13:16

I'm living proof. So there you have it,

0:13:160:13:19

no doubt that the weather is part of who we are, what we are.

0:13:190:13:22

Until next time, bye-bye.

0:13:220:13:24

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS