0:00:05 > 0:00:10Springtime, when the days lengthen and signs of change are everywhere.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15There's not a corner of the British Isles that doesn't
0:00:15 > 0:00:17warm to the arrival of spring.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21It's our most extraordinary season for one big reason.
0:00:21 > 0:00:26It's a time of astonishing growth and regeneration.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28From pond life to birdlife,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31from the scent of fresh blossom, to our smallest mammals
0:00:31 > 0:00:34reawakening after months of hibernation.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39We'll be bringing you the most remarkable stories of this
0:00:39 > 0:00:41wonderful time of year.
0:00:41 > 0:00:47Tales of survival, endurance and occasional indulgence.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Join us for this special week of programmes, as we celebrate
0:00:50 > 0:00:54the secrets of spring, here on Countryfile Diaries.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13The south coast of Britain is where spring first reveals itself.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19So, where better to base ourselves than here,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23in the New Forest in Hampshire?
0:01:25 > 0:01:30At 220 square miles, it's our smallest National Park,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34and with its ancient trees, lush heathland and abundant wildlife,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38it's the perfect place to show off the secrets of springtime.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45And I'll be joined by the Countryfile Diaries team, who have
0:01:45 > 0:01:47been scouring the British Isles,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51searching for signs that spring has sprung.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Margherita taps in to an up-and-coming spring trend.
0:01:56 > 0:01:57- Wow!- Crikey!
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Oh, my goodness.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Jules tracks down the world's smallest
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and most unusual police force.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And if you are one of the 60,000 or more people
0:02:10 > 0:02:13who move to the country every year, well,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Paul will be picking up the ultimate tips for running a smallholding.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Ease the bottle gently into his mouth.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24- Aw. They take to it really well, don't they?- Yeah.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26But first, I think it's true to say
0:02:26 > 0:02:28that we all feel that little bit better
0:02:28 > 0:02:30when spring comes around,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33and our resident weather expert, Keeley Donovan,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35has been up at the crack of dawn to find out
0:02:35 > 0:02:39whether springtime really does lift our spirits.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51I'm here at Martin Down, on the edge of the New Forest.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Now, it might only be 5am, but we're at the top of the hill,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57the sun's starting to come through the clouds,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59and I'm waiting for a spring pick-me-up.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Natural England have been researching
0:03:03 > 0:03:07the link between our mental health and the sound of birdsong.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10One in ten of us will be affected by depression
0:03:10 > 0:03:12at some point in our lives.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Spring is the perfect time to get out and about,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20but can birdsong really have any psychological benefits?
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Now, I've never actually been to hear the dawn chorus before,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26so it's the perfect way to test its effect on me.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29I've agreed to be hooked up to this, which is a stress monitor,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and it's going to test my anxiety levels.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34So, let's put it to the test.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42And here to help me find the best spot to take it all in
0:03:42 > 0:03:45is veteran bird watcher, Paul Toynton.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49And we'll be joined by members of a local wellbeing group
0:03:49 > 0:03:53who've struggled with mental illness in the past.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56From the melodic whistle of the robin,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58to the chirp of the blackbird,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01can there be any benefit from listening to birdsong?
0:04:06 > 0:04:11- SHE MIMICS BIRD CHIRPING - That's a song thrush, yeah.- Oh, OK.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Depression and anxiety can be utterly debilitating for those
0:04:21 > 0:04:24who suffer from it, so I'm curious to find out whether these guys
0:04:24 > 0:04:28feel this morning's experience improved their mood in any way.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Could this work as a natural therapy?
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Because it's quite overwhelming in a way,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38it takes me away from other things that might be going on in my mind.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42You know, it's part of the modern disease where people
0:04:42 > 0:04:45just don't switch off, so you just listen for the birdsong
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and everything else sort of goes out the window.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53The evidence may seem anecdotal,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57but the use of birdsong is proving successful in a commercial setting.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Amsterdam airport plays it on loudspeakers, with 95%
0:05:01 > 0:05:05of commuters saying it makes them feel more calm and relaxed.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08It's even used over here in petrol station toilets,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11where customer satisfaction rose by 50%.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16That's all very well, but can the effect of birdsong on mood
0:05:16 > 0:05:20be measured in a more tangible way by my stress monitor?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- Hi, there, Jess.- Hi, Keeley.- Hello.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27'Jess Hall from Cardiff University is downloading my results.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29'This device has been measuring how stressed or relaxed
0:05:29 > 0:05:32'I've been over the last couple of days.'
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Let's have a little look at the results.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38OK, so yesterday, we put you through some stressful experiences.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And these are kind of typical everyday stresses that everybody
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- deals with as well?- Here...- Right. I was very stressed.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Do you have any idea what that might be?
0:05:46 > 0:05:47That was the boss ringing, wasn't it?
0:05:47 > 0:05:51It was your boss ringing, yes, so you can see that you steadily
0:05:51 > 0:05:53get more stressed throughout that phone call.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56So, how does this compare with how I was feeling this morning
0:05:56 > 0:05:58when I was listening to the dawn chorus?
0:05:58 > 0:06:02So, this morning, we can see quite a different shape.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Really different shape, yeah.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07So you see that it's a really, really low level,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10so, by comparison, when you're listening to the birds,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12you are five times less stressed
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- than you are when you're talking to your boss.- OK.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18So not only does it sound beautiful,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21but these results prove that it's made me feel less stressed.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Perhaps we all need a little bit of birdsong in our lives.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31One thing we can all rely on is the changing of the seasons.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33After the long, dark days of winter,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36spring is nature's alarm clock,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39bringing everything back to life, and it happens every year
0:06:39 > 0:06:42like clockwork and, Keeley, you're our weather expert.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Why does that happen? Why do we get spring?
0:06:44 > 0:06:46It's all to do with the solar system,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50the Earth's position in relation to the sun.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53You can see the Earth is on a tilt
0:06:53 > 0:06:55and it's that tilt that creates the seasons,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58so in spring, the northern hemisphere,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01our part of the world, begins to tilt towards the sun, and that's
0:07:01 > 0:07:04what makes longer days, temperatures rise - the miracle of spring.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07And how does that affect our spring weather, then?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10I mean, here, in the New Forest, in our back gardens, everywhere.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Let me put the world down and welcome you to the British Isles.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18- Oh! Did you do this? - I did indeed.- Very good.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Now, we are an island, so that has a huge effect on our weather.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24One other major factor is this.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- Catch.- What, this blue ribbon? - Exactly.- Uh-huh.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29- Now, this ribbon... - What does this represent, then?
0:07:29 > 0:07:33This ribbon is the jet stream, which is like a ribbon of
0:07:33 > 0:07:37fast-moving air, strong winds, high up in the atmosphere,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41going around 200mph at times. Now, the jet stream is the dividing line
0:07:41 > 0:07:44between mild air to the south, cold air to the north,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- and it's a conveyor belt steering our weather.- Right.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51So, what happens if it comes down south?
0:07:51 > 0:07:54So if the jet stream is to the south of the UK, that means cold
0:07:54 > 0:07:59Arctic and Pole air can flow over us, which means colder weather.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01- Here you go.- This white blossom, then,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03- representing a cold air... - Absolutely.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08- ..right across our country.- Perhaps even a little bit of snow and ice.
0:08:08 > 0:08:14- Yes.- Now, if the jet stream moves to the north of the UK...- Yeah.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18..that's going to let all the mild air from the Continent pull up
0:08:18 > 0:08:21and push across the UK, which means it's going to be milder.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Some blossom...
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Sprinkle a bit of sunshine and very pleasant weather...
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- The kind of spring weather we like. - ..around the UK.- There you go.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32And if the jet stream gets stuck in either of those positions,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35that's when we get extreme weather - extremely warm, extremely cold -
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- and that's what's going to make the headlines.- Right.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41- Tell me, do you remember Easter weekend?- Oh, awful weekend!
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Horrible, stormy weekend.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Storm Katie. And that's because the jet stream was
0:08:45 > 0:08:49slung across the UK, steering the weather systems, the storms across
0:08:49 > 0:08:53us, but, yeah, spring has been a little bit cooler, March and April.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55April was very cold.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58It was, yeah, but even last year, we had snow warnings in May
0:08:58 > 0:09:01so it's not unusual, it's just a bit colder than we'd like.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07The unpredictability of spring weather
0:09:07 > 0:09:09doesn't just affect flora and fauna -
0:09:09 > 0:09:11it also impacts on livestock.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13And nowhere more so than in the New Forest.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16At present, more than 9,000 cattle,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20donkeys and ponies graze on the land, and Jules has been finding out
0:09:20 > 0:09:22just how they're kept safe and well.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Animals are the lifeblood of what makes the entire region tick, and
0:09:27 > 0:09:28the park's famous ponies,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31well, many of them are now having their foals.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34So I've come to take a ride out with Agister Jonathan
0:09:34 > 0:09:38to see how the season is unfolding.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Agisters are the wardens of the forest,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43much like a rural police force.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47It's a post that has its origins in medieval times.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- ARCHIVE:- The Agisters are the smallest police force in the world,
0:09:55 > 0:09:56they've been called.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Still in their 18th-century uniform, they uphold the commoners' rights
0:10:00 > 0:10:04and see that the forest laws are observed.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08From time to time, owners and Agisters round up the cattle.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Not exactly Wild West cowboys as we know them,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13yet doing much the same job.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22The Agisters no longer wear formal uniforms,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25but they still collect fees from people who
0:10:25 > 0:10:28graze their livestock in the forest, known as commoners.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- So, you're the money-collector? - That's right.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- And that's been going on for centuries.- Absolutely.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37And in return for that payment,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39the Agisters are on call 24 hours a day,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42seven days a week, to deal with any issues,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45problems that the animals may give them, to any emergency situations.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47It's a difficult place to manage.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50How many acres is it, 90-odd thousand?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Yes, roughly within the perambulation
0:10:52 > 0:10:54is around about 90,000 acres.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57It's a large place, 5,000-odd ponies,
0:10:57 > 0:11:004,500 cattle, 200-plus donkeys.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04In the pannage season, when the pigs go out, 300 or 400 pigs,
0:11:04 > 0:11:05and five Agisters there.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08I was going to say five Agisters, of which you are one,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- do you each have your own patch? - Yes, that's right.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13That's how the Agisters work. We've got a sort of beat area,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16an area we're responsible for, and we will spend as much
0:11:16 > 0:11:20time as we can on our horses, in our vehicles, out looking at the stock.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Well, it's wonderful to get a chance to ride out on a beautiful
0:11:23 > 0:11:26spring day like this, in amongst the herd.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29- They're not bothered at all, are they?- Not worried at all.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33That's a real testament to the great nature of our New Forest ponies.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Well, I don't blame them for enjoying this very welcome
0:11:36 > 0:11:40spring sunshine, and hopefully some lusher grass soon to come.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Yes, it'll soon come through. The foals will be on the ground and then
0:11:43 > 0:11:45everything will be rosy for the summer.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Come on, let's leave them to it. Come on, then, Chip. Good boy.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Now, every year, more than 60,000 of us
0:11:55 > 0:12:00escape the urban sprawl to start a new life in the country,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04and this spring, Paul Martin and his family are going one step further
0:12:04 > 0:12:09and rounding off an ambitious plan to turn 27 acres in the West Country
0:12:09 > 0:12:12into a self-sufficient smallholding,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15and he's giving us his tips on how to live the country life.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Seven years ago, my wife Charlotte and I fell in love with
0:12:23 > 0:12:26a derelict cottage in the heart of Wiltshire...
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Come on, then, guys.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31..together with my seven-year-old son Dylan
0:12:31 > 0:12:34and my four-year-old daughter Meredith.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Hey!
0:12:36 > 0:12:38It's been a labour of love.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42We've had more than our fair share of leaky roofs and burst pipes.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49My only real regret is letting the three-year-old name the dog.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54- Come on, Woof. Come on. Woof! - HE WHISTLES
0:12:54 > 0:12:56But we've still got plenty of work to do.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58With the house almost finished,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02my plan this spring is to fulfil a dream and restore the fields
0:13:02 > 0:13:07and woodlands of this Victorian smallholding to their former glory.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17I absolutely love spring.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20When I was a kid, it was the season I looked forward to the most.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Winters out here can be terribly miserable and quite relentless,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26but when you see the first buds and blossoms
0:13:26 > 0:13:30and leaves arrive on the trees, it really lifts my spirits.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33It's a magical time of the year.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37But first, let me show you what I've done so far.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Well, this is our chicken enclosure and a bit of an orchard.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44We've got an old apple tree there.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47And this is our little veggie patch.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50I know it doesn't look like much at the moment.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Once this is planted up, it can feed a family of four for the year,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and Charlotte is in charge of this complete area, because I've got it
0:13:56 > 0:13:59wrong on more than one occasion, and I've been told off.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Come on, Woof.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07And then there's the lush green fields outside.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10At least they were lush and green once upon a time.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Now they're patchy, weedy or just plain muddy
0:14:13 > 0:14:16and the problem lies with our lawnmowers.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Horses are incredibly fussy eaters, munching around 2% of their own
0:14:21 > 0:14:26body weight in grass every day, but completely avoiding the weeds,
0:14:26 > 0:14:31and when spring has sprung, the fields are in a terrible state.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35What I need is a high-output ovine vegetation system,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37or sheep to you and me.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44There are 33 million sheep in Britain farmed for their meat
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and wool, but they're also excellent grazers,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50munching the weeds as well as the grass,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54so for this reason, my first mission is to take on my own flock
0:14:54 > 0:14:58and it's the perfect time of year to find some spring lambs.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01There are so many different variety of breeds out there,
0:15:01 > 0:15:05it's hard to know which one is right for my patch of land,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09so I'm going to meet a local sheep breeder, Adrian Andrews,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13who breeds a special heritage type of sheep.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21Like me, Adrian started out with horses. Then, seven years ago,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24he introduced Wiltshire Horn sheep to help with grazing.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29He's the perfect mentor to teach us how to care for a flock of sheep.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Thanks for inviting me over because I know you're a busy guy,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34- bang in the middle of lambing season.- Yeah, we are.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37- How's it going?- It's going good. We're coming to the end now.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39- Would you like to see our newest arrivals?- Yeah.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45If we do take some of Adrian's sheep, they won't be like these.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47They'll be year-olds or yearlings.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49- And here they are.- Yeah.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51But if you're a newbie to sheep farming like me,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54it's always best to start small.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- These are actually three weeks old. - Three weeks old.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Just ease the bottle gently into his mouth.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03- Oh, they take to it really well, don't they?- Yeah.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- Exactly.- "I'm hungry! I'm hungry. Feed me."
0:16:05 > 0:16:07- They are so cute, aren't they?- Yes.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09What was it about the Wiltshire Horn
0:16:09 > 0:16:10that attracted you in the first place?
0:16:10 > 0:16:14- They are a traditional breed. - There's history involved.- Yes.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16There's a lot of history, and the Wiltshire Horn sheep
0:16:16 > 0:16:20are a very, very good smallholder's sheep,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- because they are relatively low maintenance.- Yeah.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25They actually shed their fleeces.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28With a normal breed, you have to shear them,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32and it just means they are relatively easy to look after.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- Which is quite important if you've got a small flock.- Yes, it is.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40- How many have you got now? - I have actually got 66 ewes.- Wow!
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- And six rams.- Gosh.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47- I started off with a small number, same as you.- Do you know what?
0:16:47 > 0:16:50You're going to be a good mentor for me, a good role model.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51Well, I hope so.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56100 years ago, Wiltshire Horns, like so many other rare breeds,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59came close to extinction.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Revived in the 1920s by a group of local breeders,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05their numbers are now well on the rise.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08I've been so taken by these lovely creatures,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12I've decided I'm going to do my small part.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15So, Paul, you think you're prepared, ready to take some sheep?
0:17:15 > 0:17:18- Did we decide on a number in the end?- Four?- Four.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20That sounds fine to start, with four. Yeah?
0:17:20 > 0:17:23This is a very special moment, actually,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25because this is where it starts for me.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Adrian's a stickler for detail.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36He's given me a list of things to do in preparation for the sheep.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41I've been granted a parish holding certificate to keep
0:17:41 > 0:17:44track of the livestock, in case of disease, and I've been
0:17:44 > 0:17:49hard at work converting part of my land for our new animals.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Finally, the anxious wait is over.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57Today's the big day. Our mini flock of Wiltshire Horn arrive.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08- Hi, Adrian.- Hi, Paul. How are you? - Hello. I'm all right, thank you.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11- It's great to see you as well. - And who are these two, then?
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- This is Meredith and that's Dylan. - Hello, Meredith.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16And have you named yours yet, Meredith? Have you?
0:18:16 > 0:18:20- Baah-bie.- Baah-bie. That's a good 'un.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22- Shall we have a little look at these sheep, then?- Yeah.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Have a peep through the side of the trailer, look.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Can you see them in there?
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Gosh, they look a lot bigger than what I remember!
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Can you see their horns? Look at their horns, Meredith.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35I know.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Initially, the sheep will need to be contained within
0:18:37 > 0:18:42sections of electric fence so that their grazing can be rotated.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43That's pretty good, Adrian.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46With the Wiltshire Horns' new home plotted out,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49it's time to release them onto the pasture.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55There they go.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- PAUL CHUCKLES - Look at this, Dyl.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59- That wasn't too bad, was it?- No.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05I've been feeling rather nervous for the last few weeks,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07thinking about this non-stop, 24/7.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10And now they're here, I feel totally relaxed.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12They look very, very settled.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14They're grazing away, mowing the lawn.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16That's brilliant, isn't it?
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Now, one thing that we must do...
0:19:18 > 0:19:20I'd like to shake your hand.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- Oh, you've given me a fiver.- I have given you a fiver.- This gets better!
0:19:25 > 0:19:28With livestock, it's a little bit of a tradition that the person
0:19:28 > 0:19:30who has bought the livestock, you give them
0:19:30 > 0:19:33a little bit of luck money, so hopefully those sheep now
0:19:33 > 0:19:36will bring you plenty of luck and everything will go right with them.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Well, Adrian, that's the end to a perfect day.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Some people go to extraordinary lengths to capture
0:19:48 > 0:19:50the essence of spring,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54as I discovered when I visited the National Fruit Collection in Kent.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01Here they've got on this one site the largest display of fruit trees
0:20:01 > 0:20:05and plants anywhere in the world, which means that in springtime,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07this place is blossom heaven.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Known as the Queen of Apples for her encyclopaedic knowledge,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Dr Joan Morgan is Britain's leading fruit historian.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Joan has already chronicled in precise detail Britain's great
0:20:26 > 0:20:31range of apples and produced THE definitive reference book.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38Now she's almost completed a definitive work on pears.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41So far, it's taken more than 15 years.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Why has it taken so long to compile this book on pears?
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Well, there's so many hurdles in the way, you know.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56With pears, not every variety fruits well every year.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Sometimes you might just miss the moment
0:20:59 > 0:21:02when you should have collected the fruit.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04- So, a long-time labour of love, then?- Yes, yes, yes.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07I noticed that in your apple book you chose to have
0:21:07 > 0:21:10botanical illustrations rather than photographs.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14- Why is that?- Well, first of all, they're very beautiful.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16I mean, this produces a really lovely plate.
0:21:16 > 0:21:22And it's also possible to show different stages
0:21:22 > 0:21:24in the apple's development.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27You have it here as it is on the tree when it's picked
0:21:27 > 0:21:29and then as it is when it's perfectly ripe.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32I know you're going to do the same thing with the pear book
0:21:32 > 0:21:35cos I'm about to go and meet the illustrator.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39Yes, and perhaps you'd be kind enough to take with you
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- a sprig of blossom so that she can paint.- What have we got here?
0:21:42 > 0:21:46This is Onward. If I cut this just there, a little sprig.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- Thank you.- There we are. - I'll take this carefully
0:21:49 > 0:21:51- and give it to Elizabeth. - Thank you very much.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57'This sprig will join many other specimens that have already
0:21:57 > 0:22:02'been received by Elizabeth Dowle, a leading botanical illustrator.'
0:22:06 > 0:22:09- So, this is your studio?- Yes.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Obviously, a degree of urgency when the raw material first arrives.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Yes, it does put you under a bit of pressure, but as soon as
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Joan gives me the material, I make careful colour notes
0:22:19 > 0:22:22of all parts of the plants, and measurements,
0:22:22 > 0:22:27and any other characteristics that need to be noted.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30'The painstaking work of painting the process,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32'as blossom matures into fruit,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35'means a single plate can take more than two years to complete.'
0:22:35 > 0:22:39- Is this a finished plate here? - This is a finished plate, yes.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42This would show the fruit as you pick it.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45And that's the eating stage, when it's ripe.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49You've been painting pears now for 15 years or more.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- Do you get sick of them?- Not at all.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52Like a lot of people, I just thought
0:22:52 > 0:22:55all pears were yellow when I started,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59but the diversity and colour and shape is quite amazing.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Which goes for the blossom as well, to some extent.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05But, um...no, it's been quite an education.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09And also I get to eat them at the end, which is nice.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13The passing seasons in a humble pear orchard,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15so vividly depicted by Elizabeth,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18have now been captured forever in these beautiful pages.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Every year, blossom reminds us that winter is over,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27spring is here and summer is just around the corner.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Blossom time brings colour back into our natural world
0:23:31 > 0:23:35and it's just a fleeting moment in the great scale of things.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36All too quickly, it's gone.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47In the forager's calendar,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50few things are more seasonal than silver birch sap.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53So Margherita is discovering how to tap the tree
0:23:53 > 0:23:55for a springtime pick-me-up.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03This tree, the silver birch,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06provides one of the first harvests of the season,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10much to the delight of foragers on the hunt for the syrup
0:24:10 > 0:24:12they call white gold.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Deep within the West Sussex woodland,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19master distiller Sarah Thompson is hard at work.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22She's collecting sap from silver birch trees
0:24:22 > 0:24:25to turn botanicals into spirits.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29- Sarah, good to see you. - Hello, how are you doing?- I'm good.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32You seem busy, you've got jars all over this woodland.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35How do you know when the tree is ready to go, as it were?
0:24:35 > 0:24:37A bit of trial and error. Early indications will be
0:24:37 > 0:24:39daffodils coming through, snowdrops coming through,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42and then we tap a few trees and see what's happening.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44We have no control.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47And what window do you have to get the sap from the trees?
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Anything up to six weeks. So, from the start... But it can move.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53So it's all to do with when spring is kicking in,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55so this year it's been a little late.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58So we've harvested...probably only started a fortnight ago,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00but we have harvested as early as February.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02How much sap will each tree give you?
0:25:02 > 0:25:06- We like to try and get about five litres from a tree.- Five litres?!
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Yes, five litres. So a nice little demijohn full.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- Will that not finish off the tree? - No.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14When it starts to bud, we know we don't touch that tree any more.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17How many trees will you tap by hand?
0:25:17 > 0:25:20We've done 50 so far, and we'd like to be doing another 100.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- So you drill in, then what are we waiting for?- You can see now.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Oh, my goodness! It's literally... That's your liquid gold?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28It is my liquid gold, yes.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31So, when it's at this stage, we want to put a pipe in.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Then we put a bit of clay around the pipe
0:25:33 > 0:25:36to help stop the pipe from moving and also loss of sap as well.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Does it repair itself or do you have to help it out?
0:25:38 > 0:25:39We have to fill the hole back in.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43By leaving the hole open, you run the risk of infection
0:25:43 > 0:25:46in the tree and then that will also be an indicator of what tree
0:25:46 > 0:25:49we've used and we'll know next year not to go back to that tree as well.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52It might seem strange,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55but trees have long been harvested for their sap.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Native Americans were amongst the first to extract
0:25:58 > 0:26:00the sugary syrup from maple trees.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06And in Scotland, the sap is fermented to make a birch wine.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08In fact, Queen Victoria wrote
0:26:08 > 0:26:11it was Prince Albert's favourite tipple when visiting Balmoral.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18But we're making something even more potent with today's harvest.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Sarah turns her sap into alcohol,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24but it can be drunk directly from the tree.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28And it's gaining popularity as THE new health drink,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30bottled and sold as a spring detoxing elixir,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33known for its cleansing properties.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35This is this sap which we spent the morning harvesting?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37- That's right, yes. - And I can just drink it
0:26:37 > 0:26:39straight from the tree, as it were?
0:26:39 > 0:26:42You can. I've filtered it a little bit to remove any bugs.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47- So...- OK. But this is pretty raw. - Cheers.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49- I can just, down the hatch? - Yes, just drink it.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51It's literally just fresh water that's been filtered through
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- the tree, so you can't get better than that, really.- It's gorgeous!
0:26:54 > 0:26:55And then what happens to it?
0:26:55 > 0:26:59The next stage is, we're just reducing some down
0:26:59 > 0:27:01at the moment into a syrup.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04So, a litre of the raw sap becomes how much of this?
0:27:04 > 0:27:07We're looking at maybe 100ml, 200ml.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09- Wow!- From one litre. - That's a lot of work.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Yeah, we want a really concentrated flavour.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14- Have a try of this one. - Cheers again.- Cheers again.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20- That's sweeter.- A bit sweeter. - And is this how you sell it?
0:27:20 > 0:27:23No, this is only the beginning stages of what we're doing.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27- We only sell it as alcohol.- OK!
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Sarah's distillery is one of only a handful
0:27:31 > 0:27:35to use silver birch botanicals to infuse with gins, vodkas,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38and today, a rather robust vermouth.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Crikey! Oh, my goodness!
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Whoo!
0:27:44 > 0:27:45That is...
0:27:45 > 0:27:47What kind of proof is that?
0:27:47 > 0:27:50It's a good 50%. So just a little, tiny shot.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52It's early in the day, but, for you...
0:27:56 > 0:27:57Oh, my goodness!
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- Schnapps, really.- Wow!
0:28:01 > 0:28:03A bit of water and that will bring that back to life again.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- Oh, my God, that's a little bit good.- It's spicy.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Wow! How much can we make today to take home?
0:28:14 > 0:28:16And that's all we've got time for today,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18but we will be back again tomorrow.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21So please make a date in your diary to join us.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22Until then, bye-bye.