0:00:02 > 0:00:05# Come join us down on the farm today
0:00:05 > 0:00:10# Learn about nature along the way
0:00:10 > 0:00:13# From seeds to crops then fields to farms
0:00:13 > 0:00:15# So much to do down on the farm,
0:00:15 > 0:00:17# Summer, autumn, winter, spring
0:00:17 > 0:00:20# Ploughing, planting, harvesting
0:00:20 > 0:00:23# With JB and Storm to lead the way
0:00:23 > 0:00:28# Come join us down on the farm today. #
0:00:28 > 0:00:31COCKEREL CROWS
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Hello, I'm JB and welcome to Down On The Farm.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38Winter is a busy time on the farm and it's harder for animals to find
0:00:38 > 0:00:41food, so farmers help to make sure they have plenty to eat.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45While I help look after the chickens on this farm,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48let's find out what Storm's been up to.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58I've come to an apple orchard in Worcestershire,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01but not to find out about the crunchy fruit
0:01:01 > 0:01:03or the big trees they grow on.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Instead, it's something that grows on the trees.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09It's this - mistletoe.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Mistletoe is a plant with white berries that mainly grows
0:01:13 > 0:01:17in the winter. It grows on trees and bushes.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21It wraps itself around the branches really tightly
0:01:21 > 0:01:23so it doesn't blow off.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26This is Mark. He farms mistletoe on his orchard.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31- Hi, Mark.- Hi, Storm.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33So what makes mistletoe so special?
0:01:33 > 0:01:36It's one of the few plants that flowers in the winter.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And why do you love mistletoe so much?
0:01:39 > 0:01:41It's beautiful. Look at this.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43It is very beautiful.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45People around the world use it for decorations,
0:01:45 > 0:01:47and I collect it to sell.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I've brought some friends along to help us collect the mistletoe.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Here they come now.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59- Hi, guys.- Hi, Storm.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Now, we're going to be looking for mistletoe up high in these trees.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Do you think you might be able to help us find some?
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Yes!
0:02:07 > 0:02:13Mark uses a special tool called a sickle to cut the mistletoe off.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Yay!
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Off we go.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22So there's plenty of mistletoe around.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25What does the mistletoe look like?
0:02:25 > 0:02:28We think it looks like a green stalk
0:02:28 > 0:02:33and white bluebells, probably.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38Can you eat the berries?
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Although the berries look pretty, you can't eat them.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43They're bad for your tummy.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44Aw!
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Thank you very much. Look at how much mistletoe we have here.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57We can take this back to the barn and sort it into nice, neat sprigs.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Have you finished, guys?
0:03:10 > 0:03:11Yes!
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Let's see your bunches.
0:03:14 > 0:03:15Wow, they look amazing.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17- What do you think, Mark?- Oh, they're fantastic.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Now just to take them off to the markets and shops.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Well, while we get these packed away,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26why don't you find out what else happens at this time of year?
0:03:26 > 0:03:28CLUCKING
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Around our coasts,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35beaches that were packed with holiday-makers in the summer attract
0:03:35 > 0:03:38different visitors in winter time.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42Huge flocks of birds, like these arctic knots, swoop in,
0:03:42 > 0:03:44searching for food.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51At low tide, the waves roll back to reveal wide stretches of sand.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53The hungry birds are quick to spot
0:03:53 > 0:03:56signs of creatures burrowing just under the surface.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00They rush to eat as many as they can before the waves roll
0:04:00 > 0:04:02back in and cover the beach again.
0:04:04 > 0:04:10Winter storms and high tides wash lots of seaweed up onto beaches.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The seaweed attracts millions of little flies,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17which make a welcome meal for hungry starlings and other birds.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Grey seals visit winter beaches too.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25These super swimmers usually spend most of their time in the sea.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29They have a thick layer of fatty blubber and fur to keep them warm
0:04:29 > 0:04:31in the cold water.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34But in late winter they start to moult.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38This means that their tatty old fur is replaced with new fur.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44While they are moulting, seals find the water too cold.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48They haul themselves onto land and wiggle their way up the beach as the
0:04:48 > 0:04:50tide comes in, to avoid the icy waves.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Moulting also makes the seals want to rub their bodies on anything they
0:04:55 > 0:04:57can find,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01so a pebbly beach is the perfect place for a good scratch.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13In the cold winter some animals hibernate.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15This means their bodies slow down and they rest.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18But some animals that should have hibernated by now haven't,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21so I've come to this special animal rescue centre to find out what they
0:05:21 > 0:05:23do here to help them.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33- Hi, Gaye.- Hi, Rory.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35And look at this little guy!
0:05:35 > 0:05:36- Hedgehog!- Yeah.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So, Gaye, I hear that you look after animals that haven't been able to
0:05:39 > 0:05:43- hibernate.- That's right. These hedgehogs we've got are too young.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46They haven't had enough time to put on enough weight to hibernate.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49And how do you know when they're ready to go outside?
0:05:49 > 0:05:50We weigh them on a daily basis,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53just to make sure they're gaining weight steadily.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55What weight do they need to be before they're released?
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Now that we're well into the winter,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59it'll be 700 grams before we put them out.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01OK. So, shall we weigh them now?
0:06:01 > 0:06:03- Yeah.- I've got my gloves.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Gaye is letting me pick up the hedgehog,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08but you should never do this.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12About 510 grams. It's not time for you to go outside yet.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I think this one might be heavy enough to go.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16OK, let's find out.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Oh, wow. Over 800 grams. You're definitely ready, sunshine.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23So we've got a nice, happy, healthy hedgehog here.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- What else does he need?- He needs a safe place to hibernate now,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30and I know a farmer that'll be happy to take him.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Brilliant.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34CATTLE LOW
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Hi, Robert. Hi, Ceona and Lucy.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Hi, Rory. Hi, Gaye.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46So, I have got a hedgehog here that needs a safe place to hibernate.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Check it out.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Eugh, look at its nose.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- What do you think, Robert? - I think hedgehogs are great.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57They're a farmer's friend. They eat slugs, they eat insects.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01- So it's all good.- Perfect. So, away to find a safe place for this guy.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- Where are we going, Gaye?- I think we know just the place where it'll
0:07:04 > 0:07:05be good for it to hibernate.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Right. Let's go and find it.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Oh, wow!
0:07:13 > 0:07:17This is beautiful and looks like the perfect place to release our
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- hedgehog, doesn't it?- It does, yeah.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21There's lots of leaves they can use for making a nest,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24and a field nearby where they'll find lots of nice things to eat.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Excellent. And what's this?
0:07:26 > 0:07:29This is a wooden hedgehog house that I put here.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Lovely. Guys, shall we put some food and water in there for the hedgehog?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Yes.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36There's a hole in the side of the
0:07:36 > 0:07:40house so the hedgehog can get in and out until it finds a new home.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Right, guys, this is looking good, but there's something missing.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45- The hedgehog.- Yes, of course.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Let's pop the hedgehog in.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Here we go.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Well done. Make yourself nice and cosy.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Happy hibernation!
0:08:01 > 0:08:04While the hedgehog gets comfy in his new home,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06why don't you enjoy a winter poem?
0:08:09 > 0:08:12You dreamed of snow and now it's here.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14A snowball whizzes past your ear.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Let's build a snowman, what a treat.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21He'll be the best one in the street.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Onto a slidy sledge we jump.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Off we go with a bump, bump, bump.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32We're whooshing, booshing, down the hill.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Hold on tight, it's such a thrill.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Cold ears filled with squeals and laughter.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41We'll remember this day for ever after.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51I've come to a special factory in Basildon that makes something which
0:08:51 > 0:08:53gets used on farms all across the world.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57It has four big wheels, a noisy engine,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59and helps farmers with lots of different jobs.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Can you guess what it is?
0:09:01 > 0:09:04That's right, it's a tractor.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06And this is where some of them are built.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Let's go and take a look inside.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Tractors are one of the most useful vehicles to have on a farm.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15They can do so much,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19like pull trailers, lift muck and help harvest crops.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21I love using mine on my farm.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Many different parts are needed to make a tractor.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26At this factory,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29specially trained people put the parts together on this.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30It's called a production line.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Each worker builds a different part of the tractor.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Today, I'm meeting Mark, who works at the factory,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39to tell me how it's done.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43- Hello, Mark.- Hello, JB.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Can you tell me about the main parts of a tractor?
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Yes, so the base of the tractor is called the driveline.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51And from here we connect the engine.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55Wow. And the engine in my tractor at home is really big and heavy.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59Yes, they have to be big in order for the tractor to pull heavy loads.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01- What happens next? - So, then we add the cab.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05The cab is where the farmer sits and drives the tractor.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08The cab also keeps the farmer warm in the winter
0:10:08 > 0:10:09and cool in the summer.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12- And every tractor has to have wheels, right?- That's right.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15So we have two large wheels at the back and two small wheels
0:10:15 > 0:10:17at the front.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Can you believe that thousands of tractors are made here each year?
0:10:22 > 0:10:25It's not just people who build the tractors.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Clever robots with specially made parts help paint them, too.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36And there you have it. A brand-new tractor.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Let's go and take one for a test drive.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42Hi, Sean.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47I'm really excited about this.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55This feels pretty fast for a tractor.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00This course is designed to test how well the tractors are made.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02There are lots of bumps and dips on the road,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04just like there would be on a farm.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- This is what they call a rocky road, is it?- Yeah.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11If the tractor passes the driving test,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14then it is ready to go to work on a farm.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Well, that was fun.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24I've had a great time learning about how tractors are made and even
0:11:24 > 0:11:26getting to ride on a brand-new one.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Now let's find out about a tasty food that heats you up
0:11:29 > 0:11:31in the winter.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Today we're in Glasgow to meet Rueben who is on a farm,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42packing freshly picked vegetables.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45In this box we have some vegetables we've grown here,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48including potatoes, leeks, onions, turnips and these.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50They're carrots.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53All these colourful vegetables are full of vitamins to
0:11:53 > 0:11:55help keep you healthy.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59Reuben brings tasty veg like these from lots of farms to families every
0:11:59 > 0:12:03week. Today, Rosa, Sophia and their mum are going to use them
0:12:03 > 0:12:05to make a yummy winter soup.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09What's the first thing we need to do before we cook any food?
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Wash our hands!
0:12:12 > 0:12:14'We need to wash the vegetables too,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17'to get rid of any dirt or soil before we prepare them.'
0:12:21 > 0:12:24I wonder what this carrot's going to look like when we chop it up.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26- Orange?- Let's see.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30- It is orange!- Orange!
0:12:32 > 0:12:36'Now it's time to prepare two other important ingredients.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38'This is called a stock cube.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40'When it's crumbled and mixed with hot water,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43'it provides lots and lots of flavour.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46'And this is pearl barley.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48'It makes soup lovely and thick.'
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Now we've prepared the vegetables, we're going to make the soup.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Today we're going to make a vegetable broth.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59'The vegetables are cooking nicely,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01'so the colourful carrots are added
0:13:01 > 0:13:04'along with the tasty stock in barley.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07'It's left to bubble away, turning the veg soft.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10'Look, the carrots have made the soup purple, too.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13'Now it's ready to eat.'
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Doesn't it look tasty?
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Mm... Yum.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22'Hot and healthy soup, a hearty way to keep warm in winter.'
0:13:26 > 0:13:31Storm, Rory and I have had lots of fun today, and we hope you have too.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33Don't forget to check out the CBeebies website
0:13:33 > 0:13:36for more great things from Down On The Farm. See you next time.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Bye.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42# Come join us down on the farm today
0:13:42 > 0:13:46# Learn about nature along the way
0:13:46 > 0:13:49# From seeds to crops then fields to farms
0:13:49 > 0:13:51# So much to do down on the farm
0:13:51 > 0:13:54# Summer, autumn, winter, spring
0:13:54 > 0:13:56# Ploughing, planting, harvesting
0:13:56 > 0:14:00# With JB and Storm to lead the way
0:14:00 > 0:14:03# Come join us down on the farm today. #