0:00:02 > 0:00:03I saw you noticing these ears.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05- Oh.- Try them on.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10I don't think they fit, Desmond.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14- Like this?- Yes!
0:00:14 > 0:00:17- Like Narnia.- You like? - Narnia. Yes.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22- Mr Tumnus.- Mr Tumnus.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Do they move? Yes. Yes. That's nice.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29We might have a panto.
0:00:29 > 0:00:30I think it's panto already.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33THEY LAUGH
0:00:36 > 0:00:41Come on, Ted. Good boy!
0:00:41 > 0:00:47It's winter at Wiveton Hall Farm, on the north coast of Norfolk,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51home to gentleman farmer Desmond McCarthy.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56He's the one who's been keeping my mother awake for weeks.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01He's lived here all his life with his mother Chloe, now 101 years old.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05My mother's lived so long because she's never drunk milk.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I like cream.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09What are your other tricks?
0:01:09 > 0:01:12When they're not at university, he joined by his children,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Isabel and Edmund.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19- Does Granny pay rent? - She does pay rent.- Bastard.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Oh, my God!
0:01:24 > 0:01:29Desmond's kept the wolf from the door by the seat of his tweed pants.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Do I have a lot of cash around? No. Other people's cash, yes.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Mostly the bank's.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40- He must run his farm... - In an emergency, you pull that. But don't!
0:01:40 > 0:01:42..preserve his historic home,
0:01:42 > 0:01:46and keep up customs handed down by generations.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Thank goodness the double chin has been bred out.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53- Has it?- Yes. - SHE LAUGHS
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Winter is the shooting season.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58And Desmond upholds country tradition
0:01:58 > 0:02:00by organising a shoot at the hall.
0:02:01 > 0:02:02Pull!
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Missed.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09And as the year draws to an end,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13he rewards his loyal team with a Christmas party.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17- Happy Christmas!- Happy Christmas! - Cockerel korma.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- No, no.- Anyway, Happy Christmas, everybody!
0:02:22 > 0:02:25ALL: Merry Christmas!
0:02:34 > 0:02:37It's December at Wiveton.
0:02:37 > 0:02:44The cafe is closed and the last of Desmond's seasonal workers have left for Poland.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Down to a skeleton crew.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55No-one would ever call me a skeleton these days.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56But there we are.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00This feels like the Mary Celeste.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Suddenly the whole farm's just gone quiet.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Winter has come to Norfolk.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Desmond will spend most of the winter shooting now.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15It's all gone from crazy madness to suddenly...
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Kim and I.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Edward is gone, the cafe's closed and...
0:03:22 > 0:03:26We have to face reality and have a look at what's actually happened.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Desmond doesn't really like to talk about the numbers.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33I need to sit him down and go through the figures.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36- Yes.- Yes. Sorry.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38- 1,500.- Yeah.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42This meeting has become an uncomfortable but essential Wiveton ritual,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46to assess the health and direction of the business.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Cost of new toilets?
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Yeah. Two extra loos. Two extra basins.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52What do we think about urinals?
0:03:52 > 0:03:56- A lot quicker, I think. - Well, I have no experience.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- Hard to get women used to using them but... - SHE CHUCKLES
0:04:00 > 0:04:04What does that bring it to? 191,000?
0:04:04 > 0:04:06- Overdrawn.- Overdrawn.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12I have to pay all our suppliers today,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16- and at the end we will be at the overdraft limit.- Already?- Yep.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22You can see quite clearly that the cafe, the shop, the holiday lets,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25the wing, they all turn a profit.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29The farm doesn't. So that's our problem.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35The farming is very difficult at the moment.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41People with big acreages are finding it very hard.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42How long have you been farming here?
0:04:42 > 0:04:43Oh, well...
0:04:45 > 0:04:4735 years or something...
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Anyway, I should've gotten better at it by now.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01There will be little income from the farm over the winter,
0:05:01 > 0:05:05but one seasonal enterprise at Wiveton does turn a profit...
0:05:08 > 0:05:13..when the cafe kitchen is transformed into a jam factory.
0:05:13 > 0:05:154,000 jars of strawberry.
0:05:15 > 0:05:202,500 jars of raspberry
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and 1,500 marmalade to make
0:05:23 > 0:05:26by, I think, maybe the beginning of March.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32Desmond's jam brings in over £20,000 a year.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33Ah, Paul!
0:05:33 > 0:05:35- Hello, Desmond! - What have you been doing?
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Famous Wiveton strawberry jam.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- Mmm! Shall I try it? - You can indeed.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44We have a jar yesterday that we made, if you'd like to try the stuff.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Mm! Nice and strawberry. And not over-sweet.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Sometimes jam is far too sweet.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55- Yes.- And you put lemon in it?
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Is that lemon? No pectin or anything?
0:05:58 > 0:06:00No, no, no. Just lemon. That helps it set...
0:06:00 > 0:06:04- Yeah. Yeah.- My mother is the expert on jam.
0:06:04 > 0:06:11- I've heard.- Full of preconceived and fixed ideas.- Yep.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- Full of prejudice.- Yeah. - That's the most important thing.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19- Yes.- You've got to be full of prejudice when making jam.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21- That's lovely.- I'm glad you like it. - No, that's good.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24But I think always remember that.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27You can put some paracetamol in.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29That is what is good for.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31You could have medicated jam.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33We could indeed.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38They've been making jam at Wiveton for over 30 years.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42But an even older winter tradition is shooting.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49Tomorrow, Desmond's taking a duck-shooting party on to the now-frozen marsh.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53His son Edmund has been sent out to check on conditions.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58We are going to go and hopefully smash all the ice on the lake,
0:06:58 > 0:07:05because we need... ducks like water, as most people know.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08And they need some water to land on.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10So then we can shoot them.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Well, we don't shoot them on the water, but...
0:07:13 > 0:07:15They're not going to come to the pond if it's frozen.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Good duck. It looks to me it's bloody all thawed out.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Good duck!
0:07:26 > 0:07:28That's a fair amount of duck.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31That bodes well for tomorrow.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39People are coming to stay. So we've got to be ready for them.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43What have we got to do? Make sure the beaters are coming
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and, um...lunch,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49and I think the beds have all been made.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51And I must make sure the heating's on.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Despite the temperatures plummeting,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58the eye-watering bills mean Desmond is reluctant to turn the heating on
0:07:58 > 0:08:02in the hall, even with friends arriving.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06Nowadays people make assumptions that...
0:08:06 > 0:08:07it's going to be warm.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11On Christmas, I can put that on for an hour.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13But otherwise it's mittens.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17You know, you get things ready for people, guests coming to stay...
0:08:17 > 0:08:19And you make it all nice for them.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23And I used to put reading mittens by the beds.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25- Or you just put another dog on the bed.- Or another dog.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27SHE LAUGHS
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Across the country,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35winter marks the beginning of the shooting season for duck and pheasant.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Wiveton Hall has followed this rural tradition for centuries.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Tweed is the uniform for field sportsmen,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47but it's an obsession for Desmond.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Have you chosen your tweed?
0:08:49 > 0:08:51I haven't yet.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53It's probably not in here, but look.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58- Look at that man knowing all the... - Yes, I know.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Anyway, we finally made a decision.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Look at that lovely stuff.
0:09:03 > 0:09:04Mmm!
0:09:08 > 0:09:13- This is like pornography for Desmond.- Yes.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Having chosen the tweed and had a number of fittings,
0:09:16 > 0:09:21the new shooting suit made by his ex-wife, Tina, is finally ready.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23- Hi, Desmond!- Oh, good.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25How exciting!
0:09:26 > 0:09:28You mean...
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Oh, it feels lovely.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Feels lovely.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- Oh, Dad!- It looks amazing.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35I need to wear it a bit.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Oh, look at that. Now it's very important...
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Edmund, could you get one of the guns?
0:09:42 > 0:09:44That's the important bit.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47That's the nice thing about... Lovely pockets.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Terrific, Desmond!
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- The gun? Sorry... - Yeah, it looks amazing.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- Look at that.- It's got amazing pockets...
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Nice pocket. Look. Sandwiches in there...
0:09:59 > 0:10:02- Cake. Bit of cake. - A huge bit of cake.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- Tina, lovely. Thank you very much. - It's a pleasure.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10I know there was commerce involved, but all the same.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Thank you very much.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20No room in the hall is more steeped in country sporting tradition
0:10:20 > 0:10:22than the gun room.
0:10:22 > 0:10:28The gun room here is a very special place full of memories to me of my grandfather.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32He was a great all-round country sportsman, and so I grew up
0:10:32 > 0:10:34with all this sort of bits...
0:10:34 > 0:10:38These gadgets and bits of kit around which were always intriguing.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39This was my first gun.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43I think I was probably 13.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Chosen by my grandfather, who spent a lot of time in this room.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52And paid for by my father.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And we went to London,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I was sort of measured in the gun shop.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05And that was a massive treat.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08It was absolute pride and joy.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10The sort of hunter in me was developed.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Do you think children should have guns?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Well, only if they...
0:11:14 > 0:11:19If they're interested and prepared to listen and be sensible about it.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24It's very good for a child to learn responsibility.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29And it's not because you want to go out and massacre everything, it's just...
0:11:29 > 0:11:32I don't know what it is, but we've all got it in us.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Yeah, that's a very nice little gun.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47As night falls, some of Desmond's friends begin to arrive.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54I've invited Alfie, who loves his shooting.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Ah, Alfie!
0:11:56 > 0:11:57Ah, Van Dutch!
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- Nice to see you.- Good to see you. How you been?
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Willie, two Willies.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Willie Nickerson, who is a decorator.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Willie Attill lives in Tanzania.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Ah, Midge, how are you?
0:12:09 > 0:12:11- I'm very, very well. - Nice to see you.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- I know. I've just come out of the freezing.- Yes.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17You've met Christopher before?
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Yes. Hi, there, how are you?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Christopher, who is a decorator.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Likes country life, loves coming here.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26Charles!
0:12:26 > 0:12:30And then a very good builder from Wells.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32You might share with young...
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Do you know Harry Lowther?
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is he coming up here?
0:12:37 > 0:12:38- Yes, he's here.- No way!
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Some know each other well, some people don't know each other at all.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45And some are older, some are younger.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Nice mixture of people.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56Next morning, just before six, the guests, or guns,
0:12:56 > 0:13:02are already up and heading off on what's known as a duck flight, or shoot.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Rowley. Oh, my God. I think I'll wear the snood today.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08The Christmas snood.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11OK, come this way.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Desmond leads the party to flight ponds on the marsh.
0:13:15 > 0:13:16Lovely smell of cigar.
0:13:18 > 0:13:19I love being...
0:13:19 > 0:13:24Getting up early in the morning, going out, stars all over the sky.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Very careful. Oh, my God.
0:13:28 > 0:13:34Seeing the light gather in the sky, hearing things,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36birds calling as they wake.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38That's exciting, being in touch with the elements.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Flight ponds attract ducks, and so the guns wait there
0:13:44 > 0:13:47for their quarry to fly in or out at first light.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Shh.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54These are wild birds, so you've got to keep quiet.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55DOG WHINES
0:13:55 > 0:13:56You've got to keep quiet, Rowley.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Shh, shh. Rowley, Rowley.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08- Look, there's a teal. - GUNSHOTS
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Oh, well done.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14I didn't get my gun off again.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18- DOG WHINES - Rowley.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Oh, my God, this is testing.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28I think I've heard of people who swear at their dogs.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30It doesn't do much good.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31OK. OK.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34DOG WHINES
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Rowley, you've got the better of me.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Go on, get in there. Get on, get on, get on.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44The ducks shot this morning - teal, widgeon and mallard -
0:14:44 > 0:14:47will be shared out, taken home and eaten.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53I think life and death...
0:14:53 > 0:14:57is... is treated very differently in the countryside,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59particularly amongst farmers.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Good boy.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05People have lost contact with where their food came from.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10Where meat comes from and that, you know, you kill to get it.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17The party move off the marsh and on to farmland.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21In the yard, they're joined by beaters,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25whose job is to flush the birds and other game toward the guns.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Good morning. First of all,
0:15:27 > 0:15:32you've got to admire my new suit which is made by Tina.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34First outing.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Now, shoot pheasants, be careful you don't shoot English partridges.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42You can shoot a French partridge.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46Don't shoot any low pheasants cos they might fly better another day.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51This is a smallish farm.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55We rear a few pheasants to shoot and eat.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00They're very good to eat, and this year I've discovered, very good smoked.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03It's exciting.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I think when people start to play tennis,
0:16:06 > 0:16:07do you think they get very excited
0:16:07 > 0:16:10at the end of the court before the match?
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Adrenaline before the croquet match.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21What have you got in your ears?
0:16:21 > 0:16:23A bit of loo paper to...
0:16:23 > 0:16:26I can't find any proper defenders.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33Pheasant shooting started in the 18th century, but it's not just
0:16:33 > 0:16:38a tradition, it is very much an important part of the rural economy.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42All the people involved, gamekeepers, people who are actually still in touch,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45very much in touch with their country roots.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Look, there's a pheasant. Look.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49First pheasant. Cock pheasant.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53And another. Pheasant, coming!
0:16:53 > 0:16:55HE SHOUTS
0:16:56 > 0:17:00GUNSHOTS
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Come on down, Harry. Harry.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Come down. Very exciting.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Look. Oh, look at that one.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Cunning bird. Did you see that?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19HE SHOUTS
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- Missed.- Did you see them?
0:17:25 > 0:17:28GUNSHOTS
0:17:28 > 0:17:34For me, a successful shoot is going to a nice place with nice people...
0:17:35 > 0:17:40..and ideally shooting quite well.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Well done. Absolutely perfect.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Good.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48And a nice lunch.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Well, what a success.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Oh, my God, look at that.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Doesn't that look beautiful?
0:18:02 > 0:18:03Oh, you are good.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11We've had a lovely day, wonderful day. It's all gone very well.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Everyone's had fun, apart from a few birds, and...
0:18:15 > 0:18:17wonderful new suit.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23And this is going to be my new companion and friend.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25For a long time.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Very pleased.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Now, we get a tape measure.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37I mean, it's all go.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Why do you need a tape measure?
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Measure how tall we want the Christmas trees.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48It's Christmas, look, I'm all bright and Christmassy.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51I'm really so excited about Christmas.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55We normally put the tree here.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Yeah, we always put it here. Everything's traditional.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00There's no room for imagination.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03With the end of the year approaching,
0:19:03 > 0:19:08Desmond is planning a Christmas gathering at the hall for all his staff.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10I mean, the Wiveton family.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17It used to be a Sylvanian family, it's rather like that.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20We must go. So that was seven foot.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21Or did I say eight?
0:19:23 > 0:19:26For the holiday cottages and the hall,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Desmond needs five trees in total.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Is that too bushy, this one?
0:19:35 > 0:19:36It is bushy.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39My God. Anyone slightly less bushy?
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- Yes.- What's that? About... - That's about eight.- Eight foot.
0:19:43 > 0:19:44- Yeah.- Well, that's perfect.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I hope these trees are tied on well enough.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Highways and byways, these are the byways.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58It's like a little pocket of old England here.
0:19:58 > 0:19:59With a few tipping sites.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Desmond will need some help getting the largest tree into the hall.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09A bit prickly for my little hands.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Rodney, have you got a tree yet?
0:20:11 > 0:20:14- Yes, we have an artificial one. - Artificial?
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- Yes.- That's not very good for the forestry business.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20You're enriching the Japanese market.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Oh, here he comes. And there's Rodney.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28That's rather sweet. It's a sweet scene.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Rodney and Desmond and the tree.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37I think Desmond would quite like to have Rodney on top of the tree.
0:20:37 > 0:20:38Oh, my God.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43This is the beginning of Christmas, this. Put it up.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47- Oh, it could have been a bit bigger. Look at that.- That looks really nice.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Well done, Rodney. Feeding the tree.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- Yes?- I think as soon as Rodney's involved, Desmond's happy.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- Ooh! - DESMOND GROANS
0:20:57 > 0:20:59No. Tighten up.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02The final decorative touches are applied by Emma,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05the property manager, and her daughter.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Where do you think that's going to go?
0:21:07 > 0:21:11- Near the bottom.- These are nice, look, these little glass birds.
0:21:11 > 0:21:16We're doing well. We've got the tree in, so Christmas has begun.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17- Has it?- Yes.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Lights on.
0:21:20 > 0:21:21Oh, that's perfect.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Even in the festive season, as a farmer,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32there are jobs that aren't pleasant, but need doing.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Such as cockerel culling.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40I've discovered that someone has been dropping...
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Depositing their unwanted cockerels here.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Particularly ugly sort.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47They're everywhere.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50More people are keeping chickens as a hobby,
0:21:50 > 0:21:55but every batch of new chicks brings unwelcome, noisy cockerels,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58whose persistent sexual harassment
0:21:58 > 0:22:01can injure the egg-laying hens.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03And for some nearby smallholder,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07the necessity of killing their own cockerels is clearly beyond them.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11It's the sentimental approach of people who've got all these things
0:22:11 > 0:22:15who can't wring their own cockerel's necks,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17so they take them and deposit them somewhere else.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Furious.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23I've got my own very special breeding programme going on here.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Desmond will deal with these cockerels
0:22:27 > 0:22:31and put them on the menu at the staff Christmas party.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34They don't realise that we are having to have cockerel korma
0:22:34 > 0:22:36to get rid of them.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40The hunt begins with the help of his trainee gardener.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Beamish, now, in a moment, what I'd like you to do is...
0:22:45 > 0:22:47..drive... Drive him out.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Oh, my God. He's getting away.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00They're very, very difficult.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03If you drove him round,
0:23:03 > 0:23:04I'll get a crossing shot.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10There's very little decorum in the world of the cockerel.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15They tend to wake up at about three in the morning and start crowing.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19So if we didn't kill them, we'd hardly get any sleep.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28There! Have we got him?
0:23:28 > 0:23:29Just as he broke for cover.
0:23:30 > 0:23:31Well done.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34Yeah, another one.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Ah, that's the one there.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Too randy. Got to separate him out.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Push him round, catch him.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- He's gone into a... - Gone inside.- Gone in there.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48OK, good. We've got him now.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51I can't shoot him in here.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53No, we'll catch him in here with the net.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- HE WHISPERS:- Oh, my God. There he is.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02COCKEREL CLUCKS
0:24:12 > 0:24:13I've got him. I've got him.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18There. Oh, my goodness.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22He's the one who's been keeping my mother awake.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24For weeks.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Oh, my God.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Desmond's gardeners, Peter and Beamish,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33turn butchers to deal with this morning's catch.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- It's a funny job to do, isn't it? Well, yeah.- Yeah.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Got to make a living where you can. - Yeah.
0:24:40 > 0:24:47Then head chef Ben transforms the birds into a '70s-style canape for the party.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49They can be quite a pest.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51We've had a huge amount of cockerels,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54and we turn it into a korma,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56served in vol-au-vents.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00I've got... I've got very short time.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Hello. Oh, my goodness.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- Good morning.- Hello, Ben.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- How are you?- Very nice.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12They're on the small side, but there we are.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- Well, they're perfect for... - Are they? ..a mouthful, aren't they?
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Three or four each.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Now, have you got the boiling wine?
0:25:20 > 0:25:22I've got 12 bottles of red wine for mulled wine.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- Yes.- So that will make... That will go quite a long way.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27- Bit of water in it. - Little bit of water.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28- Yes.- Water it down.- Good.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Are you going to be monitoring people's consumption?
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Always do, can't help it. After the mishaps,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37so many mishaps happen here.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44The children will love that, won't they?
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Oh, good evening. - Hello. How are you?
0:25:49 > 0:25:51How are you, Desmond?
0:25:51 > 0:25:53There. That is nice.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Christmas look.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Thank you, Sue. Thank you, Kim.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Look at your Christmas jumper.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05- Happy Christmas. - Oh, thank you.- No, it's...
0:26:05 > 0:26:09- Hello. Happy Christmas. - Happy Christmas, Desmond.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Never known a party everyone's arrived on time so much.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20Christmas party is a very nice way to thank your staff because we're
0:26:20 > 0:26:25genuinely very grateful for all the work they do for me,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29and keep the whole place going and make it a, mostly,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32cheerful place to work.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35But we don't want to go overboard, obviously.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Where's the hot wine? Try some of this.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42It's an old... It's an old traditional Christmas mixture.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45I mean, is wasn't a massively lavish event,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47but it brings the whole house alive.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51- I really want to try one of these vol-au-vents.- They are good.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55The snacks were good.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Cockerel korma.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Little gamey for some.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01- Oh.- No. No.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Edmund! Ah!
0:27:07 > 0:27:09How are you?
0:27:10 > 0:27:11How are you?
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Have you had some hot wine? Have a glass of lovely hot wine.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18- I don't know if I want hot wine. - Oh, go on. Go on.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20OK.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Despite everything that country life has thrown at Desmond, somehow
0:27:24 > 0:27:28he's kept the hall and its traditions alive for another year.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30And blow my own trumpet, I am still here.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35An impossible house, impossibly small farm, I'm still here.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37More people are working here.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40And things are doing better than they've ever done.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Anyway, happy Christmas, everybody.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46Thank you all for coming.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Thank you all for the very hard work.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51You had an incredibly busy summer, so, happy Christmas.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54ALL: Happy Christmas!
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Marvellous speech.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Next time - spring arrives.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06And with it, new life returns to the farm.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Look, lovely family. Beautiful.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12Preparations for the cafe opening begin in earnest.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15It actually...
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Very nice grass.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21And they're off to a cracking start.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25I went to fiddle with the water and I managed to turn all the electricity off.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27But it's all under control.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29So we can't use the till, the printers.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31An ideal start to service.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Oh! We need a torch. Hold on.