0:00:04 > 0:00:08All this week, we're bringing you the top countryside stories
0:00:08 > 0:00:10that define our British summer.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14The team has been travelling the length and breadth of the UK...
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Wow! ..discovering the seasonal stories that affect you.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20If I was in trouble,
0:00:20 > 0:00:24I'm not sure anybody would be able to see me or spot me.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Wow! It's like a forest of triffids!
0:00:29 > 0:00:30Perfect!
0:00:30 > 0:00:33That's fantastic.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36These British blooms are a sure sign summer is here.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41This is Countryfile Summer Diaries
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and here's what we've got for you on today's programme.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58Margherita investigates the disappearance of Britain's wild flower meadows.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00After losing so many of them,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03how do we go about bringing them back?
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Paul tries his hand at rearing quail.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09I think the kids are going to love these.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13And how can we Brits help save this, the lobster,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15from our new-found appetite for a food
0:01:15 > 0:01:18that's high in protein but low in fat?
0:01:21 > 0:01:22But first...
0:01:22 > 0:01:25the Gower Peninsula in South Wales is a huge draw for
0:01:25 > 0:01:27tourists every summer.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30They spend well over ?100 million here.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34But the sheer number of visitors can put a strain on the natural
0:01:34 > 0:01:38environment, especially when people and wildlife are competing
0:01:38 > 0:01:40for the same space.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44It's a familiar story across the UK,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47as Keeley discovered when she joined climbers
0:01:47 > 0:01:49in the Peak District National Park,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52sharing a rock face with a rare breed of visiting bird.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Can both sides coexist?
0:01:55 > 0:01:58I've come to one of the most iconic features of the park,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01a four-mile-long gritstone escarpment
0:02:01 > 0:02:05which stretches along its eastern side.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07This is Stanage Edge.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11A quarter of a million visitors are drawn to this special place
0:02:11 > 0:02:15every year. But there's one that makes an epic journey to get here.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The rare ring ouzel, smaller than a blackbird,
0:02:20 > 0:02:25winters in North Africa but travels thousands of miles to breed and nest
0:02:25 > 0:02:26in Britain.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Its numbers have been in steady decline for 25 years,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34with fewer than 8,000 pairs believed to be in summer residence -
0:02:34 > 0:02:38some right under the fingers and toes of the climbing community.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43The problem is, the birds AND the climbers want this rock.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48It's ranger Bill Gordon's job to act as peacemaker in the battle
0:02:48 > 0:02:50between climber and bird.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Nationally, they've declined by 58%, which is quite...
0:02:56 > 0:02:59It's quite considerable, really, in overall terms.
0:02:59 > 0:03:00Look, here's one now.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02You can just see, see the male?
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Oh, yeah. He's just up on that rock ledge there.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07If you just take these, just have a look.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09He's just up there.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Oh, yes, look at him!
0:03:11 > 0:03:14And that's the male? That's the male.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16It will be principally earthworms that he'll have.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18He's got a mouthful of food!
0:03:18 > 0:03:19And he's calling to the chicks.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24OUZEL CALLS
0:03:24 > 0:03:27How many nests have you had along this particular...?
0:03:27 > 0:03:29So, here, we've got five nests.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34We've had failures, three of which have been failed through
0:03:34 > 0:03:36some form of disturbance, and we've had one predation.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40The problem is that once they become extinct from an area,
0:03:40 > 0:03:41you don't get them back.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44So, there are areas of the country where they've gone completely.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Exmoor is a classic example.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Dartmoor, they're struggling, with their small population.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52So here's a real stronghold.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57And that's something Bill is working hard to maintain.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01So how do you protect a rare bird at such a crucial time?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Well, instead of going head-to-head with the climbers,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Bill decided to get them on board.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08So, this is all ready for me to start?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Kim is a climber and ecologist.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Coming up to join me? Going to try!
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Bill has roped him into conducting bird surveys to help protect the ring ouzel.
0:04:17 > 0:04:23He's agreed to show me what makes this place irresistible
0:04:23 > 0:04:25for both climber and bird.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Glad I'm wearing the helmet!
0:04:27 > 0:04:29You do want to keep your hands up.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32So, you can see it from both sides, really, then -
0:04:32 > 0:04:36do you think it's possible to have the climbers climbing
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and the birds nesting at the same time?
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Yeah, absolutely, it seems to work really well, the system we've got,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44where quite often climbers will let us know where the birds are nesting,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48cos climbers will see them first, and they'll e-mail us or get in touch
0:04:48 > 0:04:49and let us know they've seen birds.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52And then if we don't know about them, we can go and have a look,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and decide if we need to put signs up.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57If a ring ouzel nest is found near a route,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00then climbers are warned to keep well away.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04This minimises disturbance to the birds and increases the chance that
0:05:04 > 0:05:06the chicks will successfully fledge
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and return to the Stanage Edge next year.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14But what are the ring ouzels looking for when they're making their nests?
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Generally they're looking for these horizontal breaks,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19maybe a bit narrower than these.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23They usually like a bit of heather, some sort of cover to hide in a bit.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27And then they'll go deep in the breaks, and make their nest in there.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29So right where the climbers want to be as well, really?
0:05:29 > 0:05:34A lot of the time, yes. Cos, obviously, the breaks provide good holds, places to put your gear in.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35Is it the climbers being around the nests,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38or is it as literal as somebody putting their hand in the nest?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41It's generally the climbers being around the nests.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43So when there's people around, if the birds are off the nest,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47they won't come back. Or they may get scared off the nest and then be
0:05:47 > 0:05:50reluctant to come back. Also if they're feeding the chicks
0:05:50 > 0:05:53and they try to bring food into the nest, if there's people nearby,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55they won't necessarily come back.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Wow! Tell you what, now the sun has come out,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09I can really understand what the attraction is.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Fantastic!
0:06:11 > 0:06:15For Bill, protecting the ring ouzel is more than a 24/7 job -
0:06:15 > 0:06:16it's a passion.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18We need the communication,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21we need the partnership with everybody that we can.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24And the climbers, the BMC, the British Mountaineering Council,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26are a fundamental part of that.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30We're just pushing the word out that, as recreationalists,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33we can live alongside nature.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38And that's really the most important thing.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Of course, they're not here all year round -
0:06:40 > 0:06:41do you miss them when they've gone?
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Er, it's a difficult question.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46I've not had a day off for three months.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51I've been up every morning, I've been out every evening, looking,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53and just checking on them. So, at the end of...
0:06:53 > 0:06:56When they've finally finished their breeding,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58I am relieved to some extent -
0:06:58 > 0:07:02it means I can have a day off or I can go away on holiday, or something!
0:07:02 > 0:07:07And you deserve it! But at the same time, you do love them,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10because they're a quintessential part of the British uplands,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12and a quintessential part of Stanage Edge.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And I think that the work that we do
0:07:15 > 0:07:19is to try and perpetuate this species,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22in this environment, for everybody to enjoy.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32The migratory birds that make Britain their summer home
0:07:32 > 0:07:35have seen this landscape change over the past few decades.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Wild flowers were once a common sight in the British Isles.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41But now a fifth are on the verge of extinction.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Margherita travels to North Wales to investigate.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58In less than a century, we've lost 97% of these,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01our beautiful wild flower meadows.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Since the Second World War,
0:08:05 > 0:08:107.5 million acres of meadows have been ploughed into fields for crops.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15It's a shocking number, when you consider that these tiny,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18delicate little flowers pack a mighty punch in the natural world.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21In fact, they underpin our entire food chain.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Meadows like these are home to bees and butterflies.
0:08:29 > 0:08:30By pollinating plants,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34they're responsible for every third mouthful we eat.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Without them, we'd simply struggle to feed ourselves.
0:08:37 > 0:08:42And yet one in five of our wild plants are edging towards extinction,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44threatening the life of the insects that rely on them.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50But after losing so many of them, how do we go about bringing them back?
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Botanist Dr Trevor Dines from Plantlife has been leading
0:08:56 > 0:09:00a national campaign to reverse the catastrophic decline of meadows...
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Great to see you, how are you? I'm very well, how are you?
0:09:03 > 0:09:04..not just for their beauty,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07but for the vital role they play as habitats for insects,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09flora and small mammals.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15This is sadly what we've lost so much of.
0:09:15 > 0:09:22We've destroyed in the last couple of decades nearly 7.5 million acres
0:09:22 > 0:09:25of this sort of habitat. And it's just astonishing to think that
0:09:25 > 0:09:27that colour has disappeared from the countryside.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Trevor, why has this happened?
0:09:29 > 0:09:32How come we've lost so much of this beautiful wild meadow?
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Unfortunately, it's that pressure to produce food,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38it's that agricultural intensification of the countryside.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43So, in one afternoon, this could be ploughed up, reseeded,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and you can instantly lose all of these species.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52The decline of British wild flower meadows has been generating headlines for the last few years.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56There have been many campaigns to reverse it,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59but it seems we've been going about it the wrong way.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05Trevor has discovered that many meadows are planted with identikit packets of seeds,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07creating what he calls "McMeadows".
0:10:09 > 0:10:12We've almost got a double problem going on, if you like.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16With the background of these meadows disappearing from our countryside,
0:10:16 > 0:10:21we're almost rushing to replace them with sort of an identikit mixture,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24a generic mixture of what we think wild flowers should look like.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28So this would be sort of like a generic mix that people would use.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31And this has been sourced from all over the UK.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Probably some of these things in here probably aren't even meadow plants at all.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37So they're not genuine meadows.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And what we're asking is for people just to pause,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and how they can bring some of that local species back, that local identity.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45And what SHOULD I be looking for?
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Well, this idea of natural seeding is literally taking the seed
0:10:49 > 0:10:52from one of these ancient wild flower meadows,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and taking it somewhere else to create a new meadow.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58We've got buttercups, we've got crested dog's tail -
0:10:58 > 0:11:01which wags like a dog's tail when you wag it!
0:11:01 > 0:11:03THEY LAUGH
0:11:03 > 0:11:07And all the seeds are in that hay, and then it's taken immediately,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09straightaway, to the new site.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11And in that way, you get
0:11:11 > 0:11:15the correct picture of species, that local identity,
0:11:15 > 0:11:20that sort of magic of this wild flower meadow, that is THIS wild flower meadow.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24And Trevor is a man who leads by example,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28establishing his own meadow right outside his front door.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Come on!
0:11:30 > 0:11:32With a little help from his four-legged friends!
0:11:35 > 0:11:38So, has the meadow led you to be a livestock owner as well?
0:11:38 > 0:11:42We bought this place to have the meadow and start practising
0:11:42 > 0:11:45some of what I've been preaching to people.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48But then we actually went to the local village show and saw...
0:11:48 > 0:11:52In fact, er, Caddie here was being shown.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54I just fell in love with them.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58We wanted cows, we needed cows to graze the meadow afterwards.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01And cattle are nature's seed distributors,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04fertilisers and mowing specialists.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Meadows make livestock and livestock makes meadows -
0:12:07 > 0:12:09the two are intimately, intimately linked.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12If I want to help you with your wild and local meadows,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14I don't need to move in any animals,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17I can just do the window box for now, to start with?
0:12:17 > 0:12:22No - we recommend the average domestic lawn having one of these!
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Trevor and his cows are doing their bit to encourage wild flowers,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30so vital to the bees and insects that pollinate two thirds of our plants.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32And later in the programme,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36you can find out how you can do your bit to save endangered wild flowers.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46The beauty of our countryside and coastline has a powerful appeal,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50making many holiday-makers want to live the dream by buying a second home.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55But are these weekend retreats helping or harming local communities?
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Here's Charlotte.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59An Englishman's home is his castle -
0:12:59 > 0:13:01or so the saying goes.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04And if you can afford it, splashing out on a second one
0:13:04 > 0:13:07to use for holidays gives you the best of both worlds -
0:13:07 > 0:13:11a permanent residence and a house in the country,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15or bolthole by the sea, to use whenever you like.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Whether the appeal is quality of life, a second income, or both,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26it's an idea that many Britons have bought into.
0:13:27 > 0:13:32More than a million and a half of us now have a second home in the UK.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36And the number one choice of where to have one?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38You guessed it, Cornwall.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42It's not surprising, is it?
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Stunning coastline, picture postcard villages.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50But now, in some of the most sought-after
0:13:50 > 0:13:52of Cornish coastal resorts,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55two in every five houses are second homes.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01And while their owners have clearly fallen in love with Cornwall,
0:14:01 > 0:14:02the feeling's not always mutual.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Patrick! Hello, I'm Charlotte.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08Hi, Charlotte, come on in.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13Patrick, his wife Becky and their three children live in the seaside town
0:14:13 > 0:14:15of Padstow, on Cornwall's north coast.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Their families have lived here for hundreds of years,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21but things are changing.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24We've got a massive influx of second homes in Padstow,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27and that second home, through no fault of their own,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29is decimating the local communities within Cornwall.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Despite both having jobs in the area,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Patrick and Becky live in social housing,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40because they can't afford to buy a house in Padstow.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43It's the dark side of tourism.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46People come to Padstow, they fall in love with the place,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49they want to buy a house here at all costs,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51and that's pushing the prices of houses up and up,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55to the point where we've pretty much got absolutely no chance of
0:14:55 > 0:14:58buying a house in Padstow ever, realistically.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01What impact has it had on you, Becky?
0:15:01 > 0:15:05I was made homeless about eight years ago.
0:15:05 > 0:15:11I was always private rented and the house that I was renting, it got sold.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15You used to be able to find private rent quite easy to come by,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17but now because all the houses,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21there's more money to be made, I think, in holiday letting,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25that it's very hard to find a private let now in Padstow.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32This isn't just about Cornwall.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35In many rural and coastal communities,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37from Yorkshire to the south coast,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39from the Cotswolds to the Western Isles,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42there are serious concerns about the impact of second homes.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Take Coniston in the Lake District,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52where 35% of houses don't have permanent residents.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Here they face many of the same problems as Cornwall.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Villagers feel priced out,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and with many homes lying empty for large parts of the year,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03the local primary school is now only half full.
0:16:07 > 0:16:13But for some people, second homes play a vital role in supporting the rural economy.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14What's their destiny?
0:16:14 > 0:16:19They are going into the store to be salted down for lobster bait.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24Johnny Murt's family have been making a living from fishing in Padstow for four generations.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29How important are the tourists to this business?
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Very important, and certainly more important than they've ever been in the past.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36All the restaurants that we have in Padstow now and the surrounding area,
0:16:36 > 0:16:41it's become a bit of a Mecca for foodies and they want fresh fish and shellfish.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44So what about the tourists who then like it so much they
0:16:44 > 0:16:46decide to buy here and they have second homes?
0:16:46 > 0:16:48How much is that a concern for you?
0:16:49 > 0:16:52It's not a huge concern for me, to be honest.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55I know lots of people in town do get very upset about it.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00But, whichever side you're on, we do need the tourists and we do,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04you know, we need that money coming in to Padstow and keeping all the businesses alive.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09It used to be a six-week season, but now it's almost year-round.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Everybody didn't used to have jobs in this town, and now there's a lot
0:17:12 > 0:17:15higher employment than there ever was.
0:17:18 > 0:17:24For some, second homes cast a shadow over some of the most beautiful parts of the UK.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25Demand raises prices and many
0:17:25 > 0:17:28who live and work there can't afford to stay.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33But others say without the money that second homeowners bring,
0:17:33 > 0:17:35these local economies wouldn't survive.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45Edwina Hannaford is the Cornwall councillor responsible for environment, heritage and planning.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49I'm meeting her in the coastal parish of Lanteglos-by-Fowey where,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53in parts of some villages, half the houses are second homes.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Are there too many holiday homes here, do you think?
0:17:56 > 0:18:00If you haven't got a home and you can't afford to buy one, then yes,
0:18:00 > 0:18:04the answer is yes. But there is another side to this.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Those holiday homes, they employ an army of people, the plumbers,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10the caretakers, the gardeners.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15All those people rely on the business that comes their way.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Who wouldn't want to live here, even if only for part of the year?
0:18:22 > 0:18:25For some locals, second homes are a bonus.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27For others they're ruining the place.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30The challenge for local councils and for government
0:18:30 > 0:18:32is to find a way of keeping a balance.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40Now, people on Gower will tell you that the perfect summer meal
0:18:40 > 0:18:43should have lobster, local lobster from Oxwich Bay.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Now, lobster is no longer just a luxury food.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49It's increasingly finding its way onto supermarket shelves.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51So, given the rise in demand,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54one enterprising charity is looking
0:18:54 > 0:18:57into the potential of farmed lobster.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58Jules reports.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Now, in the summer we tend to seek out super fresh food.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06So how about one of these?
0:19:06 > 0:19:09A tasty British lobster.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11It seems that now Britons can't get enough of them.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Demand is soaring.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Once prized as a delicacy, lobster is making a move for the mainstream.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Dive into any number of restaurants and you'll see it on the menu.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26In fact, you can snap up this crusty crustacean quite cheaply
0:19:26 > 0:19:28at your local supermarket.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33In the last year alone, sales of lobster in the UK rose by 90%.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Now, this surge in demand should be good news for the UK's lobster fishermen,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42but there's a problem.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Put simply, our lobsters don't grow big enough fast enough.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51It takes more than five years before a lobster is mature
0:19:51 > 0:19:52and ready to hit our plates.
0:19:52 > 0:19:59So we're having to fill the shortfall in supply by increasing our imports by 30%.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03In total we're bringing in more than 2,600 tonnes of lobster a year.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08But now a scheme here, pioneered by Brits,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12could help to bolster and protect the industry.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15A single lobster can lay up to 40,000 eggs a year.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20But the number that survive to adulthood could be less than 1%.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23To ensure a healthy supply of British lobster,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26the National Lobster Hatchery here in Padstow
0:20:26 > 0:20:28was set up to give them a helping hand.
0:20:28 > 0:20:34Dominic Boothroyd is the man in charge of rearing several thousand baby lobsters.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38These are actually around about two or three weeks old.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41But in the wild they wouldn't be as far developed as this.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43So you're actually giving them a helpful boost?
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Yeah. The idea is that we take them through the vulnerable stages
0:20:46 > 0:20:49in their life cycle, giving them a head start.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53But given how vulnerable these young lobsters are,
0:20:53 > 0:20:55where do you get your samples from?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57So, our female lobsters, our hens,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00they come from fishermen or from fish wholesalers.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02We've got one behind here.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Does it occupy that entire box? There is a few in here.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08There is a very large hen.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I had no idea female lobsters were called hens.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Yeah. I think that is brilliant.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17So, she's a big old girl. How old is she?
0:21:17 > 0:21:18Difficult to say.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Probably somewhere around 50, 60 years old, I'd imagine.
0:21:22 > 0:21:2550 to 60 years old? They get very old.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27They have a very slow growth rate.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29So what stage would you release
0:21:29 > 0:21:32these young lobsters back into the sea?
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Well, the majority will be released at stage five,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38which is the next stage on of development from these bigger ones.
0:21:38 > 0:21:39So, not a lot bigger than that, though?
0:21:39 > 0:21:42No, but the important thing is they're going from
0:21:42 > 0:21:45a behaviour where they are very vulnerable,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47floating up in the surface layers,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50to a behaviour where they're living under the sediment and they're
0:21:50 > 0:21:52protected from predators.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57And there is a very good reason why Dom can't rear them in the lab for longer.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Lobsters have cannibalistic tendencies.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Keep them together, and they'll kill each other.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06And keeping them separate in the hatchery is expensive.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09The solution could be rearing them at sea,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13where they can acclimatise in the wild over several years.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18Today, hundreds of baby lobsters will join the pioneering trial and
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Carly Daniels is responsible for this precious cargo.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24So, how many more have you got to put in? Hundreds by the looks of it.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Yes, yeah, we are doing 672 today.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29I've seen many things released into the wild before,
0:22:29 > 0:22:31but never via a pipette of that size.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Many uses of turkey basters, yeah!
0:22:33 > 0:22:36And then you're going to put them into these little baskets?
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Yeah, into the little baskets here.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41I don't know if you want to have a go. Let's have a go, yes.
0:22:41 > 0:22:42Yes. Let's start to deploy a lobster.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44It sounds like a very military term.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46If you go for the tail end, if they stick their claws up,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48obviously you can't pull them into the turkey baster.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50There we are. There you go, just suck it up.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Right then. Let's pop him in there. There we are.
0:22:52 > 0:22:57There you go. These tiny little boxes, they all fit together, presumably, into a bigger frame?
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Yes, it's into a bigger frame. It's almost like
0:22:59 > 0:23:02a Trivial Pursuit cheese, is the best way to describe it.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Yeah. So they just slot into a circular disc.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06So that's already got lobsters in?
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Yes. It's a kind of lobster high-rise, isn't it?
0:23:08 > 0:23:10It is very much a lobster high-rise. Yes.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13How long will you be keeping them in here for?
0:23:13 > 0:23:16The ones that are going out today with the project we're running at
0:23:16 > 0:23:19the moment is about two and a half years.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22At the end of that time the lobsters will be released.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25But for now, with these youngsters safely stowed in their new home,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27there's just one last journey to make.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33And after placing the pots about nine metres down,
0:23:33 > 0:23:37Carly wants to check on some that were put out earlier in the trial.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Look at the growth on the pot, though.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Absolutely stunning. There we are.
0:23:44 > 0:23:45So this one... Hello, fella.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48..is one of our slightly younger ones. Three months.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Three months, so that's a three-month-old lobster.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Hello, mate. There you go.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Well, you are growing well in there.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00And older pots reveal a slightly bigger specimen.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Very different to what we get in the hatchery.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06A lot of it's to do with the food that they're feeding on in here.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08They've got a diverse array of food.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13We can't obviously give them this many creatures in a hatchery environment
0:24:13 > 0:24:17so they get a very good food source, they're in a very dark environment
0:24:17 > 0:24:19so that affects their colour as well.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21So it's a demonstrable way of
0:24:21 > 0:24:23reinvigorating lobster fisheries which
0:24:23 > 0:24:25perhaps have struggled in the past.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Yeah. It's all about the stock enhancement, from the lobster hatchery perspective.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32It's all about supporting those fisheries and being able to
0:24:32 > 0:24:37release something like this back into the wild that we've nurtured and created.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Looking ahead, can you see a time when
0:24:39 > 0:24:42commercially we could farm lobsters?
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Yes, definitely. As you can see the animal itself is very, very
0:24:45 > 0:24:48fit and healthy and it's certainly something that,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51maybe in years to come, it could be on someone's dinner plate.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53So there is potential for aquaculture,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55and it may be that it's not this system,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58it could be another system that's developed
0:24:58 > 0:25:01that will take that forward into the future.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04If it's successful, it will be good news for the lobster,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07good news for the fishing industry, and, let's not forget,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09good news for us.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Earlier, Margherita found out about one man's quest to revive
0:25:15 > 0:25:18our long-lost wild flower meadows.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Now she's going to show you how to create a mini meadow for yourself.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32These are the kind of meadows you always wanted to run through as a kid, aren't they?
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Absolutely. I mean, look at this. We've got hills to roll down!
0:25:37 > 0:25:42Trevor Dines has created this sprawling experimental meadow in just over a year.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46It's stunning. I'm glad you reacted like that.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50I'm constantly looking out for things of interest.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52There's loads of little plants in here.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Like you say, it's when you get up close and personal that you can see
0:25:55 > 0:25:57things that you really like.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And one of my favourite groups of plants are the little eyebrights.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03And we've got some just down here.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07Traditionally, many meadow plants had medicinal properties.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09In the olden days they used to say
0:26:09 > 0:26:11that if a plant looked like a part of the body
0:26:11 > 0:26:14or an ailment, it would cure them.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17So this is the eye with a little yellow bruise
0:26:17 > 0:26:18in the middle of the eye.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Put that in your eye and it would make it bright again.
0:26:21 > 0:26:22So that's eyebright.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25So, how many different varieties, or species,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27do you have now in this meadow?
0:26:27 > 0:26:31I've counted about 80 different species of wild plant.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33And when you consider that there was only
0:26:33 > 0:26:38ten or 15 species in here before, that really is an amazing result.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45Trevor's example is one we can all follow to help revive our wild flower meadows.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And you don't need acres of land to do it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51You can plant seeds in a sunny corner of your garden,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53container or even a windowsill.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56First cut the grass to the quick
0:26:56 > 0:27:00before giving it a thorough raking ready to seed in spring or autumn.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Poor soil is perfect for wild flowers.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08If you can't get seed or green hay from an existing wild flower meadow where you live,
0:27:08 > 0:27:12contact your local wildlife trust or specialist seed supplier for
0:27:12 > 0:27:15a local mix that suits the soil in your area.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18It's likely your meadow will have varieties of the pea,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21daisy and mint families.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24In a couple of years you too could have a meadow like Trevor's.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Once you've got a thriving local wild meadow,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30what differences do you start to see around you?
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Already in this meadow I've seen all sorts of little bugs
0:27:33 > 0:27:36and insects and beetles going round,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39and, in fact, this little chap here,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43this is birdsfoot trefoil, just starting to flower here.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47And this plant is the food plant for more invertebrates
0:27:47 > 0:27:50than any other food plant in Britain.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54160 different bugs, beetles, butterflies, moths, live off this.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59It's this mixture of plants that you want to support all of that wildlife
0:27:59 > 0:28:02and ultimately also bring in the pollinators as well.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05What would be the next step for a meadow like this?
0:28:05 > 0:28:07We got the cows last year.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10What I've always dreamed of doing is getting a hive of bees
0:28:10 > 0:28:14and having our own hive of bees so that they can do that job of pollination
0:28:14 > 0:28:16but also give us some honey at the end of the year.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18That would be fantastic. Extra treats. Absolutely.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23And today, Trevor's dream becomes reality.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26Professor Pete Barrar,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29director of the National Bee Keeping Centre Wales,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32is winging his way towards us with a hive of bees for Trevor.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37Wow. Look at that!
0:28:37 > 0:28:40How many bees are in there, then? Only about 30,000.
0:28:40 > 0:28:4230,000?!
0:28:42 > 0:28:45You doing OK? Yes.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47There is no guarantee of success.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50Bee hives don't always settle easily elsewhere.
0:28:50 > 0:28:55I'm nervous, but these are the bees arriving in the meadow.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59HE LAUGHS So, it's just too exciting!
0:29:01 > 0:29:05We should get an idea pretty quickly if they're going to take to their new home.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09If they don't, all that potential pollinating power will be lost.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14OK, let's just put this on the top now.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17BUZZING Wow, that's a noise and a half.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Right, now you see they're facing the hive,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22they're flying backwards and forwards,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24they are trying to orientate where they are.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26Their first priority is to learn where the hive is.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31Exactly. OK. So much forage here and it's close to the hive.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34And that's what they really like.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Although they can go a mile and a half to get what they want,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39it's much better if it's on the doorstep.
0:29:39 > 0:29:44We've done our best to provide them with a little bit of a larder. Yes.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48The bees in turn will play their part in sustaining the wild flower meadow
0:29:48 > 0:29:52through pollination, helping the spread of native seeds.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55With three quarters of the plants favoured by bumblebees in decline
0:29:55 > 0:30:02in the UK, the fates of insect life and wild flowers are closely connected.
0:30:02 > 0:30:07And how important is it that we keep that local DNA, that real variety throughout the UK?
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Well, it's essential and wild meadow honey,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14what the French would call mille-fleur, is just wonderful.
0:30:14 > 0:30:19And again, it will depend on what the bees are feeding on at that particular time.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22So it's what the bees are feeding on throughout the year,
0:30:22 > 0:30:23at any point in the year,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26will change the flavour of the honey? Yes.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30You can see that they are more relaxed now already.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34There we are. Look at her. Wow! Welcome to your new home.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Trevor, how are you feeling about the new members of the family?
0:30:37 > 0:30:40I'm just so excited just to watch them.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44It's fantastic to know that they are doing that job of the pollination.
0:30:44 > 0:30:49We will get lots more seed now from these wild flowers for next year,
0:30:49 > 0:30:54so the meadow will just look better and better and better cos these guys are doing their job.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57And, with a bit of luck, in just a couple of months
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Trevor should be tasting his first jar of wild flower honey.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09The swathe of colour is designed to attract the bees' attention,
0:31:09 > 0:31:12and it certainly draws my eye, too.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15These meadows are home to some of my favourite flowers,
0:31:15 > 0:31:20the oxeye daisy and that vibrant yellow of the simple buttercup
0:31:20 > 0:31:22that immediately takes me back to my childhood.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28What I truly hadn't appreciated until today is just how important
0:31:28 > 0:31:30these wild meadows are to our ecosystem.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34Whether it's growing your own wild meadow or maybe just working on
0:31:34 > 0:31:37a few feet of your back garden, a container tub on a patio,
0:31:37 > 0:31:39or even a window box in your flat,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41we can all make a difference to ensure
0:31:41 > 0:31:45this green and pleasant land of ours stays as healthy as possible.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55When it comes to growing summer foods for the mass market, the process can be
0:31:55 > 0:31:58almost industrial in its quest for perfection,
0:31:58 > 0:32:06as Matt discovered when he ventured into London's larder, looking for a lean, green picnic favourite.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08The Lee Valley produces three quarters
0:32:08 > 0:32:10of one of the UK's most popular fruits
0:32:10 > 0:32:13and this site alone grows five million of them.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16It's a fruit with a long and auspicious history.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20Emperor Tiberius had them on his table every day.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Catherine of Aragon liked them sliced in salads.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26And they've even been grown on the International Space Station.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31I am, of course, talking about the humble cucumber.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34And yes, it is a fruit, and they can be eaten just like one.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Cucumbers originally came from Asia.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44The people who put them on the map here in the Lea Valley
0:32:44 > 0:32:48came from foreign climes, too - Sicily.
0:32:48 > 0:32:54Giovanni Abella was one of those. He came here in 1957.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57After a stint in a concrete factory, he rented his first greenhouses.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00By the late '60s he was on his way.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05Since then, his business has grown from strength to strength.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08UK Salads is now very much an Italian family affair.
0:33:08 > 0:33:13Helping him are his three daughters, Jo, Leonora and Franca,
0:33:13 > 0:33:15their husbands Vito, Pas and Giuseppe,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18and now a grandson, Jake, is on the books, too.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21John. Pleased to meet you. Very nice to meet you.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24You must be very proud of your family.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Yes. And very proud of all of this. Yes, thank you.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Tell me, do you have a history of growing since you were a little boy?
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Yes, I worked on the farm in Italy with my father there.
0:33:33 > 0:33:39OK, and what were you growing? Corn. Oh, corn. Yes, in Italy. OK.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47In the 1950s and '60s the Lea Valley market gardens were desperately
0:33:47 > 0:33:51short of people like John with experience of working on the land.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55One of our biggest problems, we are
0:33:55 > 0:34:00very, very short of labour indeed and we have to rely on foreign labour.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04With their first-hand experience of growing fresh produce back home,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07the Sicilians were an obvious choice for the greenhouses.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10It wasn't just fruit and vegetables that were grown here.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13The biggest crop was flowers which were taken into London and sold at
0:34:13 > 0:34:19Covent Garden - the capital's main fruit and vegetable market until the 1970s.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22About 1969 I buy the glasshouses here.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26OK. And I start my own business and I carry on like this.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30So when you bought the glasshouses originally... 1969.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32..were you growing cucumbers then? Straight away?
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Cucumbers, yes, I start with cucumber.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38It was roses here. Roses. I take the roses out and I put cucumber in.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41And I carry on with cucumber all the time. And why cucumbers?
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Because I understand the cucumber then!
0:34:43 > 0:34:46OK. I don't understand about roses, you know?
0:34:46 > 0:34:48THEY LAUGH
0:34:48 > 0:34:51The cucumber business was hard work back then.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54It was manual labour seven days a week.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Coal was used to fire boilers that provided the warmth the cucumbers needed to grow.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03John often slept in his greenhouses to keep an eye on his plants.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05Things are a lot different now.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07He has son-in-law Vito to help.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Vito grew up in Sicily
0:35:09 > 0:35:12but met wife Jo when he came to visit cousins,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15also in the business, and he never went back.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Let's start at the bottom and work up, because you've got them in these
0:35:18 > 0:35:20little grow bags here. What's inside there?
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Inside there is coco peats. Coconut, then? Yes.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27It's crushed coconuts.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30You can see all the coconut hairs in there.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Years ago, seven or eight years ago,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35we used to grow it in stuff called rock wool.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Which is loft insulation. That's right, correct.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41And you've got these pipes and tubes coming in there, then.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Is that feed? That is to feed them, that's the irrigation computer.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48So each one gets all the nutrients and water
0:35:48 > 0:35:53and by the computer it adjusts, more fertiliser or less water.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57It's all at the touch of a button these days. Yes.
0:35:57 > 0:36:03In this mock Mediterranean climate, cucumbers grow really fast.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06This was filmed over six hours, and they grew about an inch.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12But even with this finely tuned system, the cucumbers are still susceptible
0:36:12 > 0:36:14to the age-old adversaries.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Is your biggest challenge pests?
0:36:18 > 0:36:21This little fella,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25he will go in search for other little insects called thrips,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28which cause a lot of trouble to the cues.
0:36:28 > 0:36:34When... The little thrip, he can go in there.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Are they all little cucumbers in there?
0:36:36 > 0:36:40Yeah, there is about seven cucumbers in there. OK.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42What he will do is start to bite the cues
0:36:42 > 0:36:45when they are very, very small, and then when
0:36:45 > 0:36:47they start growing they grow curly... Right.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51..which is no good to us. We can't sell to the supermarket.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55Did I not hear right that the curly ones are actually the tastiest?
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Yes, it is better, more sugar, more tasty.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01So why are supermarkets selling us these long ones?
0:37:01 > 0:37:06I think it's that people don't know the curly one is the better one.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10Not after this. Seriously, everybody is going to be after curly cucumbers now. It's the best.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Well, Vito doesn't throw away any of the curly cucumbers.
0:37:14 > 0:37:19The North London Greek and Turkish communities absolutely love them.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21It's the old philosophy - waste not, want not.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25And his commitment to environmentally friendly practices
0:37:25 > 0:37:27is not just a lot of hot air.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32As well as a biomass boiler, they also have one of these.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37It's a massive engine which burns gas to heat the greenhouse and also
0:37:37 > 0:37:40provide electricity for the National Grid.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44As well as that, it produces CO2 which, of course, is a greenhouse gas,
0:37:44 > 0:37:46and is used in the greenhouse.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50But it's not contributing to global warming.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55The carbon dioxide is fed through the pipes into the greenhouses
0:37:55 > 0:37:59where plants absorb it. It's all controlled by the touch of a button.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02But despite the gadgets and gizmos and computers,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06there are still some jobs that are all about hard graft, like harvesting.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10And that's because only a human can judge when a cucumber is big enough,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13heavy enough, and, you've guessed it, straight enough.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20JOHN CRAVEN: Whether you're growing crops or rearing livestock,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22it takes time to learn the skills.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25But more and more of us are trying our hand at putting
0:38:25 > 0:38:27home-grown food on our plates.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32If you started the day with an egg for breakfast you're in very good
0:38:32 > 0:38:37company, because we as a nation eat 30 million eggs every day.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40That's 11 billion a year.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43And we are so fond of them that three quarters of a million households in the UK
0:38:43 > 0:38:46now keep their own chickens.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Paul and his family have them on their Wiltshire smallholding,
0:38:49 > 0:38:52and now they are going to show you how to take on a new challenge.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59PAUL: We've kept chickens for nearly ten years now.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Charlotte, my wife, is a farmer's daughter
0:39:01 > 0:39:05and grew up baking with the rich, fluffy yolks from their birds.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Scrambled eggs and omelettes are a Martin family favourite, and these
0:39:11 > 0:39:13ladies are easy to keep.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17and it's a rewarding way of making our little farm pay.
0:39:17 > 0:39:22Commercially, it's thought there are around 35 million laying chickens
0:39:22 > 0:39:27in the UK, and on average the farmer receives just 6p per egg.
0:39:28 > 0:39:34So selling chicken eggs is only really profitable on a huge scale.
0:39:34 > 0:39:40However, there is one other bird whose eggs are highly sought after by the restaurant trade.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42Quails.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45I've been testing the market with local restaurants
0:39:45 > 0:39:49to see if there is a demand for quail eggs in the area.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53But keeping quail is very different to keeping chickens,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56so I'm hoping quail breeder Philippa Collins will have some much-needed advice.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02This is our quail enclosure. I've got about 40 quail in total.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04CHIRPING Oh, I love that sound. That's the male ones.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06So, it's not like a cockerel?
0:40:06 > 0:40:09No, they make a lot nicer sound than a cockerel.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11They are so gorgeous, aren't they?
0:40:11 > 0:40:15How different is it looking after quail and breeding them to chicken?
0:40:15 > 0:40:19They don't like going up ramps like a chicken so you need to house them on the floor.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24They like mealworms and lots of lettuce and cucumber.
0:40:24 > 0:40:29We've got lots of lettuce. That's good. You'll need lots.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32So this is one of my enclosures.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Look, those two are having a fight.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39He's pecking. Hey!
0:40:39 > 0:40:43This one is a female one as it's got a lighter, gingery breast with the spots.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46This is the male so it's got a plain ginger breast.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51Mind you, you've got to catch them first before you can look at the breast.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Right, let me have a go at catching them.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Is there a knack to it, or it's just... Just go for it.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59There we go. And that's a female? Yes, definitely.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00Brilliant, brilliant.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04Obviously we're going to make a little aviary outside to start with because it's the summer.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Is that OK? Yeah, definitely. They'll like being outside.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11So we've got to fox-proof. And can I start off with a low-ish one?
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Yeah, that will be fine. And how much do quails cost?
0:41:14 > 0:41:19This breed, they are about ?7 for a female and a male is ?2 or ?3.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Would it be OK if I took ten off you, then?
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Yes, definitely. And one cock bird? Yep, no problem. Fantastic.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28I'm ever so excited, I really am.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31I think the kids are going to love these.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36With 11 quail on order from Philippa, it's time to build their new enclosure.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41Now, this is our quail's new home.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45It's a rabbit hutch, but it has been modified
0:41:45 > 0:41:48and it's perfect for quails.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50It's a great starter kit for someone like me.
0:41:50 > 0:41:56But there's one modification I need to do, and that's put some wire mesh
0:41:56 > 0:42:02on the bottom to stop any predators digging underneath and getting in.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05Quails and chickens cannot be kept together,
0:42:05 > 0:42:09because chickens are carriers of diseases that harm quails.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11So we'll need to place the new pen
0:42:11 > 0:42:14a safe distance away from the hen coop.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18If this works, and eventually we can breed and breed and breed,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21and we'll have - who knows? We could have a quail farm.
0:42:28 > 0:42:33What we don't want to do is to put too much down where we can't reach,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36in case they lay some eggs underneath it.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Right, OK, let's go and get them. Come on.
0:42:40 > 0:42:41With a few finishing touches,
0:42:41 > 0:42:45straw for bedding and a dust bath to clean themselves,
0:42:45 > 0:42:49our quail enclosure is ready for its first inhabitants.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51OK, that's the lot.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59If you can get local restaurants to buy your eggs,
0:42:59 > 0:43:03they should fetch at least ?2 per dozen.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07100 hens means 30,000 eggs per year.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10That's ?5,000 profit.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13More than enough to cover the cost of keeping these girls.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18Tomorrow I'll be tasting our first batch of quail eggs,
0:43:18 > 0:43:19trying them out on a top chef,
0:43:19 > 0:43:24and finding out why these little eggs are four times healthier
0:43:24 > 0:43:25than chicken eggs.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30Well, that's all we've got time for today.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32But please do try to join us again at the same time tomorrow
0:43:32 > 0:43:36for more entries in our Countryfile Summer Diary.
0:43:36 > 0:43:41Roy Taylor is on the hunt for a majestic but deadly alien invader.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43Beautiful though it may be,
0:43:43 > 0:43:46this is one of the most dangerous plants in Britain.
0:43:46 > 0:43:51And Keeley joins the summer race to harvest the nation's peas.
0:43:51 > 0:43:55Farmers have to get it from the field to the freezer in just 150 minutes.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00So, until tomorrow, bye for now.