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The magnificent grounds of Blenheim Palace

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is the setting for a very special event...

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..the first ever Countryfile Live -

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a huge country extravaganza brought to you by the Countryfile team.

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Yes, we are going to be celebrating the very best that

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the British countryside has to offer.

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We're going to be showing you around Countryfile Live

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and giving you an exclusive look behind the scenes.

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The whole gang is here to bring you the very best of Countryfile Live.

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Tom and Adam go head-to-head in a test of strength and stamina.

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John's watching the feathers fly...

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Shall we let the first ones go?

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Absolutely. Let's do it.

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Off you go, boys and girls.

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..Anita's on the trail of some venerable trees...

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You're looking around at trees that have been here

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before America was even discovered.

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It just sort of takes your breath away

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when you think about that this place existed.

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..and Charlotte's looking at what Brexit might mean for

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famous British foods currently protected under European law.

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So, please, take your seats as we welcome you

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to have a look around Countryfile Live.

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CHEERING

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This is Countryfile Live,

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our very own take on the traditional country show -

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a dazzling jamboree brought to you from the grounds of Blenheim Palace

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where we'll be showcasing the very best of British rural life.

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This is the first time we've ever tried anything on this scale,

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so it's fantastic to see so many people here.

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We'll be bringing you all the highlights

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and giving you exclusive views from behind the scenes,

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and there's plenty to see and do.

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Well, you can get a pretty good idea of what things look like

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from up here, so we've got lots of farming,

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we've got lots of food, we've got craft stalls, country sports,

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and this area here, well, this is going to be a live stage show.

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What a beautiful day here at Blenheim Palace.

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Yes! That's more like it.

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And if you need to wet the whistle, maybe have a light refreshment,

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if you follow this avenue down here, turn right,

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you will find the Craven Arms. Fantastic.

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There are 750 exhibitors from the length and breadth of the country -

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44 different breeds of farm animal, 280 farmers, 130 food producers

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and more than 1,000 bales of hay spread out over the 85 acre site.

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But what's gone into planning Countryfile Live?

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Matt's with John Hoy, Chief Executive of Blenheim Palace

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who are hosting us at the show.

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Well, John, you just must be relieved

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that this thing is finally up and running and it's happening.

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Two years in the making and it's been such a long journey,

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with such brilliant people, such great partnership working,

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and as you say, everyone's here having a lovely time.

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Do you know what? It's one of those things where you wonder

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and you hope it's going to be all right on the day,

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and I am massively impressed with what's here.

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I mean, the array of stuff, and the experience that people can have

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when they come here, I mean, it's pretty endless, isn't it?

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Well, I think given the love they've got for the programme

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and how many watch it every week,

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the fact that they can come and now touch it

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and feel it and sense it and smell it, I think it's brilliant. Yes.

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And there is, as you say, so much variety.

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Everyone who loves the countryside will find something to do.

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Well, we are surrounded here by farming,

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food and the very best of British produce.

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But given that some of our most famous British products like

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Welsh lamb and Cornish pasties are protected under European law,

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what happens when we leave the EU? Well, Charlotte's been finding out.

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I'm not just sitting around eating, honest.

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Although, I really wouldn't mind if this were my lunch.

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We have the best of British here.

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From Stilton cheese to Melton Mowbray pork pies

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and West Country farmhouse cheddar

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and to wash it all down, some Kentish ale.

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These are just some of the foods produced here in Britain

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which are protected by EU laws.

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So how important are those laws to the people who produce these foods?

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And what would it mean for us, the consumers, if those laws are lost?

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It's called the protected food name scheme

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and it ensures under European law that certified foods

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can only be made in a certain way and in certain places.

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For Richard Enderby here in Grimsby, membership of the scheme

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is invaluable protection against copycat produces.

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Well, I've been here 40 years.

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Yeah. And the building is 100 years old.

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Right. But this process that we do is unchanged for 150 years.

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Really? And is that important?

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Well, yeah, that's what we're all about.

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The majority of smoked fish these days is kiln smoked,

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which is quite a different process.

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People will assume that it's perhaps been smoked in

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a smokehouse like this, where actually it's done in a big oven.

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So, for you, it's more about protecting your product

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than promoting it?

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The whole line... the quality of fish we use,

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we just use a natural brine, not a colour brine,

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that's smoked for a minimum of 12 hours, up to 18 hours,

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depending on the time of year,

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where a kiln-smoked is in and out in three or four hours.

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We're sort of a very niche product and people need to understand that

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and the fact that it takes more work to produce.

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Have you ever used it?

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Have you ever had to say to somebody, "You can't say that is

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"Grimsby traditional smoked because it isn't"? Oh, yeah.

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Not only do you have people pretending

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that it's Grimsby traditionally smoked fish,

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I've known cases where they've pretended it was

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Enderby's Grimsby traditionally smoked fish.

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That's why it needs to be policed very carefully.

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And I think that's again where the government comes in

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and Trading Standards.

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They've got to be on top of this and sort of be quite vigilant

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that this sort of thing isn't going on.

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Richard's fish is one of 72 protected food names here in the UK,

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alongside famous names like Scotch whisky,

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Cornish clotted cream and Stilton cheese.

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The scheme also includes some foods you may not be so familiar with.

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Things like Fenland celery, Kent Golding hops or Teviotdale cheese.

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These regional specialities tell

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the story of Britain's culinary heritage,

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so wouldn't the quality speak for itself

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even if they were to lose EU protection?

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Guess where I am?

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The small Leicestershire town of Melton got protection for

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the Melton Mowbray pork pie.

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Now off the back of that they've developed a pie festival,

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a cheese festival and a food festival.

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They now reckon that food tourism is worth ?70 million a year.

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So they really don't want to lose that protected status.

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The food we enjoy in these islands is as diverse

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as the landscape itself.

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And in these parts, it's Matthew O'Callaghan

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who's helping to protect Britain's most famous pie.

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So what have these geographical protections given you?

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What difference have they made? There's two things.

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One is it means that the recipe is protected.

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So it guarantees that what people buy

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is a genuine Melton Mowbray pork pie.

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The other thing it does is to protect the production

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to a particular area.

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And for us in Melton Mowbray,

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that is an important part of our rural economy.

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So in a couple of years' time when we come out of the

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European Union, you could lose this scheme.

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Would you like a new scheme or just this one brought over?

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I think we'd like something new and there's no reason why

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the UK scheme would not be recognised within the EU.

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For example, Columbian coffee -

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Columbia has its own scheme and the European scheme recognises

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Columbian coffee as a protected food name within Europe.

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There will be lots of people who really don't see the point,

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does it really matter exactly how the pie is made?

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It does matter.

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You're linking a product with an area, with a heritage,

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with a way of producing that pie that's been made for 100, 200 years.

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UK protected food names are worth over ?1 billion.

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They're extremely important in terms of exports.

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They're extremely important in terms of jobs in a locality.

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Not only do we have Melton Mowbray pork pies in this area worth

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60 million, we have Stilton cheese, again worth another 60 million.

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Those are a lot of jobs in this area,

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so it is important for small rural areas.

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It hasn't all been plain sailing.

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The scheme's hit the headlines a number of times.

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High street giants Greggs

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were famously forced to change the name of their Cornish pasty after

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the Cornish Pasty Association won their protection in 2011.

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And that same legal clout can be invaluable to small producers.

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It's the only thing stopping people putting

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"Grimsby traditionally smoked fish" on a box of kiln-smoked fish is

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the fact that it's a protected name.

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Matthew O'Callaghan agrees.

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If the scheme's lost, it's customers who could lose out.

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What I think will happen is that people will make cheaper products,

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imitations. The customer actually is going to be deceived.

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The other thing is I think we will lose an important part

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of our food heritage.

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And that's really important because not only is it the heritage

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but it's the skills, for example, cheese making,

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pie making, that go into producing these iconic foods.

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But not everyone thinks these changes will be a disaster.

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Later on I'll be meeting the producers who see real opportunities

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on the road ahead.

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Back at Countryfile Live and Matt's got a thirst on.

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Does anyone want a drink? ALL: Yeah!

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Apparently the drinks are on the landlord.

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John, can I have 250 pints of the finest and a packet of crisps?

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Better have a big chequebook.

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Don't believe anybody when they say it's free.

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John, is this everything you would have hoped for in your own pub,

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the Craven Arms?

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It is. If only for a few days to have a pub of my own.

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Listen... Be very careful. ..I'm going to drink to that.

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Do you know what I've always wanted to say behind a bar like this?

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Get out of ma pub!

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Don't think much of the landlord. Only joking. I'll see you later.

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We're here in the grounds of Blenheim Place,

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setting for our first ever Countryfile Live -

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a celebration of the best of the British countryside,

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bringing together people from all walks of rural life.

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Countryfile Live is one the most ambitious country shows ever staged.

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So join me for an exclusive peek behind the scenes.

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One of the highlights of Countryfile Live is the heavy horse display.

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Magnificent animals, always hugely popular with the crowds,

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and I'm heading behind the arena for a close up look.

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Back here, there is stabling for 20 horses

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and they'll be appearing here over the next four days.

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I'm here to meet the only six shire horse team in the country

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belonging to Elspeth. Here we go. Hi, Elspeth. Hello.

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Can I give you a hand? We haven't got long till the arena.

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Not long at all. What can I do?

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Would you like to put this chain through the carrier at the back?

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Yeah. It's heavy, isn't it? What incredibly heavy kit they wear.

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It's outstanding. Yeah, it's got to be heavy for them

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to pull the heavy drays. There we go.

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How long does it take to get set up? Erm...

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Well, it's lots of hours beforehand, but on the day,

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probably an hour and a half to harness up.

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If you'd like to put the ribbon on his tail for me.

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Just around the tail?

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Just round here and then nice neat bow. At the very top.

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Oh, good boy.

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What a lot of kit.

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Come on, then.

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'Well, that's Harvey dressed to impress.

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'And his pals look pretty good too.

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'A magnificent sight.

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'The only six horse team of shires in the country.'

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Centre stage at the food court,

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celebrity chefs are cooking up a storm.

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But I want to meet the hidden army of backstage helpers

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who keep the show on the boil.

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With access all areas,

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I'm following my nose now cos there's some interesting

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delightful smells coming from backstage.

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It's not quite showtime yet.

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Look, this is pretty sparkling clean in here.

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Nearly showtime, Victoria. You're busy back here. Hello.

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How you doing? Yes. Good, thank you. Yeah, very busy.

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Do you want to get involved? Yeah, what can I do?

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If you could grate this cucumber, please, on this side.

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This is for a lamb dish for Brian later on.

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Not many people know about your job - it's a home economist.

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Home economist, yeah. What does that involve?

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So we're responsible for getting everything ready for the live

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demonstrations that are happening during the course of the day.

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Cos people see TV chefs and they don't realise they have

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all this wonderful help in the background.

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Yeah, it's very much... The unsung heroes of the day.

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Behind the scenes, yeah, absolutely.

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I mean, sometimes they give us a shoutout to show their appreciation,

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but, yeah, it's absolutely behind the scenes.

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That's quite nice. We can just get on with it.

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I think it's about time they were celebrated for this hard work.

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Food is a big hit with the crowds, but one of the biggest draws

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of Countryfile Live is a spectacular live show...

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..a dazzling look at the countryside through the changing seasons.

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There's colour, costumes,

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dizzying acrobatics and the odd familiar face.

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Applause for Anita and John. Thank you, everybody.

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You're about to get in this fabulous combine harvester.

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Are you feeling nervous? You're going into the big arena.

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I've never been on a combine harvester.

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Adam's been on a few, haven't you? He'll be all right.

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'Yup, all us Countryfile presenters take their turn in the arena.

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'The show has been created by Cirque Bijou.

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'I'm catching up with their Creative Director Julian Bracey.'

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Amazing set, all this, isn't it? The incredible sun.

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Yeah, we had this sun made just for this weekend,

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just in case it wasn't actually sunny.

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But now we've got glorious sunshine. Don't even need it.

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But it's looking good.

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How do you then translate Countryfile the programme

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into Countryfile the big show on stage?

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What was your brief?

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Well, just to try and include a little bit of everything

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that's in the programme.

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And to keep it fun and quite a big family show.

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So we just wanted to create a bit of spectacle, so there's

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another element to the whole festival.

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I'm looking forward to this bit.

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'I'm meeting champion beatboxer Grace Savage

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'whose only instrument is her mouth.'

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Hello. Into your office. Welcome. Thanks very much.

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You are perhaps the most surprising part of the Countryfile show.

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We've got a beatboxer. Yes. And that's...

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'Grace beatboxes to accompany the show.'

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SHE BAAS

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She can do sheep and even elephants.

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SHE TRUMPETS

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And then I'll put a beat behind it.

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UPBEAT MUSIC STARTS

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SHE BEATBOXES

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BAAING

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BAAING

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That's amazing.

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TRUMPETING

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Elephant at the end. That is amazing.

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And that was just a quick demo for us.

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Just a little demo, yeah.

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This is something new for the Countryfile audience. Good.

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And holding the whole menagerie together is farmer for the day

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actor Richard Headen.

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The crowd's really enjoying it.

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Yeah, it's probably not what they expected.

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I don't think it's what any of us expected.

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That's what so enjoyable about it is the surprise element...

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I think so. ..the fact there's some modern touches there.

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Blenheim Palace is the perfect backdrop for Countryfile Live.

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The grounds were laid out in the 18th century by Capability Brown,

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Britain's most famous landscape designer.

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This genius of the picturesque

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planted trees to picture-frame his views and guide the eye.

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More than two centuries on and these now mature beauties still do

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exactly as their designer intended because this place is magical.

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But old Capability could never have foreseen the role his woods

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would play here at Countryfile Live.

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They've become a paradise for children playing,

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learning and gaining confidence in nature.

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That's it. Nice steady speed. Keep coming.

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I'll tell you if you go too fast.

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But away from the showground, at a secret site on the estate,

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his 200 acres of astonishing woodland.

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Fenced off a millennium ago for King Henry I's private hunting

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pleasure, the woods have remained untouched by man ever since

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and hidden deep within are 800 massive and ancient oaks.

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Magnificent, isn't it?

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Some of these trees are more than 1,000 years old.

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There are more ancient oaks here than anywhere else on Earth,

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and they command our respect.

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These woods are strictly off limits, except for today.

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Follow me into the enchanted forest.

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Once a year, foresters Christian Halbert and Nick Baimbridge

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fight their way through the chest-high bracken

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to perform health checks on the oldest trees.

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Made it. Anita. Lovely to see you.

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Hi. I'm Nick. Hi, Nick. Hey, how you doing? Hey.

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Good to see you. You too.

0:19:210:19:23

Wow! What a place! Yes, a little gem.

0:19:230:19:25

Isn't this incredible?

0:19:250:19:27

I mean, it just sort of takes your breath away when you think about

0:19:270:19:30

that this place existed.

0:19:300:19:32

You're looking around at trees that have been here

0:19:320:19:35

before America was even discovered.

0:19:350:19:37

It's just left to its own, just hidden, nothing's touched.

0:19:370:19:41

So what are we here to do?

0:19:410:19:43

I know you guys have got your kit. Yep.

0:19:430:19:45

We're here surveying the oaks, checking on the condition of them,

0:19:450:19:48

checking that they're not dying back,

0:19:480:19:51

looking at different fungus and fruiting bodies on there and

0:19:510:19:54

looking at work that we need to do to keep them going, keep them alive.

0:19:540:19:58

'One tree that Nick and Christian

0:19:580:20:00

'really need to check is the so-called King Oak,

0:20:000:20:03

'not the oldest, but one of the finest of the ancient oaks here.'

0:20:030:20:07

Wow, let me just take this beast in!

0:20:070:20:10

SHE GASPS

0:20:100:20:12

That is incredible.

0:20:120:20:15

'But how old is this tree?

0:20:150:20:17

'We can't take a look at tree rings, so a tape measure around

0:20:170:20:20

'the belly is needed to establish the age of this portly monarch.'

0:20:200:20:24

Gah, this one's enormous!

0:20:240:20:26

Right, what have we got? Nine metres.

0:20:270:20:30

Yes, so how old is that?

0:20:300:20:33

Nine metres would put this tree at over 900 years old.

0:20:330:20:37

Fantastic.

0:20:370:20:39

Well, they say an oak tree spends 300 years growing,

0:20:390:20:41

300 years living and then spends the last 300 years dying back,

0:20:410:20:45

and it is inevitable, but there are others that will take over,

0:20:450:20:48

and as long as we can keep it going, the better.

0:20:480:20:51

'900 years is a remarkable lifespan,

0:20:510:20:54

'but there are trees here that are even older.

0:20:540:20:57

'To give them the best chance of survival, Nick and Christian

0:20:570:21:00

'remove young trees nearby that would

0:21:000:21:02

'steal their light and nutrients.'

0:21:020:21:04

So this looks like it needs to come out fairly urgently.

0:21:050:21:08

This ash tree is actually growing right through the canopy

0:21:080:21:11

and shading off this side of the tree.

0:21:110:21:13

It's only going to get taller. Pop that on. Thank you. Absolutely.

0:21:130:21:17

There she goes.

0:21:310:21:33

CREAKING

0:21:330:21:35

Good job, Nick, that was super swift. Doesn't take long.

0:21:350:21:38

And in the meantime, you've cleared up the...

0:21:380:21:41

Yes, it's got us light. It's got the light.

0:21:410:21:43

And it can carry on for another 200 years. Yeah. Good job, boys.

0:21:430:21:46

That these oaks have escaped the axe is little short of a miracle.

0:21:490:21:53

To be among the these age-old giants is an extraordinary

0:21:530:21:57

and humbling feeling. Magical.

0:21:570:22:00

Back at the showground, and Matt's with some friends in the Dog Arena.

0:22:090:22:13

COMMENTARY ON TANNOY

0:22:130:22:16

Well, one of the focuses of Countryfile Live is of course

0:22:160:22:19

man's best friend, and one of MY good friends is Peter Purvis.

0:22:190:22:22

Hi, Matt. It's always lovely to see you, Peter. And you, mate.

0:22:220:22:25

You're looking after the whole dog ring section here for us.

0:22:250:22:27

Yeah, we have got an arena with everything.

0:22:270:22:29

These are just three of the exhibits that we're showing.

0:22:290:22:32

These are rare breeds.

0:22:320:22:33

This is an otterhound, it's got no function any more,

0:22:330:22:36

so you wonder how they manage to exist at all.

0:22:360:22:38

We've got a little Sealyham terrier here. Hello down there.

0:22:380:22:41

This is a ratter, proper terrier, working. Keep the barns clean.

0:22:410:22:45

This one's a clumber spaniel, again, very different from

0:22:450:22:48

the show clumber, these are very fit, good working dogs.

0:22:480:22:51

Absolutely. A good gundog.

0:22:510:22:52

And really, the focus of the dogs here at Countryfile Live,

0:22:520:22:55

this is about dogs with jobs, working dogs. Exactly that.

0:22:550:22:58

And also, people coming here,

0:22:580:23:00

they've got training tips and all that,

0:23:000:23:02

and in the ring, if you brought your own dog here,

0:23:020:23:04

you can take it in there, you get training tips.

0:23:040:23:07

"I've got a dog that pulls on the lead." "We'll fix it." It's great.

0:23:070:23:10

We've got a wonderful dog display team as well,

0:23:100:23:12

the Essex Dog Display Team, we've got some great stuff going on.

0:23:120:23:15

You're in your element, then, Peter. Oh, I'm loving it, loving it!

0:23:150:23:18

It's fantastic. See, everybody hanging on

0:23:180:23:20

your every word, Peter, even the otterhound.

0:23:200:23:23

We've been hearing that Britain's protected foods could be

0:23:310:23:34

at risk if the laws surrounding them change when we leave Europe.

0:23:340:23:38

But for some producers, a relaxing of the rules could be

0:23:380:23:41

a real benefit, as Charlotte has been finding out.

0:23:410:23:44

Under the scheme,

0:23:450:23:47

producers must rename their product if it infringes on someone else's.

0:23:470:23:51

And that is what happened to this family cheese-making business.

0:23:510:23:54

I'm in North Yorkshire,

0:23:540:23:56

where award-winning cheese producer Judy Bell makes a feta cheese.

0:23:560:24:00

But under the scheme, she's not allowed to call it that.

0:24:000:24:03

After an 11-year legal battle over Greece's claim to the same name,

0:24:030:24:07

what was once Yorkshire Feta is now Yorkshire Fettle.

0:24:070:24:11

What impact did it have then? Well, it lost its authenticity as a feta.

0:24:110:24:15

People saw the word "fettle" and thought,

0:24:150:24:18

"What on earth is this?"

0:24:180:24:20

So, basically, we did lose sales in those early days, until we could

0:24:200:24:24

actually do more marketing and more pushing of the brand.

0:24:240:24:29

Isn't that fair enough? Feta is a Greek cheese,

0:24:290:24:32

just like Stilton comes from the East Midlands.

0:24:320:24:35

The word "feta" is an Italian word which means "fresh slice".

0:24:350:24:39

But we were actually branding it "Yorkshire Feta".

0:24:390:24:41

It is a generic recipe really,

0:24:410:24:44

it's a way to make a pickled cheese,

0:24:440:24:48

which is what we were doing. We're going to leave the EU.

0:24:480:24:51

Is that your chance to revive Yorkshire Feta?

0:24:510:24:54

After the battle we've had, getting that name out and about, no,

0:24:540:24:57

I think we will hopefully

0:24:570:25:00

be able to put the word "feta-style" on,

0:25:000:25:03

which we haven't been able to do over the last few years,

0:25:030:25:07

so it will identify the product better for the consumer.

0:25:070:25:11

So, what is the government's plan for the scheme?

0:25:150:25:19

Well, DEFRA told us, "We are still a member of the EU,

0:25:190:25:22

"and so protected food name status remains in place as normal."

0:25:220:25:26

They go on.

0:25:260:25:27

"We'll work to ensure they continue to benefit from

0:25:270:25:30

"protection in the future."

0:25:300:25:32

Now of course, what that doesn't address is what priority -

0:25:320:25:35

if any - protected food names might get in Brexit negotiations,

0:25:350:25:39

or what any new British scheme might look like.

0:25:390:25:42

'To find out, I have come to meet the British man who played

0:25:440:25:47

'a leading role in the scheme's formation in the 1980s.

0:25:470:25:51

'He's food policy expert Professor Tim Lang.'

0:25:510:25:56

You were involved in this scheme almost before it started,

0:25:560:25:59

did you always think it would work?

0:25:590:26:01

I was a bit of a sceptic, I thought, "Why are we doing this?

0:26:010:26:04

"What's the point of it?"

0:26:040:26:05

"This is big Europe trying to rescue

0:26:050:26:08

"something from the embers of a fire."

0:26:080:26:10

But actually, over time,

0:26:100:26:11

I've become more interested in it and more committed to it.

0:26:110:26:14

It does actually enable us to encourage

0:26:140:26:17

some authentic food production,

0:26:170:26:19

but the British didn't engage with it very much,

0:26:190:26:22

the rest of the European Union dived in very quickly.

0:26:220:26:26

But latterly, we have got more interested in it as a country.

0:26:260:26:29

So now then, should we change the scheme, develop it a bit?

0:26:290:26:32

Or should we just bring what Europe's got over?

0:26:320:26:36

Well, it would be very easy, pragmatic, just to lift over

0:26:360:26:38

the European scheme and move it in and say, "This is British."

0:26:380:26:42

But is that the answer to what we need

0:26:420:26:44

in food and countryside relations? No. It isn't.

0:26:440:26:47

The mass food, the scale of the food system, means that these

0:26:470:26:52

little local identities are very small,

0:26:520:26:55

but they're symbolically very important, and that is why

0:26:550:26:59

it's an issue worth bothering about, indeed fighting about.

0:26:590:27:02

So what does the head of the UK Protected Foods Names Association

0:27:020:27:06

think the future holds?

0:27:060:27:08

This could actually herald a sort of flourishing

0:27:080:27:12

of British heritage foods.

0:27:120:27:13

We could actually see our products being promoted both locally,

0:27:130:27:16

regionally, we could see that link between food and tourism -

0:27:160:27:19

which in a number of areas could actually boost rural economies -

0:27:190:27:23

we could actually see those crafts and those skills which go

0:27:230:27:25

into those foods promoted and protected, because unless

0:27:250:27:29

you have the ingredients, the crafts and the skills and the people

0:27:290:27:32

with that knowledge, you don't produce iconic foods.

0:27:320:27:34

It's an opportunity, and I think we have to seize it.

0:27:340:27:37

It's clear that a great deal of political untangling

0:27:410:27:44

will need to take place in the next few years, and it could be

0:27:440:27:47

much longer before the impact on the food industry is fully realised.

0:27:470:27:52

Brand Great Britain is arguably one of our strongest assets,

0:27:520:27:56

and for those producers who want them, there will be

0:27:560:27:58

economic opportunities beyond Europe's borders.

0:27:580:28:02

But for most of these small producers, it will be UK consumers -

0:28:020:28:06

you and I - who decide their fates

0:28:060:28:08

as everything around them changes. So, watch this space.

0:28:080:28:12

Here at Countryfile Live, the crowds are building up.

0:28:170:28:20

From the Dog Arena to the livestock rings, there's a buzz going around.

0:28:200:28:25

And it's all because of this.

0:28:250:28:27

Timbersports -

0:28:280:28:30

where lumberjacks go head-to-head in a show of skill and strength.

0:28:300:28:35

Big in America and catching on here,

0:28:350:28:37

let's hope these two know what they're letting themselves in for.

0:28:370:28:41

Come on, guys, up you get. Ladies and gents, here we go.

0:28:410:28:44

Tom Heap and Adam Henson from BBC Countryfile.

0:28:440:28:48

APPLAUSE

0:28:480:28:50

Now, this is a big contest for Tom.

0:28:510:28:54

Last summer he took on Adam in a tough pole-climbing challenge...

0:28:540:28:59

and Adam won.

0:28:590:29:00

Now, Tom's looking to get even and level the score.

0:29:010:29:04

But it won't be easy.

0:29:040:29:05

Well, a very good afternoon from us all here at the Timbersports Arena.

0:29:070:29:12

We give you now a battle of brains, brawn and stamina,

0:29:120:29:15

as Tom "The Hatchet" Heap locks horns with Adam "The Axeman" Henson

0:29:150:29:21

in a mighty display of awe-inspiring lumberjackery.

0:29:210:29:25

Did you say 75% Rob, 25% Adam? No, actually it's the other way around.

0:29:250:29:32

The hapless pair are being taken under the wing of

0:29:330:29:36

British champions Rob Chatley and Elgan Pugh.

0:29:360:29:39

First contest is the double bucksaw.

0:29:390:29:42

The technique requires rhythm and strength,

0:29:420:29:46

so that's Tom and Adam stuffed.

0:29:460:29:47

Timers ready! Contestants ready!

0:29:490:29:51

Three, two, one, go!

0:29:510:29:54

Let's make some noise, people, let's get right behind these guys.

0:29:540:29:58

Really putting their backs into it.

0:29:590:30:01

Pretty close. Who's going to get it?

0:30:040:30:06

Ohh.

0:30:060:30:08

Adam and Rob clinch it, but Tom and Elgan aren't far behind.

0:30:080:30:13

Oh, it's exhausting. How easy was it?

0:30:130:30:16

Er, how easy? I think you mean how difficult.

0:30:160:30:18

How difficult was it?

0:30:180:30:20

It was very, very difficult, it's an extraordinary...

0:30:200:30:22

The strength and the agility of these men to do this sport.

0:30:220:30:25

I've never seen anything like it actually.

0:30:250:30:27

Rob clearly a great coach and an enormous man.

0:30:270:30:30

It is one of those technique things, isn't it?

0:30:300:30:32

You think you've got it, and they make it look so easy,

0:30:320:30:35

as well as pulling me towards the log!

0:30:350:30:37

So how about the individual singles? Oh, no!

0:30:370:30:39

What do we think, audience? It would only be fair, wouldn't it? No.

0:30:390:30:43

We can't let them escape this easy,

0:30:430:30:45

we don't get such great celebrities on our stage very often.

0:30:450:30:49

The boys now go head-to-head with no help from the champions.

0:30:490:30:54

With its vicious teeth, the single buck

0:30:540:30:56

is the great white of wood saws.

0:30:560:30:58

In the right hands - not Tom or Adam's - it'll make sawdust

0:30:580:31:02

of the toughest trunk.

0:31:020:31:03

Can Tom even the score?

0:31:030:31:06

Timers ready! Contestants ready!

0:31:060:31:09

Three, two, one, go!

0:31:090:31:11

Come on, Tom! Come on, Adam!

0:31:170:31:20

This is going to be really close.

0:31:210:31:24

SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

0:31:240:31:25

Very, very close.

0:31:250:31:27

CHEERING

0:31:300:31:32

Ohh! A dead heat!

0:31:320:31:34

ADAM LAUGHS

0:31:340:31:36

Look at that time. That's absolutely awesome.

0:31:360:31:40

It's too close to call. Let's see that again in slow motion.

0:31:400:31:43

We've got to wait for the referee's decision.

0:31:430:31:47

Tom wins - by a splinter.

0:31:470:31:50

Wahey!

0:31:500:31:53

For once! A big round of applause for these...

0:31:530:31:56

It's taken a year, but Tom levels the score. 1-1.

0:31:560:32:01

Well done, Tom, congratulations, fantastic. To be continued.

0:32:010:32:04

And the competitive spirit doesn't end there.

0:32:100:32:13

Matt's got a challenge of his own.

0:32:130:32:16

Right, so, I get three wellies, and all I have to try and do

0:32:160:32:20

is stand on this pad here and throw one welly into one ring.

0:32:200:32:24

And it has to obviously then stay within it.

0:32:240:32:27

It has got to be completely in the ring.

0:32:270:32:30

No. In the pink? Yeah, in the centre. Ah, I'm with you.

0:32:300:32:33

Oh, yeah, you got that one. Got a prize. What have I got? Oh, lovely.

0:32:350:32:40

I will put them on for the last one. Here we go.

0:32:400:32:43

Ohh. Ah, well, I'm happy with these. Thanks.

0:32:490:32:52

SCREAMING

0:32:560:32:58

It's fantastic to see so many people enjoying themselves at the show.

0:32:580:33:03

But what must it be like having Countryfile Live

0:33:030:33:06

in your back garden?

0:33:060:33:08

I'm meeting up with His Grace, the 12th Duke of Marlborough,

0:33:120:33:15

the man who calls Blenheim Palace his home.

0:33:150:33:19

It must be a huge task to look after 2,000 acres and the palace.

0:33:190:33:24

Well, my late father always used to say it's

0:33:240:33:27

a re-enactment of the Battle of Blenheim.

0:33:270:33:30

With more pounds, shillings and pence. Yeah, I can imagine.

0:33:300:33:34

Yeah, it is, it's somewhat daunting sometimes,

0:33:340:33:38

and I get very thwarted

0:33:380:33:40

by the sheer magnitude of having to keep it going.

0:33:400:33:45

What I want to do is to leave it better than I found it,

0:33:450:33:50

and that's all I can do.

0:33:500:33:52

And I will do as much as I can to pass this legacy on.

0:33:520:33:58

Well, we've just seen Adam in action over at

0:34:010:34:03

the Timbersports Arena, but just a few days ago,

0:34:030:34:06

he was on much more familiar ground, here in Oxfordshire,

0:34:060:34:09

looking at some of the county's own breeds.

0:34:090:34:11

If only you two were one of them.

0:34:110:34:13

I am fascinated by the way the landscape

0:34:230:34:26

has shaped our livestock, and the way we farm to produce breeds

0:34:260:34:30

that are particular to individual places.

0:34:300:34:32

There are only two Oxfordshire breeds,

0:34:340:34:37

but they're both very important to me.

0:34:370:34:39

At one time, the Oxford Sandy and Black pig

0:34:390:34:41

was thought to be extinct,

0:34:410:34:42

but then they found a small herd of them.

0:34:420:34:44

And there were sceptics at the time,

0:34:440:34:46

and I have to say, I was one of them.

0:34:460:34:48

The Oxford Sandy and Black is a ginger pig with black spots,

0:34:480:34:52

with semi-floppy ears, and I thought they were probably

0:34:520:34:55

a cross between a Gloucester and a Tamworth.

0:34:550:34:58

But now, I've been invited to a farm in Oxfordshire where

0:34:580:35:00

they're going to prove to me that I'm completely wrong,

0:35:000:35:03

and the Oxford Sandy and Black is a very pure breed, and doing well.

0:35:030:35:07

The Oxford Sandy Black Society

0:35:110:35:13

believed there were still

0:35:130:35:15

pure bloodlines left unregistered.

0:35:150:35:17

Peter Colson from the society was convinced,

0:35:170:35:20

and has been working hard to protect these pure lines.

0:35:200:35:23

Hi, Peter. Hello, Adam, pleased to meet you. And you, and you.

0:35:250:35:28

What a lovely litter of piglets. How much has she got? She has got 11.

0:35:280:35:32

They are a tricoloured breed, aren't they? Yes.

0:35:320:35:35

So ginger, black and white? Yes.

0:35:350:35:37

The ginger can be very sandy, or really dark red.

0:35:370:35:41

I find it fascinating that there's all these different breeds

0:35:410:35:44

specific to a region or a county.

0:35:440:35:46

So we've got the Gloucestershire Old Spot,

0:35:460:35:48

and then right next door, the Oxford Sandy and Black.

0:35:480:35:51

Why were they so distinct?

0:35:510:35:53

The Sandy and Blacks were in the forest, acorn and beechnut eaters,

0:35:530:35:57

and foragers, and they were camouflaged in the forest.

0:35:570:36:01

The Gloucesters were kept in the orchards, weren't they?

0:36:010:36:03

To eat the apples and graze.

0:36:030:36:05

When was their heyday? I think after the war really, '40s and '50s,

0:36:050:36:09

when people were short of meat.

0:36:090:36:11

They were cheap and easy to keep.

0:36:110:36:13

What makes you so passionate about the breed?

0:36:130:36:15

Well, it's a family tradition really.

0:36:150:36:17

My grandfather had them, and he died when I was eight,

0:36:170:36:19

and I can remember the pigs in the yard.

0:36:190:36:21

Do you think he will be looking down on you with a smile on his face?

0:36:210:36:24

He never smiled.

0:36:240:36:25

Have you got all the herd-books and all that?

0:36:250:36:27

Yes, we have, in the house we've got everything.

0:36:270:36:29

Let's go take a look, shall we? Yeah, love to, let's take a look.

0:36:290:36:32

'Peter has kept all of the herd-books going right back to

0:36:320:36:35

'the society's formation in 1985.

0:36:350:36:37

'Geneticist Dr Rex Walters was president

0:36:380:36:41

'when they had a breakthrough.'

0:36:410:36:43

Oh, pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you, Adam, hello.

0:36:430:36:45

And how rare were they then?

0:36:450:36:48

Well, there were only 15 bulls listed in the original book.

0:36:480:36:53

15 bulls alive in total? Yep, and 55 sows.

0:36:530:36:57

So I suppose using the herd-books and then your scientific research,

0:36:570:37:00

this is where you've made your discoveries?

0:37:000:37:03

Absolutely, yes. Show me the work then.

0:37:030:37:04

Right, well, this is just showing all the different diversity,

0:37:040:37:07

all the variation between all the different breeds,

0:37:070:37:10

and we can look at the breeds and see all that diversity.

0:37:100:37:13

It's trying to get beyond that,

0:37:130:37:14

so we're looking at the secrets of the gene.

0:37:140:37:16

So when you looked at the Oxford genes, the DNA of the Oxford,

0:37:160:37:21

it was distinct? It was totally distinct, yes.

0:37:210:37:23

So this is the DEFRA statement.

0:37:230:37:25

"The results showed that it was possible to distinguish

0:37:250:37:28

"these pigs from the other pig breeds

0:37:280:37:30

"with a high degree of certainty."

0:37:300:37:33

Here it is, I'm absolutely convinced now

0:37:340:37:36

that they are a pure breed. That's brilliant, isn't it?

0:37:360:37:39

It is, it's a fantastic story.

0:37:390:37:40

Well, I think it's wonderful that the Oxford Sandy and Black

0:37:420:37:45

has been formally recognised using up-to-date technology,

0:37:450:37:49

and now, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and passionate breeders

0:37:490:37:52

like Peter can carry on their good work

0:37:520:37:54

securing the future of these really lovely pigs.

0:37:540:37:58

I may have been sceptical about the existence

0:38:010:38:04

of the Oxford Sandy and Black,

0:38:040:38:05

but there's another Oxfordshire County breed

0:38:050:38:08

which I've never doubted.

0:38:080:38:09

In fact, it holds a very special place in my heart.

0:38:100:38:13

To encourage us to get into rare breeds conservation,

0:38:170:38:20

my dad bought me and my three older sisters a breed each.

0:38:200:38:24

And mine was the Exmoor Pony,

0:38:240:38:26

but I soon realised there wasn't much cash in ponies,

0:38:260:38:29

so I persuaded him to get me a breed of sheep,

0:38:290:38:32

and we went for the Oxford Down, and I distinctly remember choosing them.

0:38:320:38:36

They were absolutely enormous, with big, woolly topknots.

0:38:360:38:39

I don't actually have any Oxford Down sheep any more,

0:38:420:38:45

so I'm excited to be visiting Rex Vincent and his family,

0:38:450:38:49

with his prize-winning flock in Witney.

0:38:490:38:52

Hello, Rex. Hello, Adam, how are you? Good to see you.

0:38:520:38:54

Yeah, very well, thank you. How many Oxfords have you got, then?

0:38:540:38:57

Well, they're my daughters' sheep really, they've got about eight.

0:38:570:39:00

So remind me of the finer points of an Oxford, then,

0:39:000:39:02

what makes a good one?

0:39:020:39:03

Well, I've got one here that's been reasonably successful at the show.

0:39:030:39:07

A perfect example, has he done well, then?

0:39:070:39:10

Yeah, he's unbeaten in his class and he has a championship

0:39:100:39:14

and a reserve championship to his name. Goodness me.

0:39:140:39:16

What makes him so good, then, Rex?

0:39:160:39:18

Well, he stands well at the front here, he's nice and white

0:39:180:39:21

at the front here, and he's white all the way through.

0:39:210:39:24

No dips in the back, he's solid. That is really solid, isn't it?

0:39:240:39:29

And the wool was important in the breed, wasn't it?

0:39:290:39:31

When they were first created,

0:39:310:39:33

they had one eye on the meat and another eye on the wool trade,

0:39:330:39:38

and being so close to Witney and the Witney blanket factory

0:39:380:39:41

round here, the wool was quite important.

0:39:410:39:43

And although they've got back legs and ears and noses,

0:39:430:39:46

you mustn't have any black wool in the body, must you?

0:39:460:39:49

No, no black wool, it is quite a fault if you've got

0:39:490:39:51

a lot of black in your sheep. Because dark wool can't be dyed.

0:39:510:39:55

That's right, and your wool is worthless. I remember showing them,

0:39:550:39:58

and they're quite particular about their ears at show, aren't they?

0:39:580:40:00

Yeah, the ears need to come straight out and they need

0:40:000:40:03

a little bit of wool on them.

0:40:030:40:05

The topknot's very important, that goes back to the days when,

0:40:050:40:07

if you'd bought a ram that had been shorn,

0:40:070:40:11

that was the sample of your wool.

0:40:110:40:13

We haven't had them on the farm for quite some time now, and I must say,

0:40:130:40:16

they are lovely sheep, this is great to see them again.

0:40:160:40:19

Let's pop him back in the pen, shall we?

0:40:190:40:21

'Rex's daughter Jolie is getting one of her sheep ready for

0:40:210:40:24

'an upcoming show, and she's going to show me

0:40:240:40:26

'how she prepares the animal to make it look its best.'

0:40:260:40:30

So what's the first stage?

0:40:300:40:32

Well, first we shear them quite early on in the year,

0:40:320:40:35

about February, and then we wait for the wool to grow a bit,

0:40:350:40:38

and we wash them down.

0:40:380:40:40

Not too much soap, because it makes the wool quite soft

0:40:400:40:42

and hard to trim.

0:40:420:40:44

And then we fluff them up, just makes them look a bit more even.

0:40:440:40:47

Then with the hand trimmers, let me show you how you do that.

0:40:470:40:50

I was always told that you should hold one still and the other moves,

0:40:520:40:56

so it should just come like that, which is quite difficult to do.

0:40:560:41:00

Mm. And then as you're moving across, the one should move,

0:41:000:41:03

and the other one trim, so you're just gently...

0:41:030:41:06

Like that. It takes forever, doesn't it?

0:41:070:41:10

But quite satisfying when you get it right. Yes.

0:41:100:41:12

I've probably just messed this up now, you're going to lose.

0:41:120:41:16

I'll fix it later.

0:41:160:41:17

Well, it's really brilliant seeing these Oxfordshire breeds thriving.

0:41:190:41:22

I'm delighted that the Oxford Sandy and Black pig has done so well

0:41:220:41:26

and wasn't lost forever, and it's brilliant that

0:41:260:41:29

the Oxford Down sheep are inspiring the next generation of shepherds,

0:41:290:41:33

just like they did for me all those years ago.

0:41:330:41:35

JOHN CRAVEN: No country show would be complete,

0:41:400:41:43

of course, without animals,

0:41:430:41:44

and here at Countryfile Live, there are plenty on show -

0:41:440:41:48

everything from shire horses to working dogs.

0:41:480:41:50

And even a bird in hand. How about this? A beautiful buzzard.

0:41:530:41:58

I've come to the show's Wildlife Zone to meet somebody who's

0:41:580:42:01

brought lots of birds of prey and owls for people to see.

0:42:010:42:05

Well, hello, James. Hello there, John.

0:42:060:42:09

Well, why do you think it is important

0:42:090:42:10

to bring birds like this to the show?

0:42:100:42:12

Because most people never get this close to them,

0:42:120:42:15

and if you are that close, you can just feel the majesty of this bird.

0:42:150:42:18

It's just the wow factor, isn't it?

0:42:180:42:20

And I think for young people particularly,

0:42:200:42:22

when they see something like this close up,

0:42:220:42:24

they realise what we've got to conserve.

0:42:240:42:27

And is this a male or a female? This is a female. Got a name?

0:42:270:42:30

She is called Esther. And what's Esther's story?

0:42:300:42:33

She was brought to us in 1990 by a police officer who had taken

0:42:330:42:37

it from someone who had taken her from the wild,

0:42:370:42:40

and she's been with us ever since.

0:42:400:42:41

So she'll be well over 25 years old.

0:42:410:42:43

She's probably the best part of 30,

0:42:430:42:45

because she was already fully feathered, and that means

0:42:450:42:47

that she was probably two or three when we got her, maybe a bit older.

0:42:470:42:50

So we like to think she's about 30 years old.

0:42:500:42:53

Buzzards are relatively common these days, aren't they?

0:42:530:42:56

But they didn't used to be.

0:42:560:42:57

No, when I was a little boy, if you saw one of these,

0:42:570:42:59

it was like finding a unicorn.

0:42:590:43:01

And we used to stop the car and just marvel at the fact

0:43:010:43:04

that there was one there.

0:43:040:43:05

Now, this is the most common of all the raptors in the UK.

0:43:050:43:09

And is Esther any good as a hunter?

0:43:090:43:11

JAMES LAUGHS No.

0:43:110:43:12

These are idle birds, they really are.

0:43:120:43:15

On a really good day, she will catch you a nice, big, fat slug to eat...

0:43:150:43:18

But here you've got the real hunter. This is a Harris's Hawk.

0:43:180:43:22

This is Charlie.

0:43:230:43:24

These come from the Arizona desert,

0:43:240:43:26

and these really are superb predators.

0:43:260:43:29

And do you use him for any special purpose?

0:43:290:43:32

He helps us with rabbit control,

0:43:320:43:34

he helps us get rid of lots of pests in the countryside.

0:43:340:43:36

And do you think we've bonded? She's been very well-behaved.

0:43:360:43:40

I think you have been a very good apprentice today, John.

0:43:400:43:43

Well done. Thank you.

0:43:430:43:44

'And that's a term that has always been used for novice falconers.

0:43:440:43:48

'Now, Blenheim Palace has a series of beautiful lakes

0:43:480:43:51

'created by Capability Brown.

0:43:510:43:54

'But beneath the surface, all is not well.

0:43:540:43:56

'They're silting up badly,

0:43:560:43:58

'and making the situation worse is invasive Canadian pondweed,

0:43:580:44:02

'which, if left unchecked, will completely choke them.

0:44:020:44:05

'And it's another of our feathered friends, the mallard duck,

0:44:050:44:08

'that's been drafted in to help.

0:44:080:44:11

'For Blenheim's property director Roger File,

0:44:110:44:14

'the silting is now a serious threat,

0:44:140:44:17

'and I've come for a boat ride with him to discover more.'

0:44:170:44:20

Well, this is such a beautiful setting, isn't it, Roger? Yeah.

0:44:200:44:23

You'd never guess there was a problem. Just how bad is it?

0:44:230:44:25

Well, when the lake was originally built,

0:44:250:44:27

it was about 2.1 metres deep in this area, which is known as

0:44:270:44:30

Queen's Pool, now 70% of this area is 30 centimetres or less...

0:44:300:44:36

Wow. ..in depth.

0:44:360:44:37

Can you show me? I can show you with this oar here quickly.

0:44:370:44:40

You can see the blade there, that's now resting on the bottom. Wow.

0:44:400:44:43

You can see how shallow it is,

0:44:430:44:45

it comes up to about this deep from the bottom of the oar.

0:44:450:44:49

There's relatively hardly any water here on this beautiful lake.

0:44:490:44:53

75% of the volume of this part of the lake is now silt.

0:44:530:44:57

So what can you do about it? Take the silt out.

0:44:570:45:00

We're, at the moment, working out what is the best way to

0:45:000:45:04

scoop it out and spread it elsewhere on the estate.

0:45:040:45:07

And what can you do to prevent any more silt being created?

0:45:070:45:11

A number of things.

0:45:110:45:12

We can build in silt traps upstream to stop it being washed down,

0:45:120:45:16

and we can also use natural methods such as the mallards and the geese

0:45:160:45:22

and the swans that you see here to keep the weeds under control,

0:45:220:45:25

which stops the water being slowed down and the silt then building up.

0:45:250:45:29

Canadian pond weed is a real treat for mallards,

0:45:300:45:33

so hundreds of them have been recruited to keep it under control.

0:45:330:45:37

Today, I'm joining estate manager Roy Cox to release 50 more

0:45:380:45:42

into a secluded part of the lakes.

0:45:420:45:44

They're all very young ones, aren't they?

0:45:440:45:47

Yeah, these are all about eight weeks old, John. Uh-huh.

0:45:470:45:49

And they'll stay here for a few months over the summer,

0:45:490:45:51

and once they've grown, they'll then leave us.

0:45:510:45:53

And what impact have the ducks that you've already released had?

0:45:530:45:57

So they've started grazing the pondweed.

0:45:570:45:59

There's plenty more further downstream for these 50

0:45:590:46:01

that we're releasing.

0:46:010:46:02

Well, shall we let the first ones go? Absolutely, let's do it.

0:46:020:46:06

Off you go, boys and girls.

0:46:060:46:08

DUCKS QUACK

0:46:080:46:10

The pondweed's further down there!

0:46:150:46:17

Back at the showground, Matt's on the other side of the lake.

0:46:240:46:28

Well, down here at the water's edge, there are

0:46:300:46:32

so many things that families can try for the very first time.

0:46:320:46:35

Look, we've got families out canoeing there

0:46:350:46:37

and there's a lot of fishing going here, because, Sarah,

0:46:370:46:39

this is all about getting hooked on fishing.

0:46:390:46:41

Getting hooked on fishing, that's right.

0:46:410:46:43

What we are providing here is not only actual fishing out on

0:46:430:46:46

the lake there, but also a great opportunity for the families

0:46:460:46:49

to come and have some fun, try a few angling skills,

0:46:490:46:52

compete against yourself, compete against your friends,

0:46:520:46:55

your family, with all of our little casting games and throwing games.

0:46:550:46:58

Oh, look, so we have got their dads and sons, mums and daughters,

0:46:580:47:01

they're all having a go, and the idea, then, is obviously to cast

0:47:010:47:05

the little ball that's on the end of the rod into one of these buckets.

0:47:050:47:08

Into one of the buckets, that's right.

0:47:080:47:10

That was a good one. That's fabulous. Did you just get that in?

0:47:100:47:13

I saw that - that was magic.

0:47:130:47:15

Now, can you do it again with the pressure of the telly cameras?

0:47:150:47:19

I think you can. Here we go.

0:47:190:47:20

ALL: Yay!

0:47:210:47:23

Here at Countryfile Live,

0:47:300:47:31

there are big sections of the show devoted to British farming.

0:47:310:47:35

The industry has just had one of its toughest years,

0:47:350:47:38

and one of the hardest hit sectors - pork production.

0:47:380:47:41

PIGS OINK

0:47:410:47:44

British pig farmers are struggling.

0:47:440:47:47

Returns are at their lowest for more than 16 years, but here at

0:47:470:47:50

Countryfile Live, there are a group of ladies

0:47:500:47:52

who are hoping to change all that.

0:47:520:47:54

Meet Ladies in Pigs, also known as LIPs.

0:47:560:48:00

Their mission - to put British pork back on the map and our plates.

0:48:000:48:05

Sue Woodall is their chairwoman.

0:48:050:48:08

It's all going on here, Sue, there's cooking, there's trailers,

0:48:080:48:10

there's all sorts of people. What's going on?

0:48:100:48:13

What we do is, we go to events and we take our recipe book that

0:48:130:48:16

we're giving away free today, and we cook all different parts of the pig.

0:48:160:48:20

So we're doing a mince recipe, we're doing bacon brownies,

0:48:200:48:24

sweet potato and coconut casserole with pork in,

0:48:240:48:27

and we give the public tasters all day, ask them to try it, and then

0:48:270:48:31

talk about where to buy British pork, how to buy British pork.

0:48:310:48:35

A lot of our ladies are pig farmers, involved in the pig industry,

0:48:350:48:38

and they're just passionate about British farming.

0:48:380:48:41

Sally, Sally Stockings, I've got to say, it's such a fantastic name,

0:48:410:48:44

you are a pig farmer, aren't you? Yes, I am.

0:48:440:48:46

The industry has had a really tough time of late, why is that?

0:48:460:48:49

It was a sort of perfect storm really.

0:48:490:48:52

We had a ban of British and European pork into Russia,

0:48:520:48:56

we then had an oversupply of pork in Europe, with a strong pound,

0:48:560:49:04

resulted in a flood of European and foreign meat into this country.

0:49:040:49:09

And that was causing us to lose about ?10 a pig.

0:49:090:49:13

But it's getting better.

0:49:130:49:14

It's an improving picture, we like to hear that. It is, it is.

0:49:140:49:17

Breaking down the barriers between producers and consumers

0:49:210:49:25

is what Ladies in Pigs is all about.

0:49:250:49:28

That same ethos is also behind the explosive rise in street food -

0:49:280:49:32

fresh food cooked with care and served straight up to the customer

0:49:320:49:36

by street vendors.

0:49:360:49:37

And in street food circles, it pays to stand out from the crowd.

0:49:380:49:42

These guys take their cue straight from the pages

0:49:440:49:46

of classic British literature.

0:49:460:49:48

Hello there, gentlemen.

0:49:500:49:51

I'm going to ask a terrible question -

0:49:510:49:53

"what the dickens" is going on?

0:49:530:49:55

What we do in our small way is to draw some attention to some

0:49:550:49:59

of these old-fashioned British recipes that maybe people

0:49:590:50:01

have forgotten about a bit.

0:50:010:50:03

Where did the idea come from?

0:50:030:50:05

Well, it was originally a bit of a daft idea that we had, but it

0:50:050:50:08

was partly inspired by reading old books like PG Wodehouse novels.

0:50:080:50:12

So what's this you're cooking here? This is our devilled pork.

0:50:120:50:15

Shoulder of Gloucester Old Spot,

0:50:150:50:17

which is roasted over a period of hours,

0:50:170:50:19

and we've put on a devilled sauce, which is about... It's about

0:50:190:50:21

a 200-year-old recipe containing mustard and cayenne pepper.

0:50:210:50:24

Those are the staples of devilled sauce.

0:50:240:50:26

"Devilled" is an old-fashioned word meaning spicy.

0:50:260:50:29

That looks like kedgeree. Is that what that is?

0:50:290:50:31

That's indeed kedgeree. I love kedgeree.

0:50:310:50:32

What's the history of that dish?

0:50:320:50:34

Kedgeree is an Anglo-Indian dish,

0:50:340:50:37

I guess originally developed by British people living in India

0:50:370:50:41

who, I think, were adapting a local dish called khichuri,

0:50:410:50:44

which is a rice and lentil dish, and the British people put fish in it.

0:50:440:50:49

We're making it with smoked haddock.

0:50:490:50:51

That's become the kind of classic kedgeree,

0:50:510:50:53

particularly associated with the Victorian era.

0:50:530:50:56

Can I have a sample of that? Absolutely. Mmm.

0:50:560:50:58

Smells so good over here. How wonderful is that? Fresh parsley.

0:50:580:51:02

Ohh, don't mind if I do, thank you very much.

0:51:020:51:05

Oh, that smells amazing.

0:51:050:51:07

That is absolutely delicious.

0:51:090:51:12

We've been bringing you the very best

0:51:280:51:31

of our first ever Countryfile Live -

0:51:310:51:33

a celebration of the British countryside from

0:51:330:51:36

the magnificent setting of Blenheim Palace.

0:51:360:51:38

So that is pretty much it, Ellie. It was good, it was good.

0:51:400:51:42

What a day it's been.

0:51:420:51:44

We've had wildlife, rare breeds, British farming...

0:51:440:51:46

There was the arena shows,

0:51:460:51:47

it's all been very inspirational stuff,

0:51:470:51:50

and if you've missed any of it,

0:51:500:51:51

here's a look back at some of the best bits.

0:51:510:51:53

Whoo!

0:51:550:51:57

ALL: Three, two, one... Wahey!

0:51:570:51:59

What a beautiful day here at Blenheim Palace.

0:52:030:52:06

MUSIC: Rather Be by Clean Bandit

0:52:060:52:08

This is the first time we've ever tried anything on this scale,

0:52:110:52:15

so it's fantastic to see so many people here.

0:52:150:52:18

Right, we're going to run.

0:52:210:52:22

ALL: Yay!

0:52:250:52:26

Well done!

0:52:260:52:27

Isn't this just the weirdest thing ever?

0:52:290:52:31

Never thought I would see the day. Heap Way. Or is it Heap Wa-hey?

0:52:310:52:35

Three, two, one, go!

0:52:350:52:38

CHEERING

0:52:400:52:42

Does anyone want a drink?

0:52:580:52:59

ALL: Yes!

0:52:590:53:01

Apparently, the drinks are on the landlord.

0:53:010:53:03

Do you know what I have always wanted to say

0:53:050:53:07

behind a bar like this?

0:53:070:53:08

Get out of ma pub!

0:53:080:53:10

Don't think much of the landlord. Only joking. I'll see you later.

0:53:110:53:15

Chocolate mint. And the mint's salty.

0:53:170:53:21

Is the mint salty?

0:53:210:53:23

I have found THE most glamorous woman on telly.

0:53:300:53:33

As if! Hello! Hello!

0:53:330:53:34

Yeah! That's more like it. Big round of applause for Anita and John.

0:53:430:53:47

Thank you, everybody.

0:53:470:53:49

Well, that is all we have got time for this week.

0:53:560:53:58

If you haven't managed to make it down to Countryfile Live,

0:53:580:54:01

the plan is to do it all again next year,

0:54:010:54:03

so fingers crossed we will see you again at another big live show.

0:54:030:54:07

We are looking forward to it already.

0:54:070:54:09

Now, next week, the programme will be in Wiltshire,

0:54:090:54:11

with rare access to Stonehenge.

0:54:110:54:13

And John and the rest of the judges from

0:54:130:54:15

the Countryfile Photographic Competition

0:54:150:54:17

will be whittling down the thousands

0:54:170:54:19

of entries to the final 12. Don't miss it.

0:54:190:54:21

Speaking of John... Yeah?

0:54:210:54:22

..let's get to the Craven Arms.

0:54:220:54:24

Oh-ho, let's have a swifty on the way home. Right.

0:54:240:54:27

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