0:00:02 > 0:00:05Across the UK, days are warmer,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09brighter and longer.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12In the countryside, the air is filled with birdsong
0:00:12 > 0:00:15and the scent of flowers.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Spring has sprung.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21It's the time of year when nature wakes up.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26And there are new beginnings everywhere you look.
0:00:29 > 0:00:30It's a time to plant and sow.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36And to get out and enjoy everything
0:00:36 > 0:00:39our wonderful countryside has to offer.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45All week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:45 > 0:00:48It gets us out the house.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50It's just changed my life completely.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57That is amazing.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59He likes it better if it's just a quick takeaway.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01- Oh, of course he does.- He just grabs and goes.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04We all like a quick takeaway!
0:01:04 > 0:01:07A very warm welcome to the most joyous of seasons.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10This is Countryfile Spring Diaries.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Here's what's coming up on today's programme...
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Margherita and the battle of the cream teas - Cornwall versus Devon -
0:01:23 > 0:01:26but which one will come out on top?
0:01:26 > 0:01:27- I'd choose that one.- That...
0:01:29 > 0:01:30..is uniquely delicious.
0:01:31 > 0:01:32Absolutely yummy!
0:01:34 > 0:01:38Paul discovers how feeding bread to ducks is actually harmful.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Bread is not good for birds, it's junk food for them,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43it has no nutritional value.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45We need to stick to what is closest
0:01:45 > 0:01:46to what a duck would find in the wild.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Whilst I'm in Jersey, finding out how golf
0:01:52 > 0:01:54can help conserve our wildlife.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07What a wonderful place to enjoy spring in all its glory.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10This is North Devon, where I'm going to be all week.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Not surprisingly,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16eight million of us flock to this beautiful county every year...
0:02:17 > 0:02:19..to walk along its spectacular coastline...
0:02:20 > 0:02:25..across the wild moors, and through its ancient bluebell woods.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31So far this season, many of us have had some lovely sunny weather,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34but the big question is, is it going to last?
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Are we in for a barbecue summer?
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Over to Keeley, our weather expert.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Spring weather, one minute it's glorious sunshine, the next...
0:02:45 > 0:02:47..we're being hit by April showers.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Wouldn't it be nice if we really knew what we were in for?
0:02:51 > 0:02:53In my job as a weather presenter,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57we're given detailed scientific forecasts from the Met Office,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00but even then, we sometimes get it wrong.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03It's been so chilly, everybody's been moaning about it.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Yeah, we did get it wrong, we often get it wrong in this situation.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07When it's high pressure
0:03:07 > 0:03:10and the cloud's not associated with the front, it can be very tricky.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12That would have been a stitch-up on you, wouldn't it?
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Who hired her?! What we do know is spring in the UK
0:03:15 > 0:03:16is definitely getting warmer,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18by as much as one degree.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Now, that doesn't sound like an awful lot,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23but what it does mean is that blossom like this
0:03:23 > 0:03:25could be flowering at least two weeks early.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28That might be nice for us,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32but is it such good news for our countryside and wildlife?
0:03:33 > 0:03:34Someone who's been looking into this
0:03:34 > 0:03:38is Steve Marsh from the Woodland Trust.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41So, if spring is getting warmer,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44what kind of effect is that having on the countryside?
0:03:44 > 0:03:48So what we're seeing is that for every one-degree temperature rise,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50flowering advances by five days.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53So, for example, hawthorn is flowering
0:03:53 > 0:03:56up to 12 days earlier than it did.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58It's now about the 29th of April,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01whereas, traditionally, it was around about the 11th of May.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02Even though climate's getting warmer,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04some years, it's going to be a really cold spring,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07some years a really warm spring. Does that have an effect on it?
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Yeah, of course. What we do is, we look at the long-term trends,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14and what we've seen is that over the last 25 years, on average,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16spring is getting earlier.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18This can have serious consequences.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21If these woodland flowers appear too early,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24the insects that pollinate them might not have emerged.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28There was some research at the moment which looks at...
0:04:29 > 0:04:31..which species will fare best,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33so which ones are the most adaptable,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and which ones are the least adaptable. In that case,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38worst-case scenario for the species that don't adapt so well,
0:04:38 > 0:04:39is we could lose them.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Our native bluebells are one flower that Steve's concerned about.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46So, as with all our other flowering plants,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49bluebells are getting, on average, a little bit earlier.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54However, with bluebells, they face a number of other threats, as well,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56which could jeopardise them.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Habitat loss, we're losing a lot of our ancient woodlands,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02which bluebells are an indicator of.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05They are hybridising with the non-native Spanish bluebell,
0:05:05 > 0:05:06which is a worry.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08And we're also not sure
0:05:08 > 0:05:10how they are actually going to respond to the changing climate.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11For example,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14if the trees above us leaf earlier and earlier,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and the bluebells don't flower, that could cut out the sun.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20We're not really sure what effect that would have on these guys.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Taking all of those factors into account,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25that a species that's so synonymous with spring, like the bluebell,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27could, in future, be wiped out?
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Yeah, it could spell disaster for these guys.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34We have half the world's population of bluebells in the UK,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36and I'm keeping my fingers crossed
0:05:36 > 0:05:39these beautiful flowers will be carefully managed
0:05:39 > 0:05:41for future generations to enjoy.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46So, with a change in climate it pays to be adaptable,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50and that includes us and the way we think about the weather.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52With its famous unpredictability,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54perhaps we should return
0:05:54 > 0:05:57to more traditional techniques of forecasting.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02Someone who clearly thinks so is ex-copper David King, a self-taught,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05self-appointed weather detector.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06- So, David...- Yes.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Tell me how you got into this.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Many years ago, I moved to Croydon and there, there's countryside,
0:06:12 > 0:06:18and I learned about animals and birds and the different seasons,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22and over the years, I decided that I would try and teach myself
0:06:22 > 0:06:24to tell the weather
0:06:24 > 0:06:26like our forefathers did a thousand years ago,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29just using what is around us.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34Despite this unconventional approach, David's had some success.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Last year, for the Great Yorkshire Cycle Race,
0:06:37 > 0:06:42I said the first day would be in snow, and that was 90 days ahead,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44and they all laughed.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45And the first day of the
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Great Yorkshire Cycle Race last year,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50it was snowing. So I'm not doing too bad.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53David, in my job I'm always asked what the summer's going to be like,
0:06:53 > 0:06:54so I need your help.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56- Yes.- Can you take me around this area,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58and show me some signs that are going to help me
0:06:58 > 0:07:00do a really good, accurate summer forecast?
0:07:00 > 0:07:01- Yes, I think so.- Cool.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06This is a briar rose, a wild rose, briar rose.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09And how do you know what the summer weather's going to be like
0:07:09 > 0:07:11by just looking at this?
0:07:11 > 0:07:12It's growing beautifully,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16it's going to produce beautiful flowers later on,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20because we're going to get loads of flowers, quite a reasonable summer.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Nature is very economical and it will grow this on.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27If it wasn't going to be a very good summer, it wouldn't bother.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32It's not long before detective Dave uncovers another clue.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Hey presto, we have found one!
0:07:34 > 0:07:38Cuckoo plant. It's also called a lady's smock.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40The legend is that when that flowers,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43the cuckoo is 48 hours away.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45What does this tell us about summer, then?
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Ah, well, the earlier the cuckoo arrives, the earlier it leaves.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52It normally arrives about the 14th of April
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and leaves the first week in July.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56But it arrived early this year?
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Yeah, it arrived 20 days early, so it's going to depart 20 days early,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02which tells me the end of June
0:08:02 > 0:08:05and the beginning of July are both going to be wet.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07So the cuckoo knows when it's about to turn wet,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and knows that there won't be very many bugs,
0:08:10 > 0:08:11and so he's going to fly off?
0:08:11 > 0:08:12Yes.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15So I've got one for you, Dave.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18My grandma used to tell me that if the rooks make their nests
0:08:18 > 0:08:20really high up in the trees, it's going to be a nice summer.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- What do you make of that?- Yeah, it's not going to be a very windy summer.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25If it's going to be a very windy summer,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28then they'll bring it down to where there's a big fork,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30that way the nest can be supported two ways,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32and it won't get blown out the nest.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34And another one, while you're on birds,
0:08:34 > 0:08:35is in the morning,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38when the blackbird's singing outside the window at four o'clock
0:08:38 > 0:08:40and keeping you awake, if it's going to be a fine day,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42it will sit at the highest point.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47But if it's going to get rainy later on, it will sit a bit lower down,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50because then he's got the branches or cover,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52to keep him dry when it rains.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Taking into account everything that we've looked at today,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57what is this summer going to be like?
0:08:57 > 0:08:59It's going to be warm, and it's going to be damp.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03It's not going to be torrential floods like we have had in the past,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05but neither is it going to be barbecue weather.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07But it's going to be quite pleasant.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09And if I go out on air and give that as my forecast,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- I'm not going to get fired?- No.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Are you sure?
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Because they never get the weather right, do they?!
0:09:16 > 0:09:18HE LAUGHS
0:09:18 > 0:09:19Perhaps that's the fun of it.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22If we got the weather right every time,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24what on earth would we have to talk about?!
0:09:25 > 0:09:28I'm not sure I buy into everything that David's said to me.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30I might stick to more scientific methods,
0:09:30 > 0:09:31but it makes sense, doesn't it,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33to use the signs of nature?
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Much like our ancestors would have done.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38So, has David got it right this time?
0:09:38 > 0:09:39Watch this space.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Now, there are plenty of Brits, round about four million, actually,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47who are more than happy to be out and about,
0:09:47 > 0:09:48no matter WHAT the weather,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52just as long as they're out and about on a golf course.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54And now, these courses are, surprisingly,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56becoming vital in helping to
0:09:56 > 0:09:59protect some of our endangered species.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Jules has been to Jersey to get into the swing.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Us Brits are crazy about hitting tiny balls
0:10:10 > 0:10:13into what seem to be ever smaller holes.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15So crazy, in fact,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19that golf as a business is now worth a staggering £3 billion.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28But who would have thought that one of our best-loved sports
0:10:28 > 0:10:30would score a hole in one...
0:10:31 > 0:10:34..for our wildlife? Ah! Unlike me!
0:10:35 > 0:10:38My putting skills may leave a bit to be desired,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40but on a gorgeous spring day,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43I can definitely see what draws players
0:10:43 > 0:10:46to the UK's 3,000-plus golf courses.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51They cover a massive 400,000 acres, and are full of wildlife habitats,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54including almost 15,000 acres
0:10:54 > 0:10:56of protected Sites of Scientific Interest.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Ecologist Sophie Vukelic works with greenkeepers
0:11:01 > 0:11:03to help manage these precious spaces.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07When you come onto a course like this,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10you can see how these areas of wild rough,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14the infamous rough that seems to catch so many golfers out,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17actually create the course and define the fairways and the greens.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20But it's the wild bit that you're really interested in?
0:11:20 > 0:11:22It is. So on this course we've got a real mosaic of habitats,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24everything from the dune grassland,
0:11:24 > 0:11:25which is managed to make sure
0:11:25 > 0:11:28that the wild flowers come through naturally, to the scrub,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31which is managed so that it retains nice and tight and dense
0:11:31 > 0:11:35for nesting birds, and also the other areas in between.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38So we've got this great diversity of habitats,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and with that, obviously, comes a diversity of wildlife, too.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43So give us an idea of the wildlife
0:11:43 > 0:11:45that you're particularly interested in, here.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49So we're looking at the cirl bunting, which is a Red-listed bird,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52which we thought had gone missing from Jersey many years ago
0:11:52 > 0:11:55but now the golf club have actually managed to conserve
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and bring back to the golf course, and to Jersey in general.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01And there's also the green lizard, which is endemic to Jersey.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03We've got quite a good population,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05particularly here on the golf course.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07And what are you doing, in terms of the strategy
0:12:07 > 0:12:10that you're helping the greenkeepers to implement?
0:12:10 > 0:12:12So, a few years ago they built a hibernacula
0:12:12 > 0:12:13under one of their tees.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Now you're probably wondering what a hibernacula is, right?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18I'm trying to take that apart, a hibernacula, go on.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Yes, so, basically, over winter,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24reptiles need somewhere to hibernate,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and a hibernacula provides them with a safe, warm haven.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It sounds like the perfect rural des res.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32- Where is it?- Well, follow me, and I'll show you.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36The tongue-twisting hibernacula
0:12:36 > 0:12:39has been built in the most unlikely of places,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41right under the fourth tee.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Now, to me, that looks like an ancient stone wall.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48It doesn't look like much, does it?
0:12:48 > 0:12:50But it's what's behind the wall that really counts.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53So there's a nice structure of honeycomb breeze blocks
0:12:53 > 0:12:56and they go right back under the tee there,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59and creating these lovely little cosy chambers
0:12:59 > 0:13:01for the lizards to winter in.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04But it's built underneath the tee,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06which obviously gets visited quite a lot during a day,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09but they're obviously not bothered by noise
0:13:09 > 0:13:10or golf balls flying around.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13No, the hibernacula's quite deep underneath the tee there,
0:13:13 > 0:13:15and there's some wood chips in there
0:13:15 > 0:13:17which will help to negate any sounds.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19It's the perfect set-up, isn't it?
0:13:19 > 0:13:22I mean, you know, a coastal home with a beautiful sea view.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25I mean, this is expensive lizard real estate, really?
0:13:25 > 0:13:27It really is. Do you want to move in?
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Well, if I were a lizard, I know exactly where I'd be going!
0:13:31 > 0:13:35In an effort to ensure the resident reptiles get a good square meal,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39the golf club has also planted the area with insect-attracting species,
0:13:39 > 0:13:41such as marram grass and gorse.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48All that should be enough to pull in a lizard or two.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Now it may be my hearing,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52but I'm sure I heard something rustling over there.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57But because they're so shy and so well camouflaged,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59they can be tricky to spot.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- Can you see down here?- That green is incredible.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08He's just basking in the sunlight there, warming up for the day.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10I'm amazed at how big he is, actually.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Yeah, it's actually the biggest lizard that we have in the UK.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Are they quite sociable creatures?
0:14:15 > 0:14:17I mean, where there's one, will there be two?
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Well, at this time of year, as we're right in the breeding season,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23we quite often see the males fighting with one another.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26They get quite aggressive defending their territory,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29so there's every chance there could be another male around here,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31and perhaps a female.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I mean, here we are, I know we're outside their hibernacula,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36but I honestly didn't think one would pop out,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39particularly as we're here talking and making a bit of a noise.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41It's fantastic. It just shows, as well,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43that they're using this hibernacula,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45so what the club are doing is really working.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48And it's not just the lizards
0:14:48 > 0:14:51that are living a life of luxury in Jersey.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Thanks to the work of greenkeepers like Ben Blampied-Smyth,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57birds also thrive here.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Well, what golfer doesn't love a birdie?!
0:15:00 > 0:15:04The cirl bunting is a bird I'm not particularly familiar with,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06for a very good reason, because it's on the Red list, it's endangered.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09- Yeah.- But you've managed to encourage them here.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12About 15 years ago, the first breeding pair was found
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and since then, we've been managing the area
0:15:15 > 0:15:20round where we found that pair and encouraging gorse back into areas,
0:15:20 > 0:15:21managing grass lines.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23MAN YELLS
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Do you think that was a hole in one?!
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Do you think, Ben, the players that are out here
0:15:28 > 0:15:29enjoying the course today
0:15:29 > 0:15:31are aware of the wildlife element,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33or are they solely focused on their golf?
0:15:33 > 0:15:36A lot of them are interested in what we're doing
0:15:36 > 0:15:37and ask a lot of questions,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and they'll send photos in to me, saying,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42"I've seen this on the golf course, what is it?"
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Yeah, they are quite interested.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46So what are you working on at the moment?
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Actually, we are building another hibernacula.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50You can give us a hand finishing it off, if you'd like?
0:15:50 > 0:15:52I'd love to. Get a lizard's-eye view
0:15:52 > 0:15:54- of what exactly goes on, on the inside.- Yeah.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59So, Ben, just talk me through the basic structure.
0:15:59 > 0:16:00What are you trying to create?
0:16:00 > 0:16:02So at the front we've got granite.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06- Yeah.- And then behind the granite, we've got a stack of house bricks,
0:16:06 > 0:16:07and then we've got straw,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09that's just to make a bedding for them,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11and keep them warm through the winter.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13And then somehow they make their way into this?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Yeah, so we've got... Every metre we've got a pipe...
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- Ah, clever.- ..which runs from the outside and into the structure.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21And it's as simple as that?
0:16:21 > 0:16:25- Yeah.- Right, let's get going, shall we?
0:16:25 > 0:16:27A few more bricks along here, then?
0:16:27 > 0:16:28- Yeah.- A bit more hay.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Brilliant. And then we'll just start layering that up.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37Right then, granite.
0:16:38 > 0:16:44The lizards like to sit out when the granite gets hot.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45This is the terrace, isn't it?
0:16:45 > 0:16:47This is the terrace on the hotel.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51With the basic structure in place,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55it's just a matter of covering it with a membrane and a layer of soil,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57before planting marram grass on top.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03It's always the finishing touches to a home, I find,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05that make all the difference.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Those lucky lizards.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Did they choose the colour of the kitchen, as well?
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Probably the wife's thing, that!
0:17:14 > 0:17:18To be honest, I've always thought of golf courses
0:17:18 > 0:17:20as overly manicured bits of grass,
0:17:20 > 0:17:21but now that I've discovered
0:17:21 > 0:17:25that they can harbour such exotic wildlife,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27well, I might just need to revise my opinion.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31I might even take up golf.
0:17:31 > 0:17:32How hard can it be?
0:17:38 > 0:17:41From golf tees to cream teas.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45You know, when the sun comes up and the countryside starts to warm up,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48there's nothing nicer than to sit outdoors
0:17:48 > 0:17:51and enjoy that finest of West Country traditions,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53tea and scones.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57But just what does it take to make your tea-time favourite
0:17:57 > 0:17:59absolutely perfect?
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Well, Margherita is on a very enjoyable mission to find out.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07# I like a nice cup of tea in the morning
0:18:07 > 0:18:10# For to start the day, you see
0:18:10 > 0:18:13# And at half past eleven
0:18:13 > 0:18:14# Well, my idea of heaven
0:18:14 > 0:18:17# Is a nice cup of tea... #
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Since it arrived in the 17th century,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22we Brits have loved our tea.
0:18:22 > 0:18:29We drink a staggering 165 million cups every single day -
0:18:29 > 0:18:33that's the equivalent to 300,000 bathtubs full of the stuff.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39# For a nice cup of tea! #
0:18:41 > 0:18:45But would you believe that some of our favourite brew
0:18:45 > 0:18:47will soon be home-grown right here in Devon?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51To quench our thirst for a cuppa,
0:18:51 > 0:18:56we import about 160,000 tonnes of tea every single year,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59mainly from East Africa and Asia.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Now, tea plants thrive in hot, humid conditions,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06so you might think that growing tea here in Britain
0:19:06 > 0:19:07would be a nonstarter.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Well, maybe it's time to think again.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16When Jenny Tunley Price took her dog for a walk one summer's day in 2005,
0:19:16 > 0:19:18little did she know that she was about to make
0:19:18 > 0:19:20a life-changing discovery.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25She stumbled across an overgrown walled garden
0:19:25 > 0:19:28that had been untouched for the past decade,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30and with the help of the local community,
0:19:30 > 0:19:35she's now turning it into Devon's very first tea plantation.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37How many people have worked on the garden?
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Because there's quite a lot of it.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Probably 400, maybe, individuals.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42- My goodness.- And I have a little band
0:19:42 > 0:19:45of local volunteers who come and pitch in.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49So hundreds of people helping bring this garden back to life, really?
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Back to life and ready to grow tea.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58The plant our tea comes from is the Chinese camellia
0:19:58 > 0:20:00or Camellia sinensis,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04which thrives in sheltered spots like Jenny's garden.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Jenny, for those of us that would like to have a go
0:20:08 > 0:20:10at growing our own tea at home, where do we start?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13There are quite a few nurseries now where you can get them from.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15So if you were to do an internet search
0:20:15 > 0:20:17for tea plant or Camellia sinensis sinensis,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21then it should come up with a stockist that's local to you.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It's not the same plant as the colourful camellia
0:20:23 > 0:20:25we all love to grow,
0:20:25 > 0:20:26so make sure you check,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and it's a good idea to put in more mature plants,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31as they'll be hardier and ready to harvest sooner.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35They like to be moist but not wet,
0:20:35 > 0:20:39and they probably prefer not to have too much direct sunlight.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Is there any soil prep involved, or is it just straight in?
0:20:41 > 0:20:44You need to know what the pH of your soil is,
0:20:44 > 0:20:45so it needs to be an acid soil.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48We need to make the soil a bit fluffier than it currently is.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51- OK.- So we're going to do that by adding a bit of lovely compost,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53just very slightly tickle the roots out.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56- OK.- Because, otherwise, they'll have a tendency
0:20:56 > 0:20:57to just go round and round in circles.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Give it a bit more compost round the roots like that,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and then we'll give it a drop of water in a minute
0:21:03 > 0:21:05when we finish planting the rest.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07And how long am I waiting for that harvest?
0:21:07 > 0:21:10For a properly decent harvest,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13we're probably looking at about seven years before we get there.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- Long-term investment.- Yeah.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Can't wait THAT long for a cuppa!
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Luckily, in her beautiful garden,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Jenny's got all the ingredients to hand.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Here on the plate I've already just picked for you
0:21:26 > 0:21:28the beginnings of a cup of tea,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30which is essentially a bud and the two leaves
0:21:30 > 0:21:33that come from behind it.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36All the teas that you know, green tea, white tea, black tea,
0:21:36 > 0:21:37all come from the same plant.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- Just from the one plant?- Just from the one plant.
0:21:40 > 0:21:41And how do we get the different flavours?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43It's the difference in processing.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47The more the cut leaves are exposed to oxygen, the darker they become,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50developing those strong tannin-type flavours.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53But Jenny's using fresh leaves to make green tea.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56You don't need to have lots of fancy equipment.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58You roll them in your hand.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00You don't really want to break them too much,
0:22:00 > 0:22:01you just want to bruise them.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06So you just warm it up a little bit in your hand, tip it into the cup...
0:22:07 > 0:22:08..pour on some hot water,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10and unlike anything your grandmother told you about
0:22:10 > 0:22:12it having to be at boiling point,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16it actually needs to be between 75 and 85 degrees.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18For the perfect cup of green tea,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20leave it to steep and then drink away,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24and it should taste a bit like the smell of a freshly cut lawn.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Wow. Thank you so much for all your advice, I really appreciate it.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33Well, that's my West Country tea in the bag, but my quest isn't over.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Join me later when I discover how science
0:22:36 > 0:22:40is helping answer the sticky question that divides our nation...
0:22:40 > 0:22:44is it clotted cream or jam first in the perfect cream tea?
0:22:49 > 0:22:54Just like Devon, Cornwall is also home to another age-old tradition -
0:22:54 > 0:22:57fishing. For the last 600 years,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Newlyn's fishermen have been a vital part of the community.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Today, it's one of the top ports in the country
0:23:04 > 0:23:08and has found a revolutionary way to sell its wares,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10as Anita is about to see for herself.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16This place is steeped in history, and the heritage here
0:23:16 > 0:23:19means the fishermen are some of the most experienced there are,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21but I'm about to meet a couple of chaps
0:23:21 > 0:23:23who are doing things a little bit differently
0:23:23 > 0:23:26and breathing new life and a bit of digital wizardry
0:23:26 > 0:23:28into this age-old tradition.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Meet Andrew Stevens and Louis Mitchell.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36Hello, chaps.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38They call themselves Dreckly Fish.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42In these parts, "dreckly" means it will happen...soonish,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45but for these boys, speed is of the essence.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47They sell their catch directly to customers,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51even whilst they're pulling it out of the sea, via Twitter.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Now, this is so beautiful, Andrew, this is absolutely stunning.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57- How long have you been fishing? - You want to know?
0:23:57 > 0:23:58I do, yeah.
0:24:00 > 0:24:0140-odd years.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04But we were getting the same money 20 years ago.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09- Nothing's changed.- So you've basically got rid of the middleman,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- is that what's happened? - We haven't fell out with anybody,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15it's just that we fancied having a go at our own enterprise.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18In bypassing the fish market,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22the boys can get their catch from coast to customer within hours.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26And today, lobster is on the menu.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28If we have a lobster in the first pot,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30that's what we call a Jack Henry start.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31Why Jack Henry start?
0:24:31 > 0:24:34There used to be a grumpy old fisherman near here
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and that's what everybody used to say, "It's a Jack Henry start."
0:24:39 > 0:24:41How many lobster do you get on a normal day?
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Well, that would be telling, that would.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47But a good day can be 80, that's a very good day, that.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50And a bad day can be two, or nothing.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53So we just really don't know what we're going to get today.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Here we go.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56- Is there one in there?- Yeah.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58- Yes!- There you are.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Look at that.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03So that's what we call a Jack Henry start, that is,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06- first pot of the day. - That is a beast!
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Let's get the product onto the market.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10First we need a photo,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12to show buyers on social media what's available.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Do you just take it in the pot?
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Yeah, I just take a photograph like that.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Let's take a picture of it straight away.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21I think that's worth putting online straight away, don't you?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28The pictures are uploaded straight from the boat,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31and by selling high quality to select buyers,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33the fewer they have to catch to make a living.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Good for all-round sustainability.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40So you offer them up to your special customers first?
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- We do.- OK, I see, I see. - PHONE RINGS
0:25:43 > 0:25:44So you need to get on the in-list.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Oh, there you go.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- That fast?!- That fast. - That's how quickly it works.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51- Wow.- Yeah. So...
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Is today a good day? It seems like we've got a good haul.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Oh, you're our lucky charm.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Then it's back to the harbour to get these beauties packed up
0:26:03 > 0:26:05and shipped out.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08But now I'm off to meet
0:26:08 > 0:26:11one of the fishermen's loyal customers, just a mile away.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Bruce Rennie is king of the fish dish,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18and today he's making our fishermen lunch.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23A spring salad, with lobster as the star of the show.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28The temperature's the critical part of cooking this dish,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30because that's what makes it nice and soft.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32And for you this is an absolute gift, isn't it?
0:26:32 > 0:26:34I love it. It's why I do purely seafood,
0:26:34 > 0:26:38because of the location we're in, where we're at, and it's the best.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Lobster, sliced heritage tomatoes...
0:26:48 > 0:26:50- The secret water.- Yeah.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54A drizzle of chilled tomato and basil presse...
0:26:54 > 0:26:56This kind of makes it between a soup and a salad,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58but it really adds a nice zing to everything.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02And a few edible flowers for a true taste of spring.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Bet the boys will love that!
0:27:04 > 0:27:05We'll see how that goes.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Hello, gentlemen.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Have you ever had your lobster look like that, for starters?
0:27:14 > 0:27:15Not with primroses, no.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19Right, well, I don't know about you, but I'm desperate to try this.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21- Shall we give it a go?- Yeah.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Very nice.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29- What do you think?- Beautiful.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Absolutely beautiful, superb.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34So sweet, it just melts in the mouth.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38It's incredible, Bruce, it really is.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40That is absolutely divine.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43- I'll try that. - I've never ate a primrose before!
0:27:50 > 0:27:53From one West Country delicacy to another.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Earlier Margherita enjoyed a cuppa
0:27:55 > 0:27:58fresh from Devon's first tea plantation.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03Now she's finding the science that goes into the perfect cream tea,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05and she'll be asking the big question -
0:28:05 > 0:28:08which comes first, the jam or the cream?
0:28:12 > 0:28:13Now I'm crossing into Cornwall,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16where for some Devonshire cream tea purists,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18I really am stepping into enemy territory.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23The great British cream tea comes in two varieties -
0:28:23 > 0:28:25the Cornish and the Devonshire.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28The most famous difference between them is that in Cornwall,
0:28:28 > 0:28:33the scone gets the jam first, while in Devon it's cream.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34But let's leave the tussles
0:28:34 > 0:28:37over the finer points of presentation until later.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40I want to find out more about that special ingredient
0:28:40 > 0:28:44that elevates the humble scone-jam combo to such lofty heights.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48I'm talking, of course, about clotted cream.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54Cornwall is world-famous for its clotted cream.
0:28:56 > 0:28:5920 years ago, the owners of this dairy
0:28:59 > 0:29:02decided to have a go at making clotted cream,
0:29:02 > 0:29:04when quotas left them with more excess milk
0:29:04 > 0:29:07than they knew what to do with.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Today it's producing 25% of the county's output
0:29:11 > 0:29:14and is run by their sons, George and Francis,
0:29:14 > 0:29:16who've invited me over for tea.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21The dairy you're running at the moment is huge.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24How did your parents begin the operation?
0:29:24 > 0:29:27They were dairy farmers, and they decided one night
0:29:27 > 0:29:31to start processing some milk and making some clotted cream.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33It was literally a tiny amount,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36enough to supply just one or two shops, and it's grown from there.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38And what are you producing now?
0:29:38 > 0:29:40A little bit more than our parents did back in the day.
0:29:40 > 0:29:41We're peaking at around about
0:29:41 > 0:29:43four tonnes of clotted cream a day at the moment.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45My God, we Brits love our clotted cream!
0:29:45 > 0:29:47We do - they keep on eating it, so we keep on making it.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50And what makes yours so special?
0:29:50 > 0:29:52What is it about Cornish clotted cream?
0:29:52 > 0:29:55For Cornish clotted cream to be made,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57it needs to be made from Cornish milk, in Cornwall,
0:29:57 > 0:30:01to a traditional recipe, and that is protected in EU law.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04We work with fantastic farmers that really help us.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08We have 25 herds within 25 miles that we collect milk from every day.
0:30:08 > 0:30:13Each of the herds have different breeds, from Jersey to Friesian,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15and those together, blended together,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17really create that extra-special flavour.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Is there any way that I could possibly make this at home,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23in the way your parents first started out, or...?
0:30:23 > 0:30:27So, to make it properly you need to be in the dairy,
0:30:27 > 0:30:31but I can, with some cream that we'll take up to the farmhouse,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33show you a cheat's way of making it in the kitchen.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37I'm up for that - anything for an easy life!
0:30:39 > 0:30:40So where do I start?
0:30:40 > 0:30:44OK, so the cream we brought from the dairy is whipping cream,
0:30:44 > 0:30:46so you can buy that off the shelf.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50What we want to do is pour about an inch deep into this open pan
0:30:50 > 0:30:54- before we then put it in the oven. - 'Cream, in the oven?'
0:30:54 > 0:30:56- Just straight in? - Yeah, straight in, keep going.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59The cream needs to heat up, needs to kind of evaporate
0:30:59 > 0:31:02a little bit and create that gorgeous golden crust on the top.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04'Ah, so that's the secret...'
0:31:04 > 0:31:08And that's where the clotted cream will eventually come from,
0:31:08 > 0:31:10- that special layer on the top? - You've got it, you've got it.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13That's what's different about clotted cream to whipping cream.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15We're giving it a good two hours in the oven
0:31:15 > 0:31:17at a temperature of 100 degrees,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19then it should come out looking like this.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Wow. So it's still quite liquid.
0:31:22 > 0:31:23This is liquid, so this is hot cream,
0:31:23 > 0:31:25but the crust has been formed,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28and you can see that there and you can smell it through.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30The big kid in me just wants to scoop...
0:31:30 > 0:31:32I wouldn't, you'll burn yourself!
0:31:32 > 0:31:37OK. And that golden layer on top is eventually what we're after?
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Absolutely, so that's effectively the fat going to the top,
0:31:40 > 0:31:44evaporating, leaving that beautiful nice cream on the top.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46- So this really is about being patient?- Correct.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Everything to do with cream is about being slow and gentle.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53So that would need to go into the fridge overnight.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57'Although patience is a virtue, we haven't got that much time.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00'Luckily, here's one the guys prepared last night.'
0:32:00 > 0:32:03This is it. Scooping it off the top is the delicate bit.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04A little bit of skill involved here.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08- Absolutely.- One chance to get it right?- One chance only!- OK.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11- Here's a spoon.- All right. - Here's a bowl. Good luck.
0:32:11 > 0:32:12THEY LAUGH
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Oooh...
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Ohhh...
0:32:19 > 0:32:22- That's it, you've got it. - That's the good stuff.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24Look at that!
0:32:26 > 0:32:27Wow, that's good stuff.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30That's really thick. Beautiful.
0:32:30 > 0:32:31Yeah, I need two, don't I?
0:32:33 > 0:32:37'And there we have it - DIY clotted cream.'
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Guys, thank you so much for showing me
0:32:40 > 0:32:42the cheat's way of making clotted cream.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Here's a pot from the dairy, you can have it.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47You've got to promise that it's jam first, though.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49And the reason for that is
0:32:49 > 0:32:52because when the scones come out of the oven, they're really hot,
0:32:52 > 0:32:54so the jam is used as a sort of an insulator,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56so when you put the cream on, it doesn't melt.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58Science behind the tradition.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00- Absolutely.- Thanks so much.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- Brilliant, great to see you. Thanks.- Bye.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06I've got my key ingredients, but to create the perfect cream tea
0:33:06 > 0:33:09I'm heading back over the border to Devon,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12where apparently it all began.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Now, legend has it that in the 11th century the monks at Tavistock Abbey
0:33:16 > 0:33:19in Devon were the first to come up with the idea
0:33:19 > 0:33:22of adding clotted cream and jam to bread.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25There's not much left of the abbey now,
0:33:25 > 0:33:30but its culinary legacy continues to exercise 21st-century minds,
0:33:30 > 0:33:34amongst them, food scientist Dr Stuart Farrimond.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Stuart, I'm here for my science lesson on the perfect cream tea.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39You're the man to come to, I understand.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Margherita, you have come to the right place.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44You don't need your lab coat or your lab goggles.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47There is some serious science behind the cream tea.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Why do we love them so much?
0:33:49 > 0:33:53It's that combination of sweet and fat, essentially.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56So anything that has fat in it just tastes good,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58so if you get the right ratio,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02the right amount of clotted cream to jam on our scone,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04we could have the perfect cream tea.
0:34:04 > 0:34:09Great. Can you show me how I make the exact perfect cream tea?
0:34:09 > 0:34:10We've got our clotted cream.
0:34:10 > 0:34:15- Yeah.- We've got our jam, and we've got our locally baked scones there.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19So you get your scone nicely warmed, wait a minute before you cut it,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21because otherwise the steam will be trapped inside
0:34:21 > 0:34:23and it will all fall apart.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26So it's nice and hot to touch. We're going to do it the Devon way,
0:34:26 > 0:34:28so we're going to put the cream on first.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30My mouth is watering.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34'Cream first?! I don't know what my Cornish clotted cream guys
0:34:34 > 0:34:35'will make of that...'
0:34:35 > 0:34:37So two centimetres of scone base.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41Yeah, that's right, then a centimetre of clotted cream.
0:34:42 > 0:34:43Here's the jam.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49And so there we have the perfect ratio.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52There is a 28% sweetness to this, which is ideal,
0:34:52 > 0:34:56and providing it's warm, at around 35 degrees C,
0:34:56 > 0:35:01that is when our taste buds are most sensitive to the flavours in this.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05So this is cream tea scientific perfection?
0:35:05 > 0:35:06Heaven.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Time to put the science to the test.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Stuart's scientifically perfect cream tea in the Devonshire style,
0:35:13 > 0:35:17and I've also got the Cornish style - worth a taste.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Which of our two will the residents at Tavistock prefer?
0:35:25 > 0:35:27So which one of these two versions...?
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- I think the red one. - You're liking the look of that?- Yes.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Cream teas, what do you normally go for, what appeals to you?
0:35:33 > 0:35:34Jam first and then cream.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37- Can I tempt you? - Lovely as they look...
0:35:37 > 0:35:40- How do you like yours? - The Cornish way.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43- I'd choose that one. - That...
0:35:43 > 0:35:45is uniquely delicious.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Absolutely yummy!
0:35:47 > 0:35:49So that one, the Cornish way, always a winner for you?
0:35:49 > 0:35:51Yes, it definitely is.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54Is it a thumbs up all round, either way they come?
0:35:54 > 0:35:56- Fantastic.- Either or.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Double thumbs up!
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Well, if the proof of the pudding's in the eating,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04I think I can definitely say we've got a draw, but one way or another,
0:36:04 > 0:36:06in 2017, the British cream tea
0:36:06 > 0:36:09is most definitely still proving a winner.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15On a lovely spring day like this,
0:36:15 > 0:36:20a favourite pastime of both young and old is feeding the ducks,
0:36:20 > 0:36:22but according to a recent report,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25that could be doing them more harm than good.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29So Paul and his family are going to the local park to find out more.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38For years now we've been coming here as a family to feed the ducks,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40to get rid of the leftover bread.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41It's a bit of a family tradition, really.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Right, Meredith, there you go. Dyl...
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Right, guys, let's find the ducks.
0:36:47 > 0:36:48Good day for it.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Many of us have happy childhood memories of feeding bread
0:36:52 > 0:36:54to the ducks. However...
0:36:56 > 0:36:58In parks up and down the country,
0:36:58 > 0:37:02signs are springing up saying, "Do not feed the ducks".
0:37:02 > 0:37:03Now, what's that all about?
0:37:05 > 0:37:10To find out, I've arranged to meet Jamie, who's an RSPB officer.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14I want to know if the nation's duck-feeding days are over.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19So, Jamie, is it time for me and my family,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and indeed other families up and down the country,
0:37:22 > 0:37:23to stop feeding ducks? And if so, why?
0:37:23 > 0:37:25There's no reason to stop feeding ducks,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28it's a great way for families to get close to nature
0:37:28 > 0:37:31and see these wonderful birds really close up.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34But bread is not good for birds, it's junk food for them.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36It has no nutritional value.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Ducks foraging on water are looking for the kind of food
0:37:39 > 0:37:41that they would naturally find in the aquatic world,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44and bread wouldn't really occur there.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Ducks fall into two categories -
0:37:46 > 0:37:49the dabblers, who feed on the water's surface,
0:37:49 > 0:37:53and the divers, like tufted ducks, who feed underwater.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Most of the ducks we see in our local ponds are the dabblers,
0:37:59 > 0:38:00especially the mallard,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04so any food we give them needs to float on the surface.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07What do we need to feed them?
0:38:07 > 0:38:08Well, we need to stick to
0:38:08 > 0:38:12what is closest to what a duck would find in the wild,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15and that could be pieces of greenery, so salads.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18People buy these big bags of salad, you can't always get through it -
0:38:18 > 0:38:20bring your leftover salad leaves down.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23It's also important not to overfeed them,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26so whatever you're putting into the pond, make sure they're eating it,
0:38:26 > 0:38:27don't just leave it lying there.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29If food builds up it can either sink to the bottom
0:38:29 > 0:38:32and build up all sorts of nasty bacteria, or it can attract rats,
0:38:32 > 0:38:34which aren't really good for ducks.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38And the other interesting thing is that by feeding them too much,
0:38:38 > 0:38:40you're artificially changing their habitat.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42So you're building up large numbers of birds
0:38:42 > 0:38:45in an area where there wouldn't actually be enough food for them
0:38:45 > 0:38:48- and that can cause all sorts of problems.- They get aggressive.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51They get aggressive. You should never feed a duck by hand, either,
0:38:51 > 0:38:53because that makes them bold, so they'll start chasing after people,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55which we don't really want to happen.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58But having too many ducks in one area is a big problem for them
0:38:58 > 0:39:00and they can't breed, they can't nest successfully
0:39:00 > 0:39:02- and it doesn't really work out for them very well.- Sure.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05So now we know bread's a no-no,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07I've asked Jamie to show me
0:39:07 > 0:39:10what a duck's perfect packed lunch might look like.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12First on the menu, cooked sweetcorn.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Lots and lots of good vitamins in there for them,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18- really, really healthy stuff. - Brilliant.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21So sweetcorn, sweetcorn suits us both.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23Next, porridge oats.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26This is the kind of thing you can also feed your garden birds -
0:39:26 > 0:39:28uncooked rolled oats are perfect.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Peas, I see peas, I love peas.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33- We all love peas.- My mum always said greens are good for you.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36Yeah, and they're good for the birds as well. Little balls of nutrition
0:39:36 > 0:39:38and vitamins, these are, absolutely perfect.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Nice, bright colour, they'll easily see those,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43they can pick those up off the water and gobble them up.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46This is beginning to look like the healthiest duck cafe ever.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48We'll soon have them queueing up.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52With the lettuce, I tend to shred it up a little bit,
0:39:52 > 0:39:54make it into much smaller pieces.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56- Bite-size.- Yeah, bite-size, beak-size,
0:39:56 > 0:39:58so they can easily gobble that up.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00That will go down very well, they love lettuce.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Next, the hearts of sunflower seeds.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05The hard shell's been taken off,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07making it much easier for birds to eat.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09And last but not least...
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- Super-healthy superfood, curly kale.- OK.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Again, I'd shred this a little bit and make it easier to digest,
0:40:15 > 0:40:17but great for us and also great for ducks.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21I guess we've always fed bread to the ducks
0:40:21 > 0:40:23because, let's face it, bread goes stale.
0:40:23 > 0:40:24You don't want to just throw it away -
0:40:24 > 0:40:27"Let's give it to them, feed the birds, feed the ducks."
0:40:27 > 0:40:30Don't do that any more, keep that for the bread pudding
0:40:30 > 0:40:32and give the birds and the ducks this kind of food.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37So, it's time to change our duck-feeding habits.
0:40:37 > 0:40:38'Out with the bread...'
0:40:38 > 0:40:41Right, you know what to do, Dyl, put it in.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43'..and in with the greens.'
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Jamie, meet the kids. This is Meredith and Dylan.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50- Hello.- Say hello. Jamie's going to help us make up some goody bags
0:40:50 > 0:40:52so we can hand out to people in the park,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54so they can feed the ducks properly.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Let's get all of these out and start filling up some bags.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04- Look at that, look at that! - Oh, brilliant - well done, Meredith.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Oh, yeah, that's going to feed a happy duck.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12I think we've got enough now. We've got about 15 to 20 goody bags.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15The challenge now is to convince the people around here,
0:41:15 > 0:41:19and in other parks, that this is actually good for the ducks.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- So, are you up for this?- Yeah.- Look, there's a load of people up there,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24let's hand out our goody bags and show them what we've got
0:41:24 > 0:41:26and hopefully they can pass the message on.
0:41:26 > 0:41:27- Yeah?- Yes.- Come on, then.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Hi, can I just stop you for a second?
0:41:32 > 0:41:35My name's Paul Martin, these are my children.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37We've been making up some goody bags to feed the ducks with,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41because we want to encourage people to feed ducks all sorts of things,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44- like what, guys?- Sweetcorn.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47Peas, kale, oats,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- sunflower seeds.- Chopped-up lettuce, all sorts of things,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53- because it's bad to feed ducks bread.- I know.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56- You know that, don't you?- I know that, because I live in Devizes
0:41:56 > 0:41:58and the swans were so fat they couldn't take off.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00And it pollutes the water.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Right, so can we give you a couple of these,
0:42:02 > 0:42:04so if you're walking along you can feed the ducks?
0:42:04 > 0:42:08- Do you mind?- Not at all.- Look, we've made these up, so have them.
0:42:08 > 0:42:09- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13These are for you, there's one there and there's one there.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17Would you like a couple of bags as you stroll along the river bank?
0:42:17 > 0:42:18- Yes.- You can feed a few ducks.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- Thank you. Pass the message on, won't you?- We will.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26It's great to know that my family and yours can carry on
0:42:26 > 0:42:29that wonderful tradition of feeding the ducks,
0:42:29 > 0:42:31and the best bit about it is,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34what we're feeding them now is actually good for them.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38So, don't stop feeding the ducks,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41just make sure you give them the right things.
0:42:43 > 0:42:44And that's all we've got time for today,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47but please do join us again tomorrow, when...
0:42:47 > 0:42:51Joe Crowley will be finding out why one village in Worcestershire
0:42:51 > 0:42:54goes mad for one of our favourite spring vegetables.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56How would you cook me asparagus?
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Simply boiled, with a knob of butter, brown bread, just the job.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Margherita meets land girls past and present
0:43:04 > 0:43:08to discover if the future of farming could be female.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11- Would that have come in handy? - I don't know.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15And I'll be getting some expert advice
0:43:15 > 0:43:18on how you can guarantee a bumper crop of fruit
0:43:18 > 0:43:22- from your trees this year. - Until then, goodbye.