0:00:02 > 0:00:04In Britain's beautiful landscapes,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07traditional farming is battling to survive.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Making a living here has its challenges,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14but those challenges are being met head-on
0:00:14 > 0:00:18with invention, energy and passion.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22A new breed of trailblazing entrepreneurs are turning
0:00:22 > 0:00:25back to the land to reinvent old trades
0:00:25 > 0:00:28and set up modern rural businesses.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Latest figures show that as many as 100,000 people
0:00:31 > 0:00:35are leaving our cities and moving to the countryside every year.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40'I've seen firsthand,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43'having started my own rural business in Monmouthshire,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46'the grit and determination needed to take that leap.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:50And joining me is award-wining organic restauranteur
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Geetie Singh-Watson,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54who will bring her knowledge and passion.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57I am really, really impressed.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01We're going to be meeting
0:01:01 > 0:01:04some of the modern-day countryside pioneers...
0:01:04 > 0:01:05Come on, come on!
0:01:05 > 0:01:07..whose love, skill and tenacity
0:01:07 > 0:01:11are at the heart of this rural revolution.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15- Oh-ah!- This is a passion. I'm doing it cos I believe in the product.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20'Every region and every season present new challenges
0:01:20 > 0:01:23'and tonight, we're in the Lake District,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26'following five innovative businesses
0:01:26 > 0:01:28'through spring, summer and autumn...'
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Hang on there, Simon.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33'..as they make big life changes...'
0:01:33 > 0:01:36- So, you're quitting your job.- Yeah. - Does that feel scary?
0:01:36 > 0:01:37'..break new ground...'
0:01:37 > 0:01:40If I told you the recipe, I'd have to kill you.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45'..and do their bit to reinvigorate our great British countryside.'
0:01:45 > 0:01:46Why did I do that?
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Because you're English!
0:02:05 > 0:02:08'The Lake District is remote and wild.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14'Working the land here takes a pioneering spirit,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18'but its steep fells and over 80 lakes and tarns have made it
0:02:18 > 0:02:21'one of our best-loved landscapes.'
0:02:24 > 0:02:27There are many people who come to places like this,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31fall in love with the rural idyll and dream of staying here forever,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35but what does it take to make a living from a land like this?
0:02:46 > 0:02:50It's spring and I'm in the Northern Lakes, heading out past Keswick...
0:02:53 > 0:02:57..to meet a woman who, 12 years ago, left her city job,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01hoping to start a business from her passion for foraging.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07It wasn't long ago that wild food would have been an intrinsic part
0:03:07 > 0:03:10of any meal cooked in a rural kitchen
0:03:10 > 0:03:15and, with over 160 species of edible plant growing in the UK,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17there is plenty to choose from.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Jane has hooked onto the growing trend for food with provenance
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and makes around 40,000 jars
0:03:29 > 0:03:31of homemade preserves...
0:03:34 > 0:03:38- Jane, good morning.- Hello, good morning.- Hello.- That's Ruby.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41'..selling to delis and restaurants nationwide.'
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Here we are bundled up, as if it was midwinter, but it is spring.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Are there any real spring specialities that you look for?
0:03:50 > 0:03:55- Well, dog, a dog.- Yeah. THEY LAUGH
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Well, particularly, I've come down to see
0:03:57 > 0:04:00how the sweet cicely was doing - this one, Myrrhis odorata.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05Cos we've actually got an order for some jam that has it in it.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Can I have a quick...?
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Yeah, if you munch on it, it's got a lovely anis flavour.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12- Ooh, it has, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15You cook things like rhubarb and gooseberries with it
0:04:15 > 0:04:18and it's supposed to mean you use less sugar.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21How have you learnt all this stuff,
0:04:21 > 0:04:26because it seems to be a tradition that's been lost in some way?
0:04:26 > 0:04:29My mum was a really good field botanist, so she started me off
0:04:29 > 0:04:32when I was tiny, and I became an agricultural botanist.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34So, I have always foraged.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39When we came to Cumbria, I was looking around at all this fruit
0:04:39 > 0:04:42that was going to waste and I just couldn't bear to see it.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46And that's sort of what got me going.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49- This is heavenly! - Isn't it gorgeous?
0:04:49 > 0:04:52I can see why you'd never want to go to a supermarket to get your food.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54- Exactly. - This is so much more beautiful.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57We do an apple-based jelly with wild garlic in it at this time of year,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and we've got an order for that, so that's what this is for.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04'Jane's background means she knows what plants to pick
0:05:04 > 0:05:07'and which one are poisonous and to be avoided.'
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Do you ever munch on blackthorn flowers?
0:05:11 > 0:05:15I've had sloes - mainly in gin form, I have to confess.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Well, you're missing a trick.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21- Ooh, that's wonderful. - Bitter almond.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27Is there a sort of forager's code, when it comes to picking?
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Well, in theory, you can pick for your own use.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Obviously, if you're picking for sale,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36that's a different thing altogether and you have to have permission
0:05:36 > 0:05:38from the landowner or a licence to pick.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Do you just offer everybody a bottle of gin and say,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- "Can I come and forage on your farm?"- Well, sort of, yes, yes.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46That lovely sort of rural economy of a bit of barter
0:05:46 > 0:05:49- and sharing resources. - Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52'Last year, the Lake District was hit
0:05:52 > 0:05:57'by a record 340mm of rain in 24 hours.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01'For many homes and businesses like Jane's, it was devastating.'
0:06:01 > 0:06:02Come on in.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05'She not only lost a newly-built commercial kitchen,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08'but tens of thousands of pounds in business.'
0:06:08 > 0:06:10We've brought you a basketful of goodies.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13'Now Jane's team of five are having to work from her home
0:06:13 > 0:06:17'and are just about managing to keep up supply.'
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- This is the sweet cicely that you've been picking.- Yeah.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- We've got that in a sterilised muslin bag.- Right.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- And that's going into the rhubarb, ginger and sweet cicely jam.- Yeah.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29And then, the wild garlic that we've got in the basket
0:06:29 > 0:06:31is going in the wild garlic jelly.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Do you guys come up with recipes? Do you come up the recipe? Who...?
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- You, it's you. - Yeah, we leave it all to Jane.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41- Do you think she's mad or...? - Yes, she's definitely mad!
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- Jane's the inventor. - Jane's the inventor.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46'Basing a business on unpredictable wild crops...'
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- Do you want to chop the wild garlic? - OK.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53'..Jane has had to invent over 150 different recipes.'
0:06:55 > 0:06:58I think the thing that intrigues me about the idea of foraging
0:06:58 > 0:07:01being a business is it's all very well making yourself
0:07:01 > 0:07:04a few jars of wild garlic jelly,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07but if you've suddenly got to make 300 jars,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11how do you physically have the time to pick the ingredients?
0:07:11 > 0:07:13It's very, very labour-intensive.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15We don't have any machinery
0:07:15 > 0:07:18for labelling or potting or anything, so...
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Jane began selling locally, but very quickly,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29her preserves were winning awards and demand was high.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32That is a big transition moment, isn't it?
0:07:32 > 0:07:36When you go from maybe selling to friends or giving stuff to friends
0:07:36 > 0:07:42or selling to the village shop, to a big store, or wherever it might be.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Can you remember when you first got that kind of phone call?
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Yes, and I was scared stiff.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53And, in fact, I actually turned down a very nice supermarket
0:07:53 > 0:07:55because I was frightened
0:07:55 > 0:07:59that I wouldn't be able to match what they wanted.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I regret that to this day, I can tell you.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Because I'm not much of a businessperson,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I didn't take advantage of it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11You know, we'd win a three-star Great Taste Award
0:08:11 > 0:08:14and I'd go, "Oh, right, OK, carry on."
0:08:14 > 0:08:16And, you know, why did I do that?
0:08:16 > 0:08:18THEY LAUGH
0:08:18 > 0:08:21- Because you're English!- Yes.
0:08:22 > 0:08:28Ooh, those look delicious! Um... I mean, I...
0:08:28 > 0:08:32You're sort of frustrating me. I kind of want to shake you.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35You're employing people, you've got a beautiful product that sells.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- Yes, that's true. - You've got a viable business.- Yes.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- Are you hugely in debt? - We're not in debt at all, really.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47I'd say that was something to be proud of. And, if I may say so...
0:08:48 > 0:08:50I hope you like that.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53- You make a damn fine pakora.- Good!
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I'm a little bit confused by Jane's business.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08It's been born out of her undisputed enthusiasm and expertise
0:09:08 > 0:09:11in wild food, but I just get the feeling
0:09:11 > 0:09:15that her passion for foraging isn't matched
0:09:15 > 0:09:18by a passion for the nuts and bolts of running a business.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24But that said, she's clearly worked very hard to get this business
0:09:24 > 0:09:27off the ground and to keep it going. This isn't a hobby.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30She's got staff to pay, she's got orders to fulfil
0:09:30 > 0:09:36and she is entirely dependent on nature's bounty.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38And that's quite scary,
0:09:38 > 0:09:44because nature, this year, has been particularly unkind to Cumbria.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51As the seasons unfold,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55I hope the coming months allow Jane to build her business back up.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Geetie Singh-Watson set up the UK's first organic gastro-pub
0:10:12 > 0:10:15in her 20s, so she knows all too well
0:10:15 > 0:10:20the challenges food producers face making a living off the land.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Between 2014 and '15, income on farms dropped 29%
0:10:25 > 0:10:28and they often have to sell their goods
0:10:28 > 0:10:30for less than they cost to produce.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32But there's passion and romance about the land
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and there are opportunities to make a sustainable life.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Geetie's on the edge of the South Lakes, just below Kendal...
0:10:47 > 0:10:50..to meet a traditional farming family
0:10:50 > 0:10:52who are diversifying the business
0:10:52 > 0:10:55for the future of their four children.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Four years ago, farmers Abi and Paul hit on a modern trend.
0:11:04 > 0:11:05All right, Paul?
0:11:05 > 0:11:08They invested £40,000
0:11:08 > 0:11:09and converted their cattle barn
0:11:09 > 0:11:12into a rustic wedding venue.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- Hello.- Hi.- How you doing?
0:11:16 > 0:11:20- I'm Geetie.- Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Abi.- Hi, Abi.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- How you doing?- I'm Paul. - Paul.- How you doing?
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Great to see you. And this is, like, a proper farm.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30Yeah, but in the winter, this is completely full of sheep.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33So, what's been the most profitable aspect of the business for you?
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Well, the beef and sheep were, in the start,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38and then things dwindled away,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40so we went into pick your own and that was very profitable.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45But then, of late, pick your own struggled because in supermarkets,
0:11:45 > 0:11:50these days, you can buy a strawberry 365 days of the year.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54So, now we've gone into the wedding barn business
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and that is proving quite successful for us, really.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59- Well, I'd love to see...- Do you want to come and see the wedding barn?
0:11:59 > 0:12:01I'd really like that.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08So, down here, we've got pick your own.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Some of the cows and calves are up on the hill up there.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17It was Paul's sister who kick-started the new venture
0:12:17 > 0:12:21when she suggested using the old oak barn for her wedding.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Welcome to the barn.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Oh, wow! That is amazing!
0:12:34 > 0:12:39- Incredible space. It is utterly fantastic.- We're very, very lucky.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47It's a 15th-century cruck barn. It was used for grain storage.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53All these trusses and purlins are original, aren't they?
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- Yes, they are. The ceiling sells this venue.- Yeah, it's beautiful.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Cos it is so lovely.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06So, this is occupied half of the year at the moment with weddings.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- May to December. - Why do you stop there?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12We still need the space because we have over 1,000 sheep to lamb
0:13:12 > 0:13:14from January onwards.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Do you think that's a selling point for people who are coming?
0:13:17 > 0:13:19- Yeah, very much so.- Right.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21And I actually think that sort of adds to a bit of the character
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- and the charm of it all. - Yeah, definitely.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26But there's also a massive lost opportunity,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- where you could carry on all year round.- Oh, yeah.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35But balancing traditional farming with the wedding business
0:13:35 > 0:13:38is more than a full-time job for both of them.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42This, believe it or not, turns into the catering area.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47The market is huge.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51The average British wedding costs around £16,000.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Are you potentially tapping into that market enough?
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- Are you charging enough? - Probably not.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02I would imagine we are underselling ourselves slightly.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06- We don't want to be greedy with it. - But you're proving so popular.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Clearly you're regarded as pretty good value
0:14:09 > 0:14:11- for people to be buying this. - Yeah.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And, actually, what you're doing is fundamentally supporting
0:14:14 > 0:14:17a really vital part of the countryside,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19- so I don't think you should feel bad about it at all.- No.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22And you're providing a fabulous space for people.
0:14:24 > 0:14:29Abi, Paul, his sister and his parents do most of the work
0:14:29 > 0:14:30for the weddings themselves,
0:14:30 > 0:14:35which are booked in every week during spring, summer and autumn.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40We've come to help you, Paul. I'm going to put the optics up.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44- What else is happening on the farm? - There's clipping.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47There's a pick your own running, and then we go into autumn,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50tupping time with the sheep, the cows start to come in.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54- And we're still milking every day. - You must be exhausted!
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- Yeah, and now, this year, we're up to 23 bookings.- Wow!
0:14:57 > 0:14:59- Including our own. - Including our own, yeah.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- You're getting married here? - Yeah, we get married in August.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05- How fantastic!- Thank you.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Abi and Paul are passionate about farming
0:15:09 > 0:15:12and they've come up with some brilliant ideas
0:15:12 > 0:15:15on how to use their land but, going forward,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18they need to cash in on them in order to stay where they are
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and really enjoy this farming business.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26With a very hectic season ahead,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29we'll discover how they juggle all the aspects of the business
0:15:29 > 0:15:32and celebrate their own wedding in the process.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I'm travelling to Heltondale Valley,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52where there's been a sheep farm on this spot for over 200 years.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58It's run by a fifth-generation farmer, Simon,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00and his scientist wife, Jane.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04What they've come up with is a brilliant innovative use
0:16:04 > 0:16:06of the natural resources of the farm.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Jane and Simon want to keep their way of life going for themselves
0:16:17 > 0:16:19and their daughter, Arabella.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26'So, they took two almost worthless products - bracken and wool -
0:16:26 > 0:16:29'and after eight years' experimenting,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31'invented the world's first wool compost,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35'and they now sell 50,000 bags of it a year.'
0:16:38 > 0:16:42- Hello, Jane.- Hi.- I'm Kate. Lovely to meet you.- Pleased to meet you.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47- Please come in.- What a lovely shed! Oh, I do love this time of year.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48LAMB BLEATS
0:16:48 > 0:16:53They have a flock of around 500 traditional Lakeland breeds
0:16:53 > 0:16:55and spring is lambing time.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Lambing going well this year?
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Not as big a lambing percentage as I would have liked this year
0:17:00 > 0:17:04and I'm putting that down to the weather that we had over the winter.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10There's no security in sheep farming. It is pot luck.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17I love this process.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Come on, little one. There we go.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24KATE LAUGHS
0:17:24 > 0:17:27I was talking to somebody yesterday, they'd taken their fat lambs
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- a fortnight ago and they'd got £70 a head.- Right.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33They'd taken them this week and only got £50.
0:17:35 > 0:17:36Oh, good grief.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Wool's not worth as much as it was,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43and so I was looking at ways that we could diversify
0:17:43 > 0:17:45and we have a lot of bracken on our fells
0:17:45 > 0:17:48and I found a recipe for bracken compost in an old gardening book.
0:17:48 > 0:17:54So, using bracken - the curse of all hill farmers - as a compost?
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Yes, well, the book actually said there's fortune waiting to be made
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- for someone who can harvest bracken.- Right.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02But actually persuading your husband
0:18:02 > 0:18:06to take his new baler up on the fell and bale it
0:18:06 > 0:18:09- is another matter altogether. - THEY LAUGH
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Environmental scientist Jane called on her academic background
0:18:14 > 0:18:18to see the potential in bracken as a cash crop.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21What made you think of adding wool into the mix?
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Because it holds on to water. It's naturally hydroscopic.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- You know what a jumper's like when it gets wet.- Absolutely.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31And it has a slow-release nitrogen cos it breaks down very slowly.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34So, if I were to take some of the wool from my sheep
0:18:34 > 0:18:38and some of the bracken from our hillside, what's the recipe?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41If I told you the recipe, I'd have to kill you, so...
0:18:41 > 0:18:43There's no way I'm going to share that with you
0:18:43 > 0:18:46and it really is quite difficult to get that wool into the compost.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48There's lots of secrets in that as well.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58- Simon.- Hello, Kate.- This looks like the business end of the farm.- It is.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- So, this is bracken. - This is last year's bracken.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- It's got all the goodness in it.- OK.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06It's full of potassium and minerals - everything we need.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Suddenly, for you, this is sort of an untapped source of gold.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14To be honest, it took her five years to persuade me it was a good idea.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- So, it's...- Funny that! I think she said something the other way round.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Well...I think I was more of a traditional hill farmer.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- Right, show me how this is done. I'm fascinated.- Absolutely.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30'In addition to using wool from their own sheep...
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- Herdwick wool. - I was going to say, this wool...
0:19:33 > 0:19:37I mean, brown wool has even less value than white wool, doesn't it?
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Yeah, but for us it's really good.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43'..they now buy in 45 tonnes from local shepherds.'
0:19:43 > 0:19:46- Can you guarantee a price for their wool?- Yeah, we set a price.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48The price for that's 40p a kilo.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51But we harvest bracken off their land as well.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55So, it's a win-win situation for you and the farmers in this area.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Yeah, everybody's got to make something out of it.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00There's got to be a gain in every direction, if you like.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04So, what happens now in there?
0:20:04 > 0:20:08- Right, it's going to start mixing it.- OK.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12- Yeah.- Thank you, Gordon.- I've got to try and get the recipe out of you.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- You've got two barrels of bracken. - Yes.- One scoop of sheep wool.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19- Yeah, it's like making a cake. - THEY LAUGH
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'Their unique compost not only taps into
0:20:23 > 0:20:26'a growing environmental need for a peat-free alternative,
0:20:26 > 0:20:31'they're also working to restore our depleting peatlands.'
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- Gordon, can you take us down? - Thanks, Gordon.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40Is this business the result of that collaboration
0:20:40 > 0:20:43between scientist and farmer?
0:20:43 > 0:20:45We wouldn't be doing this without each other.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49- No, no.- So...- So, you need to be particularly nice to your wife.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I generally am, yes.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54But I do know that she's got the brains and I scratch my head a lot
0:20:54 > 0:20:56trying to work out how to do things
0:20:56 > 0:20:58but, you know, that's life, isn't it?
0:21:02 > 0:21:06After grinding the mixture, it's left for up to six months.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13The bacteria thrives and it breaks it down to make the end product.
0:21:20 > 0:21:21How's it looking, Jane?
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Ooh, it's nice and warm here, look. Have a feel of that.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27KATE GASPS My goodness!
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Ooh, I bet you come in here on a cold day, don't you,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31- and bury your feet?- Warm your hands.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34An old gardener once said that you should be able to squeeze it
0:21:34 > 0:21:38- and hold its form and it should break up.- And it does that.- Yeah.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And what would be the ultimate stamp of approval?
0:21:41 > 0:21:44I think you can't get better than a gold medal at Chelsea.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- Is that what you're going for this year?- I think...
0:21:46 > 0:21:51Er, well, we've got growers that grow in this just by adding water
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and if you can get a gold medal, you can't get much better than that.
0:21:59 > 0:22:06Jane and Simon haven't just thrown out the traditions of this farm.
0:22:06 > 0:22:12They've held onto those, but they have created a new, modern,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16brilliant business from their heritage
0:22:16 > 0:22:18and there's something very exciting about that.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24And later, we'll discover
0:22:24 > 0:22:27if this is their year for that gold medal at Chelsea.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Summer and sunshine have come to the Lakes.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58This is a busy, bustling time of year,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00when visitors come from all over the world
0:23:00 > 0:23:03to savour the beauty of the countryside.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07And with the visitors comes much-valued custom and income
0:23:07 > 0:23:09for the local businesses.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15I'm heading out to the west of Lake Windermere
0:23:15 > 0:23:18to meet a woman who's tapping into this thriving tourist trade,
0:23:18 > 0:23:23selling her products in local boutiques and specialist fairs.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32It was to this very rural, very traditional Cumbrian landscape
0:23:32 > 0:23:35that Mandy Marshall and her husband came to live,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38having uprooted themselves from big city life in Manchester.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Two years ago, Mandy took her 20 years of retail experience
0:23:48 > 0:23:51and dreamt she could start a business
0:23:51 > 0:23:54producing handmade luxury bags from Herdwick tweed.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58She's invested over £30,000
0:23:58 > 0:24:01and now buys 750kg
0:24:01 > 0:24:03of local wool a year,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06paying the farmers double what they can get elsewhere.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Oh, Mandy, it seems like I've come at exactly the right time.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13- Do you need a hand?- Perfect, Kate.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- Crikey, it's quite heavy, isn't it? - Yeah, they are. Seriously heavy.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18- Where do you want them?- Just there is great, thanks, Kate.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20All right.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22I hate to say it, but you're a girl from Manchester.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- I am a girl from Manchester, yes. - Had you even heard of a Herdwick
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- before you came and lived in the Lakes?- No.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32My daughters were going to university, I was coming up to 50.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It was, like, "What am I going to do with this next phase of my life?"
0:24:35 > 0:24:40- And you've moved from big, vibrant, modern city...- Yes.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42..to live in a National Trust property.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Yes, and I was scared of the dark.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46And they do dark well here in Cumbria.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48They do dark very well, yes.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Mandy has thrown herself wholeheartedly into Lakeland life.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56She lives in Beatrix Potter's marital home
0:24:56 > 0:25:00and she's also determined the core ethos of her business
0:25:00 > 0:25:04is firmly rooted in the story of this region.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08The Herdwick sheep just epitomise the fells of Cumbria
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and people love provenance now, don't they?
0:25:10 > 0:25:16- I saw some Herdwick tweed.- Right. - It was about 60 metres.- OK.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18It was stacked up in a shop doing nothing,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21so I basically said to them, "Can I buy that tweed?"
0:25:21 > 0:25:23- Can I ask you how much? - It was a few thousand pounds.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26- So, it was quite a big punt. - Oh, yes.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29You've then got another big investment when you make the bags.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- I need to see one of these bags. - I'll go and get you one.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40She's brilliant. You know that a lot of people get to that stage.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44The kids have left home, they're not quite sure what they're going to do
0:25:44 > 0:25:48and do they just descend into a life of polyester slacks and a caravan
0:25:48 > 0:25:51or do they do something a little bit braver and a little bit different?
0:25:51 > 0:25:56And she has put together her Manchester kind of nous,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58her retail experience,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02and identified something that's really special about this area -
0:26:02 > 0:26:07the Herdwick sheep - and turned it into a business.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10So, those are of the original cloth.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14OK. It is very, very beautiful.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16'Mandy's investment paid off,
0:26:16 > 0:26:21'selling out of the first batch of 40 bags in just three months.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:23I knew I was going to run out of fabric
0:26:23 > 0:26:27and what I wanted was to be able to buy fleece
0:26:27 > 0:26:29from certain farms and turn it into tweed.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Some of the wool Mandy uses comes from farms
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Beatrix Potter once owned.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38It's spun and locally woven into bespoke tweed,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41then hand-crafted at a Cumbrian factory.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45I'm doing it cos I believe in the product.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I mean, it's experimental, it's a little bit pioneering.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- It's a little mad. - It's definitely mad.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55I have to be honest, I was scared to death of going meeting real farmers.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59I just thought, "They're going to think I'm a complete idiot townie."
0:26:59 > 0:27:02When I actually went for the first time to talk to a farmer,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04I said, "How many sheep do you have?"
0:27:04 > 0:27:05MANDY INHALES SHARPLY
0:27:05 > 0:27:08It's like asking how much have you got in the bank!
0:27:08 > 0:27:12But they were so enthusiastic and wanted to help.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16This is a passion. These farmers, they love this area.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19This is their life and you can't let them down,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22so you've got to make this work.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24You don't need to say anything else. You've just made me cry!
0:27:24 > 0:27:26THEY LAUGH
0:27:26 > 0:27:28You're amazing!
0:27:31 > 0:27:34'What Mandy is doing carries many risks.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36'She is responsible for every part of the process,
0:27:36 > 0:27:41'from buying the wool to designing the tweed and the bags themselves.'
0:27:41 > 0:27:47- You've put a lot of passion - not least money - into this.- Yeah.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50What's your sort of, your next stage? What's the crunch point?
0:27:50 > 0:27:53When will you know whether this is a success or a failure?
0:27:53 > 0:27:56It's all well and good believing that you've got a great product,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58but it's whether somebody's actually going to part
0:27:58 > 0:28:00with their hard-earned cash.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05I need to try and do this and, if I lose it, then actually, I lose it.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07But nothing ventured, nothing gained,
0:28:07 > 0:28:11so I think we just have to see where it goes, really.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16The coming few months will be crucial
0:28:16 > 0:28:18and I'm looking forward to hearing how things work out
0:28:18 > 0:28:20in the next stage of Mandy's story.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39In summer, the Lakeland hills are dotted
0:28:39 > 0:28:42with the indigenous Herdwick sheep.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45FARMER WHISTLES AND SHOUTS
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Will Benson's family have been farming
0:28:47 > 0:28:49in this traditional way for centuries.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53- HE WHISTLES - Move back! Move back!
0:28:53 > 0:28:56But in recent years, this wiry wool costs more to sheer
0:28:56 > 0:28:59than what it's worth on the commercial market.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02The whole area was a massive wool-producing area.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Even when my dad started farming, his wool would have paid his rent.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Will's business now has a future,
0:29:10 > 0:29:13thanks to the wealth of new, innovative entrepreneurs
0:29:13 > 0:29:17using the wool and meat in very modern ways.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20At the minute, we're selling lambs to a restaurant in Grasmere,
0:29:20 > 0:29:23some of our worser wool for compost,
0:29:23 > 0:29:27and the better-quality wool goes off to a lady who makes handbags.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32With consumers now paying a premium for products
0:29:32 > 0:29:35like Mandy's bags, and Jane and Simon's compost,
0:29:35 > 0:29:40this iconic Lakeland sheep, once again, has a value.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44When we sell meat or wool direct, it gives provenance.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47It's going direct from farm to plate.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50They can have the peace of mind
0:29:50 > 0:29:52that they know where that lamb's come from,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54what sort of life it's had and how it's lived
0:29:54 > 0:29:57because you're never going to get a meat
0:29:57 > 0:30:00that's gone and lived more free-range
0:30:00 > 0:30:02than on the Lakeland fells.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04You're good dogs. Yeah, you are.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19Geetie is just over the border, towards Carlisle,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23where two young entrepreneurs are about to leave well-paid jobs,
0:30:23 > 0:30:25head back to their home turf in the Lakes
0:30:25 > 0:30:28and set up a brand-new venture.
0:30:28 > 0:30:33It's incredibly hard for businesses to go from start-up to success.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37And, in fact, 80% of businesses fail in their first year,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40due to lack of planning and poor cash flow.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50Old school friends Tim and Luke have spent the last year
0:30:50 > 0:30:53perfecting their own blend of handmade muesli
0:30:53 > 0:30:56and currently bake 60kg a week,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58selling online and at local markets.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06- Hello. Hi, I'm Geetie.- Good to meet you.- Luke. Very nice to meet you.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- Hi, both of you too. - Welcome to the kitchen.- Fantastic.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13- And this is a community kitchen. - It is indeed, yeah.- And why?
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Why muesli? How did you get into this?
0:31:16 > 0:31:20We've always had little projects and enterprises since we were kids.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23We have a Swedish friend who's a bit of a mad professor
0:31:23 > 0:31:25in the kitchen and he used to make it the whole time,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28worked out optimum proteins, fats, carbohydrates in the muesli.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31And then I guess you took it on from there.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33And then we realised it was just a phenomenal product.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37It sounds like you've really got the entrepreneurial spirit.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43We're going to put in 2kg of organic oats, Geetie.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Now, we want 810g of almonds.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Over the past year,
0:31:49 > 0:31:51I've been able to commit far more time than Luke
0:31:51 > 0:31:53cos I've been self-employed in the log trade
0:31:53 > 0:31:55and I've also been living up in Cumbria.
0:31:55 > 0:31:56I've got a job out of London,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59consulting for a large company down there
0:31:59 > 0:32:02so, you know, the odd weekend I've been able to come up and help.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04My thinking is, in seven weeks' time,
0:32:04 > 0:32:08my notice goes in and we'll start at the start of September full-time.
0:32:08 > 0:32:09- So, you're quitting your job.- Yeah.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13And at the moment, this business is turning over...?
0:32:13 > 0:32:16- Probably 11K over the last year. - Does that feel scary?
0:32:16 > 0:32:18Yeah, it'll definitely mean a hit to the salary
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- for the first few months. - For the first...- Few months.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24- Few months.- You sound sceptical. - THEY LAUGH
0:32:24 > 0:32:26But the potential is out there.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29We Brits are the second biggest eaters
0:32:29 > 0:32:33of Breakfast cereal in the world. Only the Irish eat more.
0:32:33 > 0:32:38I know that the breakfast market is absolutely worth a fortune.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40I think there's a big gap in the market, as well,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43for premium high-quality muesli.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45That's kind of where we're aiming for.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Mm, really good.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55- Here it comes. - Mm, oh, that smells great!
0:32:55 > 0:32:59The business, so far, has been built on enthusiasm and not a lot else.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02All ready and off we go.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06To keep investment low, they've been baking at this community kitchen
0:33:06 > 0:33:08for just £10 an hour.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13And they do the rest in a tiny room at Tim's parents'.
0:33:13 > 0:33:18We package between 80 to 100 bags here in peak season per week.
0:33:18 > 0:33:19I think that's brilliant.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23It's a perfect way to start up on a shoestring.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25And long-term, the goal is to establish
0:33:25 > 0:33:27the business where they want to live.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30I think we're pretty passionate about this area.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Even it's not local produce itself, it's buying into the local economy.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Just seeing this area thrive, I think.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38It's a really interesting subject,
0:33:38 > 0:33:40the ethics that you're trying to attract,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42buy into the business, that are important to you, personally,
0:33:42 > 0:33:44and then how that becomes part of your story.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48We'll be back at their summer festival launch,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51when Luke will be bravely packing up his London life and job
0:33:51 > 0:33:54to make muesli full-time.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03It's mid-August and for farmers
0:34:03 > 0:34:06and wedding venue entrepreneurs Abi and Paul,
0:34:06 > 0:34:08it's their busiest time of year.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10COW MOOS
0:34:10 > 0:34:14It is really stressful because we've still got viewings going on
0:34:14 > 0:34:16for the wedding barn and the farm and the kids.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18Yeah, it's really stressful.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21With a wedding booked in every weekend
0:34:21 > 0:34:23and livestock still to tend to...
0:34:23 > 0:34:26Feeding the cows is a job that's done every day.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Takes about an hour every morning.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31..they're working over 80 hours a week.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33I'm waiting for the vet to turn up
0:34:33 > 0:34:35because our billy goat's not very well.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Then I can shoot off and get my nails done.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45And this weekend, they're hosting their own wedding.
0:34:46 > 0:34:47Yeah, I'm happy with that.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50I'll just have a few things to do in the morning
0:34:50 > 0:34:54and then, once we're married, that'll be us for three days,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57so we can chill out without the children and everything.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59It'll be great.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02CHURCH WEDDING BELLS RING OUT
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Wow! This looks so cool. Look at it!
0:35:18 > 0:35:20It's great, it's wonderful.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23It's lovely to have the experience, I think,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25after watching so many other couples get married.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28- It's a bit weird, really. - It's a bit surreal, to be honest,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31- but, yeah, it's lush.- Looks great.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Love it, love it.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39On average, each wedding pulls in around £4,000
0:35:39 > 0:35:43but by adding home-grown extras to the menus...
0:35:43 > 0:35:46- This is OUR beef, by the way.- Yeah.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48This is our beef, home bred.
0:35:48 > 0:35:53..it's bumping up profits for the farm side of the business too.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56With just three days' honeymoon,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Abi and Paul will be straight back to business,
0:35:59 > 0:36:01setting up next weekend's wedding.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16When I met peat-free compost producers Jane and Simon,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19back in the spring, their groundbreaking product
0:36:19 > 0:36:23was being used to grow lilies at London's Chelsea Flower Show.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26People that you meet down here are real gardeners.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30- Feels like very good quality compost.- Yeah.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33It's a joy to talk to them, really. We get plenty of new customers.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35- Yeah.- Thank you.- Thank you. Bye now.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38What they were really hoping for was to win a gold medal.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43I'm back to see how they got on.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Hey, lambkins, what are you all doing out?
0:36:51 > 0:36:54- Hi, Kate.- How are you?- Very well, how are you?- Lovely to see.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- I've got you on a busy day. - You have. You come to help?
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Well, I'm not shearing, for sure!
0:36:59 > 0:37:01These guys look like they know what they're doing.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Now, the big question - how did Chelsea go?
0:37:06 > 0:37:09- They got a gold medal. - Yay, that's brilliant!
0:37:09 > 0:37:12- That is absolutely brilliant. - It was brilliant.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17And have you already seen a noticeable impact from that?
0:37:17 > 0:37:20- Yeah, it had a spike in the sales. - Brilliant.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23It does tail off in towards the summer when people aren't planting,
0:37:23 > 0:37:27- but it works. - How many are you shearing today?
0:37:27 > 0:37:30We're only shearing about 120 today.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34- Right, OK, but in total? - 500 sheep.- 500.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Are you having to think, "We're just going to up our production
0:37:37 > 0:37:42- "by 10%, 20%", whatever it is?- Oh, it'll be at least 50%.- 50%?- Yeah.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44We know how the trend is going.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47- We know the push towards peat-free is coming.- Yeah.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50And the more gold medals we get, the more we'll sell next year.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53That's fantastic. Right, well, we'd better clear up every bit of this.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Yes, please. It all goes into the compost. There's no waste.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01'As well as using their own wool,
0:38:01 > 0:38:05'they're buying in more from local shepherds this year.'
0:38:05 > 0:38:08So, now that you've got this key ingredient, what about the bracken?
0:38:08 > 0:38:10When does that get harvested?
0:38:10 > 0:38:14- Well, actually, Simon's out there today.- Oh, is he?- He's made a start.
0:38:14 > 0:38:15Which direction do I head in?
0:38:15 > 0:38:18- Go out into the yard and up onto the fell.- Brilliant.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Even though it's July, it still rains, on average,
0:38:25 > 0:38:27every other day in the Lakes.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Luckily, bracken can be harvested in any weather.
0:38:30 > 0:38:35- Hi, Simon. Lovely to see you again. - Good to see you again.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38It's kind of all speed ahead at the moment, isn't it?
0:38:38 > 0:38:41I'm surprised that you're not cutting it later in the year
0:38:41 > 0:38:44- when it's higher.- Right, well, it's not going to get much higher.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46- Really?- No.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51But at home, in Wales, you know, by sort of August time,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- bracken's up here.- Yeah. - You can't see a thing.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56No, no, but we're controlling the plant.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59So, each time we cut, it reduces its height.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01We've turned it into a crop
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- and we're letting the plant sustain itself.- Yeah.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07It's a really good atmospheric feeder.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09- It draws a lot of energy in from the sun.- Yeah.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11And then, when we prune the plant off,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14we've got all that energy and we turn it into compost.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Right, and that's the energy that you're harvesting,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18- literally, for your compost.- Yeah.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22'Their plans to increase compost production
0:39:22 > 0:39:25'means they'll need more bracken from this summer's crop
0:39:25 > 0:39:30'and they're aiming to make over 2,000 bales in the next few weeks.'
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Are you going to have tractors all over the fells, cutting like fury?
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Yeah, we've got farmers who'll come out
0:39:37 > 0:39:39- and they'll cut their own bracken, in some circumstances.- Right.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41- And we'll pay them to do that.- Yeah.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44And the beauty about that is they know their own bit of ground.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48- Yes, of course.- They know where the rocks are, nine times out of ten.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52I'm feeling a little bit idle here and I love a tractor.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56- OK, let's go and do some baling. - Can we go and have a bit of a go?
0:39:56 > 0:39:58I tell you what, the last time I did baling,
0:39:58 > 0:40:01it wasn't in anything as swanky as this, I can assure you.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03- Right.- I love tractors!
0:40:03 > 0:40:06- This is going to make you go forwards.- Right.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09- Let's have some revs on with the red lever there.- That one there, yeah.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11And then all we've got to do is watch out for rocks.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14- I'm hanging on, don't worry! - Hang on, hang on there, Simon!
0:40:15 > 0:40:18- So, I just need to head down the middle of the row.- Yes.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24- It's, er...- It's wrapping up, yeah. - It's winding the wrap.- Yeah.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28- Hee-hee!- Do you want a job? - I'd love one!
0:40:28 > 0:40:30I'd be the world's slowest baler.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35- Look at that, Simon!- There we go. That's a fantastic bale.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37You never know, this might be growing a plant
0:40:37 > 0:40:39- at Chelsea to win a gold medal. - That would be good.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41That would be very, very good.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50Jane and Simon's enterprising spirit is what's made this business thrive.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52By harnessing an environmentally sound idea,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55they've secured a future, not just for their farm,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57but other local farms too.
0:41:08 > 0:41:13For preserve maker, Jane Maggs, autumn is peak foraging season.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17These are my foraging raspberries here. I just leave them to it.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Her business had been slowly recovering
0:41:21 > 0:41:23since the terrible Cumbrian floods
0:41:23 > 0:41:27but, in the past month, it's taken another big knock.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33So, we lost a big London order of about 5,000 jars,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37which did mean a lot to us.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39We had to gather ourselves together a bit.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42I mean, it was all a bit disheartening.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46The decisions to stock, or not, made by the big retailers
0:41:46 > 0:41:48can mean the fortunes of small businesses
0:41:48 > 0:41:50like Jane's change very quickly.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53'So, then we were approached
0:41:53 > 0:41:55'by another big independent in the south
0:41:55 > 0:41:59'about whether we could make own-label products for them,
0:41:59 > 0:42:04'but using hyper-local, old orchard, foraged Cumbrian fruit.'
0:42:04 > 0:42:07So, it's this business of one door shutting and another door opening.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09These are absolutely perfect.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Another few days and they might be a bit too soft.
0:42:11 > 0:42:16'It'll be big and it'll be bigger, possibly, than the previous order.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18'But unlike businesses'
0:42:18 > 0:42:20who can just go and buy in,
0:42:20 > 0:42:24I've got to pick it, so I'm running around madly
0:42:24 > 0:42:27all over the county at the moment, gathering damsons.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Muesli entrepreneur Luke is heading back to the Lakes for good,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41leaving his city salary and security behind.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44I left London a couple of hours ago, left my job today for the last time.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47Walking out the office was a good feeling though.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50In the past year, the number of people leaving the capital
0:42:50 > 0:42:54more than doubled - the highest spike for just over half a century.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57I'm on my way back up to paradise, or the Lake District,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01depending how you want to call it. Looking forward to getting home.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05Um, yeah, it's exciting times, a new chapter.
0:43:07 > 0:43:12With plans to treble production from 60 to 180kg a week,
0:43:12 > 0:43:15they've bravely taken on office space.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17We need to start bringing in orders as soon as possible.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19We've both now quit our jobs,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22so there's not any money really trickling our way.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25- I think this month, basically, we need to be getting orders.- Yeah.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30- Let's go, man.- Made it.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33And today, they have a meeting set up with Cranstons,
0:43:33 > 0:43:35a local food hall chain.
0:43:35 > 0:43:36No, keep going, straight ahead.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39Brokering a deal with them could provide the kick-start
0:43:39 > 0:43:41the business needs.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43I don't think I'm nervous. Are you nervous?
0:43:43 > 0:43:46No, I think I'm kind of looking forward to getting on
0:43:46 > 0:43:48and seeing what she says. It's more like
0:43:48 > 0:43:51- you don't want to be disappointed at the end of the day.- Exactly.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54The retailer currently stocks three brands of muesli,
0:43:54 > 0:43:57selling, on average, at around £3 a bag.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00We sell at £6 a unit or two for £10.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03- We know people pay that amount. - Yeah.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06We have a client mix right across the board,
0:44:06 > 0:44:09so we're going to need a retail price
0:44:09 > 0:44:11- just a little bit sharper, really. - OK.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15Our next step is, with all local start-ups,
0:44:15 > 0:44:18we try and support them and offer a trial.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21So, we have discussed a three-month trial.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25But their enthusiasm and passion is encouraging.
0:44:25 > 0:44:30It makes you more likely to stock them than not.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33- Aiming completely in the dark... - But enthusiastic.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Yeah, and came out with a few good lessons
0:44:36 > 0:44:39- and certainly not a rejection. - No, definitely.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46With such positive feedback and a chance to trial the product...
0:44:46 > 0:44:50- Do you want to try some, madam? - Honey-toasted muesli.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52..Luke and Tim push forward with a big launch
0:44:52 > 0:44:55at the Taste Cumbria food festival.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01- Hello.- Geetie, welcome, welcome. - It looks fantastic.
0:45:01 > 0:45:04- You've set it up beautifully. - Amazing, thank you, yeah.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06- Are you selling lots? - Yeah, it's been busy.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09So, have you actually managed to meet up with any of the shops yet
0:45:09 > 0:45:11that you're trying to sell to?
0:45:11 > 0:45:13Last week was our first meeting with Cranstons.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16We basically have a trial in their flagship store
0:45:16 > 0:45:18and then from there, if it goes well,
0:45:18 > 0:45:21then they would put Lakeland Mues in all of their stores.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24It's £6 a bag, two for £10.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26Would anyone like to try some muesli?
0:45:26 > 0:45:30The bags go for £6 each or two for a tenner on the market stall,
0:45:30 > 0:45:32but the code of practice
0:45:32 > 0:45:35to sell at bigger retail outlets is quite different.
0:45:35 > 0:45:41- So, this is the tropical and then this is the classic.- That's amazing.
0:45:43 > 0:45:47You have to have a set price that everyone's buying at, obviously.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49You could sell it higher here but not cheaper.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51You must never undercut your suppliers.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53We need to work that through with Cranstons
0:45:53 > 0:45:55and we said, "We want to invest in that relationship with you."
0:45:55 > 0:45:58Yeah. Is there any point that you would sell to somebody
0:45:58 > 0:46:01at a small loss in order to be able to be stocked?
0:46:01 > 0:46:03My concern would be it sets a bad precedent.
0:46:03 > 0:46:06- Getting your brand out there is the most vital thing right now.- Yeah.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10- Ladies, would you like to try some homemade muesli?- Two of these then?
0:46:10 > 0:46:13That's £10, please, madam. I'll just get your change.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16£6 half a kilo or we're doing two for £10.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19- Feels like we've basically flown by the seat of our pants so far.- Yes.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23- So, now it's the time where we kind of, yeah...- Structure, planning...
0:46:23 > 0:46:26- Structure, all those kind of things that we hate doing.- Yeah.- Exactly.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29Look, if you're no good at it and you really do hate doing it,
0:46:29 > 0:46:31- you need to find someone to do it for you.- Yeah.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33That's really important. And then you'll fly.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37I have genuinely enjoyed meeting Tim and Luke.
0:46:37 > 0:46:41They are great salespeople and, with a bit of planning and structure,
0:46:41 > 0:46:43I'm quite confident they'll get their business
0:46:43 > 0:46:45to where they want to be.
0:46:56 > 0:47:01Back in spring, I met forager and preserve maker Jane Maggs.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04Hello, everyone. These are the samples.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07It's been a tough year, rebuilding her business which was hit hard
0:47:07 > 0:47:10ten months ago by the Cumbrian floods.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13She's managed to move back into the commercial kitchen
0:47:13 > 0:47:17and she's now in the throes of pitching to a new supplier.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20At nine o'clock tomorrow morning,
0:47:20 > 0:47:24seven different samples have got to be winging their way south.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28We've made four and I've got three to do.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30It's going to be a late night, I think.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33SHE LAUGHS
0:47:33 > 0:47:34After a summer of setbacks,
0:47:34 > 0:47:38this 1,500 jar order could be what keeps the business going.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41- Are you getting any ginger?- No.- No.
0:47:48 > 0:47:50Jane?
0:47:52 > 0:47:57- Hello.- Hello.- How are you? - Er, a bit frantic and...
0:47:57 > 0:48:01Hello, it's lovely to see you. What are up to at the moment?
0:48:01 > 0:48:04If you could stone some damsons first, that would be really helpful.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06OK, I can do damsons.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08Right, how's that? Am I looking OK?
0:48:08 > 0:48:11That's the most flattering hat, I'm afraid.
0:48:11 > 0:48:13There's no such thing as a flattering hat
0:48:13 > 0:48:16in this industry, is there? Right, I'm in. There we go.
0:48:16 > 0:48:21Now, this stoning we're doing today is for a new order
0:48:21 > 0:48:27- which could be very big.- Oh, right. - It's for Gloucester Services.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29- Jane, that's terrific. - I know, it is.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33- So, that must have been very, very timely for you.- It was, yeah.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36It sounds sort of - perhaps over-dramatic -
0:48:36 > 0:48:39- but do you think it saved the business?- Well, I hope it will.
0:48:39 > 0:48:43I can't think of anywhere better who appreciates what we do.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49In amongst the nerves, is it also exciting?
0:48:49 > 0:48:52Is this why you do this business really?
0:48:52 > 0:48:56Um, I do it cos I like...picking fruit.
0:48:56 > 0:48:58THEY LAUGH
0:48:58 > 0:49:01I mean, I started the business all those years ago,
0:49:01 > 0:49:03to show you could have a business
0:49:03 > 0:49:07that was sustainable, using local fruit.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09- Yeah.- The margins are small.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16'Jane's commitment to promote local produce
0:49:16 > 0:49:20'and the belief that we can make use of what nature provides
0:49:20 > 0:49:23'is what will continue to drive her business forward,
0:49:23 > 0:49:25'despite the ups and downs.'
0:49:27 > 0:49:30- Thorny issue of money.- Yes.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32Have you made any this year?
0:49:32 > 0:49:38Er, as of last month, we were just making a loss of minus 200 quid,
0:49:38 > 0:49:41- I think, which is astonishing to all of us.- Wow!
0:49:41 > 0:49:43I mean, everyone's pulled really hard so, you know,
0:49:43 > 0:49:47we might end up with a little profit, which is totally amazing.
0:49:47 > 0:49:54So, this new client might be, not just the saviour of your business,
0:49:54 > 0:49:59but also, actually, the thing that might get your message
0:49:59 > 0:50:02out wider than anything you've done before.
0:50:02 > 0:50:06I'm so lucky that they've offered me this, I really am.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08It's just the right platform.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11Coming to this month, I'm feeling better about everything.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13- Do you know why you're feeling better about everything?- No.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16It's the smell of blackberries cooking on your stove.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19- That always makes everyone feel better.- That's true.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22- Jane, it's been a real pleasure meeting you.- And you.
0:50:30 > 0:50:34In Cumbria, you either give up or you battle on.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37She's a battler, her gang are battlers,
0:50:37 > 0:50:40and that makes me feel
0:50:40 > 0:50:46that Wild & Fruitful will remain Wild & Fruitful
0:50:46 > 0:50:48for many years to come.
0:51:08 > 0:51:09For farmers Abi and Paul,
0:51:09 > 0:51:13their wedding barn business season is coming to a close.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16It's been a busy year of change for the newlyweds.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20We've got more exciting news from the farm as well.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24It's going to get really busy during lambing time next year.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27We're due another one, another baby ourselves.
0:51:27 > 0:51:29- Congratulations!- Thank you. - That's wonderful.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33We were due the twins in the middle of lambing time and, yeah,
0:51:33 > 0:51:38- we've timed it really well again. - That must be utterly exhausting!
0:51:39 > 0:51:43Having hosted a record 23 nuptials over the summer season,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46the barn will be turned back to housing the cattle.
0:51:46 > 0:51:48There's about three months off
0:51:48 > 0:51:52before this is going to be full of cows right here.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Yes, they're going to be eating out of this trough here.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56No festoon lighting any more.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59I'm afraid they don't get the pretty lights.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03Like many struggling farmers, their pick your own,
0:52:03 > 0:52:05milk and meat have yielded poor returns,
0:52:05 > 0:52:10but the wedding side of the business could now be what keeps them afloat.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12How is it looking for next year?
0:52:12 > 0:52:15We have one date left in June
0:52:15 > 0:52:18- and then there's one date left in September.- That's amazing.
0:52:18 > 0:52:19And when we finish wedding season,
0:52:19 > 0:52:23we've a 50th birthday party and a lovely big wedding fair.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25We're looking at bringing in different packages,
0:52:25 > 0:52:28whether it be they just have a basic DIY barn,
0:52:28 > 0:52:30where they do everything themselves,
0:52:30 > 0:52:33or whether we then add in a photographer, catering,
0:52:33 > 0:52:35that kind of thing, or whether they want the whole nine yards -
0:52:35 > 0:52:38they just turn up, get married and everything's done for them.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40So, if you do want to revisit your pricing -
0:52:40 > 0:52:42cos we were talking about that before -
0:52:42 > 0:52:45- that would be the opportunity for you to do it.- Definitely.
0:52:47 > 0:52:48For four months of the year,
0:52:48 > 0:52:51Abi and Paul are missing out on lucrative bookings,
0:52:51 > 0:52:55unless they can find somewhere else to house the animals over winter.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57But to enable us to do that,
0:52:57 > 0:53:00- the business would have to take another financial leap.- Mm.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03Because we would have to put up another building on the farm
0:53:03 > 0:53:05to enable us to farm in that
0:53:05 > 0:53:08and not have to do any farming in these buildings at all.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11So, why do you even continue with the farming
0:53:11 > 0:53:14when you've got this business that could make you plenty of money?
0:53:14 > 0:53:16Our heart's in farming, isn't it?
0:53:16 > 0:53:19- There wouldn't be anything to get up for, would there?- We both love it.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22I mean, farming isn't a job. It's a way of life we love.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25It would be lovely for us to be able to take a step back
0:53:25 > 0:53:28and managers to step in and for us to get on with farming
0:53:28 > 0:53:31- and the wedding barn to be running itself, in effect.- Mm.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33And I think it's crucial now that we actually sit down
0:53:33 > 0:53:37- and business plan it out and, if needs be, get some help in...- Yes.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40..externally, on how to take both businesses forward.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43Sounds like a really sensible plan to me.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47Don't get us wrong - we do enjoy it but the farm is where our heart is.
0:53:47 > 0:53:48Yeah.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51Abi and Paul, with their growing family,
0:53:51 > 0:53:53have hit on a savvy way
0:53:53 > 0:53:56of continuing with the traditional farming they love
0:53:56 > 0:54:00but, through sheer graft and belief, they've built a new business
0:54:00 > 0:54:04to be proud of and the farm has a more secure future.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07- You're welcome back any time. - Thank you.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09- See you. Bye.- Thank you, bye.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Mandy's dream to produce hand-crafted tweed bags
0:54:24 > 0:54:27from local wool was brave and ambitious.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31- Hey, Giles, how you doing? - Hi, how are you?- Good, thank you.
0:54:31 > 0:54:32Come for your bags, have you?
0:54:32 > 0:54:37Bags manufactured at a lower cost abroad dominate the UK market,
0:54:37 > 0:54:39but it's people like Mandy,
0:54:39 > 0:54:42that are supporting this traditional British trade.
0:54:42 > 0:54:43That looks terrific!
0:54:44 > 0:54:46Wow!
0:54:48 > 0:54:51Every part of the process has genuine provenance -
0:54:51 > 0:54:54taking wool from the Herdwick sheep,
0:54:54 > 0:54:56weaving the tweed at a local mill
0:54:56 > 0:54:59and, finally, making the bags at this local factory.
0:54:59 > 0:55:04When Philip's cutting it, what's the most effective usage?
0:55:04 > 0:55:05If you're doing a big thing,
0:55:05 > 0:55:08- you need to do a small thing to fill in the gaps.- Right.
0:55:08 > 0:55:10But Philip will use it and we don't throw it away. All this stuff is...
0:55:10 > 0:55:14No, no, no, I just was trying to make it ultra-efficient.
0:55:14 > 0:55:15We know how expensive it is.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18We do know how expensive it is, thank you.
0:55:18 > 0:55:19- It looks lovely. - Thanks for reminding me!
0:55:19 > 0:55:22- I'm making the patterns from your picture.- OK.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25With the help of their expertise and skill,
0:55:25 > 0:55:27Mandy's developed six high-end designs.
0:55:27 > 0:55:30- It's lovely, isn't it? - That looks amazing!- Really nice.
0:55:30 > 0:55:32- See you next time.- Good luck.
0:55:32 > 0:55:35- Thanks, Giles.- All right. - See you soon.- Bye.
0:55:35 > 0:55:36It's all gone really, really well.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40It's sort of interesting to see it all actually coming together
0:55:40 > 0:55:44and then, now I've just got to market them and sell them.
0:55:51 > 0:55:52'To push the business forward,
0:55:52 > 0:55:55'Mandy will need not only to sell her existing stock
0:55:55 > 0:56:00'but, crucially, produce enough new cloth for next season's products.'
0:56:00 > 0:56:06It looks like you're really, really forging ahead - new bag designs...
0:56:06 > 0:56:08THEY LAUGH
0:56:08 > 0:56:12Is this a sign that you are feeling really optimistic
0:56:12 > 0:56:15that you've hit on a good thing here?
0:56:15 > 0:56:19- I think I would have said so until about two days ago.- Right.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22We've sent off all the second lot of yarn
0:56:22 > 0:56:25and it's been spun and it's been at the weaver's,
0:56:25 > 0:56:27and then I've had a call to say
0:56:27 > 0:56:32- that there's breakages on the loom. - Right.
0:56:32 > 0:56:37And so they don't know whether it can be made to work, basically.
0:56:38 > 0:56:42They are going to try, on a different loom,
0:56:42 > 0:56:47to see if, on that basis, it's working better.
0:56:47 > 0:56:51So, if this absolutely doesn't work,
0:56:51 > 0:56:54and if, basically, we've lost that chunk of money...
0:56:54 > 0:56:56How much is a chunk?
0:56:58 > 0:57:00Probably nearly £10,000.
0:57:02 > 0:57:04So, I'm a bit nervous, really.
0:57:04 > 0:57:08But there are two words that I would attach to you immediately -
0:57:08 > 0:57:10proud and stubborn.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12THEY LAUGH
0:57:12 > 0:57:14- You can hit me if you like. - No, it's fine.
0:57:14 > 0:57:16But I don't see you as somebody
0:57:16 > 0:57:18- who's going to want to give up easily.- No.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21- But, clearly, you do have a business brain as well.- Yes.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23People who are more expert in this are saying,
0:57:23 > 0:57:26"Mandy, there is going to be a solution to this
0:57:26 > 0:57:28"cos you know it can work."
0:57:28 > 0:57:31So, you've just got to hold your nerve.
0:57:31 > 0:57:35You have created something pretty magnificent
0:57:35 > 0:57:41that is absolutely part and parcel of your adopted home.
0:57:41 > 0:57:45Yes, oh, yeah, absolutely. And I'm really proud of that.
0:57:45 > 0:57:48- You should be.- And I have to just...
0:57:48 > 0:57:51I have to hold onto that to keep going forward,
0:57:51 > 0:57:53just move the obstacles.
0:57:53 > 0:57:57- Yeah. You can move anything. - Thank you.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04'It's people like Mandy who keep these regions alive.'
0:58:06 > 0:58:09But making a living here is no holiday.
0:58:09 > 0:58:12The weather and the geography conspire
0:58:12 > 0:58:18to making running a rural business a very tough challenge indeed.
0:58:18 > 0:58:20But, for those with imagination,
0:58:20 > 0:58:23for those with grit and guts and vision,
0:58:23 > 0:58:27the Lake District can and does provide.