Episode 3 Normal for Norfolk

This programme contains some strong language

-COCK CROWS

-That's one of the roosters.

Look at the surly way he's looking at us.

Looks like Napoleon.

-INTERVIEWER:

-What will happen to him eventually?

Soup.

Or cockerel korma.

Tucked away on the coast of North Norfolk

lies Wiveton Hall Farm,

a 17th-century manor house surrounded by fields of fruit,

vegetables and barley.

-HE WHISTLES

-Come on.

It is home to gentleman farmer Desmond MacCarthy...

Kelly. Come on.

..who lives here with his 99-year-old mother, Chloe...

Nice shirt you've got on today. Where did you get that from?

-I don't know. I think London.

-London.

..and children Isabel and Edmund.

This is my home-made cannon that fires all sorts of fruit.

-POP!

-Yay!

LAUGHTER

-INTERVIEWER:

-When you look at the house from here, what do you think?

Well, I always think how beautiful it is.

With the marshes behind, leading to the sea,

it's a really special spot.

Throughout the spring and summer,

Desmond relies on his cafe, cottages and crops

to generate enough income to keep the farm afloat.

So overall, it's probably about 15,000 down.

But with his fruit and vegetable farm underperforming,

Desmond is looking for new ways to make money...

I mean, just like...

how Glastonbury started.

-GUNSHOT

-Oh, my God.

GUNSHOTS

..while making the most of the start of the shooting season.

Edmund, well shot.

I slowed him up.

-Watch out for the thistles.

-Oh, look.

I've lived here all my life.

I've probably got arrested development because I've never...

I've never grown up properly because I've never moved away.

This programme contains some strong language

It's late summer and the barley on Wiveton Hall Farm

is ready for harvest.

Look at that.

It's a hell of a cut.

Look, in one go,

all this straw will be chopped and ploughed in.

It's the beginning of the August bank holiday

and the last chance for the cafe to take advantage

of the Norfolk tourist trade.

I mean, I suppose it's a fact of life -

we're all after revenue.

Inland Revenue's after revenue, we're after revenue,

you're after revenue.

One wrap and an adult's pasta now coming.

With the sun shining, the cafe is fully booked.

-41?

-Yeah, two seconds, Richie.

I've got other stuff going with it, mate.

Business manager Kim is relying on the weather to hold out

and provide a strong finish to the season.

It's a crucial weekend because this is the time where

we make the extra money.

That's the cream on the top

that gives us our extra profit at the end.

So, yeah, it's quite crucial. And it quietens down.

Next week will be much quieter, children will be back at school.

So after this weekend we're running out of time.

I'm hoping that Bank Holiday Monday will be really busy

but the forecast isn't great.

It really is just the weather now that's our biggest enemy.

Wiveton Hall Farm dates back to the 17th century.

Desmond's family has been working the land here since 1944.

COCK CROWS

-Everything all right?

-Yeah.

The oldest living resident is Desmond's mother, Chloe,

who will soon be turning 100.

-You've got a birthday coming up.

-Yes.

I mean, it's quite a special birthday, isn't it?

I mean, Queen Victoria was practically on the throne.

Not quite.

We've ordered a tent for it.

-We thought we'd better push the boat out.

-Yes.

Chloe's centenary will be celebrated with a garden party

with 120 friends and family attending.

Who's that? Is that you? Granny, here, look.

-That is me.

-Mm.

17-year-old granddaughter Isabel

is putting together a photo board of Chloe's life.

We can put them up in the tent so people can see what you

-looked like when you were younger, for your birthday.

-All right.

That's rather a nice photograph.

-How old were you?

-Probably 18.

She's going to be 100.

I mean, she's never smoked but she drunk in moderation.

She hasn't had the most exciting life but it hasn't gone too badly.

That was watching the coronation.

It's amazing how... How long she...

She's been there.

In the early 1970s,

Chloe unexpectedly found herself in charge of Wiveton Hall Farm.

There's my husband.

Her mother, her father and her husband all died within two years

of each other and it must have been very sad for her.

And she could have easily sold this place but she didn't.

You know, she knew I loved the place

and it was a wonderful place for children to grow up in.

Probably why I've never done anything else,

because it is a lovely, special place.

-INTERVIEWER:

-Do you think your mother now has any idea what it

takes for you to keep this place going?

Yeah, I don't think she... She doesn't sort of measure things.

I did talk to her about profitability.

She said, "What's that?"

Despite the promising start to the bank holiday,

the weather has turned and the cafe has taken a big hit.

-Friday night was a beautiful evening.

-Mm-hm.

Sunday lunch, breakfast and lunch, it rained

and then yesterday was a complete wash-out.

-It rained all day.

-It was a torrent.

-Mm.

And we're so exposed.

If it could be August, you could go out, and a northerly wind straight

off the marsh, you could be on the bridge of a trawler or something.

Mm.

Salad blowing off your plate, on to the next bowl.

Overall, I think we are...

We're £6,000 down on...

bank holiday week last year, which was a week earlier.

-That's rather a lot of money.

-Yeah.

-But it was a week earlier and better weather.

-6,000 down.

And August in total is £19,000 down on last year...

-Oh, dear.

-..unfortunately.

-INTERVIEWER:

-Are you disappointed, Desmond,

cos everyone's working so hard?

Well, I mean, you can't be... I'm used to disappointment.

You know, there's lots... Things don't... You know.

You feel a bit foolish when you've worked quite as hard

and at the end of the year if you don't make something worthwhile,

and this is the year to be worthwhile.

'Desmond's a typical entrepreneur.'

He is trying very hard to diversify

and keep a magnificent house going so, yeah,

he's always looking for the next... Next plan to make some money.

They are called The Corn Potato String Band and

they are like bluegrass musicians

and they come and tour in England.

They're quite serious.

I mean, they're very good musicians

and sing old traditional songs and we've got them playing in the barn

-in ten days' time.

-Mm.

-He looks the genuine article, that man in the middle.

-He does.

Well, they all do, really, don't they?

They sing proper songs about country people having fun,

often using...

Involving dogs and...

..chasing animals with curly tails.

This weekend, over 100 friends and family will be

descending on Wiveton Hall to celebrate Chloe's centenary.

Hello?

Good. Well done.

Trying to create an artificial sense of tidiness in preparation

for my mother's birthday party.

And...

people will think it's always this tidy.

Oh, look. Mm. That's why they're amateurs. Look.

No wonder we can't find the hedge clippers -

they've been left on top of the hedge.

This is one of my least favourite plants, the burr.

It sticks on your clothes, on your tweed jacket, and never comes out.

Despite that, it's rather beautiful at this time of year. Oh, my God.

This is a naturalistic phenomenon.

This is a long-eared bat that has flown into the burrs

and got caught.

What a way to go.

Do you see his ears?

That is nature.

We should play a tune by blowing down gun barrels.

The next day, and Chloe is 100 years old.

There has been a communication from the Palace.

It really is.

It's genuine, the 100th birthday.

(I think if you look through there, you can see it.)

-INTERVIEWER:

-Could you show it to us?

Well, I mean, you can creep up on it.

Look at that. Look.

"I send you my congratulations and best wishes to you

"on such a special occasion."

Isn't that nice?

What's on the front?

Picture of the Queen.

If you see anyone looking as though they need

-what's nowadays called a comfort break...

-Yeah?

..men can just go in the bushes...

LAUGHTER

There's nothing wrong with that.

Just up there.

I can't remember when,

if her birthday's today or yesterday,

and she didn't either so...

that was quite funny.

Yes, yes, yes. She's never slumped to histrionics.

As the final preparations are made,

Desmond is putting the finishing touches

to a speech honouring his mother.

I've to say a few words so I must pay a little bit of attention and...

attention and concentration is not one of my strong points,

when there are a lot of more fun things to do, like scurry around.

It's quite a celebration while she's living.

It's awfully sad when you celebrate things when people are dead.

Well, we could do that as well.

But she is actually living and firing on most cylinders...

..despite being ancient.

Hello, how are you?

Roberta used to be on the stage.

Nice to see you.

-I claim to actually be the person who's known her longest.

-Yes.

She was a very sophisticated, beautiful young women

and I was an awkward, unconfident, rather fat child.

Ah, I know.

-She was so nice to me.

-Yes.

There's Mikey. This is Mikey, Jeremy's son.

-INTERVIEWER:

-Is everyone having a good time, do you think?

-I think so, yes.

-Is your mother having a good time?

Ah. Oh, we mustn't forget about her.

Could you show my mother where she is sitting?

Yes. Pride of place.

-INTERVIEWER:

-100 is quite remarkable, isn't it?

Very old.

Not many people make it to that age.

Can you imagine living here with Desmond at 100?

I don't think Dad will make it to 100, to be honest.

He's a bit porky.

Thank you all for coming to celebrate

Chloe's very special birthday.

It's lovely looking out across what is normally sort of empty lawn

with moles on it, and see you all here.

For anyone who wants to live so long and so healthily,

Chloe has a lot to teach them.

She seems to know exactly what she thinks about situations and people

and keeps most of it to herself.

LAUGHTER

After her mother, then her father, and then my father Michael

all died within three years of each other in the early 1970s,

it would have been a very normal thing to sell Wiveton

and move to some sensible house and get rid of any problems.

Chloe never considered it.

She persevered with selfless determination,

for which I'm very grateful.

APPLAUSE

# Happy birthday, dear Chloe

# Happy birthday to you. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Very good speech.

After a disappointing summer for the farm cafe,

Desmond is banking on the barn dance to bring in some extra revenue

before the season is done.

-Hello, Alexandra.

-Hello, Desmond.

This must be the office with the best view in the East of England.

It is indeed.

Now, two days, we've got the band coming.

Have we sold any tickets?

-We've sold 33 tickets.

-Have we?

-Yeah.

-We want to say 150 tickets, don't we?

-Yeah.

We will sell more tickets.

-150, do you think?

-120, definitely.

-150, 200.

-150.

-All right.

Because I'm wearing... I mean, getting into the...

rock promotion mood.

-OK.

-I mean, it's...just like...

how Glastonbury started.

-INTERVIEWER:

-Do you think this is a good venue?

I think so. Lovely floor. Beautifully smooth floor.

He's got the barn but before anyone can dance,

seven tonnes of barley needs to be shifted.

This is worth £200 a tonne.

That's why we're being so

penny-pinching.

-INTERVIEWER:

-So what will they do with this?

They'll turn it into a bar.

So they'll put some lighting in and then serve drinks from it.

What do you think of all these little enterprises

that Desmond does?

I think they're good. It brings people here.

It'd be a bit boring if we didn't do things like this.

-Oh, hello.

-Open.

Edmund and Isabel have been sent to the local village

to drum up some interest.

OK, cool. The Corn Potato String Band. They sound quite interesting.

Yeah, they're a bluegrass band from America.

They're on a tour at the moment.

-Great, yeah. Fantastic.

-OK, cool.

-Thank you.

-Good luck, guys.

-Bye.

-Let's go home.

-INTERVIEWER:

-Have you had enough?

-Yes.

-Well, you want people to come to this thing.

I'm bored of leafleting.

I think round Norfolk it's hard to get a band

and get loads of people to come, really.

It's never going to make a fortune. I mean, £10 a ticket.

Not that many people are really going to come.

What would you do?

Is there anything you would do differently?

-Erm...

-The fruit needs to be...

-I think we should do more music.

And we should have a festival.

I think we should get rid of fruit and everything

and just make it all nice fields.

Turn it to grass and have a festival.

And then have a festival and call it Wivetonia

and everyone would love it.

That's what is going to happen in the future.

No, I don't know, but I'll make it happen.

September brings the end of the holiday season at Wiveton Hall

but it also marks the beginning of the duck shooting season.

-That's a very big spoon, Desmond.

-Very big. Very useful.

In the marshes, Desmond and Edmund

are preparing for their first shoot of the year.

-Go on. Jump in.

-You want to see me stuck in there.

Just jump. Just jump, Dad. Jump in the hole.

-I don't need to.

-Go on, dad.

STRIMMER WHIRS

This is a hide for when you're shooting the ducks.

You get in the barrel

and so you just have your head just poking,

just able to see over the top of the reeds

when the duck is swirling around, you crouch down,

and, as they think about landing, you try and shoot them.

A sportsman doesn't want to get into a wet butt so you put a lid on top.

And that's a lead for the disobedient dog.

For Desmond, the duck pond is more than just a commercial venture.

I love coming here,

but I'm not as bloodthirsty as I was.

What do you think has changed for you?

Well, I mean, I do enjoy being out in the country.

I like meeting country people,

I like being with friends,

whether they're from the country or not,

and a lot of people share that participation.

That hasn't changed at all.

That's grown.

When I used to go fishing with my grandfather...

..I would say, "Thank you for taking me."

And something like, "Pity we didn't catch anything."

He said, "Never mind. Always nice to be by a river."

Who is this totty?

-It's completely wrong.

-Completely wrong.

Desmond's close friend Willie has arrived,

ready to put the duck pond to the test.

Look at her.

Rather early in the year but it's a perfect evening.

A perfect evening and a perfect evening's good wind blowing.

Don't like going when it's too still.

The sound of the guns then booms out across the marsh,

everything jumps up, everything's frightened.

In a lot of wind, your guns don't sound a lot.

-We are...

-We're only... We're not trying to get a sackful.

No, just getting enough to have a feed.

Sit. Wait. Don't misbehave.

Among the four-legged helpers are shoot veteran Teddy

and Desmond's novice gundog Roly, who is starting his first season.

-INTERVIEWER:

-How do you think he'll do?

We'll find out.

See if Dad's training paid off.

He's quite disobedient with Dad.

He's good with other people, just not Dad.

Come in here. Roly! Roly! Come here.

WHISTLING

Come in here, will you?

That wasn't very good.

Roly. Heel. Roly, come here.

Really badly behaved.

See, this one is so well-behaved.

Come on. I can see it. Come on.

WHISTLING

Here.

Here. Heel.

I'm not a natural dog handler.

He's just young. He's just young.

Full of beans. Look up over what's going on over here.

Godwits.

Let's get into position and then we'll shoot, OK?

Come on. Up.

Roly. Up, here. Here.

Oh, you stupid fucking dog.

Here. Here. Come on.

Up. Up.

Come on. Up.

Sit. Sit.

Sit and just don't make a noise, all right? Stay down.

-ROLY WHINES

-Stay there. Stay there.

With the three men positioned in their separate hides,

they must wait for the ducks to come to the pond for the evening.

Edmund, let them come in.

Edmund's got his mask on. He's all prepared.

He's very serious. He's young.

He's the sort of sort one would want in the Army, defending your realm.

Very, very keen. Willie as well, he's mad-keen.

It's quite exciting. I just like coming out here.

It's not considered shooting etiquette

to take aim at a sitting duck.

The sport comes with trying to hit the birds mid-flight.

They like coming to this pond

and so we choose a time of day when they might come and feed.

Look, look, look. A big bunch of...

Sit, please, Roly. Please, just sit.

Oh, my Lord.

Sit. Sit. OK?

-ROLY WHINES

-Sh! Sit. Sit, Roly.

Over here. It's a mallard. No. Or pigeons.

I can't tell the difference now.

Eyesight's not what it was.

Keep down, keep down, keep down.

Keep down. Might be a shot. Might be a shot. Sh, sh.

ROLY WHINES

Sh!

Just fuck off!

-GUNSHOT

-Oh, my God.

GUNSHOTS

GUNSHOT

Look at that shot of his! Edmund, he's a bloody good shot.

GUNSHOTS

Edmund, well shot.

I slowed him up.

How many have you got to pick?

One by the reeds, one in here which we shared.

I might go and retrieve him.

Sit.

Stay there.

Every bird that is shot down must be retrieved,

which is when the dogs get to work.

Roly. Here, here, here.

Roly. Here. Roly!

Roly, come on.

Come on, get back. Get back.

It's about this, the nature.

You're so, sort of, completely surrounded by the nature.

That's pretty wonderful, isn't it?

And then the duck whirling in, swirling in,

the great rattle of musketry

and we've got dinner.

We're shooting the things we love.

That's a conundrum, isn't it?

That's an odd thing.

It's sort of contradictory but...

..they're also terribly good with potatoes.

They'll be delicious. They'll be delicious.

This. A farmyard duck.

What was he doing there?

Trying to breed with the wild ones.

Understandable, but there we are. He'll eat well.

Now, this is a mallard.

-We'll put these away.

-Keep them cool.

Put them in the fridge.

And that's a teal.

Also very delicious.

-Another mallard.

-Another mallard.

That's it.

It's Friday and bluegrass music is on its way to Wiveton Hall

as Desmond tries to make amends for poor bank holiday takings.

We've got a lovely band from Detroit.

That's the stage.

You've got to start somewhere.

Beautiful floor, very good floor for dancing.

It's all looking very good.

I mean, if it's shoulder to shoulder in here in a couple of hours,

we will be very happy.

I'm just going off to find my band.

My goodness!

How are you?

All the way from the United States, The Corn Potato String Band

are expected to get the barn stomping.

Have you been in England long?

No, just a few days.

-And everything is all right in Detroit?

-Mm-hm.

That's good. And are you from Detroit as well?

-No, I live in New Hampshire.

-Oh, that's interesting.

That's one of the few bits of the States I've been to

and I went hunting, actually, with a man called Homer.

Oh, right.

Homer, I didn't think was a normal name, until I went there.

There, of course, everyone knows a Homer.

I'm sure it will go well, it's a nice evening,

so I think lots will come.

BAND TUNES UP

You've got the whole, kind of, country theme going on?

Oh, it's country, yes.

I always say, "If it ain't country, it ain't music."

FIDDLE PLAYS UPBEAT INTRODUCTION

Advanced bookings may have been slow,

but the weather has been kind to Desmond

and nearly 120 tickets have been sold.

Get yourself a partner and get on the floor!

We're going to do a little dancing.

Circle right.

Farmers have been encouraged to diversify for quite a long time now

and it's this diversification, the Wiveton way.

Round and round we go.

THEY SING

Left to the opposite one, once around...

Are you enjoying yourself?

Yes, I have enjoyed it, yes.

I think it's been a success and the band are marvellous.

But it's quite clear that the Norfolk inhabitants

need to improve their American dancing techniques.

All the way down, all the way down!

But I think they've got the hang of it by the end

and so nice so many people are here.

I don't know who they are.

So it's all been good.

CHEERING

Rather a pretty girl coming.

Oh, yes?

Look at that. That's astonishing!

Dad is obsessed, he's verging on pyromaniac.

Wow!

Look, that's nice.

Hey!

Oh, my God!

That is very keen.

Oh, so is Edmund.

Ooh!