Episode 1 Countryfile Spring Diaries

Across the UK, days are warmer, brighter, and longer.

In the countryside, the air is filled with birdsong

and the scent of flowers.

Spring has sprung.

It's the time of year when nature wakes up.

And there are new beginnings everywhere you look.

It's a time to plant and sow.

And to get out and enjoy everything our wonderful countryside

has to offer.

All week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...

The lizards like to sit out when the granite gets hot.

Those lucky lizards.

..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.

Why are flowers so good for our health?

Well, in short order, it's the healing power of nature.

A very warm welcome to the most joyous of seasons.

This is Countryfile Spring Diaries.

Here's what's coming up on today's programme.

Jules will be trying out a revolutionary new way

to keep your dog trim.

Come on, come on, then.

Go on. Oh, my goodness me.

Help!

Paul's picking up tips on keeping farmyard babies.

Look at all those piglets.

-The piglets...

-They've just been born, haven't they?

What, three or four days?

-Three, four days, yeah.

-Ah, they make you smile, don't they?

And I'll be finding out

what you can do in the fight against wildlife crime.

Our base all this week

is beautiful Devon

with its vast stretches of wild moorland,

picturesque villages and stunning coastline,

like here in the Valley of Rocks.

All in all, it puts on quite a show in springtime.

The county covers more than 2,500 square miles,

but it's sparsely populated.

It's crammed, though, with jaw-dropping scenery,

including two national parks,

and five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

When springtime comes around,

many of us start to think about getting into shape

for the months ahead,

but it's not just our OWN health that we need to worry about.

Obesity in pets is growing.

And for one dog owner, enough is enough.

Jules and his four-legged friend, Teddy,

are about to turn over a new leaf.

Hello, everybody. This is Sunday morning in the Hudson household.

It's all got a bit chaotic.

But this is what we're doing.

This is the start of a whole new regime for Teddy and for I,

because we can be a little bit lazy and very playful,

as you can probably see.

So as of today,

we're starting a brand-new regime

to try and help both of us get a bit fitter.

Ow!

HE LAUGHS

Back in January,

Teddy tipped the doggy scales at a worrying 39.2 kilos.

That puts him firmly in the overweight category,

but he's not alone.

One study found that a third of dogs are too heavy.

That makes all those lovable bundles of blubber

prone to illnesses

including diabetes and heart disease.

Now, it's best paw forward for Teddy.

Good, boy. Go on, then.

But we're not embarking on our springtime fitness regime alone.

Not when we've got 21st-century tech on our side.

Now, the craze for those activity monitors

that many of us humans like to wear on our wrists these days

has, believe it or not,

made it to the canine world.

And this is one of the latest.

And I'm told that if I attach it to Teddy's collar,

and then sync it up with my smartphone,

it should record everything that Teddy does.

So, for the next seven days,

we're going to keep a close eye on everything

that you do to see if it can help improve your fitness.

Not only does the monitor track activity,

it also sets exercise targets.

In our case, it's 80 minutes a day.

Will we manage it?

I guess we'll know at the end of our week-long trial.

Feeding time at the zoo.

Doing this without advice is never a good idea.

Go on, then.

So I consulted a vet before getting started.

Going to mix it up for Teddy.

Good boys.

And for Iolo.

On top of exercising like crazy,

I've been advised to give Teddy just one meal a day.

Let's hope it's enough to keep our doggy monitor happy.

Pawesome, it says. Pawesome.

You are pawesome. Not bad for a permanently hungry labrador.

-Jack.

-Daddy.

Come on, Teddy. Teddy bear, good boy.

Well, we've now come to the end of our seven-day trial,

and my phone is chock-a-block full of data

that's recorded Teddy's activity.

Good boy.

So, to try and make sense of it all,

we're off to see an animal behaviourist,

Dr Emily Blackwell.

Emily knows a thing or two about what makes our canine chums tick.

And she also worked on the development

of Teddy's doggy monitor.

-Emily.

-Hi, Jules.

-Nice to see you.

-Nice to meet you.

-And this must be Teddy.

-This is Teddy, yeah.

Good boy. We've downloaded all the data from his monitor.

-OK.

-So the red bars are where we've achieved our 80 minutes or more,

and the orange bars are where we haven't.

But what else has this recorded

that can perhaps guide me in terms of his wellbeing

and exercise that I should be giving him?

This monitors all kinds of activity,

so it's not just when you're out walking and going for runs.

It's when he's playing, playing in the garden, investigating things.

So, time to see if Teddy's on track.

Let's go for Monday when you did quite a lot, well over target.

So he spent 22 hours resting.

Yeah.

30 minutes running.

Yeah. 65 minutes walking about.

What's slightly concerning is only five minutes playing.

So I think we've got some potential to work on that.

Well, he'd love a bit more play, wouldn't you?

But how effective are these monitors becoming

in terms of how we keep an eye on our dog's activity

and help them stay healthy?

Well, it's an estimate, the target,

because every individual dog is different.

And as scientists, we'd like to use it

to monitor treatment protocols and to diagnose problems,

just to find out whether the activity levels are changing,

in a simple way, by just attaching a device to a collar.

And I suppose with the monitors that we can all wear on our own wrists,

you can sort of compete with your dog a bit, can't you?

See how you're both doing.

It's a good excuse for us ALL to get fit.

Absolutely. But my money's on Teddy.

THEY LAUGH

One thing the monitor has shown is

that Teddy could do with playing around a bit more.

And Emily's got some nifty tricks to get him started.

Teddy.

So what we do is, we hide some low-calorie treats

inside this puzzle toy.

-Teddy...

-And what he has to do,

is just think about it a little bit and work for the treats.

So, over to you.

What's this? What's this?

Oh... Good boy, Teddy.

Good boy, Ted.

Good boy, Teddy.

That didn't take very long, did it?

And he's certainly enjoying it.

He certainly is. I'm quite impressed.

Proud of him, actually. Well done, Teddy.

You've managed to figure it all out.

So, what else have you got for him?

OK, well, first of all, remember to reduce his dinner tonight

by the amount of treats that we've given him today.

-That's really important.

-Which is probably a kilo.

Yes.

But what we're going to do now

is use that incredible sense of smell

and challenge him a little bit.

And anyone can try this at home.

So, to start with,

all you need to do is show the dog you've got some treats,

put them quite obviously under a pot, and then let him go.

Look, Teddy. Yum, yum, yum.

That's going under there.

And the last one. Do you want to let him go?

Good boy, Teddy.

Doesn't care about me, does he?

Look. Good boy, Teddy, go on, get on, get on.

Teddy, Teddy. Good boy, get on.

Move on, mate, there's one more.

Get on, get on, get on. Oh, good boy.

Come on, Teddy, good boy, good boy.

Oh, well done. Well done.

I mean, that is such a simple, but effective exercise, isn't it?

It's fantastic. And using what they do best, their sense of smell.

Activity monitors and canine psychology are all well and good,

but I'm itching to get back inside to the doggy scales.

Hi, Teddy.

Right, Teddy, it's your moment of truth, mate.

Well, it would be if he played ball.

Sit on those scales.

Children and animals...

Much-used phrase and absolutely right.

Come on, Teddy. On you get.

I think he's terrified about what the weight's going to say.

Sit.

Now, remember, he WAS 39.2 kilos.

That's 37.1 kilos.

37.1, good boy!

-Good boy!

-So it's actually working.

It's actually working.

I think he's happy about it.

-He is.

-And so am I. Brilliant.

So we've managed to knock over two kilos off Teddy's weight.

Now, whether the activity monitor has helped or not, I don't know,

but we've certainly had fun with it.

And the really best bit of news, well, we're still mates.

Aren't we, Teddy?

Teddy...

Oh, Teddy.

Later, Teddy and I will be testing a contraption

that could keep man and beast fighting fit in unison.

I can't keep it up!

Here in Devon, amidst all this glorious moorland scenery,

it's hard to believe that our countryside could ever be targeted

by criminals, but, sadly, rural crime is a grim reality.

Nationwide, there are specially trained police officers fighting it.

And eagle-eyed members of the public

are absolutely vital to their success.

Margherita has hopped over the border into Somerset,

to follow up leads in a very, very unusual case.

A beautiful meadow - it's hard to think of a more idyllic setting,

but it was to become a crime scene.

A Bristol man who calls himself a butterfly conservationist

has been found guilty of capturing and killing

some of Europe's rarest species.

The large blue is the only British butterfly

which is globally endangered.

In March 2017,

Phillip Cullen was convicted of catching and killing them

in Gloucestershire and Somerset.

To an ordinary passer-by, his actions

might have appeared innocent,

but he was spotted by members of Butterfly Conservation

and they caught him red-handed.

Butterfly scientist Dave Simcox picks up the story.

It all started on a site called Daneway Banks in Gloucestershire.

Quite a lot of the monitoring on that site is done by volunteers.

And what did the volunteers see?

Well, on this particular day,

they spotted this chap who was behaving really rather oddly.

They saw that he was carrying a net and was trying to catch large blues.

They kept a distance and they took photographs

and these were sent to one of our other sites

where we've got wardens working.

And why would someone go out onto a protected site

and take a protected species?

It's either for financial gain,

or it's because of a sort of obsessive collecting passion

that stops them from observing the law.

In fact, rare butterfly samples can be worth

up to £300 to unscrupulous collectors.

What if we see somebody doing something

that looks a little bit suspicious,

and they don't look very approachable?

What we would suggest is that you contact the police

on their non-emergency number.

You explain what it is that you've been seeing,

and you ask them to contact the National Wildlife Crime Unit.

Butterflies are the second most prolific pollinators after bees,

so a healthy population benefits the countryside as a whole.

Sadly, three-quarters of our species

have declined in number in the last 40 years.

But luckily, here in the Exmoor National Park,

they are thriving.

The park is home to 30 species of butterfly.

For butterfly buffs,

this is the perfect time of year for a treasure hunt.

Butterfly Conservation is working hard

to encourage new species in the park.

In recent years, they reintroduced

the heath fritillary here.

And today, I'm helping conservation volunteers Simon Phelps and his team

check on the progress of this all-too-rare species.

What you are looking for is the caterpillars, which look like this.

So they are a nice,

dark grey colour with these kind of nice sort of ornate

white and yellow horns on.

And they do show up quite well at the moment

because they are quite large on the bracken and the moss.

And what kind of size are they?

They are about, sort of, maybe four or five centimetres.

Oh, and I've just found one here.

Wow! Eagle eyes!

Yeah. A nice one down here.

So this one is basking in the sun.

They absorb the warmth of the sun to help them move round.

And we've spotted one.

does that mean more are going to be quite close by?

Yes, definitely. Normally when you see one,

and you can get your eye on them

and see what they look like,

you'll see them kind of on the vegetation.

Right, time to roll up my sleeves and get hunting.

But you don't need to go out into the countryside

to keep track of these beautiful harbingers of spring.

You can do it in your own back garden.

Butterfly Conservation has more than 40,000 volunteers,

monitoring butterfly and moth species all over the country.

You don't need to be an expert to help out, and as this project shows,

your help can make a real difference.

So signs are looking promising.

Yeah, we can see that the habitat is looking good,

and the caterpillars are at good densities,

and we'd expect that when we finish the count

and have covered the whole area,

that there should be a similar or maybe even better

numbers than last year.

I can really see why this delicate insect needs such strong protection.

And it's heartening to know that there are so many people

willing to volunteer to help ensure

that beautiful butterflies are here for us all

to enjoy for many years to come.

With butterflies in such steep decline,

it will be no easy task to restore them to their former glory.

But now we turn to an uphill battle that's a little closer to home.

Getting healthy can be an exhausting business for all of us

and a confusing one, too,

especially when it comes to what we should

or what we shouldn't be eating and drinking.

And even some products that are labelled as being GOOD for you

can hold hidden horrors.

Well, Keeley has been dipping into the secrets inside

one of our favourite health foods.

I don't know about you, but keeping fit can be hard work.

But now that spring's here, I'm determined to get back in shape.

But it's not just my outsides that I want to take care of.

It's my insides too.

Yoghurt. Us Brits spend a whopping £1.7 billion a year on the stuff.

It's good for you, right? A great breakfast or snack for the kids.

Well, actually, it's not all quite as healthy as you might think.

And finding the best one is, in fact, a nutritional minefield.

Luckily, we've got dietician and yoghurt expert Helen Bond

to guide us.

This looks like a really tasty table.

It does indeed.

Now, I eat a lot of yoghurt.

Am I doing the right thing?

Is yoghurt a good thing to have as a snack?

There is no doubt that yoghurt is a really nutritious food.

After all, it's made from milk.

So it's full of bone-building calcium,

it's got high-quality protein and B vitamins, which help release energy.

All yoghurts contain varying amounts of fat, sugar and protein,

and, today, we're comparing a few different varieties

to see how they measure up.

Which one of these, then, is your basic yoghurt?

Well, I'd say this one was pretty much your basic.

Full fat natural yoghurt.

There's nothing added to it and all the sugars

that are actually in this product

are naturally occurring from the milk sugar lactose.

So, this is a pretty good bet in terms of health benefits.

-It is.

-Standard yoghurt may be naturally sweet,

but it's also high in fat,

with almost six grams per 150-gram serving.

And that's what fuels the market for healthier options.

I would probably go for a light variety.

Is that a better bet if somebody did want to lose weight?

If you are cutting the amount of fat, so calories do go down,

but because they've taken the fat out,

usually they replace it with sugar.

So sugar could be double the amount of the actual full fat variety.

That's almost 12 grams in our 150-gram portion,

so some low-fat options may not be the way to go

if you're watching your sugar intake.

What about Greek yoghurt?

Everyone thinks, it is delicious, thick and creamy, but actually,

it is quite high in fat.

It actually contains three times as much fat...

-Really?

-...compared to the full-fat variety.

And I think what particularly concerns me

is the amount of saturated fat in there.

In fact, a 150-gram serving actually contains around 15 grams of fat.

More worryingly still,

it's got 50% of your recommended daily intake

of cholesterol-boosting saturated fats.

So this is the children's yoghurt.

Kids' yoghurt can be very sugary.

There's almost 18 grams in a 150-gram serving

of the one we're tasting.

That's nearly six cubes.

I mean, that's obviously the nicest.

The one that's got the most sugar in.

It's obviously why children would want it.

Should parents be worried about these yoghurts?

I think it's something to be mindful of, is sugar content,

and I think it's good to be aware of how much sugar is in your food.

But you've got to look at it in the broader context of your diet,

and look what yoghurt is actually delivering

in terms of nutritional benefits.

And if it's in place of things like chocolate biscuits

and other things like that, then it's a good way to go.

Now, I've only very recently heard of this one.

Skyr. Skyr is a medieval Norwegian word meaning thick curdled milk,

but these days, it's considered an Icelandic speciality.

It doesn't taste that dissimilar, really, from the Greek yoghurt.

No, it's very similar.

But what's different from a nutritional point of view

is quite impressive, because, actually, it's reduced sugar,

it's virtually fat-free,

-and it's nearly half the calories of the Greek yoghurt.

-Oh, really?

But it's in the protein stakes that it really delivers.

Plain skyr packs in over 16 grams per 150.

That's not far off the amount of protein in three eggs.

Not bad for a bowl of yoghurt.

It slows down the eating occasion

because it is quite thick and luxurious.

And it's got a high protein content.

That's good for kind of beating those mid-morning munchies.

So it seems like the Icelandic invader

could be worth adding to my springtime health drive.

It may be relatively new to us here in Britain

but skyr was actually dreamt up by the Vikings.

And anything a Viking can do, a Yorkshireman can have a go at,

so I'm off to the Dales to meet the UK's only skyr producer,

Sam Moorhouse.

So, why skyr?

What is it about it that really appealed to you?

Once I'd tasted it, I was fully on board.

It's, you know, got that real thickness,

it's got the velvety texture.

And the nutritional side of it that came with that taste

was quite amazing to see.

And then also just the uniqueness of it.

I mean, it's been in Iceland for centuries.

And it was when researching Icelandic cattle

that Sam first came across skyr.

He then travelled to Reykjavik

to meet producer Thorarinn Sveinsson.

Thorarinn agreed to teach me how to make skyr.

He'd been making it himself.

His family had been making it in Iceland for generations.

And when did you first try the product?

When did you first taste it?

I first tried it when I got to the airport.

I'd only read about it until that point.

So you went all the way to Iceland before you'd even tried it?

Luckily, I got there and it was really nice.

Tried it in the airport and I was, you know...

pretty sure at that point it was the right thing to do.

Since Sam took that extraordinary leap of faith back in 2015,

his skyr operation has gone from strength to strength.

Wow! What a set-up!

And today, he's letting me lend a hand.

Ooh. It's luminous, almost.

My first job, yoghurt stirring.

So, what's the difference between this and normal yoghurt?

Firstly, it's made using skimmed milk.

Originally, when it was being made in Iceland,

back as far as the ninth century, it was a by-product, originally.

So they'd skim the cream off from the cows

and use that to make butter.

And then they'd be left with skimmed milk.

And now, ironically, it's probably the biggest dairy product

they produce in Iceland.

And also, you then use a heritage skyr culture

and vegetarian rennet.

Another key difference is that it takes four times more milk

to make skyr than regular yoghurt.

Most of what Sam produces is plain,

but he also makes flavoured varieties,

and today, it's my favourite, blueberry.

So you can start stirring that now.

This is very, very satisfying.

With that mixed in, we are ready to hit the production line.

I think I'm getting the knack of this.

-Yeah.

-It's like Willy Wonka's factory, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Only much healthier.

Who knew making yoghurt could be so much fun?

And we aren't finished with surprises just yet.

So instead of the cream cheese, in something like a cheesecake,

you could use skyr.

Yeah, skyr works really well.

It's actually a cheese, itself, skyr.

-It's a cheese?

-Yeah.

-I thought it was a yoghurt.

Well, it tastes like a yoghurt.

It looks like a yoghurt and you eat it in many ways, like a yoghurt.

But because of the use of rennet,

it's actually classified technically as a soft cheese.

-I didn't know that.

-Not many people do.

Well, I can honestly say that I never thought of yoghurt

as anything more than a healthy snack.

But after today, I'll be paying way more attention

in the chiller section.

The landscape here in Devon is not only beautiful,

it's also bountiful.

The county produces more milk than any other in the UK,

and agriculture and food production

account for over 10% of the local economy.

And for one Dartmoor resident,

the area's natural resources have been a real inspiration,

as Anita discovered.

This ancient longhouse is home to Sophie Goodwin Hughes

and her Dartmoor soap company.

It's a true cottage industry.

I had a little boy about four years ago, and he had eczema.

So I thought I'd make a soap for him to clear the eczema.

And it worked.

And then I thought, well,

I might try and make some more soaps and use the Dartmoor name, too.

And see if I could build a business.

So, what are the secret ingredients?

-Can you tell me?

-Beeswax, comes from North Bovey,

which is about half an hour up the road on Dartmoor.

And we also use goat's milk in our goat's milk soap,

which comes from about two minutes that way.

So as locally sourced as it can be.

Yeah, as it can be.

It began as one bar of soap for Sebastian.

But what is it about the finest Dartmoor ingredients?

It's time to find out.

Starting with beekeeper Peter Hunt.

He regularly provides Sophie with beeswax.

So, that's what you've pulled out of the beehive.

-Yeah.

-And that's the honeycomb.

So in there, it would have had lovely, drippy honey...

-Yes.

-..oozing out of it...

-Yes.

The good stuff. And that's what's left behind.

-Yes.

-So, what is that?

That's just wax.

It's the wax. And it's made by the bees themselves.

So, how does that go from there to what I want to take away with me?

OK, so, when I've extracted the honey, I will cut that frame out...

-Yeah.

-Then I put it in here, which is a honey melter.

Oh, wow! Oh, it's warm and...

-Yeah.

-It smells delicious.

It is.

Once melted, Peter's beeswax is filtered,

drained from the tank and then solidifies into a golden nugget.

I mean, that's a lot of beeswax.

Is that what I'm taking away with me?

Some of it, yes.

Time to get a chip off the old block.

The wax is going to get whacked.

I suggest you back off.

SHE LAUGHS

That is so satisfying.

-Do you think I've done it?

-I reckon you have.

I think the sack got it, as well.

Right, let's see what we've got in here.

I think this one is pretty good.

Wonderful. Thank you for that.

Right, I can tick beeswax off the shopping list.

Now to find me some goats.

Another local ingredient Sophie uses is rich goat's milk,

which she gets from her neighbour Pat Stamford's flock.

-Hello, there.

-Hello, Anita.

How are you doing?

-I'm fine.

-Lovely to see you.

Come in and see my goats.

I'd love to.

Oh, Pat, they are so sweet.

They are rather nice, aren't they?

They're lovely. What type of goats are they?

They are Golden Guernsey rare breed. They are small, they are docile.

They give a good amount of milk for family.

And they have plenty of milk for their babies.

Luckily, there's enough left over for Sophie's soap.

Right, let the magic begin.

-How do we make soap?

-Right, OK,

so I need you to measure out some sunflower oil, please.

OK. How much?

660 grams.

And then we are going to add our olive oil...

-Olive oil.

-..and our beeswax...

-Beeswax.

-..that you kindly sourced for me.

Yes. Natural ingredients.

In goes the beeswax.

Right, and on it goes.

'Peter's beeswax is melted down with the oils,

'along with two ingredients you won't find on Dartmoor,

'coconut oil and African shea butter.'

-We just keep stirring it?

-Yeah.

Basically, soap is a chemical reaction

between an acid and an alkali,

so you are stirring the fats,

which is the acid, and when they've melted,

we'll make the alkali solution, which is a caustic soda solution.

'Caustic soda may sound off-putting,

'but it's an essential ingredient in all soap.

'Once it's been mixed with these fats,

'it becomes completely harmless.'

OK, so we need to glove up, goggles on?

Yeah, absolutely.

Because chemistry is about to happen.

'Pat's goat's milk is carefully combined with the caustic soda.'

So we need to pour the goat's milk solution into the oils.

'The mixture begins to thicken and that, basically, is soap.'

It's quite a process, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Making soap.

We've been here for five days, you know.

SHE LAUGHS

So now, as you can see...

Oh, it's thickened up.

Yes, it's thickening up.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-So it's ready...

-So into the mould.

-Yeah, if you pour it up and down, perfect.

That's a really good soap. You've done really well there.

It's already starting to solidify, isn't it? That's it.

Done.

This is ready to be cut now.

OK. It smells like soap.

It feels like soap.

Oh, that's so satisfying.

Oh, yeah. It's like fudge.

My first bar of soap. Thank you, Sophie.

Nothing says "spring" more than the sight of cute baby animals

and here in the fields of Devon,

there are lots and lots of lambs.

But you don't necessarily need vast amounts of land

to keep farm animals.

In Wiltshire, smallholder Paul

now gives us the inside track on keeping pigs.

This little piggy went to market.

This little piggy stayed at home.

Where did this one go to, then? He didn't know where to go, did he?

Is that a pig noise?

To be perfectly honest,

that is about as close to keeping piglets

the Martin family has come,

but things are about to change.

Aren't they? Big-time.

Over 11,000 Brits own pigs, and soon, I hope to be one of them,

by having my own mini pigs.

The kids will love them.

If there's one animal that always puts a smile on my face

and makes me laugh, that is a pig.

Guaranteed. This area is actually perfect for them.

It's close to the house.

They'll need enough space for their own pen each,

which we can move around in here, and their own pig house.

Sorted.

But as with any pet purchase, it's important to look before you leap,

so I'm getting advice from my neighbour, Aldetha Raymond.

She's been running a smallholding with her husband Kevin

for the last ten years.

Today is all about picking the right breed.

I'll be getting the pigs later in the season, once they are weaned.

-Hi, Aldetha.

-Hi, Paul.

-This is fantastic.

-You've got it all.

-Oh, thank you.

-I've just seen spring lambs

by the entrance as I walked in. You've got ducks, geese, goats...

And the goats.

But it's pigs I'm interested in.

Piglets. So I need to pick your brains,

and I want some expert advice.

Look at all those piglets.

-Piglets...

-They've just been born, haven't they?

What, three or four days?

Three or four days, yeah. So they're very, very young at the moment.

-Aw!

-They're mini pigs crossed with Kunekunes.

Because we've got a small farm, we need a small pig.

-Same as me.

-Yeah. They're very, very sweet.

Will they all go like Mum?

Will they all go black and hairy?

-Or will they stay...?

-No, the colours they are

is what they stay as.

So if they are spotty now, they'll be spotty forever.

The marks don't change.

It's very similar to a kitten.

Oh!

How do you look after them?

It's actually relatively easy.

-Yeah.

-You've got to make sure they've got fresh water.

-Sure.

-And you do feed them pig nuts and then for the piglets,

you can get a smaller grade of pig nuts.

And they eat those.

But they also like things that you've got from your garden...

-Yes.

-So, weeds and things like that.

And they do, when they go first into their pen,

if there's grass down there, they will eat the grass as well.

And then they'll start rooting through it.

So they are real grazers.

Sounds like they're not fussy.

So surely they'll eat leftovers?

You're not allowed to give them anything from your kitchen.

Nothing that you've cooked.

Because we do the chickens... Chickens have everything.

Chickens are allowed...

Oh, are they? But pigs aren't?

-They aren't allowed it.

-Do you know, I didn't know that.

I thought pigs ate everything.

-They would love to eat everything.

-Like a loaf of bread.

They would love to but Defra says they're not allowed to.

OK. I mean, what about if it gets too hot?

Do they need suncream?

I wouldn't fancy putting suncream on a pig.

-No.

-But what we tend to do is we give them shelter.

So I will grow hops over the top of them,

so that they actually have dappled shade...

Or they just go inside the house.

Yeah, they go inside the house as well.

And obviously, they like company.

Yes, you want to keep them in twos

or when they are having their babies, separate,

but where they can hear another pig.

I see. So you can't isolate them.

-They don't like it.

-No, no. They'd get depressed, wouldn't they?

To keep a pig or any farm animal,

you need something called a County Parish Holding number

from Defra.

It's a number that relates to the location of your land

to identify your animal, and the best bit is, it's completely free.

If somebody doesn't have a smallholding,

and they live, let's say in suburbia,

can they still get this certificate?

Yeah, they can. We've had piglets go to Bristol.

So they are right in the centre of Bristol at the moment.

And they've got a holding number there, as well.

Enjoying city life.

THEY LAUGH

Right, OK. That is brilliant.

We need a pig house, that they can all get in

for shelter from the shade.

We need a big bowl of water.

Check it, make sure it's full every day.

We need special pig nuts.

We need a pig licence.

I think we are about ready to go.

The Kunukune are pretty cute,

but it's always a good idea to shop around a bit

and Aldetha's got a different breed

scratching about in a neighbouring pen.

So, what are these?

These are Mangalitsa.

-And where are they from?

-They're from Hungary, from about the 1800s.

They were sort of bred with wild boar...

They kind of look wild boarish, don't they?

They get called the woolly pig.

-Are they friendly?

-They are relatively friendly.

-Hello.

-They were bred because they can actually

withstand cooler temperatures, as well.

-Ah!

-So the coat keeps them nice and warm.

This one is starting to tunnel out.

These are the naughtiest pigs we have on the farm.

-Yeah.

-And they are learning to tunnel.

And they do the most cultivation...

That would frighten me.

Yeah, these are naughty,

and I think they always are going to be naughty, in truth.

It's a bit of character.

THEY LAUGH

So, what pigs would be good for me?

Well, you've got children, as well.

So you want something that's not going to scare them

by getting too big.

These are still only babies.

Oh, they are too big.

Already. Whereas the mini pigs, they will stay small.

Yeah. They grow to the size of Mum.

Yeah, that's right. And you will be able to chuck their feed in,

handle them, give them a good scratch.

And they just are a delight to have around.

They make you smile, don't they?

They do make you feel happy.

It's easy to see why these adorable little animals

have become such popular pets.

But there have been a few horror stories.

Some tea-cup size piglets end up larger than Labradors,

and then get abandoned.

That's because mums and dads of mini pigs are different breeds.

So if you want to know how big your piglets might end up,

it's a good idea to see both parents first.

Well, I can't wait for my kids to see the piglets...

-Mm-hm.

-..when they arrive back home,

but, obviously, they've got to be weaned, haven't they?

Yeah, they've only just been born,

so it's going to be ten weeks before they'll be able to leave Mum.

And, yeah, then they'll be yours.

After finding out what it takes to look after pigs,

I'm now thoroughly confident

that pigs are a great animal to have on a smallholding.

I'm looking forward to having them,

and I know our children are, as well.

And all that's going to happen later on this spring.

Exciting times ahead, then, for Paul and his ever-growing brood.

Now, nice as it is to enjoy the spring countryside with our pets,

a recent study revealed that 15,000 sheep

were killed by loose dogs in 2016.

So, just how do you exercise your dog

without threatening other creatures?

Well, Jules has stumbled across a novel solution.

Now, Teddy here is young and full of beans.

If I had the time and the energy, to be honest,

I could walk with him all day long.

Now, most of the time, I don't need to put him on a lead

but at this time of year, with sheep and lambs around,

it's really important to be that little bit more considerate

to the wildlife. But of course,

being permanently tethered to your canine chum

can cause its own issues.

Come on, Teddy.

Now, I'm sure I'm not alone as a dog walker

in feeling that sometimes it feels like me

that's being taken for a walk.

And that can quite literally feel like a bit of a drag.

But a new fitness craze aims to harness the energy in our dogs

in such a way that it can help us all keep a little bit fitter.

It goes by the catchy name of canicross.

I'm going for a springtime sprint

with a group of enthusiasts in the Forest of Dean.

They get together most weekends to put themselves

and their dogs through their paces.

Cushla Leman has been doing it for 15 years.

Well, Cushla,

I've only just come across canicross.

-What is it?

-Canicross is cross-country running with dogs.

So, the dogs are in a harness,

bungee line attaches the dog to us,

and we're wearing a special waist belt.

So basically, canicross is cross-country running.

But with your dog attached.

-Yes.

-I mean, that automatically throws up

all kinds of complications to me.

Falling over leads, tripping over dogs.

Yeah, there are trips, there are falls.

That's part of the sport, unfortunately.

We do have our own vocabulary for things like that.

So we have the arbortorial halt,

which generally means that you and your dog have gone

the wrong side of a tree.

HE LAUGHS

The arbor...

Yeah, basically, you've been snagged up on your lead around a tree.

-Got it, OK.

-But there's very few accidents.

And in terms of the way the dogs react to it,

Teddy will walk on a lead but my worry, having trained him...

..reasonably well,

is that he might lose that sense of obedience training,

in putting him on a long lead and running with him.

We try and teach the difference between the harness and a collar.

And most of our dogs react to that really well.

Especially if they've had the early obedience training,

so the first training they've had is on a collar and lead,

they learn that and they keep hold of that information.

As soon as you get the harness out, it's run time.

Canicross is more than a Sunday afternoon run.

It's also a fully fledged competitive sport.

Cushla herself has won medals in the UK and Europe.

But a nice gentle introduction to the basics

will do Teddy and I just fine.

Oh, Teddy.

Well, while I've been off getting ready,

you've got dressed up as well.

It's a bigger harness than I was expecting to see.

I thought it would be more of an elaborate collar.

But that's amazing.

No, these are designed to make sure

that the dogs are comfortable enough to pull.

-Yeah.

-Lots of different styles of harnesses.

There's no such thing as a perfect harness.

There's only a perfect fit for each individual dog.

Look at you, mate. How does that feel, Teddy?

You're not looking entirely sure about it, are you?

So, he's done.

I'm changed. And that's my harness.

-This is going to be your harness. So...

-Step into it.

Step into it.

Teddy and I will be attached via a two-metre length of bungee cord.

If you stand still, OK, the pull,

that's where the pull's going to come from.

-It's right through your hips, isn't it?

-It is.

This is all very odd.

Eventually, you can actually direct Teddy with your hips, as well,

because as you start to go round corners,

he'll start to understand where the pressure is coming from.

-As I am leaning...

-Yes.

It may all be new to me,

but there are over 100 canicross clubs in Britain.

And it's not just for adults.

14-year-old Rowan Saxton from the Wye Valley

is currently European Junior Champion.

Rowan, nice to see you. How are you?

-Good, thank you.

-And who's this then?

-Munster.

-Munster.

Now, when you started this, did you ever think you'd be a champion?

No, I started doing it for fun.

I did agility with our dogs.

I love running alongside a dog.

I tried it out and I seemed to enjoy it and pick it up quite nicely.

Any top tips then from a champ?

You've got to keep up with your dog, in a way.

-Yeah.

-So it motivates the dog to run faster and to get you going...

-Yeah.

-The good thing is also to be quite fit as well.

-Yes.

-To help.

-Yeah, working on that, yeah, OK.

-And you've got to enjoy it.

-Well, we can't put it off any longer.

-Shall we go for a run?

-Let's go.

Come on then.

Now, any breed can do this, but dogs should be at least 12 months old.

It's also important to take it easy at first.

And after our little run, I can see why.

-Wow!

-Crikey!

Well, it certainly livens you up on a Sunday morning, doesn't it?

You flew up there.

How fast do you run?

With this dog, I've done just over a mile in four minutes 30.

A mile in four minutes 30.

That's incredible.

So it obviously helps having a really fast dog.

Definitely.

Can I borrow your dog?

-Of course.

-Come on, then.

Come on. Oh, my goodness me!

Help!

I can't keep it up!

Wow!

Woo! Oh, Teddy bear!

HE LAUGHS

Did you miss me? Good boy.

Rowan, that's amazing.

He really is

pulling you through the air...

That split second when both your feet are off the ground...

He really helps, doesn't he?

-Yeah, definitely.

-Well, we are in awe, aren't we, Teddy?

-He'll get the hang of it.

-He will.

Will I?

THEY LAUGH

Good boy.

Well, in canicross,

Teddy and I have discovered a brand-new way

of enjoying the countryside,

not only can, of course, we do it together,

we can also do it safely in a way that doesn't disturb

the rest of the wildlife

that also enjoys these beautiful and enchanted spaces.

Now, what we've got to do is find our way home.

Which I think, mate, is that way.

Come on. Good boy.

I think he's getting it!

With Teddy and Jules on the road to a healthier lifestyle,

it's time for us to say goodbye,

but please do try to join us the next time

when Keeley is finding out if we are in store

for a barbecue summer.

It's going to be warm and it's going to be damp.

And if I give that as my forecast, I'm not going to get fired?

No.

Jules discovers how a round of golf could help save animals.

I honestly didn't think one would pop out,

particularly as we are here talking

and making a bit of a noise.

And Margherita is in hot pursuit...

Can I tempt you?

..of the recipe for the perfect cream tea.

-How do you like yours?

-The Cornish way.

That is uniquely delicious.

So, until then, goodbye.