0:00:06 > 0:00:10Springtime, when the days lengthen and signs of change are everywhere.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12LAMBS BLEAT
0:00:13 > 0:00:15There's not a corner of the British Isles
0:00:15 > 0:00:18that doesn't warm to the arrival of spring.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21It's our most extraordinary season for one big reason -
0:00:21 > 0:00:25it's a time of astonishing growth and regeneration.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30From pond life to birdlife, from the scent of fresh blossom,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33to our smallest mammals reawakening after months of hibernation...
0:00:36 > 0:00:39..we'll be bringing you the most remarkable stories
0:00:39 > 0:00:41of this wonderful time of year.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Tales of survival, endurance and occasional indulgence.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Join us for this special week of programmes,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52as we celebrate the secrets of spring
0:00:52 > 0:00:54here on Countryfile Diaries.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Springtime gives the green light to the growing season.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19164,000 hectares of spring crops transform the British landscape.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Here in the New Forest at Hampshire, as well as the woodland,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27carpeted with bluebells and all the scenic beauty,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30almost a quarter of the national park
0:01:30 > 0:01:32is actually made up of farmland.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Fertile land, that provides a livelihood for 9,000 people
0:01:37 > 0:01:41who raise livestock and grow fruit, vegetables and salad crops.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45The team has been roving around the UK,
0:01:45 > 0:01:49ready to report on the spread of spring throughout the nation.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Jules is discovering there's a new kid on the block down on the farm -
0:01:53 > 0:01:57but could it be tantalising our taste buds this spring?
0:01:57 > 0:02:01- It's got half the saturated fat of chicken.- Has it?
0:02:01 > 0:02:05Margherita uncovers why spring is the busiest time of year
0:02:05 > 0:02:06for our turkey farmers...
0:02:07 > 0:02:10- LAUGHS:- That's so gorgeous!
0:02:10 > 0:02:13..and if, like Paul, your dream is living the country life,
0:02:13 > 0:02:18he'll be revealing the simple steps to keeping your own honeybees.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Here's the Queen.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22That is fantastic.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Making a living from the land can be tough.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28There are long hours, unpredictable returns,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31an often uncertain future.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Temperamental weather in the spring can add to a farmer's woes,
0:02:34 > 0:02:39but so too can a tiny little beetle that you've probably never heard of.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42But right now, a battle is going on in the arable fields
0:02:42 > 0:02:45between farmers and the pollen beetle.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Keeley tells us more.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07With a helping hand from science and technology, over the past 30 years,
0:03:07 > 0:03:12the British growing season has been extended by a phenomenal 29 days.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15But with this edible breakthrough
0:03:15 > 0:03:17comes additional challenges.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19No matter how hi-tech your farm is,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22the crops are still at the mercy of the weather...
0:03:24 > 0:03:27..and the weather in spring is notoriously unpredictable.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Different crops require different conditions
0:03:30 > 0:03:32at this changeable time of year.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37One crop that paints our countryside
0:03:37 > 0:03:41a vivid shade of yellow in springtime is oilseed rape,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44used to produce one of the best-quality vegetable oils
0:03:44 > 0:03:45on the market.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51For oilseed rape farmer James Wilmott,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55keeping an eye on temperature is vital to the survival of his crop -
0:03:55 > 0:03:58because when the weather warms to 15 degrees,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00a unwelcome visitor invades his farm.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04The prolific pollen beetle.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- Hello there, James.- Good morning. - What are you looking for in here?
0:04:07 > 0:04:10I am looking, this morning, for the pollen beetles,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13which are in the green buds on the oilseed rape plants.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15- Can you see there's one there? - Oh, yeah.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Right in the middle of the plant, there.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- A tiny little black, shiny beetle. - Absolutely.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23If we get too many of them, what they will do,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27they will bore into the green bud on the plant, as you see here.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Once the green bud has been bored into, the flower will not form.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35You'd end up with a stalk with nothing on it.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38It'd be just like that, with no flowers.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- You get no pod filled, you get no harvest.- So it's destroyed?
0:04:41 > 0:04:43It's totally destroyed.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46So what I'm doing at the moment, at this time of year,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48is walking the crops, looking at the different plants,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50different stages in the different fields,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52and counting the pollen beetles.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Each plant can sustain up to 15 beetles
0:04:56 > 0:04:59without doing too much damage to the crop.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02The problem lies with the timing of their invasion.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07The pollen beetle, as the name suggests, loves pollen.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09It's desperate to get this sweet treat,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13and it's not prepared to wait until the flowers have opened.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19If the weather warms to 15 degrees before the flowers have bloomed,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21then the pollen beetles will burrow into the buds themselves,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24killing the flower to steal their prize.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29With no flowers, there are no seeds, destroying the harvest.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32It must be very difficult,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35because the weather's so changeable at this time of year.
0:05:35 > 0:05:36The spring stops and starts,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38we go through a warm spell, then a cold spell -
0:05:38 > 0:05:40- that must be very difficult. - Absolutely.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42And that's why at this time of year
0:05:42 > 0:05:44I have to look at these fields everyday,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46because if you let these things get out of control,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49they will take the whole crop out in a couple of days.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51It's almost like a race against time, though.
0:05:51 > 0:05:52They both need the same conditions,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- and which one is going to win out? - Absolutely, yes.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58But once the flowers are formed, it's not a problem.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00They will actually help the pollination of the flowers.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02It spring quite a stressful time of year?
0:06:02 > 0:06:04It is a stressful time for most farmers,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06because it's a very busy time.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08We have so many different crops in the ground.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It's a very busy time for everyone on the farm.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- And this makes it even worse? - This is part of it, yes.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17That's why I have to go around them every day.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19So, what to do?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21The last defence against these prolific beetles
0:06:21 > 0:06:24is to spray the crop with pesticides -
0:06:24 > 0:06:28and it's not always kind to the environment or wildlife.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33What James and farmers like him need each spring
0:06:33 > 0:06:36is an accurate way to predict what will arrive first -
0:06:36 > 0:06:38flowers or beetles.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44With 2.3 million tonnes of oilseed rape growing in the UK,
0:06:44 > 0:06:47what can be done to help farmers like James?
0:06:47 > 0:06:50One woman thinks that she might have the answer.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Dr Sam Cook from Rothamsted Research,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57one of the world leaders in agricultural science,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59is looking at ways to help farmers
0:06:59 > 0:07:02predict the arrival of the pollen beetle.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- Hello, Sam. You all right?- Hi.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06Tell me about the project.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Migration is driven by wind speed,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11so they won't fly if it's a really blustery day, like today.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Mainly temperature.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17They like temperatures above 15 degrees and lots of nice sunshine.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- Fussy little devils, then? - Oh, absolutely, yes.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23So what exactly does the tool do, then?
0:07:23 > 0:07:25So we've got these monitoring traps here.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Pollen beetles are very attracted to the colour yellow
0:07:28 > 0:07:31and we know they're very attracted to the scent
0:07:31 > 0:07:33of the oilseed rape crop itself,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36so we've combined these two elements to develop this trap
0:07:36 > 0:07:39that will monitor pollen beetles very effectively,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41and this can help growers at the moment
0:07:41 > 0:07:43to look at the local movement.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Using these traps and detailed weather reports,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Sam is testing out an online tool to warn farmers of conditions
0:07:51 > 0:07:54that could spell a potential beetle attack.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58By identifying hot spots across Britain,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02farmers will know exactly where and when spraying is necessary
0:08:02 > 0:08:03before they lose their crop.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08So, it could be as easy as a farmer going online,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10"Yes, it's ready, they are migrating,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12"let's go and check the trap,
0:08:12 > 0:08:13"there's plenty in the trap,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15- "right, we know what we need to do now"?- Yes.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18So it will save growers a lot of time, effort,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21and hopefully save unnecessary and wasted sprays.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28Every crop requires something different from our spring weather,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30so the more farmers like James can predict
0:08:30 > 0:08:33these complex conditions at this crucial time of year,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36the better it'll be for the future of our food.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43It's hard to believe, isn't it,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45that a little beetle's search for something sweet
0:08:45 > 0:08:46can cause such trouble?
0:08:46 > 0:08:50But when our farmers do manage to grow their crops unscathed,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52it means that we, as consumers,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56can really enjoy their produce when it's in season.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59I did an investigation of my own a little while ago,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02to find out what the environmental benefits
0:09:02 > 0:09:04of eating seasonally really are.
0:09:07 > 0:09:1040 years ago, if you'd been shopping for fruit and veg in spring,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13your choice would have been fairly limited.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Today, there's endless choice, and it's relatively cheap.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21So when it comes to our food, does spring really matter any more?
0:09:23 > 0:09:25The fact that a lot of things are imported, well,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27maybe they should not be imported,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31and we should just see what we get in season and be happy with that.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34We've got very good farmland here, all over the countryside,
0:09:34 > 0:09:40and we can actually make our own food if we wanted to.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43I'm on my way now to meet Vernon Mascarenhas,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45who supplies seasonal fruit and vegetables
0:09:45 > 0:09:48to some of the finest hotels and restaurants in London,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52and he's convinced that eating seasonally is good for us.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58It's 8am and Vernon has deliveries to make
0:09:58 > 0:10:01to some of the most demanding chefs in the capital.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03- Good morning. - Good morning, nice to see you.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05What have you got on the van today, then?
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Right, well, this is what we harvested yesterday.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10So we have some black cabbage here, we have some Cheltenham beetroot,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13some Swiss chard, some red Swiss chard,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15and there we have some purple sprouting broccoli.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- Can I help you with the boxes? - Yes, yes, we'll take these.
0:10:18 > 0:10:19- Where are we going?- Just up here.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- So you believe in seasonal vegetables, then?- Absolutely.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24I work very closely with people like Henry,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26tell them what's coming in season
0:10:26 > 0:10:28and he'll have it on his menu the very next day.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30- So you serve seasonal stuff in the restaurant?- Always.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33The whole restaurant's driven by seasonality, nothing more.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36It's what brings in the changes in the menu.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38- Well, here's some black cabbage for you.- Fantastic.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- And some Cheltenham beetroot for you, as well.- Thanks a lot, Vernon.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43See you later, Henry. Bye.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Strawberries. - First of the English season.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00A lot of people can't wait till now for a strawberry, can they?
0:11:00 > 0:11:02- They want one at Christmas. - They don't taste of anything then.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05These are beautifully delicious English ones.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- They'll be on the table at lunchtime, will they?- Absolutely.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11- I know you're in a hurry to get them all delivered and everything.- Yeah.
0:11:11 > 0:11:12So how many London restaurants
0:11:12 > 0:11:15are going to be getting fresh seasonal food today?
0:11:15 > 0:11:17We'll do about 200 - but we don't just do restaurants,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20we do shops, as well, so people can come out and buy it.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- Hey, what have you got for me today? - Sanjay.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- Hey, Sanjay. There's strawberries. - Beautiful.- First of the season.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27First of the season, eh? Great. Anything else for me?
0:11:27 > 0:11:31I've got some sprouting broccoli, I've got some Swiss chard...
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Seasonal food champions like Vernon
0:11:34 > 0:11:38question shipping and supplies like these new potatoes from Egypt,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42which they believe are using up valuable water resources
0:11:42 > 0:11:44in an already dry region.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47For them, it's best to wait until we can grow our own.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50But eating seasonal food out of season
0:11:50 > 0:11:53doesn't necessarily mean shipping it from abroad.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56These days, we can extend our seasons here in the UK.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00July to October were always the months to eat tomatoes,
0:12:00 > 0:12:02but now vast heated greenhouses
0:12:02 > 0:12:05mean we can grow them between February and November.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09But in years to come, we may not have to heat greenhouses
0:12:09 > 0:12:12or fly in as much fruit and vegetables.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Global warming could make our choice of British produce
0:12:15 > 0:12:17look very different.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20These walnuts didn't grow in the South of France, or Turkey,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24or China, they grow here in this orchard in Kent.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- Could they be a crop of the future, do you think?- I hope so.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30That is what I believe and that's why I planted them.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34- And is it because the temperatures are rising a bit?- That's my bet.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38And with 14 acres of walnut trees reaching maturity,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41it's a bet he hopes will really come good.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44If all those scientists who believe in climate change
0:12:44 > 0:12:45are proved to be correct,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49well, that could open a whole new world of seasonal food
0:12:49 > 0:12:51here in this country - not just walnuts,
0:12:51 > 0:12:56but many of what we now consider to be a exotic fruits and vegetables
0:12:56 > 0:12:58could be home-grown all year round.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04For now, though, it's a choice between sticking to genuinely
0:13:04 > 0:13:07seasonal British food or paying the environmental price
0:13:07 > 0:13:09for the alternatives.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16One of the favourites on a springtime menu
0:13:16 > 0:13:18is, of course, lamb - but there is a meat
0:13:18 > 0:13:21which three quarters of the world's population eat
0:13:21 > 0:13:24but which we, the great British public,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26are only now are beginning to discover.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Jules has been to a farm that is ahead of the trend.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Five years ago, retired teachers Anne and Mike Roberts
0:13:48 > 0:13:51gave up life abroad to run a mixed livestock farm
0:13:51 > 0:13:53on the edge of the New Forest.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59In record time, they've transformed
0:13:59 > 0:14:03what was then an empty 40-acre field into what you see now -
0:14:03 > 0:14:08a vibrant smallholding complete with chickens, sheep, rare breed pigs...
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Hello, you lot.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11..and some goats.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16These aren't dairy goats, but a breed developed especially
0:14:16 > 0:14:18for their lean and healthy meat,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22tapping into a niche but growing market.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Look at this lot enjoying breakfast. - They are. They love it, yes.
0:14:25 > 0:14:26They all look very happy -
0:14:26 > 0:14:29and they do look as if they've done very well this winter.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31These goats are very striking.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- What breed are they?- They're Boer goats - B-O-E-R -
0:14:34 > 0:14:36- South African breed.- OK.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38They are bred specifically for meat.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42They actually grow a little bit more chunky than the dairy goats,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and that's why we keep them.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48The animals are just so fascinating, so curious,
0:14:48 > 0:14:53so naughty, so much fun that it makes it very much worthwhile.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04And Anne has certainly got her hands full with this year's arrivals.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07- I'm afraid they're very good at getting out of everything.- Hello.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- Not all of them.- Hello, you.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15- Hello, you. Is this what you're after?- Yes, I'm afraid it is.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17- Is this what you're after? - Come on, then.- Come on, then.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21- There we go. How about that, how about that?- Makes it look easy.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Doesn't it just? Doesn't it just?
0:15:23 > 0:15:26They are lovely animals, aren't they? As characters.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- How old is this kid now? - About three weeks.- Three weeks.- Yes.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32She is one of last year's kids,
0:15:32 > 0:15:38and she is nearly reaching the size that we would kill out at.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41It's all gone. It's all gone. It's just air in there at the moment.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43You'll get hiccups if you're not careful.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44This is your domain,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47but I gather Mike is in charge of the butchery side of it.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Yes, he is. I'm not at all involved in that, so...
0:15:50 > 0:15:52You'll have to talk to him about that.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Must be quite helpful, though, having that degree of separation,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57- I suppose.- Yes, it does.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59I try not to think about that too much and let him deal
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- with that side of it.- Yes, I can see why. You're all too cute.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05I won't say the word delicious because that would be wrong,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08wouldn't it? Right, then. Let's go and see Mike.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Butchering their goats on site
0:16:15 > 0:16:17allows Anne and Mike to sell their specialist meat
0:16:17 > 0:16:19straight from the farm.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25- Hello, Mike.- Hello there. - How are you?- Not too bad.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29I've just been with Anne and seen the start of the process
0:16:29 > 0:16:32but you're clearly very much involved in the final bit.
0:16:32 > 0:16:33That's right, yes.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Were you a fan of goat meat before you started to breed them?
0:16:37 > 0:16:40I had never eaten it before I started breeding them.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- You never had?- No. Actually a very mild, subtle taste.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45It looks incredibly lean.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50- It has got half the saturated fat of chicken.- Has it?
0:16:50 > 0:16:52And it's got a very, very low cholesterol.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56If you're going to continue eating red meat, then it's goat.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Go for goat. That, I obviously recognise as leg.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01That is a haunch of the leg, yes.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Compared to a leg of lamb, it's very similar, isn't it?
0:17:04 > 0:17:09Similar, apart from that leg would have a thin layer of fat
0:17:09 > 0:17:12- if it was one of my lambs. - How do you say to cook it again?
0:17:12 > 0:17:17- Low and slow. It does not like fierce heat.- Low and slow.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- Good advice. Cheers, mate.- OK.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Springtime is when new life begins,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31and for the entire livestock industry, it's a vital time.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33It's easy to forget
0:17:33 > 0:17:36when we're looking forward to all those celebrations
0:17:36 > 0:17:37at the other end of the year,
0:17:37 > 0:17:41that the preparations for them start right now in spring.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Margherita is looking into why spring is such a key time
0:17:45 > 0:17:47in our food calendar.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55This season is all about the baby boom.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59Leaping lambs, chicks finding their feed, ducklings learning to swim.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02And this lot, turkeys -
0:18:02 > 0:18:04but these aren't your average turkeys.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06These are some of the rarest in Britain.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10In fact, there are only ten rare varieties left here in the UK,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14and what I'm keen to find out is why the farmer who owns this site
0:18:14 > 0:18:18is so keen to save our traditional turkey.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21They look very tatty at the moment.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24For heritage breeders Ian and Brenda Waterman,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Christmas planning starts in spring.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29It's now they are at their busiest.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Ian, why is spring such an important time of year for you?
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Spring is when it all comes together.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36They mate, they give us eggs,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and we get young, and we can keep them going.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Ian's bright idea began just 12 years ago
0:18:42 > 0:18:46following a festive turkey feast that fell short on flavour.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49He and his wife, Brenda, decided they could do better
0:18:49 > 0:18:51by taking a more traditional approach
0:18:51 > 0:18:54to rearing turkeys year-round.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58All our birds will mate naturally, they rear their own young,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00they do everything for themselves.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02They will free-range given the opportunity.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05You can't do that with a commercial variety.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Half of the goodness of these birds comes from what they eat
0:19:10 > 0:19:12and being able to walk around and be free ranging.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14What makes them what they are.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Ian has spent more than a decade
0:19:16 > 0:19:19searching out Britain's remaining rare varieties.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Some had hit rock-bottom,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and now he's bringing them back from the brink.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Today, his farm is one of just two places in the UK
0:19:28 > 0:19:33where all our remaining heritage varieties can be found.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38The ones behind us, which are Buff turkeys, are very vulnerable.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42That's probably the biggest group of breeding Buff turkeys
0:19:42 > 0:19:45you'll find in the UK. Almost died out completely.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49We need to keep them.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51It is part of our rural heritage, you know,
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- and we need to keep it going.- And could I raise one of these at home?
0:19:55 > 0:19:58If you wanted to raise a turkey for Christmas,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00you should really only keep them in pairs or trios,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02because they are social animals.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07A small garden shed and a plot of land about 10x12
0:20:07 > 0:20:10would keep a pair going quite well.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15For Ian and Brenda, spring is their busiest time of year
0:20:15 > 0:20:18when chicks hatch and there are young to look after.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21With 150 breeding turkeys,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24they are expecting anywhere between 300 and 400 eggs
0:20:24 > 0:20:26to be laid this spring.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29The eggs are brought into a warm and dark environment
0:20:29 > 0:20:33to incubate for about 28 days until the fertile ones hatch.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37I can't believe I witnessed a live birth today.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39It is astounding, isn't it?
0:20:39 > 0:20:45- We see it quite often but it never ceases to amaze.- So gorgeous!
0:20:45 > 0:20:48He's a little bit camera shy.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59We know that the egg was laid on the first of the fourth.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03So far, 60 chicks have been born, but by the end of spring,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Ian expects to have around 250.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Ian, it was really incredible to see that little chick
0:21:09 > 0:21:13hatch into the world. That is what spring is all about, isn't it?
0:21:13 > 0:21:15It is, absolutely. New life, new beginnings.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23- So, about seven days old? - Just about seven days old.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25They very quickly fluff up
0:21:25 > 0:21:27from that bedraggled little thing that we saw,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29they very quickly fluff up into this.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32As you can see, this one is starting to put some feathers on already.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35By about six or eight weeks,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37they are getting a lot more feathers on
0:21:37 > 0:21:39and they're not quite as noisy, either.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41They are very, very vocal.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45He'll chirp away now until he gets back over there with his friends.
0:21:45 > 0:21:52They are very, very social and they thrive much better in larger groups.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Over the next seven months, these chicks will be raised outside
0:21:55 > 0:21:58until they reach table weight in time for Christmas,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01but all the work begins now in spring.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04TURKEY CHEEPS
0:22:06 > 0:22:10For me, the first sight of a honeybee is a sure sign
0:22:10 > 0:22:12that spring has arrived.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17Around three billion British bees are tended by amateur beekeepers
0:22:17 > 0:22:20and if like Paul Martin and his wife, Charlotte,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24you'd like to help swell the dwindling number of British bees,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27well, here's how you can.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30I live on a 27-acre smallholding with my family
0:22:30 > 0:22:33in the heart of Wiltshire.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35I've always wanted to make more of the land,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39so this spring, I'm on a quest to learn how to create
0:22:39 > 0:22:42a habitat for wildlife and produce food for the table.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51While I've been busy planting the beginnings of a traditional orchard
0:22:51 > 0:22:55and putting saplings for some of Wiltshire's rarest varieties,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57my wife, Charlotte, has been taking lessons
0:22:57 > 0:23:00in what has become a popular British hobby
0:23:00 > 0:23:04estimated to be worth up to £35 million each year
0:23:04 > 0:23:08in honey production - beekeeping.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11The honeybee population of Great Britain
0:23:11 > 0:23:14has plummeted by a third in just ten years.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18Now that's a worrying decline, so to help pollinate our new orchard
0:23:18 > 0:23:21and our other fruit trees that are in blossom,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Charlotte and I are going to keep our own beehive.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Luckily for us, master beekeeper Sally Wadsworth
0:23:27 > 0:23:30lives just down the road.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35At this time of year, you will be able to get a nucleus of bees.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38If it goes well, by midsummer, you could have as many as 50,000.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41- 50,000?- In a box.- In one box? - In one box.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46- Wow!- It's a little bit daunting, but it's exciting. So much to know.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49When will we get honey?
0:23:49 > 0:23:53You may get some this coming year but there won't be very much.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56You're really looking at next year before you can expect
0:23:56 > 0:23:58very much of a honey harvest.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01I think we'll get our suits on and get started, don't you?
0:24:01 > 0:24:02Yes, that will be great.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Bee stings are no laughing matter,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07so our new bee suits are a serious bit of kit -
0:24:07 > 0:24:09with one possible exception.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I think we are good to go. We just need our marigolds on.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Where are the marigolds, darling?
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Rubber gloves are perfect for protecting our hands
0:24:18 > 0:24:20when tending to bees.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Time for my first practical lesson in beekeeping.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25In order to check the health of the hive,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28we're going to take a glimpse inside.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29We're going to give them some smoke.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Would you like to do that, Charlotte?
0:24:31 > 0:24:33What does the smoker actually do?
0:24:33 > 0:24:35What effect will it have on the bees?
0:24:35 > 0:24:36The smoke seems to calm the bees.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40When bees lived in woodland and the forest fire was blazing away,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42the bees would fill up with nectar and honey
0:24:42 > 0:24:45from the hive ready to fly away.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48When they have filled up their honey stomachs with honey,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51they can't bend their tails quite so easily to sting us.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54It's not the smoke that makes them feel dizzy,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56it's the fact that they think they're in danger, there's a fire,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- they've got eat and they've got to escape.- Yes.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Right, now we're going to take the roof off.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Oh, wow! Look at that!
0:25:05 > 0:25:07We're going to check that we have a laying queen.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10The way we can do that, is seeing either eggs
0:25:10 > 0:25:13or actually finding the queen, which would be lovely.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15You can take that, Charlotte.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20Make sure you hold it over the hive in case there is a queen on it.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23How often do you inspect your hives?
0:25:23 > 0:25:28Roughly once a week during May to August during the swarm season.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Can you see any eggs or anything in here?
0:25:30 > 0:25:35- I can see some of the brood, little larvae in there.- No queen there.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38You can see there is pollen coming into the hive.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39If there's pollen,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42you can be fairly certain that all is well in the hive.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46I can smell honey. Do you know what?
0:25:46 > 0:25:48They are quite therapeutic, aren't they?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It's all as if it's in slow motion. Can I put it back?
0:25:51 > 0:25:53You can put it back.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- This one will probably have the queen on.- Looks the busiest.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04- Hopefully.- Here's the Queen.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07That is fantastic.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10She's a lot bigger, isn't she? Incredible.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15There are an estimated 274,000 beehives in the UK
0:26:15 > 0:26:20and the majority of these hives are kept by approximately 44,000
0:26:20 > 0:26:22amateur beekeepers.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26The thought of keeping our own bees and having fresh honey every year
0:26:26 > 0:26:29is pretty exciting, but there's still work to do.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32My first job is to find a suitable spot
0:26:32 > 0:26:36for our bee enclosure, or apiary, next to our new apple trees.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44There we are. That doesn't look too bad.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Willow cuttings have an amazing ability to re-root
0:26:47 > 0:26:51once they're planted in the ground, and hopefully, over time,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54this whole structure will become a living wall.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02The apiary will also keep animals and children away from the hive,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04but will encourage the bees to fly upwards
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and further away in search of pollen.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12With our empty hive fully assembled,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16it takes centre stage in the new apiary.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20A hive like this will set you back about £195.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Soon our resident bees will be helping to pollinate
0:27:23 > 0:27:26my heritage orchard.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28With the sun shining and with Sally's help,
0:27:28 > 0:27:33our queen and her colony are introduced to their new home.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Collectively, the healthy hive can produce 11kg of honey,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39more than enough for a family of four.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Time to sample last year's efforts.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46Well, Sally has gone and thankfully everything
0:27:46 > 0:27:48went smoothly with the bees.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50We've got some bees now, Meredith.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54And our honey, when we do get some, should taste like this.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58- Go on, then, let's try it. - Drink it!- Drink it!
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Mm, that's delicious.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04What do you think, Meredith? Yummy?
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Yeah, that's not bad, is it?
0:28:06 > 0:28:10What more can you say when someone is literally drinking it?
0:28:10 > 0:28:12I mean, that's a compliment.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Can't wait till next year when we're tasting our own.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16- No, I can't, actually. - That'll be amazing.- Yeah.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21That's all we've got time for today.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25Please do join us again tomorrow. Until then, goodbye.