0:00:06 > 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 > 0:01:21So, where better to base ourselves than here, in the New Forest,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23in 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 > 0:01:58- Wow!- Crikey!
0:01:58 > 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.
0:02:08 > 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 > 0:02:18Paul will be picking up the ultimate tips for running a smallholding.
0:02:18 > 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.
0:03:01 > 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 > 0:03:27so it's the perfect way to test its effect on me.
0:03:27 > 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 veterinary bird watcher Paul Toynton.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50And we'll be joined by members of a local wellbeing group
0:03:50 > 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 > 0:04:32It's a calming effect.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36It sort of makes you really appreciate the world around you.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37What about you, Jess?
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Because it's quite overwhelming in a way,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44it takes me away from other things that might be going on in my mind.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49Yeah, I think it's part of the modern disease where people
0:04:49 > 0:04:52just don't switch off, so you just listen for the birdsong
0:04:52 > 0:04:55and everything else sort of goes out the window.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00The evidence may seem anecdotal,
0:05:00 > 0:05:05but the use of birdsong is proving successful in a commercial setting.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Amsterdam airport plays it on loudspeakers, with 95%
0:05:08 > 0:05:12of commuters saying it makes them feel more calm and relaxed.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16It's even used over here in petrol station toilets,
0:05:16 > 0:05:21where customer satisfaction rose by 50%. That's all very well,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24but can the effect of birdsong on mood
0:05:24 > 0:05:27be measured in a more tangible way by my stress monitor?
0:05:27 > 0:05:30- Hi, there, Jess.- Hi, Keeley.- Hello.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34'Jess Hall from Cardiff University is downloading my results.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37'This device has been measuring how stressed or relaxed
0:05:37 > 0:05:39'I've been over the last couple of days.'
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Let's have a little look at the results.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45OK, so yesterday, we put you through some stressful experiences.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48And these are kind of typical everyday stresses that everybody
0:05:48 > 0:05:51- deals with as well.- Here...- Right. I was very stressed.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Do you have any idea what that might be?
0:05:53 > 0:05:54That was the boss ringing, wasn't it?
0:05:54 > 0:05:58It was your boss ringing, yes, so you can see that you steadily
0:05:58 > 0:06:00get more stressed throughout that phone call.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03So, how does this compare with how I was feeling this morning
0:06:03 > 0:06:05when I was listening to the dawn chorus?
0:06:05 > 0:06:09So, this morning, we can see quite a different shape.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Really different shape, yeah.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14So you see that it's a really, really low level,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17so, by comparison, when you're listening to the birds,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19you are five times less stressed
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- than you are when you're talking to your boss.- OK.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25From this, we can see that the birdsong had a very calming
0:06:25 > 0:06:27effect on you.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29So not only does it sound beautiful,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33but these results prove that it's made me feel less stressed.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Perhaps we all need a little bit of birdsong in our lives.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41And birdsong is a sure sign that spring is underway.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The lengthening days also bring a surge of life back
0:06:44 > 0:06:45to our flora as well,
0:06:45 > 0:06:49and one in particular could hold the key to treating a devastating
0:06:49 > 0:06:53disease, as James Wong discovered when he visited the Brecon Beacons.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59What do you think of when you think of Wales? It might be dragons.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02It could be male voice choirs. Nice!
0:07:02 > 0:07:06It might be rugby, which I was always a little bit rubbish at
0:07:06 > 0:07:12and, of course, there's always the sheep, but to me, as a confirmed
0:07:12 > 0:07:15plant geek, the one thing I think of is the humble daffodil.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23But there is more to this Welsh icon than meets the eye.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24Or in this case, the mind.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28The daffodil produces many chemicals,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30one of which is galantamine.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34The drug originally found in wild snowdrops combats
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Alzheimer's, the most common cause of dementia.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41But it's expensive and difficult to make.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46The Stephens family farmed predominately sheep
0:07:46 > 0:07:49until 2004, when they decided to try growing
0:07:49 > 0:07:53daffs as an alternative source of the drug.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57My son decided he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00and hill farming is not a really commercial,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03viable alternative going forward, so I was
0:08:03 > 0:08:07looking for diversification opportunities for a Welsh hill farm.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11We're off the beaten track, there's no passing trade, a farm shop
0:08:11 > 0:08:16wouldn't work, we needed a crop that had an industrial application.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18And presumably the conditions up here
0:08:18 > 0:08:20mean the things you can grow are quite limited.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23It's full of stones, high altitude, so it's cold -
0:08:23 > 0:08:27- not the easiest place to plough and cultivate.- You're absolutely right.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Some of the daffodil-growing experts I've spoken to consider me
0:08:31 > 0:08:34to be completely mad, but I'm not growing daffodils,
0:08:34 > 0:08:35I'm growing galantamine.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38What's the market like for the product?
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Currently, the market is worth about 8 billion.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45The problem with Alzheimer's disease is, it's increasing
0:08:45 > 0:08:49at a terrific rate and that's set to double in the next 20 years,
0:08:49 > 0:08:51then double again in the following 20 years.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Anything that can tackle those numbers has to be a good thing.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Galantamine is only found in a few varieties of daffodil
0:09:01 > 0:09:05and only in significant quantities when it's grown at altitude.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08This stresses the plant and causes it to produce the chemical.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15The smell of some of these varieties is really intoxicating.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19The thing is, though, I wouldn't be tempted to start knocking up
0:09:19 > 0:09:24a home remedy out of these, because they are extremely toxic.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Armed with my daffodils, I'm off to a trial site
0:09:28 > 0:09:32high in the Brecon Beacons to meet Professor Trevor Walker.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34His research has gone a long way in treating
0:09:34 > 0:09:40some of the 465,000 people affected by Alzheimer's in the UK.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47It looks like we've got a picnic set up here, Trevor.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49What are we going to do?
0:09:49 > 0:09:52We're going to squeeze some juice out of them
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and take that juice back for filtration.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57So you were already looking for
0:09:57 > 0:10:00the presence of galantamine in different plants.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02What sort of sparked off that hunt?
0:10:02 > 0:10:07We had a eureka moment when the wife of one of my colleagues was
0:10:07 > 0:10:10diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 58
0:10:10 > 0:10:15and we decided we'd do something about it. We'd make galantamine
0:10:15 > 0:10:18available as an anti-Alzheimer's drug.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20We've got a lovely collection.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22- Look at that! - That's absolutely perfect.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25You'd never think that that kind of bit of plant juice would contain
0:10:25 > 0:10:29such an important drug that can really transform people's lives.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Now, for the first time,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35the daffodils fields are able to commercially supply galantamine.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Currently, people like Keith Warward get the drug elsewhere.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43How do you think you'd feel if you didn't take the medication?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47My quality of life would drop a lot.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- I would forget things in a big way. - Mm-hm.
0:10:52 > 0:10:58Now...it's just one or two things that I get wrong.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02So how do you take the galantamine? Is it a pill or is it an injection?
0:11:02 > 0:11:05- No, it's a pill. It's only a little thing, about that big.- OK. Right.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09So a single pill a day has this huge impact on your life.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Oh, it's unbelievable! Unbelievable.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15The work that these guys are doing, growing all of these daffodils,
0:11:15 > 0:11:17you'd think they just look pretty,
0:11:17 > 0:11:19but it's so important to so many people.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21It is. Especially me!
0:11:21 > 0:11:23THEY LAUGH
0:11:29 > 0:11:34You might think you'd need to trek into the Amazon or to the heart
0:11:34 > 0:11:38of Siberia to find botanical cures for major diseases, but who
0:11:38 > 0:11:41would've thought the humble daff would be such a giant
0:11:41 > 0:11:46at treating a debilitating disease that affects so many people?
0:11:50 > 0:11:53And the real beauty of this project is that it doesn't just help
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Alzheimer's sufferers.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59It could also be a way of sustaining some of our hill farmers
0:11:59 > 0:12:00for generations to come.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Now, one thing we can all rely on is the changing of the seasons.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09After the long, dark days of winter,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11spring is nature's alarm clock,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14bringing everything back to life, and it happens every year
0:12:14 > 0:12:17like clockwork and, Keeley, you're our weather expert.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Why does that happen? Why do we get spring?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21It's all to do with the solar system,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25the Earth's position in relation to the sun.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27You can see the Earth is on a tilt
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and it's that tilt that creates the seasons,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33so in spring, the northern hemisphere,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36our part of the world, begins to tilt towards the sun, and that's
0:12:36 > 0:12:40what makes longer days, temperatures rise - the miracle of spring.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42And how does that affect our spring weather, then?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45I mean, here, in the New Forest, in our back gardens, everywhere.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Let me put the world down and welcome you to the British Isles.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53- Oh! Did you do this? - I did indeed.- Very good.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Now, we are an island, so that has a huge effect on our weather.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59One other major factor is this.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02- Catch.- What, this blue ribbon? - Exactly.- Aha.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04- Now, this ribbon... - What does this represent, then?
0:13:04 > 0:13:08So, this ribbon is the jet stream, which is like a ribbon of
0:13:08 > 0:13:12fast-moving air, strong winds, high up in the atmosphere,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16going around 200mph at times. Now, the jet stream is the dividing line
0:13:16 > 0:13:19between mild air to the south, cold air to the north,
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- and it's a conveyor belt steering our weather.- Right.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26So, what happens if it comes down south?
0:13:26 > 0:13:29So if the jet stream is to the south of the UK, that means cold
0:13:29 > 0:13:34Arctic and Pole air can flow over us, which means colder weather.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36- Here you go.- This white blossom, then,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39- representing a cold air... - Absolutely.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43- ..right across our country.- Perhaps even a little bit of snow and ice.
0:13:43 > 0:13:49- Yes.- Now, if the jet stream moves to the north of the UK...- Yeah.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53..that's going to let all the mild air from the Continent pull up
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and push across the UK, which means it's going to be milder.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Some blossom...
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Sprinkle a bit of sunshine and very pleasant weather...
0:14:02 > 0:14:05- The kind of spring weather we like. - ..around the UK.- There you go.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07And if the jet stream gets stuck in either of those positions,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11that's when we get extreme weather - extremely warm, extremely cold -
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- and that's what's going to make the headlines.- Right.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16So where is this jet stream this spring?
0:14:16 > 0:14:21Well, John, the jet stream varies in location. No two years are the same.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23It has a bit of a mind of its own,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26but through March and April, it has been cooler than average.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29It hasn't always, though, been to the south of the UK.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- Tell me, do you remember Easter weekend?- Oh, awful weekend!
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Horrible, stormy weekend.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Storm Katie. And that's because the jet stream was
0:14:36 > 0:14:40slung across the UK, steering the weather systems, the storms across
0:14:40 > 0:14:44us, but, yeah, spring has been a little bit cooler, March and April.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46April was very cold.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49It was, yeah, but even last year, we had snow warnings in May
0:14:49 > 0:14:52so it's not unusual, it's just a bit colder than we'd like.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56So why is it, then, that no two springs are alike?
0:14:56 > 0:14:59You're not the first person to be confounded by that question, John.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03In fact, it led to the creation of a whole new science 300 years ago,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06a science that's used today.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19So why does spring vary so much,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23at times creeping in and at others, bursting into life?
0:15:24 > 0:15:28This mystery became an obsession for one remarkable man who made it
0:15:28 > 0:15:32his life's work to track the changes in spring.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38How nature responds to these changes is known as phenology.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Robert Marsham was the founding father.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46And three centuries on, Kate Lewthwaite from the Woodland Trust
0:15:46 > 0:15:48is continuing his work.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- Hello, Kate.- Hello.- You've chosen a nice spot here for us.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53So, tell me, who was Robert Marsham?
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Robert Marsham was an estate owner who lived in the 1700s
0:15:57 > 0:15:59and he was a bit of a nutter.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03He was absolutely passionate about growing trees on his estate.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07He's most well known for what he calls his 27 indications of spring.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09- And that's what you've got on this paper here.- It is, yes.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12So what kind of things was he recording, then?
0:16:12 > 0:16:15We've got some hawthorn leafing dates between February and
0:16:15 > 0:16:19the end of April, and I notice that behind you there's a nice hawthorn.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23We've got some flowers, we've got snowdrop here, swallows appearing,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26and he was one of the first people to start recording in this way.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28He was really passionate about it.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31What do you think Marsham would make of the fact that you're still
0:16:31 > 0:16:33recording his indications?
0:16:33 > 0:16:35I think he'd be thrilled that we were still taking it
0:16:35 > 0:16:38so seriously and thrilled that his own family continued with
0:16:38 > 0:16:40these records right up to the 1950s.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Marsham tracked the earliest and latest appearance of these signs.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47What may have seemed insignificant to him
0:16:47 > 0:16:48is hugely significant to us now.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52What we've seen is that different groups of species are changing
0:16:52 > 0:16:53their timings at different rates,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56so the most responsive are the insects
0:16:56 > 0:16:59and their activity in the spring is up to three weeks early.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Trees and flowers, it's up to about two weeks early,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05and birds have only really changed their breeding
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and nesting behaviour by about a week.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Despite the work done by Marsham,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13there are still mysteries to be solved about the arrival of spring.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18So I'm heading to Wytham Woods in Oxfordshire.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22It's one of the most-studied stretches of woodland in the world.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27This is a hi-tech, living laboratory where scientists
0:17:27 > 0:17:31from Oxford University study how climate affects the natural world.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34First off, I'm meeting Ella Cole.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36She's monitoring how birds,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40and specifically tits, are dealing with the changing season.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43These birds rely on the spring abundance of caterpillars in the
0:17:43 > 0:17:47woods to ensure their new chicks have plenty of food when they hatch.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54It's something like 10,000 caterpillars that they need to...
0:17:54 > 0:17:56- Per chick?- Per brood that is.- OK.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59In the space of two weeks, so just with two adult birds,
0:17:59 > 0:18:00that's quite a lot.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03That's pretty much constant foraging back and forth.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06The tits have to time the hatching of their eggs exactly with
0:18:06 > 0:18:09the arrival of the caterpillars.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12They actually have to predict this peak in caterpillars,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15when that's going to occur, about three weeks in advance,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18because that's when they'll make the decision to start laying,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21so we're really interested in knowing what cues
0:18:21 > 0:18:24they're using from their environment to decide when to start.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27As well as taking cues from temperature and day length,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Ella believes that the birds keep an eye on the oak tree buds.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33If the tits can see when the oak leaves are emerging,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36they can work out when the caterpillars will appear too.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39It's basically a very important link.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41The caterpillars are feeding on
0:18:41 > 0:18:43the newly emerged leaves of the oak trees,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45and the tits are feeding on the caterpillars,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49so if anything kind of goes wrong with any of those steps,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51then it'll affect the others.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54All of these species support each other, don't they? It's crucial...
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Well, timing is crucial for this.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59So, this spring could be a bit of a strange one,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02because the caterpillars have actually hatched earlier than
0:19:02 > 0:19:06they probably should do, because the oak buds are not very developed.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- Will that have a knock-on effect, then?- It could do.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11It's a bit of a waiting game for you at the moment.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Yeah, so we're keeping an eye on the oaks. Yeah, we'll wait and see.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19It seems our wildlife should be in tune with
0:19:19 > 0:19:24the seasons as they swing round, but this doesn't always go to plan.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29This year, we had a mild winter,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33so how has that impacted on the woodland creatures?
0:19:33 > 0:19:37Marc Brouard is checking on this season's woodmice.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40What have we got here, then?
0:19:40 > 0:19:42- We've got a little rodent caught in here.- Right.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47All I'm looking for now is to make sure he's not hiding under the door.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Oh! Oh, he's a lot bigger than I thought he would be!
0:19:53 > 0:19:59- Hello, little guy. I'm saying "guy", is it a guy?- We'll have a look.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Well, that's definitely a male. You can probably see that.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04We're just going to weigh him.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06So that's...27g.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Is that average? About normal?
0:20:08 > 0:20:11That's about average. He's a good weight.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13As well as weighing the wood mouse,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Marc takes some interesting measurements.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20All I'm going to measure is the anal genital distance.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- And what information does that give you?- He's in breeding condition.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30He's looking for mates. And that's 19.7.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32What is their breeding season? When do they start breeding?
0:20:32 > 0:20:37- They start breeding March, April, normally.- You say normally.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42Normally. Yes, this population hasn't stopped breeding all winter.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45It's quite possibly the warm weather we've been having.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48So this could mean that there's lots of baby mice this year, then?
0:20:48 > 0:20:51No, it just means it can be quite frustrated males at the moment.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55- Right. Let's go and release him, then.- Yes, definitely.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02There you go, little man. Good luck!
0:21:06 > 0:21:08It's through years of research in these woods that
0:21:08 > 0:21:11we're understanding more and more about how
0:21:11 > 0:21:14wildlife stirs in time with nature's wake-up call.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Although spring's arrival may be shifting, incredibly,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20nature continues to adapt.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24We may have 300 years of records, but it's clear, there are still
0:21:24 > 0:21:28many mysteries to be uncovered behind this miracle awakening.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44The New Forest comes alive in spring.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48At present, more than 6,000 cattle, donkeys and ponies graze on the
0:21:48 > 0:21:52land, and Jules has been finding out how they're been kept safe and well.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Animals are the lifeblood of what makes the entire region tick, and
0:21:56 > 0:21:58the park's famous ponies,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00well, many of them are now having their foals.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03So I've come to take a ride out with agister Jonathan
0:22:03 > 0:22:07to see how the season is unfolding.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Agisters are the wardens of the forest,
0:22:10 > 0:22:12much like a rural police force.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16It's a post that has its origins in medieval times.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24The agisters are the smallest police force in the world,
0:22:24 > 0:22:26they've been called.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Still in their 18th-century uniform, they uphold the commoners' rights
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and see that the forest laws are observed.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37From time to time, owners and agisters round up the cattle.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Not exactly Wild West cowboys as we know them,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42yet doing much the same job.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51The agisters no longer wear formal uniforms,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54but they still collect fees from people who
0:22:54 > 0:22:57graze their livestock in the forest, known as commoners.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- So, you're the money-collector? - That's right.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04- And that's been going on for centuries.- Absolutely.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06And in return for that payment,
0:23:06 > 0:23:08the agisters are on call 24 hours a day,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11seven days a week, to deal with any issues,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14problems that the animals may give them, to any emergency situations.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17It's a difficult place to manage.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19How many acres is it, 90-odd thousand?
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Yes, roughly within the perambulation
0:23:21 > 0:23:23is around about 90,000 acres.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27It's a large place, 5,000-odd ponies,
0:23:27 > 0:23:304,500 cattle, 200-plus donkeys.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33In the pannage season, when the pigs go out, 300 or 400 pigs,
0:23:33 > 0:23:34and five agisters there.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I was going to say five agisters, of which you are one,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- do you each have your own patch? - Yes, that's right.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43That's how the agisters work. We've got a sort of beat area,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45an area we're responsible for, and we will spend as much
0:23:45 > 0:23:49time as we can on our horses, in our vehicles, out looking at the stock.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Many people probably think the forest looks after itself,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54but it does, of course, take careful management.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57How important a role do the animals play in that?
0:23:57 > 0:23:59It is totally man-made and man-managed
0:23:59 > 0:24:02and the biggest management tool we have are the animals themselves.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05By turning animals out to graze, large numbers of animals over this
0:24:05 > 0:24:09wide area, we create this unique habitat that is the New Forest.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12What does spring really mean to you in your day-to-day life?
0:24:12 > 0:24:15You get days like today, things are starting to dry up,
0:24:15 > 0:24:16grass is starting to grow,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19I'll soon see a foal out on the ground and that's just fabulous.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21New life. It's all starting again.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Well, it's wonderful to get a chance to ride out on a beautiful
0:24:24 > 0:24:27spring day like this, in amongst the herd.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- They're not bothered at all, are they?- Not worried at all.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33That's a real testament to the great nature of our New Forest families.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Well, I don't blame them for enjoying this very welcome
0:24:36 > 0:24:41spring sunshine, and hopefully some lusher grass soon to come.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Yes, it'll soon come through. The foals will be on the ground and then
0:24:44 > 0:24:46everything will be rosy for the summer.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Come on, let's leave them to it. Come on, then, Chip. Good boy.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Now, every year, more than 60,000 of us
0:24:56 > 0:25:00escape the urban sprawl to start a new life in the country,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04and this spring, Paul Martin and his family are going one step further
0:25:04 > 0:25:09and rounding off an ambitious plan to turn 27 acres in the West Country
0:25:09 > 0:25:12into a self-sufficient smallholding,
0:25:12 > 0:25:16and he's giving us his tips on how to live the country life.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24Seven years ago, my wife Charlotte and I fell in love with
0:25:24 > 0:25:27a derelict cottage in the heart of Wiltshire...
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Come on, then, guys.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32..together with my seven-year-old son Dylan
0:25:32 > 0:25:35and my four-year-old daughter Meredith.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Hey!
0:25:37 > 0:25:38It's been a labour of love.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42We've had more than our fair share of leaky roofs and burst pipes.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50My only real regret is letting the three-year-old name the dog.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- Come on, Woof. Come on. Woof! - HE WHISTLES
0:25:55 > 0:25:57But we've still got plenty of work to do.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59With the house almost finished,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03my plan this spring is to fulfil a dream and restore the fields
0:26:03 > 0:26:07and woodlands of this Victorian smallholding to their former glory.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17I absolutely love spring.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21When I was a kid, it was the season I looked forward to the most.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Winters out here can be terribly miserable and quite relentless,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27but when you see the first buds and blossoms
0:26:27 > 0:26:31and leaves arrive on the trees, it really lifts my spirits.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33It's a magical time of the year.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38But first, let me show you what I've done so far.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Well, this is our chicken enclosure and a bit of an orchard.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45We've got an old apple tree there.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And this is our little veggie patch.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50I know it doesn't look like much at the moment.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Once this is planted up, it can feed a family of four for the year,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57and Charlotte is in charge of this complete area, because I've got it
0:26:57 > 0:27:00wrong on more than one occasion, and I've been told off.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Come on, Woof.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08And then there's the lush green fields outside.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10At least they were lush and green once upon a time.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Now they're patchy, weedy or just plain muddy
0:27:13 > 0:27:16and the problem lies with our lawnmowers.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21Horses are incredibly fussy eaters, munching around 2% of their own
0:27:21 > 0:27:27body weight in grass every day, but completely avoiding the weeds,
0:27:27 > 0:27:32and when spring has sprung, the fields are in a terrible state.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36What I need is a high-output ovine vegetation system,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38or sheep to you and me.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45There are 33 million sheep in Britain farmed for their meat
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and wool, but they're also excellent grazers,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51munching the weeds as well as the grass,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54so for this reason, my first mission is to take on my own flock
0:27:54 > 0:27:59and it's the perfect time of year to find some spring lambs.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02There are so many different variety of breeds out there,
0:28:02 > 0:28:06it's hard to know which one is right for my patch of land,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10so I'm going to meet a local sheep breeder, Adrian Andrews,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14who breeds a special heritage type of sheep.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21Like me, Adrian started out with horses. Then, seven years ago,
0:28:21 > 0:28:25he introduced Wiltshire Horn sheep to help with grazing.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29He's the perfect mentor to teach us how to care for a flock of sheep.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Thanks for inviting me over because I know you're a busy guy,
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- bang in the middle of lambing season.- Yeah, we are.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37- How's it going?- It's going good. We're coming to the end now.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- Would you like to see our newest arrivals?- Yeah.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46If we do take some of Adrian's sheep, they won't be like these.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48They'll be year-olds or yearlings.
0:28:48 > 0:28:49- And here they are.- Yeah.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52But if you're a newbie to sheep farming like me,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54it's always best to start small.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57- These are actually three weeks old. - Three weeks old.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Just ease the bottle gently into his mouth.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03- Oh, they take to it really well, don't they?- Yeah.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- Exactly.- "I'm hungry! I'm hungry. Feed me."
0:29:06 > 0:29:08- They are so cute, aren't they?- Yes.
0:29:08 > 0:29:09What was it about the Wiltshire Horn
0:29:09 > 0:29:11that attracted you in the first place?
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- They are a traditional breed. - There's history involved.- Yes.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17There's a lot of history, and the Wiltshire Horn sheep
0:29:17 > 0:29:21are a very, very good smallholder's sheep,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24- because they are relatively low maintenance.- Yeah.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26They actually shed their fleeces.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29With a normal breed, you have to shear them,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33and it just means they are relatively easy to look after.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- Which is quite important if you've got a small flock.- Yes, it is.
0:29:36 > 0:29:41- How many have you got now? - I have actually got 66 ewes.- Wow!
0:29:41 > 0:29:44- And six rams.- Gosh.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48- I started off with a small number, same as you.- Do you know what?
0:29:48 > 0:29:50You're going to be a good mentor for me, a good role model.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Well, I hope so.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57100 years ago, Wiltshire Horns, like so many other rare breeds,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59came close to extinction.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Revived in the 1920s by a group of local breeders,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06their numbers are now well on the rise.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09I've been so taken by these lovely creatures,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12I've decided I'm going to do my small part.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16So, Paul, you think you're prepared, ready to take some sheep?
0:30:16 > 0:30:19- Did we decide on a number in the end?- Four?- Four.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21That sounds fine to start, with four. Yeah?
0:30:21 > 0:30:23This is a very special moment, actually,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26because this is where it starts for me.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32She's just about to give birth.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38I've not seen that before.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42That really does sum up spring, doesn't it? And it's a happy ending.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44They're both all right, and that was so exciting.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Adrian's a stickler for detail.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00He's given me a list of things to do in preparation for the sheep.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06I've been granted a parish holding certificate to keep
0:31:06 > 0:31:09track of the livestock, in case of disease, and I've been
0:31:09 > 0:31:14hard at work converting part of my land for our new animals.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Finally, the anxious wait is over.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22Today's the big day. Our mini flock of Wiltshire Horn arrive.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33- Hi, Adrian.- Hi, Paul. How are you? - Hello. I'm all right, thank you.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- It's great to see you as well. - And who are these two, then?
0:31:35 > 0:31:38- This is Meredith and that's Dylan. - Hello, Meredith.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41And have you named yours yet, Meredith? Have you?
0:31:41 > 0:31:44- Baah-bie.- Baah-bie. That's a good 'un.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47- Shall we have a little look at these sheep, then?- Yeah.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50Have a peep through the side of the trailer, look.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Can you see them in there?
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Gosh, they look a lot bigger than what I remember!
0:31:55 > 0:31:57Can you see their horns? Look at their horns, Meredith.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59I know.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Initially, the sheep will need to be contained within
0:32:02 > 0:32:06sections of electric fence so that their grazing can be rotated.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08That's pretty good, Adrian.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11With the Wiltshire Horns' new home plotted out,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14it's time to release them onto the pasture.
0:32:18 > 0:32:19There they go.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22- PAUL CHUCKLES - Look at this, Dyl.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24- That wasn't too bad, was it?- No.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29I've been feeling rather nervous for the last few weeks,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32thinking about this non stop, 24/7.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34Now they're here, I feel totally relaxed.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36They look very, very settled.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39They're grazing away, mowing the lawn.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40That's brilliant, isn't it?
0:32:40 > 0:32:42Now, one thing that we must do...
0:32:42 > 0:32:44I'd like to shake your hand.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49- Oh, you've given me a fiver.- I have given you a fiver.- This gets better!
0:32:49 > 0:32:52With livestock, it's a little bit of a tradition that the person
0:32:52 > 0:32:55who has bought the livestock, you give them
0:32:55 > 0:32:57a little bit of luck money, so hopefully those sheep now
0:32:57 > 0:33:00will bring you plenty of luck and everything will go right with them.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03Well, Adrian, that's the end to a perfect day.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09If you are interested in keeping your own sheep,
0:33:09 > 0:33:14then a yearling ewe will set you back about £170.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16With very little fuss or maintenance,
0:33:16 > 0:33:20out in the paddock night and day this spring,
0:33:20 > 0:33:24these fantastic little beasts will keep the fields lush and green.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Isn't that a fantastic sight?
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Sunlit, end of the day.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Spring has finally arrived on our land for the first time
0:33:33 > 0:33:35in about ten years since I've lived here.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38The kids love it. That is a brilliant sight.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Some people go to extraordinary lengths to capture
0:33:44 > 0:33:46the essence of spring,
0:33:46 > 0:33:50as I discovered when I visited the National Fruit Collection in Kent.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58Here, they've got on this one site the largest display of fruit trees
0:33:58 > 0:34:02and plants anywhere in the world, which means that in springtime,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04this place is blossom heaven.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13Known as the Queen of Apples for her encyclopaedic knowledge,
0:34:13 > 0:34:17Dr Joan Morgan is Britain's leading fruit historian.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20People wanting to know more about their fruit trees bring her
0:34:20 > 0:34:23apples and pears to identify, and today, she is taking me on
0:34:23 > 0:34:27a blossom walk through some of the nearly 4,000 fruit varieties
0:34:27 > 0:34:29here at Brogdale.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33This year has been a fantastic year for blossom, hasn't it?
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Yes, yes, it's wonderful. It's looking beautiful now.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39These, they're all ornamental, not the ones that produce edible apples,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42but the ones that'll produce apples you can make crab apple jelly from.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- They certainly produce wonderful flowers.- Yes, yes.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52Joan has already chronicled in precise detail Britain's great
0:34:52 > 0:34:56range of apples and produced THE definitive reference book.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03Now she's almost completed a definitive work on pears.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06So far, it's taken more than 15 years.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Why has it taken so long to compile this book on pears?
0:35:13 > 0:35:17Well, there's so many hurdles in the way, you know.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21With pears, not every variety fruits well every year.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Sometimes you might just miss the moment
0:35:24 > 0:35:27when you should have collected the fruit.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- So, a long-time labour of love, then?- Yes, yes, yes.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32I noticed that in your apple book you chose to have
0:35:32 > 0:35:36botanical illustrations rather than photographs.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39- Why is that?- Well, first of all, they're very beautiful.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42I mean, this produces a really lovely plate.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47And it's also possible to show different stages
0:35:47 > 0:35:50in the apple's development.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52You have it here as it is on the tree when it's picked
0:35:52 > 0:35:55and then as it is when it's perfectly ripe.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57I know you're going to do the same thing with the pear book
0:35:57 > 0:36:00cos I'm about to go and meet the illustrator.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Yes, and perhaps you'd be kind enough to take with you
0:36:04 > 0:36:07- a sprig of blossom so that she can paint.- What have we got here?
0:36:07 > 0:36:12This is Onward. If I cut this just there, a little sprig.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14- Thank you.- There we are. - I'll take this carefully
0:36:14 > 0:36:17- and give it to Elizabeth. - Thank you very much.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22'This sprig will join many other specimens that have already
0:36:22 > 0:36:28'been received by Elizabeth Dowle, a leading botanical illustrator.'
0:36:32 > 0:36:36- Hello, Elizabeth.- Hello. - Hi, busy sketching there?- Yes.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38- What is it?- This is a Williams pear.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40I thought it looked familiar.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41And here's another one,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44this is an Onward from Joan for you to sketch.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50At her studio in East Sussex,
0:36:50 > 0:36:52blossom samples are stored in the fridge
0:36:52 > 0:36:55to prolong the fleeting moment Elizabeth has
0:36:55 > 0:36:58to record their ephemeral beauty.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- So, this is your studio?- Yes.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Obviously, a degree of urgency when the raw material first arrives.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Yes, it does put you under a bit of pressure, but as soon as
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Joan gives me the material, I make careful colour notes
0:37:12 > 0:37:15of all parts of the plants, and measurements,
0:37:15 > 0:37:19and any other characteristics that need to be noted.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22'The painstaking work of painting the process,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25'as blossom and matures into fruit,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28'means a single plate can take more than two years to complete.'
0:37:28 > 0:37:32- Is this a finished plate here? - This is a finished plate, yes.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35This would show the fruit as you pick it.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38And that's the eating stage, when it's ripe.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42You've been painting pears now for 15 years or more.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44- Do you get sick of them?- Not at all.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Like a lot of people, I just thought
0:37:46 > 0:37:48all pears were yellow when I started,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52but the diversity and colour and shape is quite amazing.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Which goes for the blossom as well, to some extent.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59But, um...no, it's been quite an education.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02And also I get to eat them at the end, which is nice.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06The passing seasons in a humble pear orchard,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08so vividly depicted by Elizabeth,
0:38:08 > 0:38:12have now been captured for ever in these beautiful pages.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Every year, blossom reminds us that winter is over,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20spring is here and summer is just around the corner.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Blossom time brings colour back into our natural world
0:38:24 > 0:38:28and it's just a fleeting moment in the great scale of things.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30All too quickly it's gone.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40In the forager's calendar,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43few things are more seasonal than silver birch sap.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46So Margherita is discovering how to tap the tree
0:38:46 > 0:38:48for a springtime pick-me-up.
0:38:55 > 0:38:56This tree, the silver birch,
0:38:56 > 0:38:59provides one of the first harvests of the season,
0:38:59 > 0:39:03much to the delight of foragers on the hunt for the syrup
0:39:03 > 0:39:05they call white gold.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Deep within the West Sussex woodland,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12master distiller Sarah Thompson is hard at work.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15She's collecting sap from silver birch trees
0:39:15 > 0:39:18to turn botanicals into spirits.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22- Sarah, good to see you. - Hello, how are you doing?- I'm good.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25You seem busy, you've got jars all over this woodland.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28How do you know when the tree is ready to go, as it were?
0:39:28 > 0:39:30A bit of trial and error. Early indications will be
0:39:30 > 0:39:33daffodils coming through, snowdrops coming through,
0:39:33 > 0:39:35and then we tap a few trees and see what's happening.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37We have no control.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40And what window do you have to get the sap from the trees?
0:39:40 > 0:39:44Anything up to six weeks. So, from the start... But it can move.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46So it's all to do with when spring is kicking in,
0:39:46 > 0:39:48so this year it's been a little late.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51So we've harvested...probably only started a fortnight ago,
0:39:51 > 0:39:53but we have harvested as early as February.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56How much sap will each tree give you?
0:39:56 > 0:39:59- We like to try and get about five litres from a tree.- Five litres?!
0:39:59 > 0:40:01Yes, five litres. So a nice little demijohn full.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04- Will that not finish off the tree? - No.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07When it starts to bud, we know we don't touch that tree any more.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10So, how long would it take to get five litres from this tree?
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- Within a day. - And you just drill into the tree?
0:40:13 > 0:40:14Yeah, let me show you.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18OK, so I've already pre-marked a spot that I'm going to go for.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Want to be making a hole at about a 45-degree angle.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24- And it doesn't damage it?- No, as long as you treat it carefully.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27So, how many trees will you tap by hand?
0:40:27 > 0:40:30We've done 50 so far and we'd like to be doing another 100.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33- So you drill in, then what are we waiting for?- You can see now.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Oh, my goodness! It's literally... That's your liquid gold?
0:40:36 > 0:40:38It is my liquid gold, yes.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41So, when it's at this stage, we want to put a pipe in.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Then we put a bit of clay around the pipe
0:40:43 > 0:40:46to help stop the pipe from moving and also loss of sap as well.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Does it repair itself or do you have to help it out?
0:40:48 > 0:40:50We have to fill the hole back in.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53By leaving the hole open, you run the risk of infection
0:40:53 > 0:40:56in the tree and then that will also be an indicator of what tree
0:40:56 > 0:40:59we've used and we'll know next year not to go back to that tree as well.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02It might seem strange,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05but trees have long been harvested for their sap.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08Native Americans were amongst the first to extract
0:41:08 > 0:41:10the sugary syrup from maple trees.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16And in Scotland, the sap is fermented to make a birch wine.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18In fact, Queen Victoria wrote
0:41:18 > 0:41:22it was Prince Albert's favourite tipple when visiting Balmoral.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29But we're making something even more potent with today's harvest.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- We've picked this tree. - Wow, that looks full.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36That's about a day's harvest. Next stop, back to the distillery.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38- OK, lead the way.- OK.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42Sarah turns her sap into alcohol,
0:41:42 > 0:41:45but it can be drunk directly from the tree.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49And it's gaining popularity as THE new health drink,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51bottled and sold as a spring detoxing elixir,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53known for its cleansing properties.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56This is this sap which we spent the morning harvesting?
0:41:56 > 0:41:58- That's right, yes. - And I can just drink it
0:41:58 > 0:42:00straight from the tree, as it were?
0:42:00 > 0:42:03You can. I've filtered it a little bit to remove any bugs.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07- So...- OK. But this is pretty raw. - Cheers.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09- I can just down the hatch? - Yes, just drink it.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12It's literally just fresh water that's been filtered through
0:42:12 > 0:42:15- the tree, so you can't get better than that, really.- It's gorgeous!
0:42:15 > 0:42:17One of the things the birch sap is really good for
0:42:17 > 0:42:19- is your digestive system.- OK.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21So it's really good for your kidneys,
0:42:21 > 0:42:23if you've got gallstones, all sorts of different things,
0:42:23 > 0:42:27- so it's very much a spring elixir, I'd say.- Then what happens to it?
0:42:27 > 0:42:31The next stage is, we're just reducing some down
0:42:31 > 0:42:32at the moment into a syrup.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36So, a litre of the raw sap becomes how much of this?
0:42:36 > 0:42:38We're looking at maybe 100ml, 200ml.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- Wow!- From one litre. - That's a lot of work.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Yeah, we want a really concentrated flavour.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46- Have a try of this one. - Cheers again.- Cheers again.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52- That's sweeter.- A bit sweeter. - And is this how you sell it?
0:42:52 > 0:42:56No, this is only the beginning stages of what we're doing.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59- We only sell it as alcohol.- OK!
0:43:01 > 0:43:03Sarah's distillery is one of only a handful
0:43:03 > 0:43:07to use silver birch botanicals to infuse with gins, vodkas,
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and today, a rather robust vermouth.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Crikey! Oh, my goodness! That is...
0:43:16 > 0:43:19What kind of proof is that?
0:43:19 > 0:43:22It's a good 50%. So just a little tiny shot.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24It's early in the day, but, for you...
0:43:27 > 0:43:29Oh, my goodness!
0:43:30 > 0:43:32- Schnapps, really.- Wow!
0:43:32 > 0:43:35A bit of water and that will bring that back to life again.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38- Oh, my God, that's a little bit good.- It's spicy.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Wow! How much can we make today to take home?
0:43:47 > 0:43:50And that's all we've got time for today, but we will be back again
0:43:50 > 0:43:54tomorrow when, among the entries in our Countryfile diary,
0:43:54 > 0:43:58we'll be meeting a man who can not only see and smell spring,
0:43:58 > 0:43:59he can taste it as well.
0:43:59 > 0:44:04The dawn chorus is exactly like eating melted green wine gums.
0:44:04 > 0:44:07And Margherita reports on a one-man crusade
0:44:07 > 0:44:09to make the countryside accessible for all.
0:44:09 > 0:44:13One of the best wildlife spectacles anywhere in the world.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15And you can get right on top of it
0:44:15 > 0:44:17and it's a walk in the park to do it.
0:44:17 > 0:44:21So, please make a date in your diary to join us. Until then, bye-bye.