:00:27. > :00:34.Mile upon mile of golden fields, swaying in the summer breeze.
:00:35. > :00:42.Laden tractors at every turn, full of produce to feed the nation.
:00:43. > :00:46.and the countryside is buzzing with activity,
:00:47. > :00:55.as this year's crops are brought in and next year's are planted.
:00:56. > :00:58.Anita's harvest is in mint condition.
:00:59. > :01:01.Woo! It's the nicest-smelling farm I've ever been on.
:01:02. > :01:06.Oh, I'm glad to hear it. ANITA LAUGHS
:01:07. > :01:09.Joe's investigating if we can believe supermarkets
:01:10. > :01:13.when they say their food comes from the farm.
:01:14. > :01:17.might depend on whether you believe the supermarket
:01:18. > :01:19.when they describe where their food comes from.
:01:20. > :01:24.And Adam's meeting two of the teams
:01:25. > :01:28.hoping to be crowned the champions at this year's One Man And His Dog.
:01:29. > :01:30.WHISTLE Very good. Stay!
:01:31. > :01:33.Ten out of ten for the shed. The judges were happy with that.
:01:34. > :01:49.Harvest time - when fields burst with ripe crops,
:01:50. > :01:56.and farmers all across the land are bringing the harvest home.
:01:57. > :01:58.I'm at the Gaddesden estate in Hertfordshire,
:01:59. > :02:03.where harvest is well underway across its 1,800 acres.
:02:04. > :02:07.They crop wheat, beans, barley, and oilseed rape,
:02:08. > :02:13.a long way from how it was done nearly 40 years ago,
:02:14. > :02:19.when the BBC was last here making a film about the harvest.
:02:20. > :02:22.Harvest time must be the most atmospheric time of the year,
:02:23. > :02:25.and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world
:02:26. > :02:32.Back in 1977, Guy Halsey was the owner of the estate.
:02:33. > :02:39.and following in Nick's footsteps is his son, also called Guy,
:02:40. > :02:44.Both father and son have witnessed quite a few changes
:02:45. > :02:48.in the harvest practice since the film was made.
:02:49. > :02:50.Guy, how are you doing? Hi, man. Hi. Nice to see you.
:02:51. > :02:52.And you. So, when did you harvest all of this grain?
:02:53. > :02:56.so we started at three o'clock and finished at one this morning.
:02:57. > :02:58.Wow. Yeah. Back in the day, Nick, what time were YOU finishing?
:02:59. > :03:01.It depends on the maestro, the dew coming down, but...
:03:02. > :03:03.Right. ..we could've gone on, sometimes,
:03:04. > :03:05.until about three on one occasion, I remember.
:03:06. > :03:07.How does it compare? What's your combine like?
:03:08. > :03:11.it's a contractor's combine, and it is enormous,
:03:12. > :03:15.it's a 40 foot header, so it cuts a strip 40 feet wide through the corn.
:03:16. > :03:23.so it was, you know, over three times the size.
:03:24. > :03:28.So, how treasured is the film of their '70s harvest?
:03:29. > :03:32.Every, you know, every Christmas is it always put on?
:03:33. > :03:37.but, yeah, we dug it out a couple of years ago and got it put onto DVD.
:03:38. > :03:40.Yeah, it's wonderful history and I'm very lucky to be able to, kind of...
:03:41. > :03:45.During the seven weeks of their harvest,
:03:46. > :03:49.Guy is hoping to bring in 2,300 tonnes of grain.
:03:50. > :03:51.For farmers, the hard work doesn't stop there.
:03:52. > :03:54.You may think that harvesting is the end of the farming year.
:03:55. > :03:57.Well, actually, it's the beginning because,
:03:58. > :04:01.farmers are also planting the crops for NEXT year,
:04:02. > :04:07.and, er, these days, they are using the most incredible kit.
:04:08. > :04:10.This is the oilseed rape drilling machine.
:04:11. > :04:13.In one go, it digs a trench, adds fertiliser,
:04:14. > :04:17.plants a seed and lays down slug pellets.
:04:18. > :04:22.So, considering how many jobs are going on back there,
:04:23. > :04:25.we are going at an incredible rate, aren't we?
:04:26. > :04:29.all controlled by the screens in here.
:04:30. > :04:31.OK, yeah. Talk us through what controls we've got
:04:32. > :04:35.So, this one down here, this is just, this is the GPS,
:04:36. > :04:37.that's steering the Challenger up the field.
:04:38. > :04:40.Right, so you've got no hands on the steering wheel at all.
:04:41. > :04:43.No, no hands, no hands, it's all steering itself.
:04:44. > :04:45.'It might be able to steer itself on the straight,
:04:46. > :04:53.Now, we're just coming towards the end of a run, here.
:04:54. > :04:55.So, this is where you do have to put in a bit of human intervention.
:04:56. > :05:02.Yeah, all I have to do is do a loop, like that...
:05:03. > :05:07.that'll steer itself into where it wants to be. No way!
:05:08. > :05:09.All I have to do now is drop the drill...
:05:10. > :05:14...and then away we go, down the field.
:05:15. > :05:17.The main crop grown on the estate is wheat.
:05:18. > :05:22.Some of it will go for animal feed, the rest for milling to make flour,
:05:23. > :05:27.just as in 1977, some of the flour goes to make bread.
:05:28. > :05:31.'Baker Andrew Pruden is kindly going to help me make a plaited harvest
:05:32. > :05:37.'loaf, which is the traditional bread eaten at this time of year.'
:05:38. > :05:42.Yes, that's what we hope to end up, for the tea this afternoon.
:05:43. > :05:49.OK. Well, I've made some dough for us, so, we'll...
:05:50. > :05:54.What I want you to do is chop it into four equal pieces.
:05:55. > :06:02.What I want you to do now is to make four little sausages.
:06:03. > :06:06.The one that was shot in 1977? ANDREW LAUGHS
:06:07. > :06:08.I've seen it. Yeah, you have? Yes, yes. OK.
:06:09. > :06:10.I knew the two gentlemen who were featured in it.
:06:11. > :06:14.Oh, right. John Groom and his long-term assistant, Les.
:06:15. > :06:16.Yeah. And whenever we used to run out of yeast,
:06:17. > :06:19.or something in our bakery, they were always very kind,
:06:20. > :06:23.Right. We could always go and borrow it.
:06:24. > :06:28.Oh, well, that's... I'm very proud to be associated with it.
:06:29. > :06:32.I'm sure. And what I'm going to do is make you a little blackboard.
:06:33. > :06:43.OK? And then we label them from the bottom.
:06:44. > :06:48.Right, so we're going two over three, four over two,
:06:49. > :07:00.pinch the ends together, roll them nice and flat.
:07:01. > :07:03.There we are. That's it, job done. Job done. So, right,
:07:04. > :07:06.two over three... Yeah. ..which is that one, there. Yeah.
:07:07. > :07:13.And then, one over three, which is that one in the middle. That's it.
:07:14. > :07:17.OK. Yeah. Then... And then we start again. Yeah.
:07:18. > :07:22.Yeah. If you keep it nice and tight... ..four over two.
:07:23. > :07:24.Yeah. It's a cross between the Bake Off and Countdown, this.
:07:25. > :07:28.Yeah, you've got it in one! Four over two... Two, four over two.
:07:29. > :07:31.And is that it? Yeah, and then just pinch the ends together.
:07:32. > :07:39.But that's about it. That's about...
:07:40. > :07:45.'The dough then needs to be left for an hour to prove,
:07:46. > :07:52.Yeah, good plan. There you are. Teamwork.
:07:53. > :08:00.'when I take my bread along to the harvest supper, later.'
:08:01. > :08:04.Now, you might have seen supermarket food brands named after farms,
:08:05. > :08:07.but did you know that some of them don't actually exist?
:08:08. > :08:09.Well, now the National Farmers' Union
:08:10. > :08:13.But are the supermarkets doing anything wrong?
:08:14. > :08:34.The fresh produce market alone was worth ?17 billion last year.
:08:35. > :08:37.And with so many different types of meat and veg on offer,
:08:38. > :08:42.the choice we have is greater than ever before.
:08:43. > :08:46.As a result, the battle between the supermarkets for our business
:08:47. > :08:52.knowing where our food comes from and its journey from farm to fork
:08:53. > :08:58.some of those farms on the labels
:08:59. > :09:02.might not be as British as they appear to be.
:09:03. > :09:05.They're what some call fake farms - put simply,
:09:06. > :09:09.they're farms or farm businesses that don't exist.
:09:10. > :09:13.They're brand names supermarkets create to sell their fresh produce.
:09:14. > :09:17.The food is actually sourced from many different farms and producers,
:09:18. > :09:20.and despite how some of the names may sound,
:09:21. > :09:23.much of this produce may not even be British.
:09:24. > :09:29.For example, Aldi use Ashfield Farm for their meat,
:09:30. > :09:32.and Wood Farm for their vegetables and fruit.
:09:33. > :09:36.Lidl use Birchwood and Strathvale farms.
:09:37. > :09:43.But none of these farms are actually real.
:09:44. > :09:48.Marks Spencer uses it to market Scottish salmon.
:09:49. > :09:54.But, surprise - there is no Lochmuir.
:09:55. > :09:57.And many real farmers think fake farm brands
:09:58. > :10:07.who farms 500 acres of Welsh countryside,
:10:08. > :10:14.Yeah, Welsh Blacks. Welsh Blacks? Yeah.
:10:15. > :10:19.'He's also Deputy President of the National Farmers' Union, Wales.'
:10:20. > :10:21.John, what's the problem, as you see it?
:10:22. > :10:24.Well, we're having quite a lot of products being sold under a
:10:25. > :10:27.British-sounding name, and they're not British very often.
:10:28. > :10:29.So, you think people are being misled?
:10:30. > :10:34.We have really high standards of production here.
:10:35. > :10:36.Our welfare standards are the highest in the world,
:10:37. > :10:39.our environmental standards are the highest in the world.
:10:40. > :10:41.So, it's really, really important that people,
:10:42. > :10:45.when they think they're buying the best, that they ARE buying the best.
:10:46. > :10:47.It's not just about the name, though, is it?
:10:48. > :10:51.there's often a huge, great Union Jack.
:10:52. > :10:54.I mean, that's very clear, that's not misleading anyone.
:10:55. > :10:58.if it is British, very often there's a Union Jack on it,
:10:59. > :11:02.but when you've got the same brand name, and it's not British,
:11:03. > :11:05.it's easy to think, "Oh, last week, yes, that was British,
:11:06. > :11:07."it was Boswell beef or it was whatever,
:11:08. > :11:12."this week, yes, that's the same farm,"
:11:13. > :11:14.buy it, and it's not. It does say country of origin,
:11:15. > :11:17.People can see where it's coming from.
:11:18. > :11:19.Yeah, if you get your magnifying glass out
:11:20. > :11:21.and if you put your glasses on, yeah, it's very clear.
:11:22. > :11:24.It's not THAT small, is it? I mean, come on...
:11:25. > :11:28.and when you take that the average consumer takes eight seconds
:11:29. > :11:32.are you going to bother putting your glasses on?
:11:33. > :11:35.Are you going to really pick it up and have a good look? No.
:11:36. > :11:38.You look at what's the main line on it.
:11:39. > :11:41.The supermarkets might say, "Hang on, leave the branding to us.
:11:42. > :11:44."The important thing is we are buying British
:11:45. > :11:47."and making that available to our customers."
:11:48. > :11:53.Well, I guess supermarkets' priorities are profit.
:11:54. > :11:56.We just want clarity, we want honesty and we want transparency.
:11:57. > :12:01.we want a British-sounding product in the packet.
:12:02. > :12:06.All we ask for is that it is what it says on the packet.
:12:07. > :12:09.So, do John and the NFU have a point?
:12:10. > :12:14.This is the sort of produce the NFU are talking about.
:12:15. > :12:19.This is Woodside Farms pork, and it's from Denmark.
:12:20. > :12:25.And this is Rosedene Farms apples from South Africa.
:12:26. > :12:29.It may be small, but the country of origin IS clearly there.
:12:30. > :12:37.So, are the supermarkets actually doing anything wrong?
:12:38. > :12:39.We've put together our own Countryfile Farms brand -
:12:40. > :12:44.Now, the rules regarding food information are complicated,
:12:45. > :12:48.but essentially it must be clear, accurate and easy to understand.
:12:49. > :12:53.particularly regarding the country of origin,
:12:54. > :12:55.and the label must be looked at as a whole.
:12:56. > :12:58.And these food requirements don't just apply to the packaging,
:12:59. > :13:05.but also to how the food is presented in store.
:13:06. > :13:09.Tesco uses seven fictional farms to sell its own fresh produce,
:13:10. > :13:16.After a rise in sales over the last six months,
:13:17. > :13:20.Tesco singled out the growth of exclusive fresh-food brands,
:13:21. > :13:24.saying they'd had strong initial customer response.
:13:25. > :13:29.'Matt Simister is Tesco's Commercial Director for Fresh Food.'
:13:30. > :13:32.Why are you selling produce under fake farm names?
:13:33. > :13:34.Yeah, we don't see them as fake farm names.
:13:35. > :13:37.What we see them as is brands that set a standard that people
:13:38. > :13:42.can rely on for a very, very high - in fact, industry-leading -
:13:43. > :13:46.set of standards across the whole of the supply chain,
:13:47. > :13:49.at a quality that's very high, at a price that is very,
:13:50. > :13:53.And customers can trust that, when they see the brand.
:13:54. > :13:55.Why did you give them British names, then?
:13:56. > :13:57.I mean, why not a sort of a hacienda range
:13:58. > :14:00.for all the fruit and vegetables that come from Spain?
:14:01. > :14:03.To be honest, we don't think that they are particularly British names.
:14:04. > :14:07.They are farm names that represent a set of farm standards,
:14:08. > :14:10.and the origin is very clearly labelled on the pack.
:14:11. > :14:13.Yes, the name of the country IS on there, but it's quite small print.
:14:14. > :14:16.I mean, if you've got two screaming kids and you just go and pick
:14:17. > :14:18.something up, you think Boswell Farms is British.
:14:19. > :14:20.They're not designed to sound British. Boswell...
:14:21. > :14:23.They're designed to sound... Willow... ..sound like farms,
:14:24. > :14:26.but, actually, some of them are British farms that we've sourced
:14:27. > :14:30.from, from our partner suppliers, that happen to be in the UK.
:14:31. > :14:33.Now, post the 2013 horse-meat scandal,
:14:34. > :14:40.Do you think fake farms live up to those standards?
:14:41. > :14:43.If our customers are worried that we are trying to mislead them,
:14:44. > :14:48.We know our standards are the highest standards in the industry
:14:49. > :14:50.and we think it's really important that we...
:14:51. > :14:54.that what is on the label is in the pack.
:14:55. > :14:58.So, with many of our supermarkets changing their value ranges to these
:14:59. > :15:03.'farm brands, is it better for them or is it better for us?'
:15:04. > :15:07.'To find out, I've come to meet marketing analyst
:15:08. > :15:13.'Dr Fiona Spotswood, from the University of the West of England.'
:15:14. > :15:15.Fiona, what are these brands all about?
:15:16. > :15:20.Brands are a very clever marketing mechanism.
:15:21. > :15:24.They are a way of providing a real short cut for consumers.
:15:25. > :15:27.We cannot agonise over every supermarket purchase we make,
:15:28. > :15:31.so we have to make very quick decisions, and brands give us
:15:32. > :15:35.a set of symbols, images, pictures sometimes, colours,
:15:36. > :15:40.that enable us to come up with a set of images in our brains very quickly
:15:41. > :15:46.and think of orchards and freshness and harvest time.
:15:47. > :15:51.So, was rebranding with these fake farm names a good move?
:15:52. > :15:57.Absolutely. Using farm terminology would be a way for Tesco
:15:58. > :16:00.to get consumers to think about Britishness,
:16:01. > :16:07.words like Willow and Rosedene sound very English.
:16:08. > :16:11.They sound like they are the names of farms with pretty roses
:16:12. > :16:13.crawling on the walls and chickens scratching about.
:16:14. > :16:17.And they provide consumers with a set of images around farm produce,
:16:18. > :16:24.does anything happen by accident or coincidence?
:16:25. > :16:27.I'm thinking in particular of these British-sounding farm names.
:16:28. > :16:33.and every decision will have been the result of very careful consumer
:16:34. > :16:36.research. They understand what associations,
:16:37. > :16:38.what those short cuts are what people think of
:16:39. > :16:48.when they hear those words Willow or Rosedene - they sound so English.
:16:49. > :16:52.successful brands meeting customers' needs,
:16:53. > :16:55.or a cynical ploy designed to mislead shoppers, well,
:16:56. > :17:01.But make no mistake - if you want to buy British, check the label.
:17:02. > :17:05.You can't assume that British-sounding fake farm names
:17:06. > :17:09.will always represent British produce.
:17:10. > :17:12.So, clever marketing or just misleading?
:17:13. > :17:24.You can get in touch with us via our website or contact us on Twitter.
:17:25. > :17:26.ANITA RANI: Sitting along the southern coast of England
:17:27. > :17:30.In between stunning woodlands and chalk downs
:17:31. > :17:37.Here at Malshanger Farm, they're in the business of creating something
:17:38. > :17:44.rather special, by taking crops like this and turning it into this.
:17:45. > :17:49.The farm specialises in creating top-quality essential oils.
:17:50. > :17:56.the oil is cooked up right here on the premises.
:17:57. > :18:02.But there's an ancient crop that's at the heart of the harvest here.
:18:03. > :18:06.Sir Michael Colman, of the famous mustard dynasty, is the owner.
:18:07. > :18:12.20 years ago, he decided to revive a once much-loved British crop -
:18:13. > :18:18.Britain was once at the forefront of growing world-class mint.
:18:19. > :18:23.land used to grow the mint was reclaimed for farming essential
:18:24. > :18:26.produce, and the crop fell out of favour.
:18:27. > :18:30.Lovely to meet you. Lovely to see you. Lovely to see you, too.
:18:31. > :18:33.Sir Michael decided to grow traditional Black Mitcham
:18:34. > :18:36.peppermint, originally produced in Surrey.
:18:37. > :18:39.So, what was the eureka moment where you thought, "This is it -
:18:40. > :18:47.she asked if she could come and see me.
:18:48. > :18:55."My grandfather had a farm in Surrey growing peppermint, and he's got...
:18:56. > :19:03."He used to sit with it all night, pushing steam through it."
:19:04. > :19:08.And she still had a bottle of oil off his still.
:19:09. > :19:16.It's amazing, isn't it? That's really strong, for 100 years old.
:19:17. > :19:19.It is amazing how it's kept its punch.
:19:20. > :19:21.And it's a heritage product, isn't it... Exactly.
:19:22. > :19:24...that you're bringing back? Exactly.
:19:25. > :19:30.has spent 20 years getting to grips with his crop.
:19:31. > :19:32.There is a wonderful smell in the air, Ian.
:19:33. > :19:36.We're in this field of Black Mitcham peppermint.
:19:37. > :19:39.We've got Derek in the background, there, who is mowing the crop down,
:19:40. > :19:43.so what you can smell is the vapour coming off that as we mow it.
:19:44. > :19:47.Can we take a closer look? Of course we can. Yes, indeed.
:19:48. > :19:52.A lot more potent than you would get in your garden mint.
:19:53. > :19:55.Ooh, wow! Totally different beast to the garden mint. VERY different.
:19:56. > :19:59.than the mint that grows in our back gardens?
:20:00. > :20:01.Because that just grows like a weed, doesn't it?
:20:02. > :20:02.This is a very difficult crop to grow.
:20:03. > :20:06.I classify it as a lazy crop - it only roots in about this much soil,
:20:07. > :20:09.so it is one that wants a lot of nurturing.
:20:10. > :20:13.I knew that the Americans were growing very,
:20:14. > :20:16.very fine peppermint crops, there in the Willamette Valley.
:20:17. > :20:19.They'd already got a good system of distillation.
:20:20. > :20:21.So I thought, "Well, I'm not going to reinvent the wheel."
:20:22. > :20:24.So we imported the equipment back here.
:20:25. > :20:26.So, once the mint has been cut, what happens next?
:20:27. > :20:30.Well, what we do, we leave it on the ground for, say, 24, maybe 48 hours,
:20:31. > :20:32.depending on the weather. We want it to wilt.
:20:33. > :20:34.In the leaf is where the oil capsules are,
:20:35. > :20:38.So we're not interested in the moisture that's within the plant -
:20:39. > :20:40.we need the oil capsules that are in the leaf.
:20:41. > :20:44.So we can pick it up, chop it, put it into the distillation unit,
:20:45. > :20:48.and then we take it down there and we plug it into the steam.
:20:49. > :20:54.'Now it's my turn to get to grips with gathering in the mint.'
:20:55. > :21:05.I don't want to make a mess of Sir Michael's field.
:21:06. > :21:16.'Once the harvest's gathered, it's off to the distillery.'
:21:17. > :21:26.the distillery equipment has been brought over from America.
:21:27. > :21:28.So, we've harvested the peppermint, Ian.
:21:29. > :21:30.What's the next stage in the process?
:21:31. > :21:34.Well, this is where the separation takes place, in this container here.
:21:35. > :21:36.Comes in at the bottom and it then floats off
:21:37. > :21:40.So we've got the pure oil floating up here...
:21:41. > :21:42.Yeah. We've got the waste water running away here,
:21:43. > :21:44.and this is the pure oil here, coming out there.
:21:45. > :21:47.That's pure oil? That is pure oil. There it is. Indeed.
:21:48. > :21:55.Yeah. And how does it compare in profitability to cereal crop?
:21:56. > :22:00.and we do our job correctly and we end up with this lovely oil
:22:01. > :22:03.about six times the value of a cereal crop.
:22:04. > :22:16.I am going to smell of peppermint for a long time.
:22:17. > :22:18.It's lovely stuff. It's the nicest-smelling farm
:22:19. > :22:22.I've ever been on! Oh, I'm glad to hear it!
:22:23. > :22:25.The peppermint harvest is now in full swing.
:22:26. > :22:29.I'll be putting this British peppermint oil
:22:30. > :22:34.to a very particular summer taste test.
:22:35. > :22:38.It's 40 years since One Man And His Dog first hit our screens,
:22:39. > :22:43.Once again, Countryfile play host to this year's competition,
:22:44. > :22:46.with teams England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland
:22:47. > :22:50.This week, Adam is in Wales and Ireland,
:22:51. > :22:53.meeting the first of the shepherds and their dogs
:22:54. > :22:58.competing to be crowned champions.
:22:59. > :23:01.The Irish landscape is famously beautiful.
:23:02. > :23:09.that agriculture is big business here.
:23:10. > :23:11.And it's not just crops and livestock -
:23:12. > :23:15.Ireland is also turning out champion sheepdog handlers,
:23:16. > :23:18.and they've taken home the One Man And His Dog trophy
:23:19. > :23:24.This year, the final is being held in Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.
:23:25. > :23:26.But does that give the Irish team an edge?
:23:27. > :23:29.Will it help them hold on to their crown?
:23:30. > :23:32.I've come to Donegal to meet the senior Irish handler
:23:33. > :23:37.who'll be helping to defend their title.
:23:38. > :23:40.Sammy Long is a professional sheepdog trainer,
:23:41. > :23:42.working with more than 100 dogs a year on his farm
:23:43. > :23:46.Morning, Sam. Morning. How are you?
:23:47. > :23:50.'But Sammy is also a champion trialler,
:23:51. > :23:53.'who has represented Ireland at international level
:23:54. > :24:00.'This year he's competing with 2?-year-old Roy.'
:24:01. > :24:04.Roy's quite a nice dog, and sheep like him.
:24:05. > :24:07.You trained him yourself? I trained him myself, yeah.
:24:08. > :24:12.And why do you choose him, then, over your other dogs?
:24:13. > :24:15.Well, I find him easy to work, and sheep like him a lot, you know?
:24:16. > :24:18.They don't, they're not frightened of him, you know?
:24:19. > :24:20.And what makes a good trialler, then?
:24:21. > :24:22.What makes you stand out from the crowd?
:24:23. > :24:25.You have to have the temperament for it, yourself, too,
:24:26. > :24:29.and obviously you need a good dog, and a bit of luck.
:24:30. > :24:32.And can it all go wrong on the day? Oh, easily, yeah.
:24:33. > :24:37.So can I watch him run out? Yeah, of course. Here, Roy.
:24:38. > :25:01.Oh, Sammy, you make it look so easy.
:25:02. > :25:04.The way Roy shed them and then held them back from the other sheep to
:25:05. > :25:05.bring them in the pen - it was brilliant!
:25:06. > :25:08.Yeah, he did quite well there. Yeah. Yeah, I was happy with that.
:25:09. > :25:13.with the One Man And His Dog competition? Well...
:25:14. > :25:21.If it doesn't, I'll just have to eat humble pie.
:25:22. > :25:26.of Ireland holding the trophy at the moment, for the last three years.
:25:27. > :25:29.Yeah. They've done quite well and, hopefully,
:25:30. > :25:35.Good luck on the day. Thanks very much.
:25:36. > :25:38.Ireland will be wishing him well.
:25:39. > :25:41.But cheering him on from a little closer to home
:25:42. > :25:48.What do you reckon to Grandad Sammy, then? A bit good. Yeah?
:25:49. > :25:50.How well do you think he's going to do
:25:51. > :25:52.in the One Man And His Dog competition? You never know.
:25:53. > :25:55.You never know how things go like that.
:25:56. > :25:57.You just never know what kind of dogs you're up against. Yeah.
:25:58. > :26:03.I reckon he's going to win. It's better than nothing.
:26:04. > :26:09.Who knows? Would you like to work sheepdogs one day?
:26:10. > :26:12.I've actually trained to do it, but I don't have much of a dog,
:26:13. > :26:19.Ireland's champion is Sammy Long and his dog, Roy.
:26:20. > :26:24.Heading further south, the hills give way to the flat,
:26:25. > :26:29.fertile farmland of County Kildare - a different landscape altogether.
:26:30. > :26:33.Different landscape means different sheep and a different set of skills
:26:34. > :26:38.I'm meeting one young man who's making waves
:26:39. > :26:44.From Kilcullen, this year's young handler for Ireland
:26:45. > :26:49.How long have you been trialling dogs, then, Caolan?
:26:50. > :26:56.Yeah. So have you had a few dogs over the years?
:26:57. > :27:00.Yeah, I've two at the moment, and I had three pups.
:27:01. > :27:08.That's Dan. He's ten, and that's the dog I'm running in the...
:27:09. > :27:18...of them all, yeah. And how have you been getting on with him?
:27:19. > :27:27.And I won the Young Handlers' last Friday, at the National.
:27:28. > :27:37.Yeah. So can we go and watch him... Yeah. ..working?
:27:38. > :27:56.That'll do. Ten out of ten for the pen.
:27:57. > :28:00.Yeah, yeah. And Dan's not bad, either, is he?
:28:01. > :28:03.What makes him so good, do you think?
:28:04. > :28:11.He's very responsive to that whistle.
:28:12. > :28:13.Yeah. And you're very good at blowing it.
:28:14. > :28:17.It's amazing, the noises you're making. Yeah. It's fantastic. Yeah.
:28:18. > :28:19.Now, One Man And His Dog has been won by the Irish team, I believe,
:28:20. > :28:22.three times in a row, hasn't it? Yeah. So there's a bit of pressure.
:28:23. > :28:29.Yeah. And do you mind whether you win?
:28:30. > :28:37.Caolan comes from a long line of winners.
:28:38. > :28:48.the One Man And His Dog trophy in the '90s.
:28:49. > :28:51.So how are you feeling about this year's competition?
:28:52. > :28:56.My dad has won it, my grandad's won it.
:28:57. > :28:58.And the Irish team have won it three years in a row,
:28:59. > :29:13.is also carrying on the family tradition -
:29:14. > :29:17.under the watchful eye of his older sibling.
:29:18. > :29:20.getting into the One Man And His Dog team?
:29:21. > :29:25.He's been trying for a good long time.
:29:26. > :29:36.can't really say yet. He might catch you up.
:29:37. > :29:39.Yeah. Well, great to meet you both. See you soon. See you.
:29:40. > :29:42.So there you have it - third-generation handler
:29:43. > :29:48.Together with home-turf hero Sammy Long and Roy,
:29:49. > :29:58.JOHN CRAVEN: We're celebrating harvest time across the country.
:29:59. > :30:01.I'm in Kent - the Garden of England -
:30:02. > :30:06.with its bountiful landscape of hop fields and orchards.
:30:07. > :30:08.But I'm not here today for the fruit.
:30:09. > :30:12.Instead, I'm going to be discovering about a particular Kentish delicacy
:30:13. > :30:21.One field where it grows is here, in the village of St Mary's Platt.
:30:22. > :30:25.And this is what I'm here for, the Kentish cobnut -
:30:26. > :30:29.the only nut in the world that can be eaten straight from the tree.
:30:30. > :30:33.The owner of this cobnut field is Alexander Hunt.
:30:34. > :30:36.He's also chairman of the Kentish Cobnut Association.
:30:37. > :30:38.Alexander, I've heard of Kentish cobnuts,
:30:39. > :30:40.but I don't really know what they are.
:30:41. > :30:43.I mean, it's not a thing you see in shops every day, is it?
:30:44. > :30:52.full of moisture and succulence at this time of the year.
:30:53. > :30:57.And here we have hazelnut trees, and here we've got cobnuts.
:30:58. > :31:02.These are the wild hazels, in the hedge, here.
:31:03. > :31:04.Can you see that's a much smaller nut, there?
:31:05. > :31:09.Oh, yes. Slightly rounder with a slightly serrated husk.
:31:10. > :31:11.And what about a cobnut? Behind me here
:31:12. > :31:17.And you can see from the little cluster there...
:31:18. > :31:21.Oh, much bigger, isn't it? Larger, bigger, bolder nut.
:31:22. > :31:23.Yeah. And how many cobnut trees have you got here?
:31:24. > :31:30.and about 1,500 trees within the plantation.
:31:31. > :31:32.What about squirrels here? Are they a problem?
:31:33. > :31:35.Very much so. Squirrels like nuts, don't they?
:31:36. > :31:39.Every nut grower - squirrels are the bane of our lives.
:31:40. > :31:43.And, for me, the big question now is what do they taste like?
:31:44. > :31:47.Well, let me crack one for you, John.
:31:48. > :31:49.Thank you. Ooh, they are soft, aren't they?
:31:50. > :31:55.They're the finest nuts you can buy in the country.
:31:56. > :31:58.And they do have a very strong taste, as well.
:31:59. > :32:03.Middle of September, the husk begins to go a little bit more mellow,
:32:04. > :32:10.and that's when they really gain their true Kentish cobnut flavour.
:32:11. > :32:17.I'm really pleased to hear it! Mmm!
:32:18. > :32:23.cobnuts lost some of their appeal during the last century.
:32:24. > :32:26.But now a group of dedicated enthusiasts is encouraging us
:32:27. > :32:32.The orchards where the cobnuts grow are known as platts.
:32:33. > :32:36.It's an old Kentish word for flat, cultivated land.
:32:37. > :32:39.And the people who pick the nuts call themselves, guess what?
:32:40. > :32:47.Yes, it's a good name for us, isn't it?
:32:48. > :32:55.Is there any special technique to picking the cobnuts?
:32:56. > :32:59.Well, you pick the green ones and not the brown ones.
:33:00. > :33:03.I adore them. Yes, yes. Especially when they're fresh and green?
:33:04. > :33:06.When they're fresh, and when they're creamy and green.
:33:07. > :33:11.And everybody I know loves them when they're like this.
:33:12. > :33:13.After a hard day's picking out in the fields,
:33:14. > :33:18.what could be better than a cobnut feast for us nutters?
:33:19. > :33:22.Let's tuck in, everybody, shall we? Come on. Help yourselves.
:33:23. > :33:28.'is part of the culinary cobnut renaissance.'
:33:29. > :33:30.What have you laid on for us, Matthew?
:33:31. > :33:35.We've got plums in there, Victoria plums, which are local.
:33:36. > :33:40.We've got Discovery apples and, of course, the Kentish green cobnuts...
:33:41. > :33:47.That's a Victoria plum, with a cobnut brioche crumble, on there.
:33:48. > :33:51.And then this is traditional hop-picker's cake, there.
:33:52. > :34:01.Wow. ..in there. So this is all part, then,
:34:02. > :34:07.It is, yes. All these recipes have actually come from an old Kentish
:34:08. > :34:12.I must admit, my mother's given me good training, John -
:34:13. > :34:15.everything's either topped up with a bit of brandy or a bit of port,
:34:16. > :34:26.And some cobnuts, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
:34:27. > :34:29.Today, I'm at Hertfordshire's Gaddesden estate,
:34:30. > :34:39.about the harvest, here at Gaddesden. Back then,
:34:40. > :34:43.celebrated artist-in-residence Gordon Beningfield
:34:44. > :34:47.was inspired to capture the wheat crop on canvas.
:34:48. > :34:50.Unusually, there is still an artist living on the estate -
:34:51. > :34:55.Richard Smith is drawn to the wildlife that thrives here.
:34:56. > :34:58.How much of an inspiration is harvest to you, as an artist,
:34:59. > :35:00.Richard? It's usually the best time of year, really.
:35:01. > :35:03.Cos there's, once they've cut the harvest, there's a lot to be seen.
:35:04. > :35:06.In the wood behind us, I watched a stoat chase a mouse,
:35:07. > :35:12.And the next day I painted a painting that just painted itself.
:35:13. > :35:15.It was amazing. So is it more, kind of, Impressionism that you do, then?
:35:16. > :35:20.Yeah, pretty much. ..of a view, and then you just replicate that?
:35:21. > :35:24.When I see something and do a little doodle, the whole, sort of,
:35:25. > :35:29.comes out as a painting or, now, sculptures.
:35:30. > :35:32.It seems that all of Richard's wildlife subjects
:35:33. > :35:35.are sheltering from the rain. But overnight he set some camera traps,
:35:36. > :35:38.hoping to capture some rarely-seen animal behaviour.
:35:39. > :35:42.If you look just here, there's a track coming through.
:35:43. > :35:45.Yeah. Now, it could be fallow deer that have done it.
:35:46. > :35:50.Yeah. They cut through here, and they go out to the stubble.
:35:51. > :35:52.Right, well, let's get this lot back to the studio.
:35:53. > :35:55.Take them back to the studio. Have you got that one, yeah?
:35:56. > :35:59.'Hopefully, the footage captured on the cameras will give Richard some
:36:00. > :36:02.'inspiration for his next masterpiece.'
:36:03. > :36:09.This is a great little workshop, isn't it?
:36:10. > :36:13.Right, let's get these... Gosh, look at... Yes, all right, then.
:36:14. > :36:15.Nothing, nothing... Oh, hang on - there's a bottom.
:36:16. > :36:18.Oh, it's a badger. Oh. Ah... There you go, look.
:36:19. > :36:21.It's quite nice, actually, isn't it, with that as a backdrop,
:36:22. > :36:25.These long grasses in the foreground? That's quite
:36:26. > :36:31.Let me close that one and bring up the next clip.
:36:32. > :36:38.then would be kind of a starting point for a piece of work?
:36:39. > :36:43.I'm now thinking of a painting of a badger/rabbit confrontation.
:36:44. > :36:46.Right. You know? And then the imagination starts working.
:36:47. > :36:51.What would happen? So it's not always true to science,
:36:52. > :36:55.This barn owl, then - is this wax, or...?
:36:56. > :36:58.This is what they call white modelling wax.
:36:59. > :37:01.There's a barn, obviously, over there,
:37:02. > :37:07.And I was sitting there as the sun was coming up, and I thought,
:37:08. > :37:09."I've got to do that." Little, quick sketch.
:37:10. > :37:14.Then someone had said that there was a barn owl in residence so, again,
:37:15. > :37:18.using the imagination, I produced a painting of a barn owl.
:37:19. > :37:20.And so that has been sparked by that...
:37:21. > :37:24.So this barn owl here is the end result of that barn?
:37:25. > :37:26.Pretty much, yeah. Isn't that wonderful?
:37:27. > :37:29.And, hopefully, if all goes well, the end result will be...
:37:30. > :37:35.It's obvious to see the estate has provided Richard with a wealth of
:37:36. > :37:40.there's no better time to spot its resident wildlife
:37:41. > :37:48.Now, voting for the Countryfile photographic competition
:37:49. > :37:52.And if you haven't voted to support your favourite,
:37:53. > :39:40.Calls cost 10p plus your network's access charge.
:39:41. > :39:46.You can also vote free on our website...
:39:47. > :39:49.The website also contains a full list of the photos
:39:50. > :39:54.together with the terms and conditions for the competition.
:39:55. > :40:29.MUSIC: Myfanwy by the Morriston Orpheus Choir
:40:30. > :40:38.Vast, borderless country, easy to lose yourself in.
:40:39. > :40:45.is where the partnership between shepherd and dog
:40:46. > :40:52.Hills and mountains are the natural arenas of the sheepdog.
:40:53. > :40:57.that partnership has a history that goes back centuries.
:40:58. > :41:01.The first sheepdog trials in the British Isles were held in Bala,
:41:02. > :41:06.And one shepherd hasn't strayed too far
:41:07. > :41:09.from this heartland of sheepdog trialling.
:41:10. > :41:17.In fact, he lives and works just ten miles down the road.
:41:18. > :41:23.has been working sheep in this tough terrain all of his life.
:41:24. > :41:28.The sheepdog does the work of six human beings,
:41:29. > :41:35.One really good dog is worth his weight in gold.
:41:36. > :41:37.But don't be fooled by his calm countenance -
:41:38. > :41:41.as twice world champion and four-times supreme champion,
:41:42. > :41:44.he's a rock star of the sheepdog world.
:41:45. > :41:56.My greatest achievement was winning the supreme championship last year,
:41:57. > :42:02.I'd already won in Wales, England and Ireland.
:42:03. > :42:07.I was more or less desperate to win in Scotland, and I eventually did.
:42:08. > :42:10.As well as winning countless trials all over the world,
:42:11. > :42:12.Aled's also been on the other side of the scoreboard
:42:13. > :42:16.for One Man And His Dog, as one of last year's judges.
:42:17. > :42:19.His collie, Cap, is the latest in a line of dogs
:42:20. > :42:29.He always was the one that came up to me,
:42:30. > :42:33.played with my shoelaces, and he was under my feet everywhere.
:42:34. > :42:36.And even when he was a little bit older,
:42:37. > :42:39.he was the one that would jump over the door
:42:40. > :42:42.as soon as he heard me come into the shed.
:42:43. > :42:49.He's powerful and he's got a lovely pace.
:42:50. > :42:59.And he doesn't waste too much time doing things.
:43:00. > :43:09.I just hope that I'll have a good packet of sheep.
:43:10. > :43:12.I'm sure that Cap will be on form, I just hope that I'LL be on form.
:43:13. > :43:19.On a good day, I'll be up there with the others.
:43:20. > :43:25.the Welsh contenders are Aled Owen and Cap.
:43:26. > :43:35.the mountains shrug their shoulders at the Irish Sea.
:43:36. > :43:38.As workplaces go, this is a pretty beautiful spot.
:43:39. > :43:47.And the sheep seem very content with the view as well.
:43:48. > :43:51.This idyllic setting is home to Wales's young handler, Es Smith,
:43:52. > :44:02.At 18, she's a bit older than some of her rivals,
:44:03. > :44:06.and has just returned from trialling after a break of three years.
:44:07. > :44:09.So this comeback kid has everything to prove.
:44:10. > :44:16.Yeah. So you've been away from trialling for a little while,
:44:17. > :44:19.and now you come back to it. What have you been up to?
:44:20. > :44:23.I've been focusing on school and friends, and my social life.
:44:24. > :44:27.Well, he's really friendly and loyal,
:44:28. > :44:30.and he'll do anything for me, no matter what.
:44:31. > :44:33.But he's young, that's the only thing I'm worried about, really.
:44:34. > :44:37.And being so young, are you worried about him on the day?
:44:38. > :44:43.Yeah, just because he's only ever done about five trials so far.
:44:44. > :44:47.He could behave or he could get overexcited.
:44:48. > :44:50.And he's up against some very experienced dogs.
:44:51. > :44:54.Yeah. They're probably going to be quite a bit older than Jaff, but...
:44:55. > :44:58.And are you competitive? Does it matter if you lose?
:44:59. > :45:02.I hate losing. But, when it comes to trialling,
:45:03. > :45:06.I know that I have to let the best person win, on the day.
:45:07. > :45:08.Well, shall we put him through his paces?
:45:09. > :45:17.Come on, Jaff. Come on then, fella. Come on, Jaff.
:45:18. > :45:37.It's lovely the way he brought those up, Es.
:45:38. > :45:40.Thank you. He's quite steady for a young dog, isn't he?
:45:41. > :45:42.Yeah, he's... He's got power when he needs it.
:45:43. > :45:48.Yeah. Lovely. Very reactive, isn't he?
:45:49. > :46:07.I like him. It's remarkable that he's not even two, and he's so good.
:46:08. > :46:15.Plenty of shepherds that would want that dog in the kennel, isn't there?
:46:16. > :46:19.It's what dreams are made of. He's beautiful.
:46:20. > :46:22.Well, there's not many people who could work a sheepdog
:46:23. > :46:24.and have a conversation at the same time.
:46:25. > :46:27.It's pretty impressive. I guess it is.
:46:28. > :46:31.So he is pre-empting your commands, in a way.
:46:32. > :46:33.But that's dangerous at the same time...
:46:34. > :46:35.Yeah. ..if you want to keep him in control.
:46:36. > :46:38.Yeah. Well, it's brilliant the way you've just picked it up again.
:46:39. > :46:41.It's like riding a bike, is it? Amazing. Lie down.
:46:42. > :46:46.I'm just glad that Jaff's come along at the right time, really.
:46:47. > :46:52.Good boy. Well, that was very impressive.
:46:53. > :46:55.I reckon you're in with a good chance.
:46:56. > :47:03.and deep in the heartland of sheepdog trialling
:47:04. > :47:06.comes our team representing Wales -
:47:07. > :47:09.born shepherd Aled Owen and his dog, Cap,
:47:10. > :47:20.and comeback-kid Es Smith with Jaff.
:47:21. > :47:23.Here at Malshanger Farm in Hampshire,
:47:24. > :47:25.we've been bringing in this year's peppermint harvest
:47:26. > :47:30.in the hope of creating something a little special.
:47:31. > :47:32.And here it is - pure peppermint oil.
:47:33. > :47:39.But there's one final very important stage left - quality control.
:47:40. > :47:43.And that means a trip to the lab with Ian, the farm's manager,
:47:44. > :47:48.So, Ian, what's the importance of testing this?
:47:49. > :47:51.There's five components I'm really looking for in that oil,
:47:52. > :47:54.that have to be within a certain specification.
:47:55. > :47:59.So what we're going to do, we're going to run it through
:48:00. > :48:03.this wonderful piece of kit, called a gas chromatograph.
:48:04. > :48:06.'This piece of equipment measures the purity of the oil,
:48:07. > :48:10.'ensuring every batch is of the best quality.'
:48:11. > :48:14.Although we distil it, we then store it,
:48:15. > :48:18.and we aim to only sell it when it's about two years old.
:48:19. > :48:21.very much like wine - it does mature.
:48:22. > :48:24.The smell and the taste just mellows.
:48:25. > :48:30.So this right here is top-quality premium Hampshire peppermint oil,
:48:31. > :48:33.just as it would have been 100 years ago. Exactly. It really is...
:48:34. > :48:39.The oil produced here on the farm goes to make all manner of products,
:48:40. > :48:43.from bubble bath and body wash to probably the most well-known
:48:44. > :48:47.minty chocolate treat - peppermint creams.
:48:48. > :48:59.From the farm's warehouse, orders are shipped all around the globe.
:49:00. > :49:07.chocolate to Switzerland and even lavender oil to France.
:49:08. > :49:12.the farm's essential oil crops will make up half
:49:13. > :49:17.Is there anything this peppermint CAN'T do?
:49:18. > :49:21.Well, there is one particular usage that some of you may appreciate,
:49:22. > :49:27.and I am more than happy to taste it on your behalf.
:49:28. > :49:29.Summer wouldn't be summer without a cocktail.
:49:30. > :49:32.Hi, Ollie. Hi, Anita. How are you doing? Yeah, good, thank you.
:49:33. > :49:35.This is a fantastic set-up, isn't it? Thank you very much. What fun!
:49:36. > :49:39.'Mixologist Oliver Grey has come to help me create the perfect punchy
:49:40. > :49:42.'summer drink, by blending the farm's peppermint oil
:49:43. > :49:49.So two drops in about a litre mix of syrup or puree is definitely enough.
:49:50. > :49:51.Any more than that will blow your head off.
:49:52. > :49:53.OK. So what are you going to make?
:49:54. > :49:56.What cocktails...? What do you like? We could do a raspberry cooler...
:49:57. > :49:59.Sounds good. ..which is a gin-based cocktail.
:50:00. > :50:01.Peppermint's brilliant for enhancing the different fruits.
:50:02. > :50:04.And, of course, this is English peppermint,
:50:05. > :50:08.It doesn't get any fresher than this, does it?
:50:09. > :50:10.This is pretty special, isn't it?
:50:11. > :50:13.'It's at times like this when I'm glad I'm not driving.'
:50:14. > :50:20.Tequila cooling... The peppermint is perfect.
:50:21. > :50:30.Put the lid on. Give that a little shake.
:50:31. > :50:36.It's a hard job, but I'm happy to do it.
:50:37. > :50:41.'make of our concoctions made with their peppermint?'
:50:42. > :50:49.Oh... Well, Sir Michael, that is for you.
:50:50. > :50:55.That's wonderful. And it has your peppermint in it.
:50:56. > :50:58.What do you fancy? I'll have the gin, please.
:50:59. > :51:07.Well, I... This is just right for me.
:51:08. > :51:10.Absolutely. Gentlemen... Cheers. Cheers, Ollie.
:51:11. > :51:15.Summer in a jar. But the question on all our minds
:51:16. > :51:18.is, will it be cocktail weather in the week ahead?
:51:19. > :51:20.Well, here's the five-day forecast with the answer.
:51:21. > :51:42.Some good opportunities for cocktails over the next few days but
:51:43. > :51:46.we're into early September, some -- summer is over and it will go down
:51:47. > :51:49.as a wet one mainly because of the rain in June and for most of the
:51:50. > :51:52.time across the Midlands and southern England it was drier than
:51:53. > :52:00.average with temperatures above average. It was quite a warm summer.
:52:01. > :52:05.The heat peaked on August 23 in Kent where we saw the rectory soaring to
:52:06. > :52:10.34 degrees. The mercury will be rising this week. We will turn
:52:11. > :52:14.things warmer across the board. A good opportunity for some cocktails.
:52:15. > :52:18.Before we get there we have a weather system coming in overnight
:52:19. > :52:21.bringing rain with it and a fair number of isobars on the charts so
:52:22. > :52:26.the rain will be accompanied by a brisk breeze and some wet areas for
:52:27. > :52:30.the western side in the morning but the rain will become patchy and it
:52:31. > :52:35.never gets towards East Scotland. Into the afternoon it is light and
:52:36. > :52:40.patchy rain and pretty great with extensive mist and low cloud but
:52:41. > :52:44.also quite warm and humid, the high teens or 20s. Into northern England
:52:45. > :52:48.the north-east should be fine and dry with drips of rain for the
:52:49. > :52:56.north-west, Northern Ireland brightens up in the afternoon, quite
:52:57. > :53:01.warm and humid. Three Monday evening, we have a lot of low cloud
:53:02. > :53:03.around, still light rain and drizzle for western areas and little rain
:53:04. > :53:08.for Northern Ireland and western Scotland but generally dry with
:53:09. > :53:14.extensive mist, fog and low cloud. Also very warm, 17 or 18 degrees to
:53:15. > :53:19.start the day on Tuesday. A great start, a slow start for most of us
:53:20. > :53:22.on Tuesday. The big picture... High pressure in the near continent, the
:53:23. > :53:27.wind going clockwise, we have a weather front further north bringing
:53:28. > :53:30.more rain and a breeze with that towards northern Scotland but in
:53:31. > :53:35.northern Scotland we shall see the best sunshine on Tuesday. Rain
:53:36. > :53:38.further south, into Northern Ireland and western Scotland, the sunshine
:53:39. > :53:41.trying to break through but that'll be difficult. A little bit of
:53:42. > :53:47.sunshine for eastern areas but even though it is still fairly cloudy, it
:53:48. > :53:50.is also warm and very humid, the low 20s for many and the middle 20s for
:53:51. > :53:54.the south-eastern corner. The middle of the week, the wind direction
:53:55. > :53:59.changes and we pull in drier air from the near continent so that will
:54:00. > :54:04.help break the cloud up, noting that away from the south-east towards the
:54:05. > :54:07.north and west so slowly brightening things during Wednesday, much better
:54:08. > :54:13.chance of spells of sunshine, that little bit warmer in the south-east.
:54:14. > :54:19.2526. Another very humid day across the board. The drier air continues
:54:20. > :54:22.north on Thursday, melting the cloud, for many central and eastern
:54:23. > :54:27.areas on Thursday it will be a lovely day with lengthy sunshine. A
:54:28. > :54:32.shower or two in Scotland but this line of showers was swinging from
:54:33. > :54:35.the West, dropping temperatures but notice 26 degrees in London. South
:54:36. > :54:39.East maybe getting 28 degrees and that is the peak of the heat this
:54:40. > :54:42.week because this weather front moves eastwards into Friday.
:54:43. > :54:47.Dropping temperatures back by a few degrees but we still do quite well.
:54:48. > :54:51.And it looks like a decent day for central and eastern areas, bright
:54:52. > :54:55.and breezy, 23 degrees, pleasantly no further west were the breeze, the
:54:56. > :55:06.cloud thickening and the rain drifting and some
:55:07. > :55:09.Today we're celebrating harvest time.
:55:10. > :55:12.I've been at the Gaddesden estate in Hertfordshire,
:55:13. > :55:18.and gathering produce for this evening's harvest feast.
:55:19. > :55:20.Well, the bread has been plaited and baked,
:55:21. > :55:22.but to get a bit more variety on the menu,
:55:23. > :55:25.I'm enlisting the help of Little Gaddesden preschool
:55:26. > :55:34.the estate's kitchen garden all year round.
:55:35. > :55:46.as they get the chance to learn where their food comes from.
:55:47. > :55:58.His father, Arthur, was a foreman on the estate,
:55:59. > :56:04.and featured in the film the BBC made here in 1977.
:56:05. > :56:06.Where do your little helpers come in, then?
:56:07. > :56:09.We get in touch with the local junior schools and the preschools,
:56:10. > :56:13.to come up and give us a hand, you know,
:56:14. > :56:18.They can come in, get their hands dirty, pull things out the ground,
:56:19. > :56:22.pick things... And your daughter's also involved, isn't she?
:56:23. > :56:25.Yeah, yes, she runs the preschool. Right. This is Jenny, here.
:56:26. > :56:28.Jenny, hello. Hi. How are things? All right? Yeah, good.
:56:29. > :56:31.What are you going to do with all this?
:56:32. > :56:35.And then they get to take them home, they can eat some now,
:56:36. > :56:37.they can cook them with their mums and dads... Lovely.
:56:38. > :56:39...and show them what they've, sort of...
:56:40. > :56:42.Isn't that lovely? ..harvested so, yeah, it'll be good fun. Great.
:56:43. > :56:45.And so you do this with all of your classes, then? Yes. Just really
:56:46. > :56:48.learn about what grows at what time of year
:56:49. > :56:52.I couldn't agree more. And we've got some chard coming in.
:56:53. > :56:55.That's all right - you can get involved as well.
:56:56. > :56:58.It's about being passionate about your food.
:56:59. > :57:04.I tell you what, I wish I had a full suit like you.
:57:05. > :57:11.So that's the veg sorted for tonight's harvest meal.
:57:12. > :57:14.Up and down the country, farmers are working, weather permitting,
:57:15. > :57:17.day and night to bring in this year's bounty.
:57:18. > :57:20.But you can't work well on an empty stomach.
:57:21. > :57:24.the harvest team at Gaddesden downs tools
:57:25. > :57:32.Who's in charge of the harvest feast?
:57:33. > :57:34.Oh, my word! Oh, you've got stew and everything!
:57:35. > :57:38.Oh, nice to see you. And you. How are things? Very well, thanks.
:57:39. > :57:42...to go with your lovely stew. Would you like some? Yes, please.
:57:43. > :57:44.Do you want some beans? Yes, please. Why not?
:57:45. > :57:49.Right, where's the combining team? Are you having a bit of a sleep-in,
:57:50. > :57:50.because I understand you didn't finish
:57:51. > :57:52.till...what time was it this morning?
:57:53. > :57:56.Yeah, trying to get as much in as we can before it rains.
:57:57. > :57:58.It's unbelievable. So, yeah, pushed on.
:57:59. > :58:00.And is this one of the best bits of the day, this?
:58:01. > :58:02.Oh, certainly is. Definitely. Yeah, yeah.
:58:03. > :58:04.What do you think to the bread? Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
:58:05. > :58:07.That was manufactured in Guy's kitchen, first thing this morning.
:58:08. > :58:10.Yeah, you can't beat a bit of fresh bread. Yes?
:58:11. > :58:15.Hey, it's gone down a treat, this. Well done. Happy days.
:58:16. > :58:19.Yeah, the harvest team have been working hard now for two weeks,
:58:20. > :58:22.flat out. Been really busy, working long nights,
:58:23. > :58:25.trying to get as much dry grain as they can.
:58:26. > :58:27.OK, listen - so you're all done for the day and so are we,
:58:28. > :58:28.because that is all we've got time for.
:58:29. > :58:31.Next week, we're going to be on Anglesey,
:58:32. > :58:33.where Anita will be coming face-to-face with a creature
:58:34. > :58:37.And just a reminder - if you haven't voted in the Countryfile
:58:38. > :58:42.all you have to do is go to the website for more details.
:58:43. > :58:47.But from all of us here at Gaddesden, it's goodbye. Bye-bye!