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 tons 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 hotspots 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 > 0:09:37and we can actually make our own food if we wanted to.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41As long as it's on the shelf, I'm happy with it -
0:09:41 > 0:09:43but we live in a global economy
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and I'm afraid that there's 8 million of us in London,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48and we all need a bit of food in the evening.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54I'm on my way now to meet Vernon Mascarenhas,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56who supplies seasonal fruit and vegetables
0:09:56 > 0:09:59to some of the finest hotels and restaurants in London,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03and he's convinced that eating seasonally is good for us.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08It's 8am and Vernon has deliveries to make
0:10:08 > 0:10:12to some of the most demanding chefs in the capital.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- Good morning. - Good morning, nice to see you.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15What have you got on the van today, then?
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Right, well, this is what we harvested yesterday.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21So we have some black cabbage here, we have some Cheltenham beetroot,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24some Swiss chard, some red Swiss chard,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26and there we have some purple sprouting broccoli.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- Can I help you with the boxes? - Yes, yes, we'll take these.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30- Where are we going?- Just up here.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- So you believe in seasonal vegetables, then?- Absolutely.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I work very closely with people like Henry,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37tell them what's coming in season
0:10:37 > 0:10:39and he'll have it on his menu the very next day.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41- So you serve seasonal stuff in the restaurant?- Always.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44The whole restaurant's driven by seasonality, nothing more.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47It's what brings in the changes in the menu.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49- Well, here's some black cabbage for you.- Fantastic.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52- And some Cheltenham beetroot for you, as well.- Thanks a lot, Vernon.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53See you later, Henry. Bye.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05- So, what next, Vernon?- So, we've got our fantastic asparagus.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- Oh, fresh asparagus! - The first of the season.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10But isn't it a bit old-fashioned, don't you think,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12to be waiting for the seasons?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14When we can get food any time, anywhere, from any place now?
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Yes, but I think it's lovely. The anticipation.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20So for eight weeks a year, we have asparagus, then that's it,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22we have to wait a whole year again for any more.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24- Nothing like the taste of British asparagus.- Absolutely.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Here you go, Matt, here's your asparagus.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27There we are.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- Strawberries. - First of the English season.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40A lot of people can't wait till now for a strawberry, can they?
0:11:40 > 0:11:42- They want one at Christmas. - They don't taste of anything then.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45These are beautifully delicious English ones.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47- They'll be on the table at lunchtime, will they?- Absolutely.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50- I know you're in a hurry to get them all delivered and everything.- Yeah.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52So how many London restaurants
0:11:52 > 0:11:55are going to be getting fresh seasonal food today?
0:11:55 > 0:11:57We'll do about 200 - but we don't just do restaurants,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00we do shops, as well, so people can come out and buy it.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02- Hey, what have you got for me today? - Sanjay.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- Hey, Sanjay. There's strawberries. - Beautiful.- First of the season.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07First of the season, eh? Great. Anything else for me?
0:12:07 > 0:12:11I've got some sprouting broccoli, I've got some Swiss chard...
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Seasonal food champions like Vernon
0:12:14 > 0:12:18question shipping and supplies like these new potatoes from Egypt,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22which they believe are using up valuable water resources
0:12:22 > 0:12:24in an already dry region.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27For them, it's best to wait until we can grow our own.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30But eating seasonal food out of season
0:12:30 > 0:12:33doesn't necessarily mean shipping it from abroad.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36These days, we can extend our seasons here in the UK.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40July to October were always the months to eat tomatoes,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42but now vast heated greenhouses
0:12:42 > 0:12:45mean we can grow them between February and November.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49But in years to come, we may not have to heat greenhouses
0:12:49 > 0:12:52or fly in as much fruit and vegetables.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Global warming could make our choice of British produce
0:12:55 > 0:12:57look very different.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00These walnuts didn't grow in the South of France, or Turkey,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03or China, they grow here in this orchard in Kent.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07- Could they be a crop of the future, do you think?- I hope so.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10That is what I believe and that's why I planted them.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14- And is it because the temperatures are rising a bit?- That's my bet.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18And with 14 acres of walnut trees reaching maturity,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21it's a bet he hopes will really come good.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24If all those scientists who believe in climate change
0:13:24 > 0:13:25are proved to be correct,
0:13:25 > 0:13:29well, that could open a whole new world of seasonal food
0:13:29 > 0:13:31here in this country - not just walnuts,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36but many of what we now consider to be a exotic fruits and vegetables
0:13:36 > 0:13:38could be home-grown all year round.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44For now, though, it's a choice between sticking to genuinely
0:13:44 > 0:13:47seasonal British food or paying the environmental price
0:13:47 > 0:13:49for the alternatives.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56One of the favourites on a springtime menu
0:13:56 > 0:13:58is, of course, lamb - but there is a meat
0:13:58 > 0:14:01which three quarters of the world's population eat
0:14:01 > 0:14:04but which we, the great British public,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06are only now are beginning to discover.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Jules has been to a farm that is ahead of the trend.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Five years ago, retired teachers Anne and Mike Roberts
0:14:28 > 0:14:31gave up life abroad to run a mixed livestock farm
0:14:31 > 0:14:33on the edge of the New Forest.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39In record time, they've transformed
0:14:39 > 0:14:43what was then an empty 40 acre field into what you see now -
0:14:43 > 0:14:48a vibrant smallholding complete with chickens, sheep, rare breed pigs...
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Hello, you lot.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51..and some goats.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56These aren't dairy goats, but a breed developed especially
0:14:56 > 0:14:58for their lean and healthy meat,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01tapping into a niche but growing market.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05- Look at this lot enjoying breakfast. - They are. They love it, yes.
0:15:05 > 0:15:06They all look very happy -
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and they do look as if they've done very well this winter.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11They haven't done too badly.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13They always have to have the shelter, of course.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16- They are not as hardy as sheep. - It is curious.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18I think many of us would assume that goats are bombproof,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22super hardy animals that can cope with almost any weather
0:15:22 > 0:15:23- and any conditions.- Yeah, you do.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26You see them all on the mountains in all sorts of weathers -
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- but these, definitely not. - These goats are very striking.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- What breed are they?- They're Boer goats - B-O-E-R -
0:15:32 > 0:15:34- South African breed.- OK.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36They are bred specifically for meat.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41They actually grow a little bit more chunky than the dairy goats,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43and that's why we keep them.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Now this winter, of course, has been horrendously wet -
0:15:45 > 0:15:48and just when we thought we had got through the worst of it,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Storm Katie whipped through here a few weeks ago.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55- It was a very nasty night. We lost six lambs that night.- Did you?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57And we didn't lose the goat shed,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59because that had blown down in February in another storm.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03- You have to look on the positives, don't you?- You do.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06There are some bad times, very sad things happening,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10but there's also things being born all the time
0:16:10 > 0:16:12and very magical moments
0:16:12 > 0:16:17and the animals are just so fascinating, so curious,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21so naughty, so much fun that it makes it very much worthwhile.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32And Anne has certainly got her hands full with this year's arrivals.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- I'm afraid they're very good at getting out of everything.- Hello.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Not all of them.- Hello, you.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- Hello, you. Is this what you're after?- Yes, I'm afraid it is.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- Is this what you're after? - Come on, then.- Come on, then.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- There we go. How about that, how about that?- Makes it look easy.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Doesn't it just? Doesn't it just?
0:16:52 > 0:16:54They are lovely animals, aren't they? As characters.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58- How old is this kid now? - About three weeks.- Three weeks.- Yes.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00And when will you...kill them out?
0:17:00 > 0:17:03That is closer to a year.
0:17:03 > 0:17:04Ten months to a year, really.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07This is one of last year's kids,
0:17:07 > 0:17:12and she is nearly reaching the size that we would kill out at.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13It's all gone. It's all gone.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15It's just air in there at the moment.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17You'll get hiccups if you're not careful.
0:17:17 > 0:17:18This is your domain,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21but I gather Mike is in charge of the butchery side of it.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Yes, he is. I'm not at all involved in that, so...
0:17:24 > 0:17:26You'll have to talk to him about that.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Must be quite helpful, though, having that degree of separation,
0:17:29 > 0:17:30- I suppose.- Yes, it does.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32I try not to think about that too much
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- and let him deal with that side of it.- Yes, I can see why.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37You're all too cute.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39I won't say the word, delicious, because that would be wrong,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43wouldn't it? Right then. Let's go and see Mike.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Butchering their goats on site
0:17:49 > 0:17:51allows Anne and Mike to sell their specialist meat
0:17:51 > 0:17:53straight from the farm.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- Hello, Mike.- Hello, there. - How are you?- Not too bad.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08I've just been with Anne and seen the start of the process
0:18:08 > 0:18:11but you're clearly very much involved in the final bit.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12That's right, yes.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Were you a fan of goat meat before you started to breed them?
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I had never eaten it before I started breeding them.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- You never had?- No. Actually a very mild, subtle taste.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24It looks incredibly lean.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29- It has got half the saturated fat of chicken.- Has it?
0:18:29 > 0:18:32And it's got a very, very low cholesterol.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36If you're going to continue eating red meat, then it's goat.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Go for goat. That, I obviously recognise as leg.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41That is a haunch of the leg, yes.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Compared to a leg of lamb, it's very similar, isn't it?
0:18:44 > 0:18:49Similar, apart from that leg would have a thin layer of fat
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- if it was one of my lambs. - How do you say to cook it again?
0:18:52 > 0:18:56- Low and slow. It does not like fierce heat.- Low and slow.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- Good advice. Cheers, mate.- OK.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03And if you're looking for ideas for how to cook your choice cut,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Anita Rani has just the ticket later in the show.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Springtime is when new life begins,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15and for the entire livestock industry, it's a vital time.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17It's easy to forget
0:19:17 > 0:19:20when we're looking forward to all those celebrations
0:19:20 > 0:19:21at the other end of the year,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25that the preparations for them start right now in spring.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Margherita is looking into why spring is such a key time
0:19:29 > 0:19:31in our food calendar.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38This season is all about the baby boom.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43Leaping lambs, chicks finding their feed, ducklings learning to swim.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46And this lot, turkeys -
0:19:46 > 0:19:48but these aren't your average turkeys.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50These are some of the rarest in Britain.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54In fact, there are only ten rare varieties left here in the UK,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58and what I'm keen to find out is why the farmer who owns this site
0:19:58 > 0:20:02is so keen to save our traditional turkey.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04They look very tatty at the moment.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08For heritage breeders Ian and Brenda Waterman,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Christmas planning starts in spring.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13It's now they are at their busiest.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Ian, why is spring such an important time of year for you?
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Spring is when it all comes together.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19They mate, they give us eggs,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23and we get young, and we can keep them going.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Ian's bright idea began just 12 years ago
0:20:25 > 0:20:30following a festive turkey feast that fell short on flavour.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33He and his wife, Brenda, decided they could do better
0:20:33 > 0:20:35by taking a more traditional approach
0:20:35 > 0:20:38to rearing turkeys year-round.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40To do that, they had to start from scratch.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44And did you have experience of raising turkeys
0:20:44 > 0:20:46before you started on this project?
0:20:46 > 0:20:48It was a very steep learning curve
0:20:48 > 0:20:50and I learnt that we could have gone out
0:20:50 > 0:20:53and bought some commercial birds and done it,
0:20:53 > 0:20:55but I really wanted to do the traditional.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00All our birds will mate naturally, they rear their own young,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04they do everything. They will free range given the opportunity.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07You can't do that with a commercial variety.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Half of the goodness of these birds comes from what they eat
0:21:11 > 0:21:14and being able to walk around and be free ranging.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16What makes them what they are.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17Ian has spent more than a decade
0:21:17 > 0:21:21searching out Britain's remaining rare varieties.
0:21:21 > 0:21:22Some had hit rock bottom,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and now he's bringing them back from the brink.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Today, his farm is one of just two places in the UK
0:21:29 > 0:21:33where all our remaining heritage varieties can be found.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35We have all ten varieties of turkey
0:21:35 > 0:21:40that are on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust endangered list.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42There are very few people doing what we do.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48The ones behind us which are Buff turkeys are very vulnerable.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52That's probably the biggest group of breeding Buff turkeys
0:21:52 > 0:21:55you'll find in the UK. Almost died out completely.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00We believe that the only way to keep the breeds going
0:22:00 > 0:22:04is to develop a viable market for them. We need to keep them.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08It is part of our rural heritage, you know,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11- and we need to keep it going.- And could I raise one of these at home?
0:22:11 > 0:22:13How big is your back garden?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19How much space would I need to raise one of these?
0:22:19 > 0:22:21If you wanted to raise a turkey for Christmas,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23you should really only keep them in pairs or trios,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25because they are social animals.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30A small garden shed and a plot of land about 10x12
0:22:30 > 0:22:33would keep a pair going quite well.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38For Ian and Brenda, spring is their busiest time of year
0:22:38 > 0:22:41when chicks hatch and there are young to look after.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43With 150 breeding turkeys,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47they are expecting anywhere between 300 and 400 eggs
0:22:47 > 0:22:49to be laid this spring.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52The eggs are brought into a warm and dark environment
0:22:52 > 0:22:56to incubate for about 28 days until the fertile ones hatch.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01I can't believe I witnessed a live birth today.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03It is astounding, isn't it?
0:23:03 > 0:23:08- We see it quite often but it never ceases to amaze.- He's gorgeous.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11He's a little bit camera shy.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22We know that the egg was laid on the first of the fourth.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26So far, 60 chicks have been born, but by the end of spring,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Ian expects to have around 250.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Ian, it was really incredible to see that little chick
0:23:33 > 0:23:35hatch into the world. That is what spring is all about, isn't it?
0:23:35 > 0:23:39It is, absolutely. New life, new beginnings.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46- So, about seven days old? - Just about seven days old.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47They very quickly fluff up
0:23:47 > 0:23:50from that bedraggled little thing that we saw,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52they very quickly fluff up into this.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56As you can see, this one is starting to put some feathers on already.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58By about six or eight weeks,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00they are getting a lot more feathers on
0:24:00 > 0:24:02and they're not quite as noisy, either.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03They are very, very vocal.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08He'll chirp away now until he gets back over there with his friends.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13They are very, very social and they thrive much better in larger groups.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Over the next seven months, these chicks will be raised outside
0:24:18 > 0:24:21until they reach table weight in time for Christmas,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23but all the work begins now in spring.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25TURKEY CHEEPS
0:24:30 > 0:24:34As the seasons turn, our spirits lift with the first hint of sunshine
0:24:34 > 0:24:39and what can be better than a true taste of spring in the open air.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45In Cambridge, Anita discovered an unconventional way of cooking
0:24:45 > 0:24:50outdoors with restaurant owner and food writer Tim Hayward.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53- Hi, Tim.- How are you doing? - My chariot.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- Oh, this is brilliant. Right. - Climb in.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- What's on the menu?- We've got goat. - Lead the way. Off we go.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06That is how you light a fire.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08We're cooking our piece of English goat
0:25:08 > 0:25:10on an Argentinian style wire frame.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16Being in your garden with a fire, I'm just instantly taken back
0:25:16 > 0:25:20to being in India at the age of seven and this is the smell,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22this is the feel, there's a fire going on outside,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24there's food about to be prepared outdoors
0:25:24 > 0:25:26and there's something just so...
0:25:26 > 0:25:27That's the strange thing.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30If you root it in the family, suburban garden,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33why aren't we all doing it with our families?
0:25:33 > 0:25:36We should, we should do it with what you've got,
0:25:36 > 0:25:37make it up as you go along,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39but get your hands dirty, get involved.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43- Tim, let's honour this goat. - Honour the goat.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46There are, definitely, plenty of cultures that have eaten it
0:25:46 > 0:25:49for a long time and still do.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Young goat meat is similar to veal.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52When male calves and kids are born,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54they are no use to the dairy industry
0:25:54 > 0:25:56and so go into the meat market instead.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58As the demand for goat milk produce increases,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Tim thinks it's time to make more
0:26:00 > 0:26:02of one of the industry's most valuable by-products.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04If we can convince people -
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and it's not even a tough job, once you start eating it -
0:26:06 > 0:26:09to convince people this stuff is just like good lamb,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11just like good mutton,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14then we save all of those animals and they get used.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16They don't get ground up and fed to other animals.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21- That's how it should be.- It makes sense.- Makes loads of sense to me.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24With the rack of goat fixed to the frame, it's time to get cooking.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27So you've just attached a goat-hanger.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30- Oh, gosh!- I'm sorry. - Yes, that's what I've done.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Sorry, you must stop me from bleating on.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39- That's it.- And so it begins. - It's going to be a long, long day.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43- OK.- Hook under there.- Yep.- Right, you hold the top, there.- Got it.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- I'll link this up to the chain. - God, isn't this fantastic?
0:26:46 > 0:26:49- It's bonkers, isn't it? - I've never done anything like it.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Why not just stick it on a barbecue? What is all this contraption about?
0:26:53 > 0:26:54That's about controllability.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57It pivots there, we can lower it down over the fire.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59You've got the thicker piece of meat at the top,
0:26:59 > 0:27:00the thinner piece at the bottom.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03A lovely fat layer on the back and we'll just lower it down
0:27:03 > 0:27:05and then we'll be able to control, easily, right the way through
0:27:05 > 0:27:09the cooking process exactly what the temperature is.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12We'll watch carefully as it goes down.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15- We don't want to burn anything. - Got it?- I've got it.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19We leave the meat to its own devices for an hour or so,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22giving Tim time to whip up some seasonal sides...
0:27:28 > 0:27:30We season the goat with saltwater brine.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32It also moistens it, stops it burning.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35It is also the perfect way of seasoning meat.
0:27:35 > 0:27:36- Look at how we're cooking.- I know.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Why not just chuck saltwater on it and season it?
0:27:40 > 0:27:42..and check the temperature.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46- 42.- 42. OK, for rare and we want to be 56.6,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49so we're doing pretty well right there.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58There's just one more ingredient needed -
0:27:58 > 0:28:01friends and family to share our taste of spring.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02This is not an elegant cutting -
0:28:02 > 0:28:05but did you see how John did all the work at the butcher's first?
0:28:05 > 0:28:09Careful not to burn your fingers. There you go, guys.
0:28:09 > 0:28:10Is that delicious?
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Oh, Tim. Delicious. I'm not just saying it.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21This goat is gorgeous.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25I've never had it cooked this way before, and it's sublime.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28It is just home-grown, British goat, bit of salt,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32- cooked in the outdoors, do it yourself.- Can't argue with that.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34I'm sold.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39- It's delicious, absolutely delicious.- Our work here is done.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Here in the New Forest,
0:28:44 > 0:28:4926 miles of spectacular coast lie beyond the park's ancient woodlands.
0:28:49 > 0:28:50With both surf and turf,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53springtime here offers an abundance of food for free.
0:28:55 > 0:28:56Keeley is out foraging,
0:28:56 > 0:29:00but what should she be looking for at this time of year?
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Our coastline and woodlands have been used by people
0:29:03 > 0:29:07to gather up wild foods for thousands of years.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10I'm meeting a man who is continuing this tradition
0:29:10 > 0:29:13by foraging for the best that Mother Nature has to offer.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18And I've been told he'll be able to find me some springtime delights
0:29:18 > 0:29:21here on the coast to make a seasonable seasonal side dish.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Professional forager Gary Eveleigh
0:29:23 > 0:29:27supplies local restaurants with freshly gathered wild foods.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31- Hello there, Gary.- Ah, Keeley. - What have you got in your hand?
0:29:31 > 0:29:33- That looks nice.- This is sea beet.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35It's the grandaddy of all the beets,
0:29:35 > 0:29:39so it is basically wild sea spinach and it's absolutely delicious.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41It's really quite meaty, quite substantial, isn't it?
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Yes, and a great flavour.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46I always thought that foraging was more of an autumn activity,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- but you've got a basket full and it's spring.- I love spring.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Spring is just like, wow! Because all your plants are coming good.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54So there is plenty to get in spring, then?
0:29:54 > 0:29:55Oh, well, we could pick all day long.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59Obviously you have to gain the landowner's permission.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03So, there is edible stuff all around you. You just don't realise.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07Literally, you're in amongst wild fennel as we speak.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09Don't pick it too close to the footpath,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12because although this isn't a busy footpath,
0:30:12 > 0:30:14- people do use it with dogs.- OK.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17- Be aware of dogs weeing on your salad.- Absolutely.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Go down the bank and pick a nice big frond of that green one.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25- Ah, yeah, that smells great.- If you like aniseed, just chew a piece.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28- Yes. Do you eat the stalk or the leaf?- You can eat all of it
0:30:28 > 0:30:32when it's this young, just have a little nibble. It's delicious.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35- That has got such a flavour, hasn't it?- It's fantastic, isn't it?
0:30:35 > 0:30:40- As we go along, dandelion. - You can eat dandelions?
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Dandelions are nice when they're young
0:30:43 > 0:30:46but I actually prefer using just the petals. They're delicious.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49- And also just brightens it up a little bit.- Absolutely, yeah.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51- Pop that one in the basket.- There you go.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Foraging is fast becoming a popular past time.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59So much so that some councils have tried to ban it
0:30:59 > 0:31:02in order to protect plants from this growing trend.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06But Gary's rule of thumb is only take what you need.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09If I'm picking a salad, I'll take a colander with me
0:31:09 > 0:31:11- because otherwise it's too easy. - It restricts you to...
0:31:11 > 0:31:13If you've got a colander-full,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15you know you've got enough for everybody.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17What can people do if they want to go out and have a bit of a pick?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20What advice would you give them? You cannot take any risks.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23If you're not 100% certain of what you're eating, don't eat it.
0:31:23 > 0:31:24It is too dangerous.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27There is your Alexander's growing right alongside
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- Hemlock water dropwort.- They are so close, those two, aren't they?
0:31:30 > 0:31:35Look at this. That is edible. That will kill you.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40- That is a bit close for comfort, isn't it?- It is a bit, yeah.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43It just goes to show how easy it is to get it wrong.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Best to trust an experienced forager like Gary
0:31:46 > 0:31:49who knows what to look for - and in no time at all,
0:31:49 > 0:31:52we've got ourselves the start of a seasonal feast.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55All I need now is something to go with it.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Later, Jules is on the coast too,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02meeting a fisherman with an unusual springtime catch
0:32:02 > 0:32:05that will complement my seasonal leaves.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14For me, the first sight of a honeybee is a sure sign
0:32:14 > 0:32:16that spring has arrived.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20Around three billion British bees are tended by amateur beekeepers
0:32:20 > 0:32:23and if like Paul Martin and his wife, Charlotte,
0:32:23 > 0:32:28you'd like to help swell the dwindling number of British bees,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31well, here's how you can.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34I live on a 27 acre smallholding with my family
0:32:34 > 0:32:36in the heart of Wiltshire.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39I've always wanted to make more of the land,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42so this spring, I'm on a quest to learn how to create
0:32:42 > 0:32:45a habitat for wildlife and produce food for the table.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54While I've been busy planting the beginnings of a traditional orchard
0:32:54 > 0:32:58and putting saplings for some of Wiltshire's rarest varieties,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01my wife, Charlotte, has been taking lessons
0:33:01 > 0:33:03in what has become a popular British hobby
0:33:03 > 0:33:08estimated to be worth up to £35 million each year
0:33:08 > 0:33:12in honey production - beekeeping.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14The honeybee population of Great Britain
0:33:14 > 0:33:18has plummeted by a third in just ten years.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Now that's a worrying decline, so to help pollinate our new orchard
0:33:22 > 0:33:24and our other fruit trees that are in blossom,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Charlotte and I are going to keep our own beehive.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34Luckily for us, master beekeeper Sally Wadsworth
0:33:34 > 0:33:36lives just down the road.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41- Sally, you've obviously met Charlotte before.- Yes, indeed.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44And she has just about completed the course,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46and I know this is going to be your responsibility.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50I'm kind of like the handyman. We've been shopping, as you can see.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55- I can see.- Two brand-new bee suits. - Matching.- In biscuit.
0:33:55 > 0:33:56Biscuit colour.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00And I've got a hive, which is all cedarwood, and it's a good one.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02I'm excited to set up in the spring.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04This is a good time, I gather, isn't it?
0:34:04 > 0:34:06The weather has got to be right.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10Yes, certainly over the next couple of weeks, it's a really good time.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14At this time of year, you will be able to get a nucleus of bees.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18If it goes well, by midsummer, you could have as many as 50,000.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21- 50,000?- In a box.- In one box? - In one box.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25- Wow!- It's going to be great for the kids growing up seeing the bees.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29It's a little bit daunting, but it's exciting. So much to know.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32When will we get honey?
0:34:32 > 0:34:35You may get some this coming year but there won't be very much.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39You're really looking at next year before you can expect
0:34:39 > 0:34:40very much of a honey harvest.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43I think we'll get our suits on and get started, don't you?
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Yes, that will be great.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Bee stings are no laughing matter,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50so our new bee suits are a serious bit of kit -
0:34:50 > 0:34:52with one possible exception.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55I think we are good to go. We just need our marigolds on.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58Where are the marigolds, darling?
0:34:58 > 0:35:00Rubber gloves are perfect for protecting our hands
0:35:00 > 0:35:01when tending to bees.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06Time for my first practical lesson in beekeeping.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08In order to check the health of the hive,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10we're going to take a glimpse inside.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12We're going to give them some smoke.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14Would you like to do that, Charlotte?
0:35:14 > 0:35:15What does the smoker actually do?
0:35:15 > 0:35:17What effect will it have on the bees?
0:35:17 > 0:35:19The smoke seems to calm the bees.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23When bees lived in woodland and the forest fire was blazing away,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25the bees would fill up with nectar and honey
0:35:25 > 0:35:27from the hive ready to fly away.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30When they have filled up their honey stomachs with honey,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34they can't bend their tails quite so easily to sting us.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36It's not the smoke that makes them feel dizzy,
0:35:36 > 0:35:39it's the fact that they think they're in danger, there's a fire,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- they've got eat and they've got to escape.- Yes.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Right, now we're going to take the roof off.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Oh, wow! Look at that!
0:35:48 > 0:35:50We're going to check that we have a laying queen.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52The way we can do that, is seeing either eggs
0:35:52 > 0:35:56or actually finding the queen, which would be lovely.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58You can take that, Charlotte.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02Make sure you hold it over the hive in case there is a queen on it.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06How often do you inspect your hives?
0:36:06 > 0:36:11Roughly once a week during May to August during the swarm season.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Can you see any eggs or anything in here?
0:36:13 > 0:36:17- I can see some of the brood, little larvae in there.- No queen there.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21You can see there is pollen coming into the hive.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22If there's pollen,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25you can be fairly certain that all is well in the hive.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28I can smell honey. Do you know what?
0:36:28 > 0:36:30They are quite therapeutic, aren't they?
0:36:30 > 0:36:33It's all as if it's in slow motion. Can I put it back?
0:36:33 > 0:36:34You can put it back.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43- This one will probably have the queen on.- Looks the busiest.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47- Hopefully.- Here's the Queen.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49That is fantastic.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52She's a lot bigger, isn't she? Incredible.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57There are an estimated 274,000 beehives in the UK
0:36:57 > 0:37:03and the majority of these hives are kept by approximately 44,000
0:37:03 > 0:37:04amateur beekeepers.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08The thought of keeping our own bees and having fresh honey every year
0:37:08 > 0:37:11is pretty exciting, but there's still work to do.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15My first job is to find a suitable spot
0:37:15 > 0:37:19for our bee enclosure, or apiary, next to our new apple trees.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26There we are. That doesn't look too bad.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Willow cuttings have an amazing ability to re-root
0:37:30 > 0:37:33once they're planted in the ground, and hopefully, over time,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36this whole structure will become a living wall.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45The apiary will also keep animals and children away from the hive,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47but will encourage the bees to fly upwards
0:37:47 > 0:37:49and further away in search of pollen.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55With our empty hive fully assembled,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58it takes centre stage in the new apiary.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02It doesn't have to be level, does it? Anyone got a spirit level?
0:38:02 > 0:38:05I'm sure the bees won't notice it's on a slant, will they?
0:38:05 > 0:38:07- No, I don't think... - Doesn't have to be level.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Let stand back and look at it.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13A hive like this will set you back about £195.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Soon our resident bees will be helping to pollinate
0:38:16 > 0:38:17my heritage orchard.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20With the sun shining and with Sally's help,
0:38:20 > 0:38:25our queen and her colony are introduced to their new home.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Collectively, the healthy hive can produce 11kg of honey,
0:38:29 > 0:38:32more than enough for a family of four.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Time to sample last year's efforts.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38Well, Sally has gone and thankfully everything
0:38:38 > 0:38:40went smoothly with the bees.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42We've got some bees now, Meredith.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46And our honey, when we do get some, should taste like this.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50- Go on, then, let's try it. - Drink it!- Drink it!
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Mm, that's delicious.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57What do you think, Meredith? Yummy?
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Yeah, that's not bad, is it?
0:38:59 > 0:39:03What more can you say when someone is literally drinking it?
0:39:03 > 0:39:04I mean, that's a compliment.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Can't wait till next year when we're tasting our own.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09- No, I can't, actually. - That'll be amazing.- Yeah.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Earlier, Keeley went in search of a free lunch,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20finding some surprising spring vegetables
0:39:20 > 0:39:22along the Hampshire coast.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Well, now it is Jules' turn.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27He's on the hunt for a seasonal delicacy
0:39:27 > 0:39:30that is only available for around six weeks in spring.
0:39:32 > 0:39:33This is Mudeford Quay.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36It's one of the oldest fishing ports here on the south coast
0:39:36 > 0:39:41just opposite the Isle of Wight with its famous Needles.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Now for generations, the fishermen here haven't just caught fish,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48they've been catching shellfish, too - but for the last 20 years,
0:39:48 > 0:39:52they've been supplementing their spring catch with cuttlefish.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57Every year, cuttlefish that live deep in the English Channel
0:39:57 > 0:40:01make a journey into shallower waters where they breed.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03For the adults that come to our shores,
0:40:03 > 0:40:05this will be the last journey they ever make.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11And that's because cuttlefish only live for two years.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16After breeding, the adults die and leave behind a new generation.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21For fishermen Pete Dadds...
0:40:21 > 0:40:24- Hello, Jules. - How are you this fine blustery day?
0:40:24 > 0:40:27The arrival of cuttlefish marks a lucrative springtime
0:40:27 > 0:40:31harvest lasting up to six weeks.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Now we are all familiar with seeing squid on the menu
0:40:33 > 0:40:35and I do look out for it. I love it.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38But why don't we see more cuttlefish advertised?
0:40:38 > 0:40:41I did think they are that well known around here.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44The bulk of them go abroad, which is a shame.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47There is clearly a lot of meat there to be had.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49There is an awful lot of meat on a cuttlefish.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51There's very little wastage, to be honest.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55They are obviously doing very well spawning out here in the Solent.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58- How sustainable are they as a population?- Totally sustainable.
0:40:58 > 0:40:59They are doing really well.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Last year we had a really good year and they spawned very well.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07Our traps, we had one here, it was absolutely loaded with eggs.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10The good thing is, although we fish for them for four weeks,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13which is basically the middle of April to, sometimes,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15- if we're lucky, the end of May. - Yeah.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17We don't bring the traps in until the end of the summer
0:41:17 > 0:41:20when all the eggs have hatched and all the little babies have swum off.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22We're giving them somewhere to lay their eggs
0:41:22 > 0:41:24and a safe place for them to hatch
0:41:24 > 0:41:27and they give us an income, hopefully.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31The short window of opportunity that spring brings
0:41:31 > 0:41:34means the cuttlefish isn't overfished.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37Now if anybody wanted to go out and buy a cuttlefish,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41how much would it cost them and where would they find one?
0:41:41 > 0:41:45I think the price obviously depends on the fishmonger.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46I think if you went to a fishmonger,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49you'll probably be looking somewhere between £6 per kilo.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Local and freshly caught cuttlefish off the south coast of Hampshire.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Now you can't get better than that.
0:41:57 > 0:41:58The perfect seasonal dish
0:41:58 > 0:42:01to complement Keeley's foraged coastal spring vegetables.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07Helping us put together our seaside spring dish is local chef,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10James Golding. I've been very busy.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14I've got some sea beet, some wild fennel, some three-corner garlic
0:42:14 > 0:42:16and all of this is edible.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18The thing about this dish that I'm doing today
0:42:18 > 0:42:20is that it is a dish of the surroundings.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23I'm a firm believer that things that go together, grow together.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26First up, James prepares the cuttlefish.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28- So it's this big fleshy bit there we're after, then?- Yes.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31This is the lovely soft flesh. The tentacles, beautiful.
0:42:31 > 0:42:32Lovely and fleshy.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36Make sure you've got a very sharp knife and cut underneath the bone.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39There's all the ink coming out. Do you see that?
0:42:39 > 0:42:40It literally just washes off,
0:42:40 > 0:42:42and then you're left with this beautiful white flesh
0:42:42 > 0:42:44and these are the beautiful tentacles.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48We're just going to score it and this breaks up the membrane a bit.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Were going to sear it so because we're searing,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53we're going to slice it into strips.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Sea salt, bit of pepper.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04It smells like holiday. Get the sun cream out.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07So, that's my cuttlefish cooked.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Now for my foraged spring veg.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12- What are we doing here? - I've melted this butter.- Yeah.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14We've got our sea beet going into the pan.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18We don't want to cook this, we are literally going to soften the leaf.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22This is our beautiful roasted lemon dressing
0:43:22 > 0:43:26and then lovely sea vegetables.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30We've got our beautiful cuttlefish.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34We're garnishing our spring dish with garlic flowers,
0:43:34 > 0:43:38- fennel and honesty flowers. - So there we go.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42There's our cuttlefish with lemon dressing and wild sea veg.
0:43:42 > 0:43:43Time to tuck in.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48- Mm.- Yeah?- That is nice.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53- Oh, my goodness. - What a taste of spring.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56It's light, it's fresh, it just really encapsulates it.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00JOHN: I hope they've saved some for me.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02I'm afraid that's all we've got time for today,
0:44:02 > 0:44:04but please do join us again tomorrow
0:44:04 > 0:44:07when Jules gets to grips with a killer cabbage...
0:44:07 > 0:44:08It doesn't want to go.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12.and Margherita reports on the spring
0:44:12 > 0:44:15clean-up following the Cumbrian floods.
0:44:15 > 0:44:16If we don't do something about it now,
0:44:16 > 0:44:20we'll just have a constant stream of damage that needs repairing.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22So, until then, goodbye.