0:00:27 > 0:00:28Covering four counties,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32it's one of the most beautiful and varied landscapes in England.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Cranborne Chase and the West Wiltshire Downs have it all -
0:00:35 > 0:00:41rolling chalk grassland, crystal clear waters and ancient woodland.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48At its heart, the Cranborne estate, home to Viscount Cranborne.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51The family have lived here for nearly half a century,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54relying on traditional farming techniques to manage the land
0:00:54 > 0:00:58with some very impressive rare breeds.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02The chalk grasslands found on Cranborne Chase
0:01:02 > 0:01:09are important habitats, and keeping this precious landscape in tip-top condition takes a lot of TLC.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14After years of neglect, scrub has overwhelmed along the hill,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17but help is at hand.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21This army of grafters are trying to clear the area and return it
0:01:21 > 0:01:23to its original chalk grassland.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26There are plenty of rewards on offer in exchange for their efforts.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Wonder what I'll get in return.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33Rewards are few and far between for some of our fisherman,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35as John's been finding out.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Our coastline is dotted with small fishing ports, but these days,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41with strict rules over what they can catch,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44many fishermen are struggling to survive.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48So I'll be investigating whether plans to change those rules
0:01:48 > 0:01:51could give a new lease of life to our small inshore fleets
0:01:51 > 0:01:54and the communities that depend on them.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58And Adam's out to improve safety down on the farm,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02because danger lurks in the unlikeliest places.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Piglets may be one of the cutest farm animals,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07but once they grow up into a great big sow like this,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10they can be dangerous, and they're powerful animals.
0:02:10 > 0:02:16I've got to catch these piglets to wean them, and it can be a tricky operation.
0:02:16 > 0:02:17Come on, pig, pig, pig.
0:02:25 > 0:02:31Cranborne Chase and the West Wiltshire Downs is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34At 380 square miles, it takes in four counties -
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset and Hampshire.
0:02:44 > 0:02:50The Chase takes its name from Cranborne Manor, which is part of the Marquess of Salisbury's estate.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52The family have owned and worked the land here
0:02:52 > 0:02:54for the best part of 400 years.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The estate farms around 4,000 acres.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03It's mainly arable - crops like wheat, barley,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05oilseed rape and peas.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The farmland is managed with conservation in mind.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Gavin Falville is the estate manager.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Gavin, what kind of benefits do you think this land has seen
0:03:14 > 0:03:17from being kept in the same family for 400 years?
0:03:17 > 0:03:23I think it's the ability to take a longer term view in decision-making,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27whether it's the way tress are planted or hedges are managed,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31and being prepared to be patient that you might not see something in your generation.
0:03:31 > 0:03:36- The majority of the estate these days is farming.- It is.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41We farm an in-home farm ourselves where we grow cereals
0:03:41 > 0:03:43and we've got white pot cattle, rare breed cattle.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45It's principally cereal farming.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51Then we've got six main farm tenants who have been here
0:03:51 > 0:03:54with their families for three or four generations.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56They have a right to renew
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and they're very much a part of the wider estate family here.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01As its name suggests,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04the Chase was originally a medieval hunting ground,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and those hunting rights have had a lasting impact on the character
0:04:07 > 0:04:08of the landscape we see now.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12But today's hunting parties are not in search of a prized stag.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15The guns have turned their attention to game birds.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17It's the middle of the shooting season,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20and a busy time for estate beatkeeper Mark.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23So, Mark, here we are in November.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26What stage are the partridge at in their life cycle?
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Well, basically, they will still be in their family groups.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32That would consist of anything from eight to 10,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34right up to... They could have 20.
0:04:34 > 0:04:3620 young, really?!
0:04:36 > 0:04:40And Mum and Dad can look after them quite well,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42even when there are that many?
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Yes, they are very good parents.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47How many birds roughly do you have on the estate?
0:04:47 > 0:04:50This year we had just over 200, which is...
0:04:50 > 0:04:55We doubled up from last year. So I was really chuffed about that.
0:04:55 > 0:05:01The grey partridge was at one time the most popular sporting quarry.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02Yet, within the last 40 years,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05numbers of breeding pairs have dropped by 80%,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08mainly due to modern farming practices.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11It is now on the red list of endangered species.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Chalky lowland is a perfect habitat for them,
0:05:14 > 0:05:19so the estate is managing the land to help boost numbers on the Chase.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22You have these beetle banks just in front of us.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Yes, the partridge will nest in here
0:05:24 > 0:05:28and then she'll go out into what we call the brood-rearing strip.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Which is a strip which has been planted by the farm,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36and it doesn't get sprayed or fertilised,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38so that obviously the weeds come up
0:05:38 > 0:05:42and then you get the insects and caterpillars, and all that sort of thing.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45And as far as supplementing them is concerned,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47I can see some feeders up here.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49The job is to fill those up at the moment?
0:05:49 > 0:05:54Yes. This is one of the feeders we use for feeding the partridges.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59Basically, we fill this with wheat, so, if you undo that...
0:06:00 > 0:06:02There we go.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- Right, so wheat goes in at the top. - Wheat goes in...
0:06:08 > 0:06:10..like so.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12And there's a spring in the bottom,
0:06:12 > 0:06:17and basically they come, just peck, and that's how they feed.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Simple but very effective.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- That's the way.- I've got probably about 100 feeders
0:06:22 > 0:06:25over this part of the estate.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27It is basically winter food.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31Within the past year, the estate has put in 12 beetle banks,
0:06:31 > 0:06:35and plans for more, in an effort to help reverse the national decline.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Now, over the next few years, we're going to see big changes
0:06:42 > 0:06:45to the rules governing fishing off our shores.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49But how will they affect the many coastal communities around Britain
0:06:49 > 0:06:51that rely on the industry to survive?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53John has been to investigate.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14It's just before dawn at West Mersea in Essex.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Andrew and Johnny French are off to work.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20Leave those nets. Right.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25They are inshore fishermen who cast their nets from a small boat
0:07:25 > 0:07:27along estuaries and shorelines,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31part of what's known as the "under 10 metre" fleet.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34They're setting off for another 12-hour day, maybe for little return.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39Fishing always has been an uncertain livelihood with boom and bust.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42You have good times and bad.
0:07:42 > 0:07:49But this year we have had a lot of bad and not much good.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Like many small-time fishermen, he is struggling to make ends meet.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55The government is worried.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59I want to see a better deal for our inshore fleet,
0:07:59 > 0:08:04who largely fish sustainably and need better fishing opportunities.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Andrew has been fishing these waters since he was 15.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17These days, he sails with his son, Johnny.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18While they are at sea,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22I'm off to see how their other halves are coping.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27How difficult is it to survive on the money that Andrew and Johnny bring in?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30In the last few months, they have hardly earnt anything.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It's only in the last two weeks that they've caught any fish
0:08:33 > 0:08:35that are worth anything.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- So, pretty tough times at the moment?- It's horrible.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43They can be very frustrated, sleepless nights and just miserable.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46So why do they still go fishing?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Why not give it up and look for a job on land?
0:08:48 > 0:08:51I think my husband is fifth or sixth generation
0:08:51 > 0:08:54of fishermen in our family.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57So it's in his blood.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07It's not only THEIR livelihoods that are at stake.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11In places like West Mersea here on the Essex coast,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14fishing is a pivotal part of life,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and many other people depend on the catches that come in.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Like this local fish shop and restaurant.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24There's the fishermen who catch the fish,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27and then there are the people onshore that sell it like us,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30retailers, or who sell it wholesale around the country
0:09:30 > 0:09:31or even for export.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34They are the trades that keep fisher boats going,
0:09:34 > 0:09:35the engineers and shipwrights
0:09:35 > 0:09:38who also do work for the yachting community here as well.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41In your time, how much have things changed here?
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Well, there used to be a lot of bolt fishing in the winter,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47for herring and sprats, which is now long gone.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50It's now mainly a summertime fishery.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53So the kind of boats have changed and the type of fishing has changed,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56but they are very much on a knife edge at the moment.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02The big problem is how much fish they are allowed to catch.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05The quota restrictions have been a nightmare for us this year.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08They were allocating monthly quotas
0:10:08 > 0:10:11that you wouldn't have managed for a week on.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Almost all species around here
0:10:13 > 0:10:16have limits on the amounts fishermen can land.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20The European Union sets quotas to protect stocks,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23but it is the UK government that divides our quota up
0:10:23 > 0:10:28between our fishing fleets, according to the size of the boats.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33The available quota has been split unfairly between the big boys,
0:10:33 > 0:10:38the producer organisations, and the "under 10 metre" fleet.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42At present, 97% of the available quota
0:10:42 > 0:10:47is in the control of either producer organisations or other individuals,
0:10:47 > 0:10:52so the likes of us have got 3%.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Hence the problem of getting a living now.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00And that 3% is split between more than 5,000 boats.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04It's a problem that's now in hands of Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07The small boat fishermen reckon they're pretty badly done by,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11because they only get 3% percent of the total quota.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Statistically, they are absolutely right.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17This is a product of an extraordinary system of management
0:11:17 > 0:11:20which has failed them, failed the fishing industry as a whole.
0:11:20 > 0:11:21We want to see changes.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Industry experts say it's not just the small boats
0:11:24 > 0:11:26that are getting a bad deal.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30I think it's important to appreciate that the reduction
0:11:30 > 0:11:33in quotas has had a huge impact right across the industry.
0:11:33 > 0:11:363% - that figure is not that helpful,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38because the 100% includes fish
0:11:38 > 0:11:42that the under tens would have no prospect of catching.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45You don't send an "under 10 metre" vessel
0:11:45 > 0:11:47out into the Atlantic, for example.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51So I don't think this is a David and Goliath issue.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54I think there are specific problems in specific areas,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and that is what we need to address.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Not all seafood is subject to quota. For instance,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08these oysters can be freely caught in the waters around here.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10So the answer seems obvious.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Go for captures that are not subject to quotas.
0:12:13 > 0:12:19One of the boats has actually diversified this year into shellfish,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22but there's not scope for all of us to do that.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26We would be very unpopular if we if we try to muscle in on someone else's
0:12:26 > 0:12:30fishing ground or location when they are probably already struggling
0:12:30 > 0:12:33to get a living on their bit.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35We're really in a corner
0:12:35 > 0:12:39where you can't seem to see the way ahead at the moment.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43It's a very difficult period.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51After all these years of decline and uncertainty,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Britain's inshore fishermen need a rainbow of hope.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Could it come in new reforms to the EU fishing policy?
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Could it come in plans that the government have for their future?
0:13:02 > 0:13:06That is what I will be examining in a few minutes' time.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Cranborne Chase.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22A landscape of stunning variety,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25from gentle pastures to wooded hillsides.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28But it's not an entirely a natural landscape.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31It takes a lot of work to keep up with this chase.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Every week, a tenacious team of young people grab their shovels
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and get to work, whatever the weather.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44They are all local, but instead of paper rounds, they choose to work here.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45They don't get paid,
0:13:45 > 0:13:49but their hard graft isn't without its rewards.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Their latest project is Long Hill near Mere,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54an overgrown mound of dense, neglected scrub.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56It's not for the fainthearted.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03The mission is to get Long Hill looking more like this
0:14:03 > 0:14:05open chalk downland.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08But before I head over there to give the guys at hand, first,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12I need to understand what is so special about it.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15'The chalky landscape here was one of the reasons Cranborne Chase
0:14:15 > 0:14:20'was designated an area of outstanding natural beauty 30 years ago.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22'For planning adviser Richard,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25'the main aim is to conserve that beauty.'
0:14:25 > 0:14:29So what is it that's so special about open chalk downland?
0:14:29 > 0:14:31There's not a lot of it left these days.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Farming's got to make a decent business,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36so anything that's flat will be cultivated.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40The chalk grasslands that used to be here 200 years ago -
0:14:40 > 0:14:42well, now there isn't much of it.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44It needs to be grazed cattle, sheep.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48That's when the wildlife comes in. The rare species, the orchids,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52they flourish in that tightly nibbled down area of grass.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57So if there's less sheep, you will get scrub growth on that hillside.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00And what is so wrong, really, with the habitat
0:15:00 > 0:15:03and environment you get over there on Long Hill?
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Why is that scrub so that?
0:15:05 > 0:15:10- It is not bad per se, but you can get scrub anywhere.- Yes.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12It makes its own microclimate
0:15:12 > 0:15:16and it's crowding out all those interesting things.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20With some ecological knowledge under my belt it is time to head across
0:15:20 > 0:15:23to Long Hill and get to work.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25The young people are out today repairing footpaths.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28They are rewarded by a clever credit system funded by local
0:15:28 > 0:15:31authorities and various community organisations.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34At the helm is youth worker Jackie Farrell.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36- Hello, Jackie.- Hello.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39You look very industrious over here. Tell us, how does this scheme work?
0:15:39 > 0:15:43They are young people that give up their spare time,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46to work on conservation projects in the community,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49and then they earn credits, based on their teamwork,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52commitment to the job, and the task in hand,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55how well they get on with each other.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00- They can get from 0 to 12 credits in a day session.- What is the average?
0:16:00 > 0:16:05The average - a lot of these often get around 9 and 10.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Certain jobs are more labour-intensive.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12- What can they use the credits for? - Reward activities.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15They talk to us about trips. We organise group trips.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Tomorrow we're going to Alton Towers.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21- Are you all right, Marco?- Yes.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Are you going to give us a go on the saw?
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Yes. Just keep going so we can saw it to level it off.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28- OK.- So it is not sticking out too much.- Cool. All right.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31- I've already done a bit.- You have done all the hard bit for me.
0:16:31 > 0:16:37- How many credits will this get me? - A few if you kept doing it all day.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40What do you reckon to the whole conservation project here?
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- There is a lot of work ahead of you. - Yes, it is a really big task.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48We've been working on it for years now. It is a big project.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51We are getting through it slowly. We are going to do it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- You have got a good positive attitude. I like it.- Yeah
0:16:54 > 0:16:58I have nearly done it. There we go. Have a credit on me.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59- Thanks.- Nice one.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04Long Hill is owned by Mere Parish Council
0:17:04 > 0:17:06so it is a great opportunity for the young and the older
0:17:06 > 0:17:09to work side-by-side.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Until they started here three or four years ago
0:17:14 > 0:17:19you could not walk through here. It was totally overgrown.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23They are clearing the pathways and doing a marvellous job.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27I guess it is fair to say there was a little bit of an unsettling
0:17:27 > 0:17:30relationship with how we view young people these days
0:17:30 > 0:17:32especially after this summer.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Is this the antidote to that?
0:17:34 > 0:17:37I think it is excellent. What these kids do is wonderful.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40It's getting them a work ethic, if that's the right word.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42- It is.- They enjoy doing it.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44They are learning a bit about the environment.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46They are improving the whole lot.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50They think it gives them a sense of belonging.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53So when they are adults and have got children, instead of being vandals
0:17:53 > 0:17:56they will say, "I worked for years on that footpath,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59- "you look after it."- They have left their mark.- Absolutely.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03How did this become so overgrown in the first place?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05It was farmed until 1976, when the bypass came through
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and they built houses the other side.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10This then became an island of chalk hill in the middle
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and nobody could get to it to farm it.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17It became totally overgrown for 35 years.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It will take a fair while to get back to it.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- It will be a 10-year scheme to clear it.- That is a lot of credits.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Yes, absolutely. The youth club won't run out of things to do.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30We have finished our day working on the hill.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32We are back at the youth centre now
0:18:32 > 0:18:35in time to see how many credits I got.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37'This is how it works.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41'The guys say how many credits they think they deserve, then Jackie
0:18:41 > 0:18:44'and the other youth workers go away to discuss each individual.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46'They make the ultimate decision.'
0:18:46 > 0:18:49OK then, guys. Are you ready?
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Kimmy, you got six. Michael, a nine.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57- Yes!- Marco, you got an eight. Kelly...- I want a score!
0:18:57 > 0:19:00You want a score. They did say they wanted to give you a score.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Right, guys, we can't score Ellie.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- this is going to be so harsh. - Two.- Two?
0:19:05 > 0:19:09- Any advances on two?- Four.- I will take four.- You'll take four.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13- I will take four.- I saw you sawing.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15LAUGHTER
0:19:15 > 0:19:19- I did see you sawing! - This is so harsh!
0:19:21 > 0:19:24This is a landscape that has been shaped by humans over
0:19:24 > 0:19:28thousands of years and now it is being handed to the next generation.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I think it is in good hands.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Earlier we heard how coastal communities are struggling to
0:19:34 > 0:19:36make money from fishing, so will new rules
0:19:36 > 0:19:41on how much they can catch help give them a brighter future? Here's John.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59Give us a shout at the last three. That's it? OK.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Many of our inshore fishermen are in danger of going bust,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06putting the future of coastal communities at risk.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Fishermen say that tight quotas
0:20:08 > 0:20:10on what they can catch mean
0:20:10 > 0:20:14they simply cannot bring enough home to make a decent living.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19But things are set to change through reforms by both
0:20:19 > 0:20:22the European Parliament and the UK Government.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26If we do not get this right this time we know what could be the state
0:20:26 > 0:20:29of fish stocks in United Kingdom waters and the state of the fishing industry.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35By the end of next year, we will have a new Common Fisheries
0:20:35 > 0:20:40Policy which governs all EU fishing boats both big and small.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41So what is changing?
0:20:46 > 0:20:50One thing is for sure. The EU wants to put an end to this.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Discarding dead fish back into the sea.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01In the spring there was a lot of skate.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03The quota was half a tonne a month.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06We quickly caught that in the first few days of the month.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09From then on we had to throw them all back.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13One particular day we had to throw quarter of a tonne back.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16As you can imagine that makes us feel gutted.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21If anyone was caught landing them, they would be prosecuted quickly.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30That is something that this young fisherman is all too familiar with.
0:21:30 > 0:21:36We cannot name him because he faces prosecution for illegally landing fish.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39I caught skate, not targetting skate,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42by the time I got them on board in the nets they're dead
0:21:42 > 0:21:45so instead of dumping them back dead
0:21:45 > 0:21:47which is what DEFRA want me to do,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I've landed them and now I've been threatened
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- with a £50,000 fine.- £50,000?
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- Would that put you out of business? - Yes, definitely.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Under the proposed new regulations all discarded fish will have
0:22:02 > 0:22:04to be brought ashore.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06How do you feel about that?
0:22:06 > 0:22:09It is definitely the way forward.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14But banning discards alone will not solve the problem.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19Andrew is a former fisherman. For him there is only one solution.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Fishermen need 200, 300, 400 times
0:22:22 > 0:22:24the amount of quota they have at the moment to be at all viable.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26What is the answer?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29The answer is to reallocate the quota that is unused
0:22:29 > 0:22:30in this area.
0:22:30 > 0:22:36There is in this area at the present time, £8.2 million worth of sole
0:22:36 > 0:22:38and skate quota going unused.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42That would keep all the boats from Folkestone to North Yorkshire
0:22:42 > 0:22:46very happy and local economies would benefit from that wealth
0:22:46 > 0:22:49And 25% of that money would go out in tax.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55The issue of unused quota is controversial
0:22:55 > 0:22:57but the government is taking views like Andrew's on board.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00The problem is that the over 10 metres sector
0:23:00 > 0:23:02are in a state of crisis as well.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06We do not want to be robbing one side to help another, but that is
0:23:06 > 0:23:11the opportunity through some quota stocks which are under-used,
0:23:11 > 0:23:16to reallocate quotas more fairly to support the under-ten sector.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17So they will get a bigger quota?
0:23:17 > 0:23:20They will get more fishing opportunity and that is crucial.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22They will also get the support they need
0:23:22 > 0:23:25to manage that as a fishing community.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29And here in fishing villages like West Mersea the Government
0:23:29 > 0:23:30wants to try something new.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Instead of issuing individual quotas to fishermen it wants
0:23:34 > 0:23:37to test a community quota system where fishermen would
0:23:37 > 0:23:41decide between themselves just how much each of them catches.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44It also believes that that would help them improve the way
0:23:44 > 0:23:46that they market their fish.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Come next January this community could be one of the first
0:23:49 > 0:23:51to pilot the new scheme
0:23:51 > 0:23:56intended specifically to help our under-10-metre fleet.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58And it will be just in the nick of time for Andrew
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and Johnny who have had yet another poor catch.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- Hello, Tony, it's Andrew.- 'Hi, Andrew.'
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Two or three stone of bass if you need them.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10'Bring them out. That would be good. I'd appreciate that.'
0:24:10 > 0:24:12There you go.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16That is the fish sold, not that there's much of it. There it is.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28- Hello, Andrew.- Hello, John.- Not a very good day, I gather.- Not very.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32It has been one of those years altogether.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Do you think this idea of community quotas in future that is
0:24:36 > 0:24:39being tested out here will work?
0:24:39 > 0:24:43It is a lifeline for us. We are very hopeful it will work.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47Do you think all you fishermen can agree between yourselves
0:24:47 > 0:24:49about how much you should have?
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Yes we will have two. Without it, I think we are finished.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57The Government's plans may give new hope to inshore fishermen,
0:24:57 > 0:25:01but across Europe there is a bigger problem.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04The European Commission says that 75% of fish stocks
0:25:04 > 0:25:09are overfished and they want these back to healthy levels by 2015.
0:25:11 > 0:25:16Does that mean that quotas are going to have to be slashed?
0:25:16 > 0:25:19There is no clear answer yet.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22It is going to cause difficulties for fishermen in some ports
0:25:22 > 0:25:26who will be facing quite severe cuts in quota,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29but the good news is that there is some good science showing that
0:25:29 > 0:25:32fish stocks in many areas are recovering.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36We have got to be so careful not to impose huge increases where we
0:25:36 > 0:25:39do not have the science to support it.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43But getting a bigger quota is now vital
0:25:43 > 0:25:46for fishermen like Andrew and Johnny.
0:25:46 > 0:25:52- What is the future for yourselves and the fishing community?- It is bleak.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56We have had fishing community here for over 100 years.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01It would be a shame to see it decline.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10Later, Matt lends a hand to the villagers going door-to-door
0:26:10 > 0:26:13with their home-grown produce.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Delivery.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Adam is putting safety at the top of his agenda
0:26:18 > 0:26:20because farming is a dangerous business.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22- That is going to hurt! - That is going to hurt!
0:26:22 > 0:26:24And for farmers and everyone else
0:26:24 > 0:26:28There's the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Deep in the heart of Hampshire, an hour from Cranborne Chase,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43is Laverstoke Park Farm.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Jules has been finding out what makes it a little different.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51At first glance this farm is pretty much like any other.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Ploughed fields, rolling hills,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55hedgerows, animals grazing.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59In fact this is exactly what you'd expect a kind anywhere in the county.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Except these are water buffalo.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09This is the largest herd in the UK.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14Dairy manager Nigel looks after these curious beasts.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Here we are in the heart of Hampshire
0:27:16 > 0:27:19surrounded by how many water buffalo?
0:27:19 > 0:27:24- In this field there's about 160. - How is it to look after them?
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Do you husband them the same as you would beef cattle?
0:27:28 > 0:27:30These are all milking cows.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34From a stockmanship point of view, they are easy to look after.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38- Are they? They are incredibly curious creatures.- Yes.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40They react to people very well.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45Some would say they're intimidating with these horns.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47But they are all relaxed.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Yes. Watch that one behind you!
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Thank you(!) I am looking all over the place.
0:27:53 > 0:27:54They respond to people really well.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57What's the big difference?
0:27:57 > 0:28:02We associate them with big pools of water and wallowing in mud.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Do they do that here or are they grazing normally?
0:28:04 > 0:28:06They absolutely love wallowing.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09If there are any puddles they will build it into
0:28:09 > 0:28:11a swimming pool-sized hole and wallow in that.
0:28:11 > 0:28:17They do it because in the summer it is their way of losing heat.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20- You have obviously got a great deal of affection for them.- I love them.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23I loved working with dairy cows for 40 years,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25but these are is so refreshing.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30And the water buffalo are not the only thing that sets this farm apart.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35In the driving seat is Jody Scheckter.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37'And Jody Scheckter wins...'
0:28:37 > 0:28:41Back in the 1970s Jody was a Formula One driver,
0:28:41 > 0:28:43becoming world champion in 1979.
0:28:43 > 0:28:51Since then he has swapped the racetrack for a 2,500 acre farm.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55The life of a farmer is a far cry from the fast lane of motor racing.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57How did it start for you?
0:28:57 > 0:29:00I have always been a foodie.
0:29:00 > 0:29:05I have always done a lot of exercise and been keen on health.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08I said I will produce the best tasting
0:29:08 > 0:29:10healthiest food for myself and my family.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12It is not just a hobby is it?
0:29:12 > 0:29:16I had to try to understand how it could become sustainable.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21You needed some volume and that's why it got bigger really.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23I am organic because I believe that is the way
0:29:23 > 0:29:25to produce the best tasting healthiest food.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29And to produce the best-tasting food you need the best soil.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33Jody subscribes to a philosophy which sees the farm as a whole.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37The animals are important, but so too is the compost.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41They make 25,000 tonnes per year and it is his magic ingredient.
0:29:41 > 0:29:46Everything we do is to produce the best tasting healthiest food.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48This had to be part of it.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50We are growing animals here - fungi, bacterias,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53and then it goes on to the land.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55We put as much diversity in this as we can.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Diversity is the real key to a natural environment.
0:29:58 > 0:30:03There is diversity in our grass. We have 31 herbs in our glasses.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06Our cows are slow-growing. Our animals are mostly rare breed
0:30:06 > 0:30:10because they're slow-growing, not because I'm trying to save the world.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Do you think that the success here
0:30:12 > 0:30:16is acting as a model for other farms like this in the future?
0:30:16 > 0:30:20Yes, I think we're doing a lot of things, and looking at them in a different light
0:30:20 > 0:30:25Because I didn't farm and my father didn't farm, I just look at it as a clean sheet
0:30:25 > 0:30:28and maybe see things other people didn't see.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Back at the dairy, they're gearing up the milking time.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39Over 1,000 buffalo have to be milked twice a day.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53Compared with a standard dairy cow, water buffalo produce
0:30:53 > 0:30:56two thirds less milk at around 2,000 litres a year.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Milking is now well under way,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03but the big question is, what do they do with all of this milk?
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Here, they are one of the few places in Britain
0:31:06 > 0:31:10that set about the task of trying to make a classic Italian cheese.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15The on-farm dairy produces
0:31:15 > 0:31:1869 tonnes of mozzarella a year from its buffalo herd.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22They are one of the first serious producers in the UK.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26As you'd expect on this farm, that means getting in an expert.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30Italian Tommaso Valenzano has been making mozzarella for years.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34This curd, we use to make the mozzarella.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38It almost looks like mozzarella now.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41'First, the curd is separated from the whey.'
0:31:41 > 0:31:44We add the curd, just the curd,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48for stretching in the stretching machine.
0:31:51 > 0:31:56'And once it has been melted and stretch, it's into the moulds.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58So this is the finished product?
0:31:58 > 0:32:00The mozzarella is creamy and....
0:32:00 > 0:32:03'It's then cooled in salt water and finito!'
0:32:03 > 0:32:07I'm not just saying this, that is absolutely delicious!
0:32:09 > 0:32:14- I'm just going to keep eating. - On the salad, it is fantastic.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24If an Italian is helping make the cheese,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27it's only right to get another one in to try it.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30Top chef Aldo Zilli loves mozzarella. But British?
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Well, we're about to find out what he thinks.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37There you go, a nice plateful of buffalo mozzarella.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40Buffalo mozzarella in Italy,
0:32:40 > 0:32:44it's still a little bit of a luxury. People eat it on a Sunday
0:32:44 > 0:32:47when they want something a little bit special.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Otherwise, they have the cow's milk mozzarella.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54- Mozzarella, it's a staple part of the Italian diet?- Absolutely.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56And Buffalo mozzarella, you don't cut it with a knife.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59You just break it with your fingers. Look at that.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01I am going to serve it with
0:33:01 > 0:33:04this wonderful mixture of roasted tomatoes and some red onion.
0:33:04 > 0:33:09- In a way, you're just letting it breathe.- Beautiful food at its best.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12A couple of tomatoes. Colours...
0:33:12 > 0:33:15basil on top, extra virgin olive oil.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19- And there is your lunch. - You've never seen...
0:33:21 > 0:33:25It's only fair that the boss gets to taste it too.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30I want you to try this with the tomatoes, see what you think.
0:33:32 > 0:33:33Mamma mia!
0:33:37 > 0:33:39That is lovely.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41You just brought me back 30 years.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44And I am growing up on my farm again. It's amazing.
0:33:44 > 0:33:50Is it as good as Italian buffalo mozzarella, or better?
0:33:50 > 0:33:55- If nothing else, it's as good.- It is fabulous.- I would be very happy to serve this in my restaurant.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00There you have it. English buffalo mozzarella, approved by an Italian.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Farming can be a very dangerous business.
0:34:07 > 0:34:12On average, more than 40 people die in accidents on farms every year,
0:34:12 > 0:34:16making it one of the most dangerous industries in the UK today.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20Reducing the number of deaths is a priority for everyone.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22This week, Adam is doing his bit
0:34:22 > 0:34:24by hosting a health and safety awareness day.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35I've lived and worked on this farm all my life.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38It's a wonderful place to step out of the house and come to work.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42But sometimes, you can feel a little bit too relaxed,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45a bit blase about some of the dangers you face on the farm.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48There's livestock, and there's lots of machines that we work with.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51It's a responsibility to look after myself,
0:34:51 > 0:34:53but also all the staff on the farm
0:34:53 > 0:34:57and make sure they're working in the safest environment possible.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59I'm feeding these cattle some apple pulp.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04It's a by-product of pressing apple for juice that a mate of mine does.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08It's really good for them. These are steers, they're castrated males
0:35:08 > 0:35:12that we're fattening up for beef. Puts a nice bit of finish on them
0:35:12 > 0:35:17Cattle can be very dangerous animals. I'm confident being amongst them and working with them.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20But they are big. They weigh, these ones, about 400 kilos.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23If they step on your toe, they can break your foot.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25They can butt you and barge you out the way.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Get on the wrong side of them and they can give you a hefty kick.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30These ones haven't got horns,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34but some of my cattle have got great big horns, like the Highlands.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38Get a horn under your chest, it could rip your chest open. So you do have to be very careful.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41The stats back up the need to be cautious.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45Last year, a shocking six people died due to cattle-related incidents in the UK
0:35:45 > 0:35:47and many more were injured.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51It's important when you work with livestock to never let your guard down.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55I'll often carry a stick to protect myself or to move them on.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58Over the last few months, working with cattle on the farm,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01I can think of various times when I could have got hurt.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Hand-milking cows present their own risks.
0:36:04 > 0:36:09Just last week, I was reminded how dangerous these animals can be.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12That rear leg is extremely powerful and can do some damage.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17Standing in the right position and knowing the signals are vital.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20When you're milking a cow, if you stick your head in their hip
0:36:20 > 0:36:23like this, if they're about to kick you,
0:36:23 > 0:36:27you can feel it in your head before the foot hits you.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31I'll be able to jump backwards if she is about to kick me.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36While carrying out a routine TB test with my White Parks last month,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39one of the cows decided to fight back in the testing cage.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44This just shows the importance of securing the animals
0:36:44 > 0:36:49in the right equipment for both the safety of the animal and the workers.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54But cattle aren't the only dangerous animal on my farm.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58Piglets have got to be one of the cutest farm animals there are,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01but once they grow up into a big sow like this,
0:37:01 > 0:37:02they can be pretty dangerous.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06A pig can give you a very nasty bite and they're powerful animals.
0:37:06 > 0:37:11I'm going to catch these piglets to wean them, to take them off their mother.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13It can be a tricky operation. Come on, pig, pig, pig.
0:37:13 > 0:37:18I want to get them all in the hut so I can catch them. Go on.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25That's it. Right, got the ones I need.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Just got to get the trailer in and load them up.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37Pig boards are good things to have. A pig won't go where they can't see.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42Moving a pig like this, when you're loading it up into a trailer, it's a bit of an alien environment for them.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46They'll be flustered, stressed and the sows can get aggressive.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49I'll be taking her piglets away from her and she won't like that.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51She could attack me.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Come on, then.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58Next, I need to separate the sow from her young
0:37:58 > 0:38:03so I can give the piglets a worming injection to kill any stomach worms.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Right, that's it. She's that side, I'm this side.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09I'll just get the injection, and job sorted.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Well, almost.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15Who's first?
0:38:16 > 0:38:18SQUEALING
0:38:18 > 0:38:22I just hold their mouths to stop them squealing too much,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25but also so they don't shake their heads around and bite me.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28They've got quite sharp teeth. There you go, that one done.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Just give them all a mark so I know which ones I've done.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36With all this squealing going on, the sow gets wound up a little bit.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39If she was in here now, she'd have my leg off.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42It's all about safety on the farm.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45I'm hosting a safety and health awareness day.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49These events are run most weeks at different locations across the UK.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Today, it's taking place on my farm.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56I'm meeting with Nigel Long, principal inspector of health and safety from the HSE.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58It's great to be hosting this event here today,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01but is there still a lot of work to be done
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- when it comes to health and safety on farms?- Certainly, yes.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Farms are dangerous places.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Over the last 10 years, 455 people have killed on farms
0:39:09 > 0:39:11and many more have been seriously injured.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15All the evidence is that that number is carrying on,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17even though the number of people farming is reducing.
0:39:17 > 0:39:22The instructors use visual aids to help bring the demonstrations to life.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26Lead instructor Brian Rees is on hand to take me through the demos.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I'm sure we've all done this on farms -
0:39:29 > 0:39:32gone up in a bucket to sort something out in the gutters or on the roof.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36Yes, we've all been very tempted to do this.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39But, unfortunately,
0:39:39 > 0:39:41there are so many accidents every year
0:39:41 > 0:39:44where farmers have really bad falls.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46That's going to hurt.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51Yes, that's going to hurt. Very few farmers that have a serious fall like that get up and walk away.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55- If that was onto concrete, it would be even worse.- Horrendous.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59It certainly makes it very visual, quite shocking for the people watching
0:39:59 > 0:40:02and that's what you need for the message to go in.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Very often, all it needs is a little bit of thought
0:40:05 > 0:40:10before you start doing the job and you can eliminate the risks before you begin.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15What are you demonstrating here?
0:40:15 > 0:40:19What we're looking at here is safe electricity on farms.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Unfortunately, farmers are still making contacts with power lines.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26We demonstrate what happens to them when a machine,
0:40:26 > 0:40:31or a ladder, or an irrigation pipe actually hits the cables.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36I'll give you a little bit of power now. If you take that there.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39- I have the power.- You have the power.
0:40:39 > 0:40:40If you push that button...
0:40:42 > 0:40:46I can assure you, you would not want to be in the machine.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48What happens is it kills the engine,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50you can't then drop the bucket down,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53so you are trapped in your cab.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55If you happen to step out of the cab,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58it's protected because it's got rubber tyres.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02- Yes.- If you make contact with the ground, you short it out...
0:41:02 > 0:41:03you electrocute yourself.
0:41:03 > 0:41:10Only in an absolute last emergency would you consider jumping from the cab.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13The next demo is all about the use of quad bikes.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16Farmer Roger James knows about the dangers only too well.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Quad bikes bring back some horrible memories for you.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21You had a bit of a close shave?
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Yes, I was moving some cows on a Sunday morning, relaxed mood,
0:41:24 > 0:41:27and went up a hill, a hill I should not have gone up
0:41:27 > 0:41:29and the quad bike came on top of me.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- What was the outcome?- I fractured my pelvis in three places,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36I'm pinned across the front, the side and in my backbone.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39I can't do no tractor driving, or very little tractor driving.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42I can't do any lifting, I can't do much handling of stock or anything.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46As far as my home life, it's just a total disaster.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49My social life and everything has gone.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53We all think that health and safety is a menace to us in our business,
0:41:53 > 0:41:56but the lads have got a lot of common sense.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59We need to listen to what they're saying
0:41:59 > 0:42:02for us to enable us to carry on with our work, basically,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05not to get into situations we shouldn't be in.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10I'm keen to find out how to operate the vehicles properly.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13The last 10 people that have been killed on quads,
0:42:13 > 0:42:18eight of them would have survived if they had been wearing a helmet.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21It's absolutely vital that people wear a helmet when operating them.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27What's he demonstrating here?
0:42:27 > 0:42:31You need to transfer your weight on the machine by moving back and forth.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35We describe this as active riding, to maintain weight on all four wheels at any one time.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39- And now going up a hill.- You can see the way he's moving up the hill.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43He's sliding his body weight forward on the machine.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47He's keeping plenty of weight on the front wheels.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50One typical accident that happens on these machines
0:42:50 > 0:42:55is when people drive up a steep bank and the bike comes back over on top of them.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Exactly the same as Roger had a couple of years ago.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00So to avoid accidents like Roger's,
0:43:00 > 0:43:04it's vital that all farmers understand potential risks.
0:43:04 > 0:43:09Getting health and safety across in practical visual demonstrations
0:43:09 > 0:43:12like we have seen today really seems to work well.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15And apparently, the feedback is that 95% of farmers
0:43:15 > 0:43:19that come on these courses would recommend them to other people.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Accidents and fatalities on farms
0:43:22 > 0:43:25must cause a huge amount of heartache for those concerned.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29As an industry, if we're going to shout about how great British farming is,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32the figures show, when it comes to health and safety,
0:43:32 > 0:43:35that we really need to carry on tidying up our act.
0:43:37 > 0:43:42Next week, I'm on the hunt for a new bull to add to one of my rare-breed herds.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51The parish of Martin.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57It nudges into the neighbouring county,
0:43:57 > 0:43:59making it the most westerly village in Hampshire.
0:43:59 > 0:44:03164 households make up the village of Martin,
0:44:03 > 0:44:06yet it doesn't have a post office or a pub.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10Up until recently, if you wanted to do the weekly shop,
0:44:10 > 0:44:13you had to travel to Salisbury, 12 miles away.
0:44:13 > 0:44:17Things began to change eight years ago
0:44:17 > 0:44:19when the locals decided to take charge.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23They shunned the supermarket and started up a grow-your-own scheme.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26It's a non-profit making co-operative
0:44:26 > 0:44:29made up of volunteers from the village, like Janet Richards.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31This is wonderful, isn't it?
0:44:31 > 0:44:34- Give us an idea of what you've got growing in here, then.- OK.
0:44:34 > 0:44:39Well, in the polytunnel, we've got some fresh salads - Swiss chard,
0:44:39 > 0:44:41spinach, celeriac,
0:44:41 > 0:44:45purple sprouting broccoli, brussels sprouts, and right over
0:44:45 > 0:44:49there we've got carrots, beetroot and parsnips.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53As well as the vegetables, we've got pigs, which we raise for meat,
0:44:53 > 0:44:56and we've got chickens for eggs as well.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59- How many volunteers do you have working on it?- Oh, gosh!
0:44:59 > 0:45:02Because that's the key - the labour. The cost, if you were paying for it,
0:45:02 > 0:45:05would be astronomical, wouldn't it?
0:45:05 > 0:45:09Yeah. I think we must have at least 40 volunteers, maybe 50.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13The project has brought people together from all walks of life.
0:45:13 > 0:45:17- Did you grow a lot of veg before you started with this?- No.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20- I grew flowers.- Ah!- And I'm converted now. Now I just grow veg.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23It's been amazing, and the way it's encompassed
0:45:23 > 0:45:26the whole community would be underestimated.
0:45:26 > 0:45:30- Really?- It's drawn the community together in lots of ways.
0:45:30 > 0:45:3312 months ago, the co-operative opened a village shop.
0:45:33 > 0:45:37It's run by volunteers and is only open a couple of hours a day,
0:45:37 > 0:45:39but it's doing really well.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42It stocks their own grown produce plus other local supplies
0:45:42 > 0:45:45of honey, beef and lamb.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48Their entrepreneurial skills don't end there,
0:45:48 > 0:45:51as the volunteers are just about to start a box scheme,
0:45:51 > 0:45:54and I'm going to help out with the very first one. Janet.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56Now then, what's going in here?
0:45:56 > 0:46:00Well, we're going to put in some potatoes and onions,
0:46:00 > 0:46:01which are coming out of store.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04Some nice big onions here. They've done really well this year.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07Let's have a nice cabbage.
0:46:07 > 0:46:11- Four leeks.- Four leeks.- Everybody gets a bag of salad,
0:46:11 > 0:46:13freshly picked this morning.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16This whole idea came about as you were worried about the food miles.
0:46:16 > 0:46:20Do you worry that this delivery service might negate that issue?
0:46:20 > 0:46:24I don't think so. Most people drive to get their weekly shopping anyway.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27And a lot of the vegetables in the supermarkets
0:46:27 > 0:46:29have probably come from thousands of miles away,
0:46:29 > 0:46:32so I think it's still pretty local.
0:46:32 > 0:46:38- Carrots?- Oh, lovely job. There we are. And a parsnip as well.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41- How does that look? Are you pleased with it?- Yeah. Lovely.
0:46:41 > 0:46:42Eggs are there as well.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45- OK, say goodbye to your first delivery.- Goodbye!
0:46:45 > 0:46:47- Here we go. See you later on.- Bye!
0:46:54 > 0:46:55Right.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00Delivery!
0:47:00 > 0:47:03- Is it Gillian?- Hello! Yes, it is. This is lovely.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06- Thank you very much. - You pleased with that?- I am indeed.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09- It looks gorgeous. - That is the first-ever box delivery.
0:47:09 > 0:47:14- Thank you so much. That's very nice. - Enjoy it.- Thank you. I will do.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16- See you, now.- Bye-bye!
0:47:17 > 0:47:21The volunteers of Martin have worked hard for nearly eight years
0:47:21 > 0:47:24growing their own, and it's great that other villagers
0:47:24 > 0:47:27can now enjoy the fruits of their labour too.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31Well, there's just 33 days to go until Christmas
0:47:31 > 0:47:34and if you're stuck for ideas, how about one of these -
0:47:34 > 0:47:38our Countryfile calendar, sold in aid of Children In Need?
0:47:38 > 0:47:42Here's John, with all the details of how to get your hands on one.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49The calendar costs £9 and a minimum of £4 from each sale
0:47:49 > 0:47:52will go to Children In Need.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54You can order it right now on our website:
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Or you can call the order line, on:
0:48:07 > 0:48:13You can also order by post. Send your name, address and cheque to:
0:48:19 > 0:48:23And please make your cheques payable to "BBC Countryfile Calendar."
0:48:28 > 0:48:31In a moment, Ellie will be finding out how the humble bicycle
0:48:31 > 0:48:33opened up the countryside to folk, but before that
0:48:33 > 0:48:35let's get the weather,
0:48:35 > 0:48:39with the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.
0:50:49 > 0:50:57.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11Matt and I have been exploring Cranborne Chase
0:51:11 > 0:51:14and the West Wiltshire Downs,
0:51:14 > 0:51:18an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty dipping into four counties.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20I'm in the Wiltshire bit.
0:51:24 > 0:51:29For me, one of the best ways to enjoy the countryside is on a bike.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32You can go for miles and you're only burning calories, not fuel,
0:51:32 > 0:51:36so it's amazing for the environment, AND...it's free!
0:51:36 > 0:51:41The invention of the bicycle in the early 1800s had a massive impact
0:51:41 > 0:51:44on society, transforming not only the way we travel
0:51:44 > 0:51:46but the way we live.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49It was especially handy if you lived in an isolated rural area,
0:51:49 > 0:51:53and for those in towns and village, it opened up the countryside
0:51:53 > 0:51:55for the first time.
0:51:55 > 0:52:00I'm taking a slight detour to a place that knows its bicycles.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02I'm north of Cranborne Chase,
0:52:02 > 0:52:05in the honey-coloured, chocolate-box town of Bradford on Avon.
0:52:05 > 0:52:09Believe it or not, this used to be an industrial town,
0:52:09 > 0:52:12made famous for rubber production by the Victorian pioneer
0:52:12 > 0:52:13Stephen Moulton.
0:52:13 > 0:52:18That was one of the rubber-producing factories.
0:52:18 > 0:52:22He was the first to bring samples of treated rubber to the UK
0:52:22 > 0:52:23from America,
0:52:23 > 0:52:26a material that went on to revolutionise
0:52:26 > 0:52:27the world of transport.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30But it was his descendant who made a more direct impact
0:52:30 > 0:52:32on the way we get around.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35If man's most important invention was the wheel,
0:52:35 > 0:52:37then the Moulton family took it a step further.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42Doctor Alex Moulton, Stephen's great-grandson,
0:52:42 > 0:52:44was the brains behind a new design
0:52:44 > 0:52:49that took Britain by storm in the 1960s - small-wheeled bicycles.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51Before that, bikes were pretty standard -
0:52:51 > 0:52:54bulky and diamond-framed, with large wheels.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57Moulton made them portable, unisex,
0:52:57 > 0:53:01and smashed the myth that small wheels meant slow wheels.
0:53:04 > 0:53:10In an era of miniskirts and Mini cars, the mini bike was a hit,
0:53:10 > 0:53:12and it's stood the test of time.
0:53:12 > 0:53:16The bicycles are made in Bradford on Avon to this day,
0:53:16 > 0:53:19here in the grounds of the Moulton family estate.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25The family line didn't stop at Alex.
0:53:25 > 0:53:29Today, his great-nephew Shaun is managing the business.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32- Hi, Shaun, good to meet you. - Hello, Ellie. How do you do?
0:53:32 > 0:53:35So what was it about the design of the bike in the '60s
0:53:35 > 0:53:38- that was so revolutionary? - It was the Swinging '60s.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41I think the world was ready for change then,
0:53:41 > 0:53:44and the bicycle industry had been static in producing
0:53:44 > 0:53:47large-wheeled road bikes for 60 years.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50The small-wheeled Moulton that came out then
0:53:50 > 0:53:53was something completely new, revolutionary, very easy to ride,
0:53:53 > 0:53:55very efficient, fast acceleration,
0:53:55 > 0:53:58easy to get on and off, and it looked cool.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01To see the workings of such a classic, an enduring piece
0:54:01 > 0:54:03of British engineering, makes my next encounter
0:54:03 > 0:54:05all the more exciting.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08I have the honour of meeting Dr Alex Moulton himself.
0:54:08 > 0:54:13Aged 91, he still lives in Bradford on Avon,
0:54:13 > 0:54:15Not far from the bicycle workshop.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18How did you feel when the bicycle was first launched
0:54:18 > 0:54:20and there was such interest around it?
0:54:20 > 0:54:24At the Earl's Court Show in '62,
0:54:24 > 0:54:27we were absolutely overwhelmed by people.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30The public - "I want one! I want one!"
0:54:30 > 0:54:35So that put the traders' noses out of joint a bit! Of course, yes.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41The Moulton celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45What started as a British craze has spread across the globe.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48Today many are exported to Asia.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50To fully appreciate the small-wheeled experience,
0:54:50 > 0:54:53you have to get pedalling.
0:54:53 > 0:54:57To ride a Moulton having just met its inventor is pretty special.
0:54:57 > 0:55:02And now I've got my classic bicycle, I'm all set to go back in time.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10The bicycle has been redesigned through the ages,
0:55:10 > 0:55:13and while many are consigned to the history books,
0:55:13 > 0:55:17some people are determined to keep the golden oldies on the road.
0:55:19 > 0:55:24What a completely brilliant scene! We're back in the 1800s.
0:55:24 > 0:55:25That was amazing, Phil.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28- What a fantastic view and what a lot of tweed!- Thank you.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30And the outfits are all part of what you do?
0:55:30 > 0:55:33Yes. It brings in the atmosphere of the whole thing.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36- And why ride these old bikes? - Well, they're lovely to ride.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39It's living history. This is a working antique.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42And why was it so important that bikes came along?
0:55:42 > 0:55:45- How did it change the way we all lived?- It gave mobility.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47The mobility we're so used to today.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51People could move further for work, young men could go to other villages
0:55:51 > 0:55:54other than the one they lived in to find young ladies,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57so it in fact increased human biodiversity in many ways -
0:55:57 > 0:55:59- it increased the gene pool. - Excellent.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01- And there were health benefits too. - Absolutely.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04Even King George recommended that factory workers should get out
0:56:04 > 0:56:08and get fresh air in their lungs by riding a bike in the countryside.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12- And what's this you're riding? - This is an 1890 Solid Tyred Safety.
0:56:12 > 0:56:16- 1890! Is there suspension on there? - Yes.- Oh, there is. Goodness.
0:56:16 > 0:56:19Doesn't work very well, but it's suspension.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22I'm very jealous. It looks like a lot of fun. I fancy a ride myself.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25- Well, you're welcome to try it. - I'm not sure about that.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28INDISTINCT CHATTING
0:56:31 > 0:56:36The early bicycle, in all its shapes and sizes, allowed people
0:56:36 > 0:56:39to tour and explore the countryside with freedom and independence.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48It does look like a lot of fun.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51Oh, what the heck - if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
0:56:51 > 0:56:55Thank you. Slightly different era, perhaps!
0:56:55 > 0:56:57I could get used to this.
0:57:01 > 0:57:04That's it from a slightly dark and wet Cranborne Chase.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07Next week I'll be taking to the waters to try out
0:57:07 > 0:57:09a new canoeing route off the coast of Antrim,
0:57:09 > 0:57:12while John will be exploring the farming traditions
0:57:12 > 0:57:14in the Glens of Antrim.
0:57:14 > 0:57:16See you then. Bye-bye.
0:57:16 > 0:57:17I'll race you, Phil.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19SHE LAUGHS
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:40 > 0:57:43E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk