0:00:02 > 0:00:08Long sunny days when our countryside is bursting with colour and life.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12It's the season that brings out the child in us all.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15Summer is here.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23It's the perfect time to enjoy the beauty of our great British landscape.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29And our amazing wildlife.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Some of us are still hard at work.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40But whatever you're doing, and whatever the weather,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42our island is at its very best.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49All week, we're travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:51 > 0:00:56..bringing the very best seasonal stories that matter to you.
0:00:56 > 0:01:0246% of young adults have at least some hay fever symptoms.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06It is hard to believe that such microscopically small grains
0:01:06 > 0:01:09could cause such trouble for millions of us.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18The very warmest of welcomes to Countryfile Summer Diaries.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28And here's what's coming up on the programme today.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31If you're an urban dweller,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Paul is discovering how you could keep city bees.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38My initial response was, this is absolutely barking.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40It's a silly idea.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44I can't believe that is so good and it comes from the rooftop here.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49Keeley discovers the dramatic rescue of a stranded dolphin clinging to life.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52We realised quite soon after the tide had come in
0:01:52 > 0:01:55that we didn't have very long at all.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57She needed to swim and she needed to swim now.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02And I'll be finding out how going back to the past could help to offer
0:02:02 > 0:02:04a solution for the future.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19All this week we're enjoying summer on the beautiful and historic
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Isle of Wight.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25The island broke free from mainland Britain after the Ice Age,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29which helped form its stunning rugged coastline,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32its picturesque hills and slopes,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and created a haven for fauna and flora.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39The island has had its fair share of visitors, too, over the millennia,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42including the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons and,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46in the 12th century, a small group of Benedictine monks
0:02:46 > 0:02:47who built Quarr Abbey.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50You can see its ruins over there.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57There's a new abbey built behind it and a community of monks is still
0:02:57 > 0:02:59working and worshipping here today.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06This amazing ancient oak tree grew
0:03:06 > 0:03:10amidst the monks' original infirmary building
0:03:10 > 0:03:14and more recent visitors have also made their mark
0:03:14 > 0:03:17on the island and on our national taste buds.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22Margherita is now following her nose in pursuit of a whiffy,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24yet intriguing tale from the Second World War.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33If you walk into any kitchen, you'll find the same staples in most cooks'
0:03:33 > 0:03:37cupboards - salt, pepper and of course, garlic.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Garlic is a relative newcomer to our shores
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and dinner tables.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44In fact, some 40-odd years ago, it was unheard of,
0:03:44 > 0:03:48so how did that little bulb arrive from the Mediterranean
0:03:48 > 0:03:50to the Isle of Wight?
0:03:50 > 0:03:56Well, apparently it all started with a secret wartime mission
0:03:56 > 0:03:58behind enemy lines.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02So the story goes that during the Second World War, a fleet of
0:04:02 > 0:04:05French ships were stationed off the coast at Cowes.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09And the French crew, not too happy with the bland English food,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13thanks to the help of a local publican, hatched a plan to change all that.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19The pub landlord was a man called Bill Spidy.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22He told George Castle the full story.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26In October 1942,
0:04:26 > 0:04:31250 Frenchmen were in Cowes and the French complained about the food -
0:04:31 > 0:04:33that there was no taste to the food in the Isle of Wight.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36He said he would try and get some garlic.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40He had some friends working in the SOE at Tangmere, near Chichester.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43The SOE, or Special Operations Executive,
0:04:43 > 0:04:48was a British wartime organisation tasked with performing espionage,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe.
0:04:51 > 0:04:58The next night, a Lysander took off from Tangmere and went to Auvergne.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05The next night the garlic arrived at Cowes, two bags of garlic,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09and it was taken to the local farm where the Spidys lived, called Little Duxmore.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13And that's where the garlic was first planted, at Little Duxmore farm.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20The garlic Bill grew for his French customers is known as Solent Wight.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24It's the same stock third-generation farmer Colin Boswell started his
0:05:24 > 0:05:28business with. His links to the bulb run deep into the past, too.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Colin, how did you come to first grow garlic here?
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Well, my mother was growing it in the kitchen garden.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41We got garlic from the Auvergne, the same place that Bill Spidy had it
0:05:41 > 0:05:45when he grew it in the 1940s on the farm next door to us.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48So there is a close connection there.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51So she may have seen that garlic in his garden and thought,
0:05:51 > 0:05:52"Oh, that's quite nice."
0:05:52 > 0:05:54He was a great chatter-upper, so...
0:05:54 > 0:05:56LAUGHTER
0:05:56 > 0:05:58And then how did we get to the point where you're growing
0:05:58 > 0:06:00fields and fields of it?
0:06:00 > 0:06:05Well, I came back in 1976 and decided to come back to the farm with my wife, Jenny.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10And we looked at the garlic my mother grew in the kitchen garden
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and it looked so much better than what was on the supermarket shelf,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16we thought we could do this and we could sell it.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Now, Colin grows over 40 types of garlic,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24alongside this stunning array of wild flowers.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29We've got a selection of garlic from all over the world.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33We've got garlic from Irkutsk in Siberia,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35we've got garlic from south-west France,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38we've got Bill Spidy's garlic from the Auvergne,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41and from eastern Turkey on the
0:06:41 > 0:06:49Syria-Iraq border we have got tuncelianum, the original garlic.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54That's really interesting because it still grows in the wild,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57which all other garlics don't.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Colin, I would like a little bit of garlic for lunch.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01What would you recommend I try?
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Well, currently I recommend this one.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06This has been raised in France,
0:07:06 > 0:07:13but is actually of Chinese origin and it's ready five weeks before
0:07:13 > 0:07:15any other garlic.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- The first garlic of the season? - First garlic of the season.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23I can't wait to try it so I'm off to meet Colin's daughter Natasha.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26While her father is passionate about growing garlic,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29she's an expert on cooking with it.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31- Hi, Natasha.- Hello. - I brought these in for you.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35I had no idea there were so many different types of garlic.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- Do they all taste the same? - Absolutely not. So, some of them
0:07:38 > 0:07:42have that extraordinary heat that you get when you chew raw garlic.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Some of them have a more rounded and sweeter flavour.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- Would you like to try some? - Yeah, great.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50I saw it come out of the ground with my own eyes.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54This is straight out of the field, so it's green garlic.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56So it's not completely dried yet.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59This variety will get slightly stronger when it dries.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03- So...- Oh, my goodness.
0:08:03 > 0:08:04- Here you go.- OK.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08So, here we go.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Oh, I can feel it on my tongue straightaway.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Wow! Ooh!
0:08:15 > 0:08:17It's like fireworks.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19You're very brave.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22- Oh, my goodness. - It really is strong.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24You wouldn't need much of that if you are cooking.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Precisely. So, if you're making, for example,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30a bruschetta or something where you'd want to have
0:08:30 > 0:08:32the strength of the raw garlic,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35that would be an excellent variety to try.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39- If I needed...- Your eyes are watering, I'm so sorry.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Let me not put the garlic up to my eyes.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44I can feel it still in my mouth
0:08:44 > 0:08:46and I can almost feel it on the insides as well.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Well, it will be doing you a lot of good.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Not only is garlic full of flavour, it's packed with health benefits,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57from lowering cholesterol and blood pressure to preventing colds,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00boosting our immune system and could even protect us
0:09:00 > 0:09:01against some cancers.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07What the World Health Organization recommends is one clove of garlic
0:09:07 > 0:09:11per day. And the best way to get the health benefits is to eat it raw.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16The sulphur compounds in garlic that are so good for our health are also
0:09:16 > 0:09:18great for our gardens,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21by keeping bugs like greenfly away.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24So time to find out how to grow it.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26We break a clove off like that.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29And we can start it in a pot like this.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Any particular soil that the garlic likes?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Just a general compost.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36And do you take the skin off first?
0:09:36 > 0:09:37No, don't take the skin off.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39The skin is there to protect it.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43The growing top there, root there, point there.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44Push it in.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50There's a good inch of soil over the top of it.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Press it down tight, water it.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54And keep it watered.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Once the plant is about that high, there'll be a massive root.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00The roots will be really going like crazy.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Take it out of this pot, and put it into bigger pot.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Even better, plant it in the soil so it can grow naturally.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13But if you haven't got that available, then the bigger the pot
0:10:13 > 0:10:16you put it in, the better the garlic crop you'll get.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Once you've potted, then where do you leave it?
0:10:19 > 0:10:24It can be on any space that you've got, preferably outside.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Garlic needs cold for its chemistry to work.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30And how long before I'd get my first harvest?
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Let's say that you planted in October, November.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38If it's Extra Early White, you'll harvest that at the end of May.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42You'll have your own bountiful harvest of garlic.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Well, I've definitely had my eyes and taste buds opened to a world of
0:10:48 > 0:10:50garlic I never knew existed.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53And I'm certainly looking forward to cooking up a storm after I've
0:10:53 > 0:10:55harvested my first crop.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13Visitors to the Isle of Wight often come to spot its great wildlife.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17And the island has become a stronghold for our much-threatened
0:11:17 > 0:11:18native red squirrel.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Woodlands like these in the grounds of the abbey provide a sanctuary
0:11:26 > 0:11:29for around 3,500 of them.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33It's all possible because the water surrounding the island is a natural
0:11:33 > 0:11:36barrier for the invasive grey squirrel.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Visitors also flock to the coast to see some of the island's
0:11:40 > 0:11:42other great wildlife.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46But if it's dolphins you're after,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49one of the best places to go to is Scotland.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54And last summer saw a dramatic dolphin rescue in the Moray Firth.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Keeley now investigates.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06Last year, there were more than 800 marine mammal strandings across the
0:12:06 > 0:12:10UK. So how can we do our bit for the wildlife around Britain's coasts?
0:12:11 > 0:12:14That figure is just for dolphins and whales,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18who are often caught by a rapid turn of tides, get beached ashore,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and are unable to return to the sea.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24But around the coast, there are groups of volunteers,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27like the British Divers Marine Life Rescue,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31training to undertake any wildlife emergency.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Led by Martin Boon, today the volunteers are learning how to save
0:12:34 > 0:12:37a dolphin using a lifelike model, and I'm lending a hand.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40One, two, three.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50It's vital training because Scotland's waters are home to around
0:12:50 > 0:12:52200 bottlenose dolphins.
0:12:52 > 0:12:53For various reasons,
0:12:53 > 0:12:57this small and vulnerable population has been under threat.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Keeping the group's numbers up, especially breeding females,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02is vital for long-term survival.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Last year, an unsuspecting wildlife watcher, like me,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11spotted a young dolphin named Spurtle.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13This was no ordinary sighting.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14Spurtle was stranded.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Somehow, Spurtle was stuck on tidal mudflats about three miles from
0:13:21 > 0:13:24the sea at low tide. By the time she was spotted she'd been out of
0:13:24 > 0:13:29the water for at least 14 hours, and was in a critical condition.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32With time running out,
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Martin and the volunteers answered the emergency call.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40What we think possibly happened is at this time of year,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44a lot of juvenile males get a bit boisterous and she maybe thought,
0:13:44 > 0:13:49I'll just come in here out of the way, and because of the geographics of the bay, it empties really,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52really quick. It's really shallow and she just got caught out.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Every moment out of the water was putting Spurtle's life in greater danger.
0:13:58 > 0:14:04The lead vet involved in the desperate attempt to save her life was Andrew Brownlow.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07So why is it such a problem if they are out of the water for that long?
0:14:07 > 0:14:11- Cos they can breathe out of the water, can't they?- Yeah, of course. I mean, they're mammals.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15They've evolved to need the water to supply buoyancy.
0:14:15 > 0:14:16So if you take that away from them,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19then they can no longer support their own weight,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24so when they're lying on their side their muscles can become sort of
0:14:24 > 0:14:28crushed by their own body weight and their skin cannot survive being
0:14:28 > 0:14:30exposed to the wind and the sun.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33As soon as they get out of the water the skin begins to dry out,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36it begins to crack and it begins to blister.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41Animals without fur, feathers or scales are prone to sunburn and blisters,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44with whales and dolphins particularly vulnerable.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Infections which follow are common and often deadly.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52So what kind of state was she in when you arrived, then?
0:14:52 > 0:14:56You could tell from the respiratory rate that she was quite distressed.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58My job is to sort of assess the animal,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and see whether or not it is possible to get them back out to sea,
0:15:01 > 0:15:05whether or not the process of them being stranded has caused so much damage
0:15:05 > 0:15:09that you actually have to put them down, put them to sleep.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Andrew decided to try and save Spurtle but there was a problem -
0:15:14 > 0:15:19the next high tide would not hit until 4am the following morning.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22They would have to stay with her to make sure she survived the night.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Morning came and Spurtle was still alive,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33but it was now a race against time.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39We realised kind of quite soon after the tide had come in that we
0:15:39 > 0:15:43actually didn't have very long at all before the tide went back out again.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45She needed to swim and she needed to swim now.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49If Andrew didn't think Spurtle could survive back at sea,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53he'd have to make a tough call and end the rescue attempt.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56It was absolutely nerve-racking, to be honest.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58I held her in my hands, in my arms,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02and pushed her a couple of times to try and encourage her to swim
0:16:02 > 0:16:06and the first couple - it didn't go so well.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10And then on the third time I gave a big push and that was it,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12she remembered how to swim.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19She started really powering through the water.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22- What a moment.- And it was the most amazing thing that I've seen during
0:16:22 > 0:16:24a refloat. She just took off.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Although Spurtle had found strength to swim,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33there was no guarantee she'd recover from her injuries once back at sea.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Unfortunately, most dolphins that are stranded don't end up back in
0:16:39 > 0:16:40the water. Spurtle was lucky -
0:16:40 > 0:16:43she had a dedicated team on hand to refloat her,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47but with such extensive sunburn and potentially other injuries,
0:16:47 > 0:16:48would she survive?
0:16:59 > 0:17:03And Keeley will be back later to discover Spurtle's fate.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Now, in this technological age there is a risk of workers losing their
0:17:07 > 0:17:11jobs to artificial intelligence and automation.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16So, could the jobs of the future be found in the skills of the past?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Jules has been to a village near Salisbury
0:17:19 > 0:17:22contemplating a change of career.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28The world over,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31people's vision of the English countryside
0:17:31 > 0:17:35is one of chocolate-box villages full of pretty cottages
0:17:35 > 0:17:36topped by straw and reed.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41And each and every one of those thatched roofs has been
0:17:41 > 0:17:43skilfully crafted in time-honoured tradition.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46Now, as a roofing material,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48thatch has long since fallen out of fashion.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52But of course it is the original eco-friendly option.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So, as a self-confessed nut when it comes to historic buildings,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59I can't wait to get a history lesson in a technique that really does go
0:17:59 > 0:18:01back as far as the Iron Age.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06Teaching me the tricks of the trade is Adam Nash.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08As a master thatcher for 12 years,
0:18:08 > 0:18:13he is a dab hand with a bundle of straw, known in the trade as a yelm.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Hello, mate. Nice to see you.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Talk me through how you make a yelm, then, the ridge.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20So what we're doing is we're topping and tailing,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22so that when it is snapped over the ridge,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25it feathers down so we haven't got a big thick lump at either end.
0:18:25 > 0:18:30- I've got it. So you're balancing it out, really.- Yeah, yeah. We're just trying to equal it all out.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Here is one I made earlier.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35And so what's going to happen is we're going to...
0:18:35 > 0:18:37In effect, they're broken over the ridge.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42Like that. And that then helps seal the roof at the end of the job
0:18:42 > 0:18:44and keep it watertight when we start to ridge it.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49Adam makes 100 yelms a day and to thatch a typical cottage,
0:18:49 > 0:18:54he'll carry around four to six tonnes of straw up to the roof.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58You had a career as an army officer, didn't you? What gave you the idea to go from army to thatcher?
0:18:58 > 0:19:01I didn't want to sit behind a desk. I wanted to be outdoors.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05I wanted to be fairly fit, and I considered dry-stone walling,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I considered being a blacksmith.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09I just wanted to be able to say, "Well, I did that."
0:19:09 > 0:19:12And to see the results of your work is very rewarding.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16So how did you make the transition from army officer to thatcher?
0:19:16 > 0:19:20I went and found a master thatcher and he was kind enough to indulge me.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24I said to him, "Look, is there any way you'd be prepared to take me on
0:19:24 > 0:19:27"and train me in an apprenticeship process?"
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Over that time he taught me to thatch.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Well, talking of apprentices, you've got me for today.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33So what's next?
0:19:33 > 0:19:37Well, if we were up on the roof we would be twisting spars and we use these.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41They're made of hazel, and they haven't changed in 250 years,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45so we twist them like that, and that becomes a staple.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47You made that look so easy.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48How did you do that?
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- See, just twist it.- JUST twist it?
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- So put your hands together. Closer together.- Yes.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59You seem more machine than man.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03It's all by hand. So all you're doing is twisting and then bending.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05- There you go.- Like that?
0:20:05 > 0:20:09So when they go into the straw, they spring and open up and they hold.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12So I wouldn't normally be putting them here,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15but if I put that into there now, that is difficult to pull out.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19And of course it is green wood. So as it dries, it is going to get really tough, isn't it?
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Yes. You can take these out a roof 20 years later and they've still got
0:20:22 > 0:20:25spring in them.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28With over 60,000 thatched houses across the country,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31thatching is a skill that's still in demand.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36But it is just one of many heritage crafts under threat of being lost.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Well, keeping these skills alive takes people.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42People who not only are prepared to pass those skills on,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44but of course people who are prepared to learn them.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48But I can tell you, twisting hazel...
0:20:53 > 0:20:55It might actually have worked.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57..is a lot harder than you think.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00In a bid to resurrect these skills,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Nick Crean from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust
0:21:03 > 0:21:07is investing in young, talented British craftsmen and women.
0:21:07 > 0:21:08Over the last 27 years,
0:21:08 > 0:21:15we've given out about 3.8 million to 440 craftsmen,
0:21:15 > 0:21:20and by doing that, we're investing in skills like circus sign writing,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22clog making, coach building.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27Skills where people have very nearly forgotten how important these skills are.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31I'm fascinated by the idea of the apprenticeship scheme.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- That's something you are keen to champion.- Having something where you've gone and trained
0:21:35 > 0:21:39the discipline of sourcing, the discipline of pricing, the discipline of selling...
0:21:39 > 0:21:43All of that as part of your craft is of huge value.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Are there any skills that we've lost
0:21:46 > 0:21:48that you would love to help resurrect?
0:21:48 > 0:21:52Well, I think the one that really stands out are cricket balls.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55No-one is making cricket balls in the UK any longer.
0:21:55 > 0:21:56That skill has gone.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00So you're telling me that I can't buy a cricket ball that's made in Britain?
0:22:00 > 0:22:03You cannot go out and buy a British-made cricket ball.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06That's shocking. From where you stand, looking forward,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10do you think our craft industry has a bright future?
0:22:10 > 0:22:12I think craft is having the most fantastic future.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16It's been elevated to where it should be, which is on par with art.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20So I think it is a wonderful time to be part of that craft movement,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23adding to that continuum that we've had in this country for hundreds
0:22:23 > 0:22:25if not thousands of years.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29It shaped the national character of the country and helped shape
0:22:29 > 0:22:30the people within it.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39You know, it's easy to see why it takes years to master a skill like
0:22:39 > 0:22:42thatching, but it must be nice to think that in mastering the craft,
0:22:42 > 0:22:47the fruits of your labours are going to be around for a very long time.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51And Adam's second career is certainly going well.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53- Adam.- Jules, hi.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57I love it. Those finishing touches just with a pair of shears.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59It takes a while. Ultimately,
0:22:59 > 0:23:02you want it to be steep because you want to get that water off the roof
0:23:02 > 0:23:05as quickly as possible because it's the water that wears it.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09- And it's so neat.- A little bit of fine tuning but we're getting there.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12What would you say to anybody who is thinking about chucking it all in
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and taking up a craft skill as a vocation?
0:23:15 > 0:23:18If that's what you want to do, be prepared for quite a long haul,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21but if you're passionate about what you're doing and you're enthused
0:23:21 > 0:23:24about what you're doing, the light is at the end of the tunnel.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- Well, it's a beautiful job, mate. Well done, you.- Thank you.
0:23:27 > 0:23:28Come on, let's get back to it.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33And if you fancy a change in career, and why wouldn't you, maybe this...
0:23:34 > 0:23:37..could be just the option.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38I love it.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Here on the Isle of Wight, Quarr Abbey has its own smallholding.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55It's got pigs and enough fruit and veg is produced to feed the monks
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and to sell at the Abbey shop.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Now, at this time of year, all kinds of rural produce are on display
0:24:01 > 0:24:04at country shows all over the UK.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07And here is our Countryfile guide to some of the best.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17The Kent County Show celebrates farming and country life.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21With champion breeds...
0:24:23 > 0:24:24..traditional skills...
0:24:25 > 0:24:27..and crowd-pleasing displays.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35It even boasts its very own Lamb National...
0:24:37 > 0:24:38..and the hottest of horse shows.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41They are lighting the rings.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43It's about to get a little bit more dangerous.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Here we go. This is the moment of truth.
0:24:47 > 0:24:48It is terrifying to watch.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49This is amazing.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57If you head out west,
0:24:57 > 0:25:02the Cotswolds show at Cirencester Park offers a perfect family day out
0:25:02 > 0:25:03with fun activities to try.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10And a mouthwatering food hall to tickle your taste buds.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13And here's a very local loaf - a Painswick loaf.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15This one I created with a hint of Earl Grey tea.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21But there are many shows that offer an alternative to food and produce.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Every summer for the past 45 years,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30things have got hot and steamy in Blandford Forum.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36These gleaming machines are all part of the Great Dorset Steam Fair.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40In fact, this is the biggest event of its kind in the world.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45This five-day celebration helps keep our heritage alive...
0:25:46 > 0:25:50..with iron giants like Old Tim,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53a centenarian who served during the First World War.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02Well, I hope that that little taster inspires you to find out about
0:26:02 > 0:26:04country shows in your local area.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Earlier we heard about the dramatic rescue last summer
0:26:15 > 0:26:17in the Moray Firth of Spurtle,
0:26:17 > 0:26:21the bottlenose dolphin who'd been beached for 24 hours
0:26:21 > 0:26:25before a dedicated team managed to get her back into the water.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29But with life-threatening sunburn and maybe other injuries, too,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31what was to become of her?
0:26:31 > 0:26:32Keeley has been finding out.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44One of the reasons the rescue team knew so much about Spurtle was
0:26:44 > 0:26:47because the dolphins of the Moray Firth are closely monitored.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53The University of Aberdeen has been studying the small group of dolphins
0:26:53 > 0:26:56in this area since 1989.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Barbara Cheney heads up their dolphin identification programme
0:27:01 > 0:27:04so if anyone can tell me Spurtle's fate, it's her.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Barbara, you know the dolphins in this area better than anyone.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10How is Spurtle? Did she survive?
0:27:10 > 0:27:12It's a dolphin we see quite a lot.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15We know her quite well. We've seen her since she was born.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18And so when we hadn't seen her for two months after the stranding,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21we just thought she hadn't made it,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24so we were very pleasantly surprised when we saw her and she was still
0:27:24 > 0:27:28alive. But then of course we saw the sunburn wounds and we were quite
0:27:28 > 0:27:31concerned about that. And actually,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33we really didn't think she was going to make it at all.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36You can see the whole side of the skin is missing there.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38- And you can see how the wind... - It's really bad, isn't it?
0:27:38 > 0:27:42- The burns.- I mean, although she was with other dolphins when we saw her,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44she didn't seem to stay with the group.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46She was always on the outskirts of the group.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Dolphins are always very social animals and they are very physical
0:27:49 > 0:27:52with each other. They rub up and down against each other
0:27:52 > 0:27:54to keep their social bonds.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56And we wondered if she was deliberately staying away
0:27:56 > 0:27:59from the other dolphins so that they wouldn't rub up
0:27:59 > 0:28:00against the wound on her side.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03It would be quite sore to rub up against her with that, wouldn't it?
0:28:03 > 0:28:04You'd imagine that, yes, definitely.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06And how often do you spot her?
0:28:06 > 0:28:09So actually last week was the first time we'd seen her.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11- Oh, really?- Yeah, since 2016.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14It looks so much better now than it did last year.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17So this is Spurtle when we saw her last week.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19That must be a relief to see her progress.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Yes. Actually it was a little surprise.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24We weren't sure if she would survive the winter.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28So the difference between just a couple months afterwards and now
0:28:28 > 0:28:29is amazing, isn't it?
0:28:29 > 0:28:31And how's she behaving now?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33- Is she back to normal? - Yes, I would say so.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37She was in the middle of quite a big group of animals and she was
0:28:37 > 0:28:40actually... We even saw her leaping out of the water.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44It's great to hear that Spurtle has come on leaps and bounds and she's
0:28:44 > 0:28:47back mixing with the other dolphins, too -
0:28:47 > 0:28:49a few of whom are making an appearance today.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Is this a good spot to see the dolphins from, then?
0:28:54 > 0:28:57I would say definitely the best spot in the UK if not the world, actually.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- Really?- Though I'm a little biased, obviously.
0:29:01 > 0:29:02I might not have seen Spurtle today,
0:29:02 > 0:29:05but I'm just happy she's out there alive and well,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07and doing what dolphins do best.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15If you'd like to join a dedicated team of volunteers like this one
0:29:15 > 0:29:19and get involved in marine wildlife rescues in your area,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23contact the British Divers Marine Life Rescue to find out how.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28And you too can help out whales and dolphins like Spurtle this summer.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38At the height of our British summer, flowers are blooming everywhere.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40And in the last few years,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43British-grown blooms have become increasingly popular
0:29:43 > 0:29:45in the cut flower market.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50But why has there been such a renaissance in British cut flowers?
0:29:50 > 0:29:54Anita has been to the world's most famous flower market,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56New Covent Garden, to get the answer.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06It's six o'clock in the morning and the place is buzzing.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12There are buyers and sellers and flowers from all over the country,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15like these stalks from Cambridgeshire which don't just
0:30:15 > 0:30:18look beautiful, they smell divine.
0:30:23 > 0:30:29And whether they're from Sussex or the Scillies, Norfolk or Guernsey,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31they are a riot of colour and scent.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35There are flowers here from all over the world,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38but it is the UK flowers that are really creating the buzz.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46And they're championed by two stalwarts of the market -
0:30:46 > 0:30:51Mick Waite of Pratley Flowers and Graeme Diplock from Zest.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Hi, Graeme. Why do you specialise in British flowers?
0:30:55 > 0:30:58The flowers were picked literally a day, two days ago.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01They're as fresh as you can get and local.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05It's varieties of flowers you don't get in Holland or Colombia
0:31:05 > 0:31:07or wherever you want to be.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- So where are these from?- Spalding.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12- Spalding.- Yeah, yeah.- Not too far.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14So all these little buds here,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16they will all open up into a little flower like this.
0:31:16 > 0:31:17That is absolutely gorgeous.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20And how long will the season for these Sweet Williams last?
0:31:20 > 0:31:22They'll go on for about eight weeks.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24People would rather buy British flowers.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28It's like with food, everyone wants British, local food.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Local produce. It's great.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34I'm passionate about what I do so if I can promote English flowers,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36if it's something we're good at, why not do it?
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Look at the green fields we've got.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Why not do what we're good at?
0:31:41 > 0:31:48Last year more than 220,000 boxes of flowers, worth around £56 million,
0:31:48 > 0:31:49passed through the market.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53Buyers come here from all over the country, from supermarkets,
0:31:53 > 0:31:58hotel chains and specialist florists like Ellie and Anna,
0:31:58 > 0:32:00who've turned a passion for flowers into a business.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06As it's British Flowers Week, I've asked Anna and Ellie to come up with
0:32:06 > 0:32:08something a little out of the ordinary to mark the occasion.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Hello, ladies. How are you doing?
0:32:12 > 0:32:15- Good.- Look at these fantastic flowers.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17What is it about British bloom?
0:32:17 > 0:32:20I know the two of you particularly like using British flowers, don't you?
0:32:20 > 0:32:22- Why?- There's something about them.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26They've just got a different quality, we think, to imported flowers.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28They often have a really lovely scent.
0:32:28 > 0:32:33Flowers that have come from far away can lose their scent a bit.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37The other thing about British flowers is this is very different from what you see at the rest
0:32:37 > 0:32:42of the market. The kind of cultivated flowers from further afield wouldn't travel so well.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45The delicacy, and the lightness and the bounce that they have,
0:32:45 > 0:32:49it's like a different feel to cultivated flowers, I think.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53- So what's the plan?- We thought we'd show you how to make your very own
0:32:53 > 0:32:58British flower headdress, using all these wonderful British flowers.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01What do we need to pick for this wonderful headdress?
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Well, let's just choose a selection of anything you like the look of.
0:33:06 > 0:33:12I'm choosing sweet peas that smell divine, dramatic guelder rose,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14some vibrant campion,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16garlicky alliums
0:33:16 > 0:33:18and delicate scilla.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23I'm going to feel like I'm in A Midsummer Night's Dream, aren't I?
0:33:23 > 0:33:24- Shall we head back?- Let's.
0:33:24 > 0:33:25Let's get creating.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32Just as the rest of the city is getting up for work,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35we're off to Anna and Ellie's studio.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39And I can't believe the riot of colour and scent that hits my senses.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44This floral headdress is going to be something else.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46These are all the things that you need.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48So we're going to start with this little allium.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50And then go for a bit of guelder.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53I might go for one of those as well, then.
0:33:53 > 0:33:59That's great. So then you put your first flower there and fix it nice
0:33:59 > 0:34:01- and tight.- OK.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04And go down at a slight diagonal.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07And then you go back up again.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09This is really therapeutic.
0:34:09 > 0:34:10I'm really enjoying myself.
0:34:14 > 0:34:15It's hard to work and talk.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18We find there is often silence in our workshops.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20"Oh, gosh, is everybody having a good time?"
0:34:20 > 0:34:24And we look around and everyone is concentrating so hard.
0:34:27 > 0:34:28That's a good one.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32- You need one more.- I think I do. - Do you want a guelder?
0:34:32 > 0:34:35Yes, please. Let's finish the way we started.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37Yes.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44So, which way does it go?
0:34:44 > 0:34:45Yeah, that's good.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50- That looks so great.- Does it?
0:34:50 > 0:34:53It really does. Have a look in the mirror.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55Yours is gorgeous.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58I love it. I mean, you can enjoy flowers not just in a vase -
0:34:58 > 0:35:01you can get out into your garden and make a headdress.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02It's easy.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Here at the Abbey,
0:35:13 > 0:35:18the monks have been as busy as bees making their own honey for 40 years.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22And last year, Paul and his wife Charlotte embarked on their very own
0:35:22 > 0:35:26beekeeping adventure at their smallholding in Wiltshire.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29It's been a learning curve, but this summer,
0:35:29 > 0:35:34Paul is finding out how you too can keep bees on even the smallest patch
0:35:34 > 0:35:35of land.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Our quest to produce honey has definitely had
0:35:44 > 0:35:46a few stings in its tail.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49From Varroa mites in the hive...
0:35:49 > 0:35:53We are going to be thinking about how we can treat the Varroa
0:35:53 > 0:35:55and get the Varroa out of your hive.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58..to a swarming queen.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00They're not the happiest ladies today.
0:36:00 > 0:36:01I'm getting a bit uncomfortable.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07We are now fairly confident with our beekeeping skills,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10although we admit there's still so much more to learn.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14We are not alone. There are currently around 30,000
0:36:14 > 0:36:19amateur beekeepers in the UK, and a growing number are in urban spaces.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22Limited land seems no barrier to beekeeping.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27I've come to an unlikely spot for bees in the heart of the city
0:36:27 > 0:36:30of Bristol to meet urban beekeeper Quentin Alsop.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37Quentin's hive isn't in a garden or even on a proper patch of land -
0:36:37 > 0:36:38it's on a roof.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44It's an unusual spot to keep bees with.
0:36:44 > 0:36:45You've got so many hives up here.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Why did you do this? What was the main inspiration behind this?
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Well, it was the cafe and food hall downstairs in St Nicholas market.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57They approached us to see if we would keep bees up here.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00My initial response was, this is absolutely barking.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04It's a silly idea. But they were very keen on the provenance
0:37:04 > 0:37:07of their food and that kind of rang a bell with me.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Knowing where things come from, it's really,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12- really important.- Well, obviously, it's been very successful.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Cos you probably started with one hive?
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Well, in each box you've got nine or ten
0:37:17 > 0:37:23frames of honey and that's maybe 30lbs of honey so that's quite a lot
0:37:23 > 0:37:27of activity going on just to fill one box.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32And they kept on coming for the second one, third, fourth, fifth, six.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36It was just crazy. Better than any of my other hives.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38It was wonderful.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41But why are these bees such happy city-dwellers?
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Up here we're at bee level. You can see all of the trees.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47I can see there's a park over there.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Is there enough to sustain the bees?
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Well, we're really lucky in Bristol because all the streets are lined
0:37:53 > 0:37:56with trees and mainly lime trees,
0:37:56 > 0:38:00and when they come into flower that's a massive surface area,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04that's great. So I like to say Bristol streets are lined with gold.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09The city's plethora of parks and trees might make great foraging,
0:38:09 > 0:38:13and Quentin reckons it also makes their honey taste better.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18So how does city honey compare to the stuff produced by my countryside
0:38:18 > 0:38:22hives? Time for a taste-off.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Here it is, Quentin.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27The summer of '16 - that is our first batch.
0:38:27 > 0:38:28We had one and a half pots.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32My first reaction is, it's a lot lighter than your honey.
0:38:32 > 0:38:33Yes, that's true.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37And it's a very fine grain as well.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41All natural honey starts off runny but the speed which it crystallises
0:38:41 > 0:38:44varies, depending on the bees' pollen source.
0:38:44 > 0:38:49My bees gather most of their pollen from nearby oilseed rape fields,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51which sets really quickly.
0:38:51 > 0:38:52So let's try a bit.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00- That's really good. - It's not bad, is it?
0:39:00 > 0:39:01It's better than not bad.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03It's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05You should be really, really proud.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07Well, that's mine out of the way.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09- Can I try yours now?- You can, yeah.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11On to the city honey. Oh, this is like syrup.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Quentin's honey is bursting with complex flavour,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21and it's all down to the nectar from Bristol's wide range of blossoming
0:39:21 > 0:39:23trees. That is fantastic.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25It has a fruitiness.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27Apple and cherry.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30So the cherries came out, fruit trees came out.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33And the first time I tried it there was a hint of cherry
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- in the first mouthful. - Oh, there is, isn't it?- It is a very
0:39:36 > 0:39:40different taste and you wouldn't get that with a supermarket honey.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45I can't believe that is so good.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48And it comes from the rooftop here in the city centre.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50That's blown me away.
0:39:50 > 0:39:51We can't decide,
0:39:51 > 0:39:55so we're bringing in cafe owner Joe to give the final verdict.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57First up is my country honey.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03That's a really nice sweetness. It's a very nice flavour. Very good.
0:40:03 > 0:40:04Now for the city honey.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07- Here we go.- Thank you.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11So, which is it, Joe? Number one or number two.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13In my opinion the second one is my favourite.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15It had much more going on,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18more depth of flavour to it and the longer...
0:40:18 > 0:40:19A longer taste on the palate.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21Well, there you go.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25- Put it there. You're the winner. - Thank you!
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Those urban bees are definitely doing something right.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30A worthy winner.
0:40:30 > 0:40:36A city centre rooftop is an unusual spot to keep bees but there are
0:40:36 > 0:40:39easier-to-reach places where you can set up a hive,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42even if you don't have a garden.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46Retired couple Penny and David chose this local allotment.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51But their motivation wasn't honey and Penny wasn't initially keen.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- Nice to meet you.- This is brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57So who fell in love with beekeeping first?
0:40:57 > 0:41:00It was me to start with because I was on the allotment one day
0:41:00 > 0:41:02and thought, "There aren't any bees."
0:41:02 > 0:41:05There's nothing pollinating my fruit and veg.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09And so I investigated the idea of keeping bees, then bought my
0:41:09 > 0:41:13first hive and in May 2016 was lucky enough to get my bees.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17So, May was the first introduction to beekeeping for you.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Yes. Up until that point I just thought they are going to be a lot
0:41:21 > 0:41:25of time, a lot of money, and probably a real nuisance to look after.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29- And now you're the one that is totally in love with them. - I know, I know, how did that happen?
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- Yes.- I'm sure you would name them all if you could.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33LAUGHTER
0:41:33 > 0:41:37But you both grow your own fruit and veg. This is your plot, I can see
0:41:37 > 0:41:40the strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, your peas.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42Everything is looking so good.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45And our plot holders next door just commented on what a fantastic
0:41:45 > 0:41:47strawberry crop they've got this year,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49and they are sure it's thanks to the bees
0:41:49 > 0:41:52- that are pollinating it. - They're pollinating everything.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55The bees are doing a fantastic job.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58And what about honey? Any plans to get some honey?
0:41:58 > 0:42:00If there is a great big surplus this year,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03we may have some honey but that's not the reason we got the bees.
0:42:03 > 0:42:04Just to pollinate the veg?
0:42:04 > 0:42:07- Yes, indeed.- We left all the honey for the bees to keep them through
0:42:07 > 0:42:10the winter. And we were really glad we did.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14And, to be honest, we would be happy to do the same thing next year.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18If you're thinking of keeping bees in a small space in the city,
0:42:18 > 0:42:22go for it. But be sure it's the right thing for you.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Get hands-on training, consult your neighbours.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29And if you do decide to take the plunge and start a hive of your own,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32get yourself an experienced mentor
0:42:32 > 0:42:35who can advise you every step of the way.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Would you encourage more people to keep bees?
0:42:38 > 0:42:40I definitely would.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43But only if they've thought about it,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46and they know that bees are needed in that area - then it is fantastic.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50So whether you live in the city or the countryside,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53no matter how large or small your patch of land is,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56or indeed if you don't have a garden at all,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59you can still produce your own honey, and believe me,
0:42:59 > 0:43:00nothing tastes better.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12And that brings us to the end of our Countryfile Summer Diaries
0:43:12 > 0:43:14from the Isle of Wight. But please,
0:43:14 > 0:43:18make a note in your diaries to join us again in three months' time
0:43:18 > 0:43:20when we'll be celebrating autumn.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22So, until then, goodbye.