Power to the Pococks: A Year in the Life of a Crofting Family

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0:00:30 > 0:00:49The few folk

0:00:49 > 0:01:04Having said that, I'm just away to clean, you know.

0:01:04 > 0:01:14They're not idle children, they don't Yeah!

0:01:14 > 0:01:35Mainly because they don't have one.

0:01:35 > 0:01:47Look out, 21st century, we're about

0:01:58 > 0:02:25My name is Sasha Pocock,

0:02:25 > 0:04:2117-year-old Sarah's

0:04:21 > 0:04:25As soon as the kids are off to

0:04:25 > 0:04:35Iain does his chores and I do mine.

0:04:35 > 0:06:18The children - they don't drink

0:06:18 > 0:06:42is we're continually striving to that most people take for granted,

0:06:42 > 0:06:47Oh, well, the wind's coming from the wind tur...

0:06:49 > 0:06:54cos there's no wind.

0:07:21 > 0:07:24We'll put these on that trailer.

0:07:33 > 0:07:43Delighted, I'm over the moon. Are you chuffed?

0:07:47 > 0:07:51into the log tower.

0:08:12 > 0:08:33And if it's raining outside or to do their homework.

0:08:37 > 0:08:40part of the world -

0:08:40 > 0:09:01from a new ?600 million pylon line, is under threat,

0:09:01 > 0:09:06and future wave and tidal wave

0:09:20 > 0:09:25regardless of whether putting in pylons,

0:09:25 > 0:09:28just makes it even worse for me.

0:09:28 > 0:09:33the pylons so close to your house.

0:09:33 > 0:09:56and I can't even turn on this electric being shipped away

0:09:56 > 0:10:01I will be depositing the carrier bag When I find the offending person,

0:10:01 > 0:10:13They won't be throwing out Red Bull along with a message.

0:10:13 > 0:10:58C'mon, in you go. Can you put

0:10:58 > 0:11:20Mine. Well, get on with it, man.

0:11:20 > 0:12:23My handwriting's quite big, I think

0:12:23 > 0:12:35Oops, I think that landed in

0:12:35 > 0:12:42SAW BUZZES

0:12:42 > 0:12:57It's the weekend - time for Iain

0:12:57 > 0:13:06Although not everyone

0:13:35 > 0:13:59My heart's in the Highlands,

0:13:59 > 0:14:33We pull these out on the junk pile

0:14:33 > 0:14:48Now, I realise why you are get too much for nothing.

0:14:57 > 0:15:03In return for the wood, a friend

0:15:14 > 0:15:18I met Iain 19 years ago.

0:15:18 > 0:15:23to his family croft.

0:16:07 > 0:16:10up on a hill.

0:16:10 > 0:16:21We needed space. We came up in our in Cardiff with seven children.

0:16:21 > 0:16:27sudden feeling that this was it.

0:16:27 > 0:16:33And now us. Between the children,

0:16:46 > 0:16:51BIRDS SQUAWK

0:17:11 > 0:17:15C'mon, c'mon!

0:17:15 > 0:17:24There were literally 20 or 30 of them

0:17:24 > 0:17:26in this tree here.

0:17:26 > 0:17:31The ravens, they come together.

0:17:31 > 0:17:35just on the hill opposite us.

0:17:35 > 0:17:38BIRDS SQUAWK

0:17:44 > 0:17:48an old Scottish omen -

0:17:48 > 0:17:53they would foretell death.

0:17:53 > 0:17:58Judging by the amount of ravens here,

0:17:58 > 0:18:02an awful lot of death going on.

0:18:09 > 0:18:16they can't foresee a city boy but as far as I know

0:18:18 > 0:18:23and done with. I'm a busy man, like.

0:18:23 > 0:18:27he is speaking to people like that.

0:18:27 > 0:18:30bother coming up, there's no point."

0:18:30 > 0:18:34up. Yeah, we want solar panels."

0:18:34 > 0:18:58you can use in the house And electricity you are using,

0:18:58 > 0:19:02of cutting to the chase.

0:19:02 > 0:19:05me, I need the sun to shine at night.

0:19:07 > 0:19:11solar panels - nil.

0:19:18 > 0:19:21Come on!

0:20:06 > 0:20:12Come on.

0:20:12 > 0:20:17There you go. There's one down.

0:20:17 > 0:20:23C'mon, out you go.

0:21:01 > 0:21:42Do want tea or coffee, bunny?

0:21:49 > 0:21:52they were brought up with it.

0:21:53 > 0:21:57but they all do, they all help.

0:22:05 > 0:22:08he's more like Mum.

0:22:11 > 0:22:14you're more like Mum -

0:22:14 > 0:22:21Ya girl!

0:22:23 > 0:22:28just a small version of my dad.

0:22:32 > 0:22:35Is that what you think? Yeah.

0:22:39 > 0:22:42that mountain later.

0:22:45 > 0:22:49the croft because I'm able to go

0:22:49 > 0:22:53and not get, like, run over.

0:22:57 > 0:23:04You don't realise how different out of the way and it's different.

0:23:04 > 0:23:08Ah, the keeper.

0:23:08 > 0:23:14because it's so far out for them.

0:23:14 > 0:23:17we just think it's normal.

0:23:17 > 0:23:21I'd probably have found the guts and looked around a bit.

0:23:21 > 0:23:32At the start of high school, I told Yeah!

0:23:35 > 0:23:38and they didn't believe that either.

0:23:38 > 0:23:41conclusion that I lived in a cave.

0:23:45 > 0:23:50But really we're

0:23:50 > 0:23:54some internal organs for dinner.

0:23:54 > 0:24:00This is heart.

0:24:03 > 0:24:05This is a nice one, look.

0:24:10 > 0:24:14and get the cutlery out.

0:24:26 > 0:24:30Barely a year has passed

0:24:30 > 0:24:33in over 6ft of snow.

0:24:35 > 0:24:38something else to do.

0:24:45 > 0:24:49has lent us some top grazing ground

0:24:51 > 0:24:54Right, have a good day.

0:24:54 > 0:25:00Be careful on the road. Yeah!

0:25:04 > 0:25:07primary five, six and seven.

0:25:07 > 0:25:11side - that's if Ewan can sit still.

0:25:11 > 0:25:14that says four. No.

0:25:17 > 0:25:21I much prefer to be outside.

0:25:21 > 0:25:25THEY CHEER

0:25:25 > 0:25:33Yes, really popular.

0:25:35 > 0:25:42so they all have PSPs has got mains electricity,

0:25:42 > 0:25:47And I'm just different.

0:25:58 > 0:26:01Snow came last night.

0:26:01 > 0:26:09Iain has come up with a novel way the generator packs in.

0:26:09 > 0:26:12a lot like Christmas... #

0:26:12 > 0:26:19He doesn't come here in a sleigh, looking for Santa's sleigh.

0:26:19 > 0:26:23they'd end up in the freezer.

0:26:25 > 0:26:28Reindeer. Reindeer.

0:26:28 > 0:26:34Present for the wife.

0:26:34 > 0:26:41You forgot to put your apron on,

0:26:41 > 0:26:45That's more apt.

0:26:56 > 0:27:04And she's wanting us to cut it in the head down to hers, scraped.

0:27:04 > 0:27:14I'll get you a pot.

0:27:19 > 0:27:23Right, I'll take that

0:27:28 > 0:27:40She will make a wonderful Annie is our local brain specialist.

0:27:40 > 0:27:44C'mon, duckies.

0:28:02 > 0:28:06Iain.

0:28:10 > 0:28:17Back at the croft,

0:28:17 > 0:28:21Roll on Christmas!

0:28:23 > 0:28:34and never see it again. Look. I'll put it in

0:28:44 > 0:28:49# Well, I'm moving down

0:28:58 > 0:29:01we are pretty self-sufficient -

0:29:01 > 0:29:10TOY PLAYS JINGLE BELLS

0:29:26 > 0:29:28an unwelcome present.

0:29:28 > 0:29:36I can't believe the inverter

0:29:36 > 0:29:44my plans for a cosy Christmas If Iain doesn't get this fixed,

0:30:00 > 0:30:08I only wanted to make it better

0:30:10 > 0:30:19January, and there is hardly

0:30:21 > 0:30:41Keen to expand our empire, Sarah...

0:30:41 > 0:30:58For Ryan,

0:30:58 > 0:31:14For a few years I never knew

0:31:18 > 0:31:28Iain's mum is ploughing through I've decided enough is enough.

0:31:31 > 0:32:14Yeah. I don't think that's going they would just come and put it in.

0:32:14 > 0:32:29Yet, for all my chasing modern

0:32:29 > 0:32:38Yes, you do. You've spent days It's there. Have fun.

0:32:38 > 0:32:55Ryan and Sarah have a round trip

0:32:57 > 0:33:13Maybe that's an understatement. at all.

0:33:13 > 0:33:26I don't really like school.

0:33:26 > 0:33:29Ryan and Sarah's minds

0:33:29 > 0:33:42But the shadow of the croft of school.

0:33:48 > 0:33:59This time last year, at Napier University.

0:33:59 > 0:34:02Whilst they both want to leave,

0:34:02 > 0:34:07Isn't she cute? up in the air for them.

0:34:07 > 0:34:10as it's so cold in her room.

0:34:10 > 0:34:16and what it means for the future we're caught between being parents

0:34:18 > 0:34:27So what will happen how reliant we are on our children.

0:34:27 > 0:34:30go away and get his qualifications

0:34:34 > 0:34:40but we will have to wait and see.

0:34:45 > 0:34:53MOTOR STARTS

0:34:59 > 0:35:11leaving me outside interview in the big smoke -

0:35:11 > 0:35:19She seems quite calm, think I'm more nervous than she is."

0:35:22 > 0:35:27She has worked so hard.

0:35:30 > 0:35:33She said there is no reason

0:35:33 > 0:35:36unconditional offer.

0:35:36 > 0:35:41all my work experience, that I need to have -

0:35:46 > 0:35:51But I think it went well.

0:35:51 > 0:36:07Aye, it's an interesting landscape - Stop it, Mum. It's bit embarrassing.

0:36:07 > 0:36:15You looking forward to speaking for an apprenticeship.

0:36:15 > 0:36:28Yeah, they do. Guinea fowl eggs do they lay eggs?

0:36:48 > 0:37:11as the croft comes back to life It's a time of great excitement

0:37:13 > 0:37:26because I think it's not like quite good news on this subject

0:37:31 > 0:37:38But croft life has a habit

0:37:38 > 0:37:43Our old ewe has just given birth the lookout for any problems.

0:37:43 > 0:37:52Trying to clear out its airwaves, What are you trying to do, Sarah?

0:37:52 > 0:37:58LAMBS BLEAT

0:38:01 > 0:38:05C'mon, ewe.

0:38:20 > 0:38:27Now, the whole plan is...

0:38:42 > 0:38:45That's the idea.

0:38:53 > 0:38:58then put you in deep fat fryer.

0:38:58 > 0:39:17Ewan, you're mean.

0:39:17 > 0:39:20I have an unconditional

0:39:20 > 0:39:24to school at all.

0:39:32 > 0:40:11so lucky her. Eh, Mum? rid of Ryan and me this year,

0:40:12 > 0:41:00Scottish and Southern Energy got What's your news?

0:41:00 > 0:41:04huge pylons, destroying her view,

0:41:04 > 0:41:35"just as a wee niceness, we will rural landscape -

0:41:35 > 0:41:40Bastard!

0:41:55 > 0:43:28A heat-wave has brought tourists

0:43:28 > 0:44:52So yes, I'm very optimistic

0:44:52 > 0:44:57I started all this because I wanted

0:44:57 > 0:45:04Go start digging out clothes, Ryan. little bit hollow.

0:45:04 > 0:45:18Yes. This is you. Get it together. Well, yes. Pretty much.

0:45:24 > 0:45:30For flip's sake. Do they suit me?

0:45:30 > 0:45:44than it was left in he took it up the road

0:45:44 > 0:45:53all that sort of stuff.

0:46:06 > 0:46:19We're all going to miss him, isn't he? He's good to you.

0:46:21 > 0:46:25be two hours up the road.

0:46:36 > 0:46:41and we can't put it off any more.

0:46:41 > 0:46:46what we're all feeling.

0:46:46 > 0:46:52Aye, it's good.

0:46:52 > 0:47:00off to better things.

0:47:03 > 0:47:05anyone on the estate,

0:47:15 > 0:47:20at the start, being on electric.

0:47:20 > 0:47:24No swinging of a generator.

0:47:26 > 0:47:29He's going to do OK.

0:47:29 > 0:47:34the right way to go,

0:47:50 > 0:47:54Ryan, take your dog.

0:47:54 > 0:47:57and catch too many fish -

0:47:57 > 0:48:00too much fun.

0:48:24 > 0:48:27since Ryan left home

0:48:27 > 0:48:30to his absence.

0:48:33 > 0:48:38Ready for my adventure something else.

0:48:38 > 0:48:41treks, Iain has found three townies

0:48:46 > 0:48:48what we're most nervous about is

0:48:48 > 0:48:52to carry it. We'll sort it out.

0:48:52 > 0:48:56kitchen sink, everything.

0:48:56 > 0:48:59of the city from them.

0:48:59 > 0:49:02put in the car.

0:49:02 > 0:49:06Only need one roll for all of us.

0:49:06 > 0:49:10is really good on the treks.

0:49:10 > 0:49:13it's just like loading up Buckaroo -

0:49:13 > 0:49:16and all go everywhere.

0:49:16 > 0:49:18Have you got keys for your Jeep?

0:49:18 > 0:49:22I'll just put them on the windowsill.

0:49:22 > 0:49:26are too much.

0:49:28 > 0:49:33and now he's got a horse.

0:49:33 > 0:49:36for three days

0:49:38 > 0:49:41I'm getting cramp right now. Oh, no!

0:49:41 > 0:49:44have ridden -

0:49:44 > 0:49:47she was a young girl.

0:49:50 > 0:49:53They're sure-footed.

0:49:53 > 0:49:58in the riders.

0:49:58 > 0:50:01is for people just to relax,

0:50:01 > 0:50:05that's very special to us.

0:50:05 > 0:50:09You are so lucky.

0:50:11 > 0:50:14the golden eagle. Bonny, eh?

0:50:30 > 0:50:32settle in.

0:50:35 > 0:50:40up here. Oh, yes, absolutely.

0:50:40 > 0:50:45must be good for it, you know?

0:50:45 > 0:50:49never touched a horse

0:50:49 > 0:50:53for three days.

0:50:56 > 0:50:59Muir of Ord.

0:51:02 > 0:51:06in the mountains,

0:51:06 > 0:51:11and be a bit more real, I suppose.

0:51:13 > 0:51:16just walk alongside him -

0:51:17 > 0:51:20have you done before this?

0:51:24 > 0:51:27has been mind-blowing.

0:51:27 > 0:51:31and I would definitely do it again

0:51:40 > 0:51:43buying the tent appealed to you.

0:51:43 > 0:51:46And going fishing appealed to you.

0:51:46 > 0:51:49and the rest was the in-between bit

0:51:49 > 0:51:51get through.

0:52:01 > 0:52:03as he's tiny. Smile.

0:52:06 > 0:52:11They've enjoyed it, as have we.

0:52:11 > 0:52:14it's a pretty sweet job

0:52:17 > 0:52:21growing, and it gives you confidence

0:52:23 > 0:52:26Different personalities.

0:52:26 > 0:52:29these days.

0:52:29 > 0:52:31the pony trekking season started

0:52:31 > 0:52:37again after last winter.

0:52:37 > 0:52:41a fortnight's work experience

0:52:54 > 0:52:58they would always save the animals

0:52:58 > 0:53:01we would get the vets up

0:53:03 > 0:53:07you know, something big like that.

0:53:07 > 0:53:10help animals like that.

0:53:10 > 0:53:13slots into a hole in the back.

0:53:15 > 0:53:18are big and fluffy and smell bad.

0:53:18 > 0:53:20What do I think about animals?!

0:53:20 > 0:53:38You never know, I might come up

0:53:38 > 0:53:44I'll really miss her.

0:54:06 > 0:54:12he'll have to become the big guy.

0:54:27 > 0:54:46You'll be the man of the house now,

0:54:46 > 0:54:57but living here, I think Ewan So not quite the birds and the bees,

0:54:57 > 0:55:12August, and after nine months of

0:55:12 > 0:55:31You're not allowed to film me Steve, I've not got my make-up.

0:55:42 > 0:55:53With the stakes so high,

0:55:53 > 0:56:22and unless we win the lottery, Well, the decision has been made,

0:56:22 > 0:57:29But, you know, we have to look at is just so far away.

0:57:29 > 0:57:45It's perhaps better then that Sarah

0:57:55 > 0:58:43Look, Mum, there's the castle.

0:58:53 > 0:59:03Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd