0:00:26 > 0:00:30From its snow-capped heights to its wild and beautiful coastline,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34there's real majesty in the landscape of Aberdeenshire.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39I'll be discovering its rugged north coast,
0:00:39 > 0:00:43where villages, like Crovie here, cling to the cliffs.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46I'll also be getting up-close to some of the coast's
0:00:46 > 0:00:49wonderful marine life.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51I know a lot of your fish have got names.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54- Yes!- Do they have characters? - They do get personalities.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57For example, there's Jemima in there, the halibut,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59and she's definitely a meanie.
0:00:59 > 0:01:00Really?
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Joe's inland on the lookout for a very rare creature.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08There's just a handful of Scottish wildcats left
0:01:08 > 0:01:11and this is one of their last outposts.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15I'm joining the conservation team doing all they can to save them.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Tom's looking at the decline in council-owned farms,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22which is leaving some farmers facing eviction.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25You're here with your partner and you've been here quite a while.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27How does that make you feel?
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Well, devastated, really. If we have to have a sale,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31that'll be the end of it.
0:01:31 > 0:01:32WHISTLING
0:01:32 > 0:01:35And Adam catches up with One Man And His Dog winner Dick Roper
0:01:35 > 0:01:37for some handling tips.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Dogs don't understand the words that you say.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45They only understand the tone and the shape of the word,
0:01:45 > 0:01:47so it's like music to them.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20The northern coast of Aberdeenshire is closer to Bergen in Norway
0:02:20 > 0:02:22than to Birmingham.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Dotted along this rugged coastline, shrugging their shoulders
0:02:30 > 0:02:33at the Moray Firth, are a string of fishing villages.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Exposed to the worst excesses of the North Sea,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39you need to be made of tough stuff to survive here.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45I'm starting my journey in Crovie, 40 miles north of Aberdeen.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Clinging precariously to the cliffs, Crovie is a single strip
0:02:48 > 0:02:52of houses mere footsteps from the sea.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54For nearly 1,000 years, local fishermen and women
0:02:54 > 0:02:58eked out a living on this narrow strip of shore.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01In summer, it attracts holiday-makers, who are looking for
0:03:01 > 0:03:02the road less travelled.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06But at this time of year, it's pretty much a ghost town.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07Or is it?
0:03:07 > 0:03:11A light in the window tells me at least one house is occupied.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16- Hello!- Oh, how are you? - You must be Billy!
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- I am.- Good to see you.- Aye.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Come on then, show me Crovie.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23- Nae problem.- What a view.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25'Billy Wiseman is the last Crovie-born resident
0:03:25 > 0:03:27'to live here all year round.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30'His charming accent is pure Aberdeenshire.'
0:03:30 > 0:03:32So what was it like growing up here?
0:03:34 > 0:03:40Great. Who could wish for a better playground on your doorstep?
0:03:40 > 0:03:42You can't argue with that.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44And now you've got grandchildren, what do they make of this?
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- Grandchildren and great-grandchildren.- Wow!
0:03:47 > 0:03:49What do they make of it?
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Oh, paradise.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56For families like yours, who were born and brought up here,
0:03:56 > 0:03:57they've all gone, bar you.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Why did they go?
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Boats were becoming bigger and you couldn't have them
0:04:03 > 0:04:05in your local ports.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08You had to go to bigger ports, like...
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Aberdeen.
0:04:12 > 0:04:13What kept you here?
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Where else would you want to go?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20'And there's one thing any visitor to Crovie has to do.
0:04:20 > 0:04:21'"Visit the North Pole."'
0:04:21 > 0:04:25- So what's going on here? - Well, that's the North Pole.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Like the old Edinburgh lads would say,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30"Unless you can go round the North Pole,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33"it's no good saying you've been round Crovie."
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Unless you can go around the North Pole,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37- you haven't been in Crovie?- Aye.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40It's nae good till you've been in...
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Well, I've been to the South Pole,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44but I can safely say this is a lot more rustic.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48- But nonetheless, very endearing. - Oh, you're getting accustomed
0:04:48 > 0:04:49to Buchan tongue.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50SHE LAUGHS
0:04:50 > 0:04:54- I don't know if I am, but I'm trying.- Well, I mean to say,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Buchan tongue, that covers the whole of Aberdeenshire.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00OK. So I'll be able to understand everyone in Aberdeenshire?
0:05:00 > 0:05:01You should do.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Hey, people don't often understand me in Cumbria,
0:05:04 > 0:05:05and that's my tongue.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07So, sometimes ignorance is bliss, isn't it?
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Crovie is just one of a string of fishing villages
0:05:13 > 0:05:15along this coast line.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19In the next cove lies the village of Gardenstown.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Eleanor Hepburn of the local heritage centre
0:05:25 > 0:05:28has a close personal interest of the lives of women here,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31and the harsh realities of their role in the fishing industry.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36- Eleanor, sorry to interrupt. Good to see you.- Good to see you.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38What a treasure trove.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Take me back to your parents' day, what did they do here?
0:05:42 > 0:05:46My father was a fisherman. And my mother was one of the gutting girls.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49This is them here. That's my mum at the end there.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- So this is your mum here? - That's right.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55They were employed to gut the herring which the boats landed.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57And they worked in crews of three.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Two girls gutted and one packed.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Some of these girls were so quick, they were gutting the herring
0:06:03 > 0:06:08- at 50 to 60 a minute. - A minute?!- Yes.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12It was a difficult job to do, but I think most of them enjoyed doing it.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- It looks like it, they're all smiling, aren't they?- Yes.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18Yes, it was a way of life, really, with them.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21There was no rubber gloves or anything in that day,
0:06:21 > 0:06:26so they wrapped up their fingers with these sort of bandages.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Every finger was wrapped up.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Herring stocks were later to collapse, ending a way of life
0:06:33 > 0:06:37for many. But that wasn't the only calamity to befall this community.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42The famous storm surge of 1953 hit this coast hard.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46The storm didn't change Gardenstown much, but it changed Crovie.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52Because Crovie was absolutely devastated after the storm.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55A lot of the houses were actually never liveable in,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58so the people moved out of Crovie then.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00But some stayed,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03determined to preserve their village and their way of life.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07And what is it, do you think, about this part of the world that
0:07:07 > 0:07:11keeps people like your family living here, working here?
0:07:11 > 0:07:15Probably the beauty of the place and,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17I suppose, just a root, really.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Crovie and its neighbours have survived, thanks to the grit of the
0:07:21 > 0:07:26people and a sense of belonging that has endured against all the odds.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33For years, council-owned farms have been seen as an option for
0:07:33 > 0:07:35farmers who can't afford to buy their own land.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38But across the country, more and more are being sold off, leaving
0:07:38 > 0:07:42some facing the prospect of losing their livelihood and their home.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Here's Tom.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53From remote, small farms to huge estates,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57our rural economy has been built on farms of all sizes.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Some farmers inherit, others can afford to buy land,
0:08:05 > 0:08:10but many rent. And one of the main routes into the competitive world of
0:08:10 > 0:08:14farming in the last century has been to rent from your local council.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21County farms, as they're known, took off after the First World War.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26Concerns over food security and a need for jobs for returning soldiers
0:08:26 > 0:08:30led to the creation of thousands of tenant farms by the government.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35But back in 2012, I reported on the fact they were being sold off,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39with around 1,000 disappearing in the previous decade.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Well, now they seem to be going faster than ever,
0:08:42 > 0:08:47leading to fears this vital route into farming could be lost for ever.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57HE SHOUTS
0:08:57 > 0:08:59HE YELPS
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Steve Clayton is a tenant farmer of beef and sheep here in
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Herefordshire. But maybe not for much longer.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Come on, then!
0:09:11 > 0:09:15- Have I scared them all away? - Oh, you have, Tom. Come on.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17I love all the noises you're making on the bike.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- Who needs a sheepdog when you can yelp like you?- That's right.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23You're having a slightly rough year, tell me about what's happening.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Well, we've been here now for nearly 13 years, and 13th of December
0:09:26 > 0:09:30last year, the council decided they were going to sell the county
0:09:30 > 0:09:31council small holdings.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35They're sort of saying that the farms are not viable for them,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38it needs a lot of investment put into it to bring them up to
0:09:38 > 0:09:40date with buildings and houses.
0:09:42 > 0:09:4514 other tenant farmers in Herefordshire have also been
0:09:45 > 0:09:47given notice.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52It's a period of uncertainty that could soon see them lose everything.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54You're here with your partner and you've been here quite
0:09:54 > 0:09:56a while, you say. How does that make you feel?
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Well, devastated, really, because it's the only thing I know.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03I'm nearly 55. More or less too late to start again.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08All the stock we've got here, apart from the bull and the rams,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12are all homebred. If we have to have a sale, that'll be the end of it.
0:10:12 > 0:10:13You say you'll be out of farming,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15but why couldn't you just go and rent somewhere else?
0:10:15 > 0:10:17There aren't any farms coming up, Tom,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19there's just not enough farms out there.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Steve believes the best solution would have been to invest
0:10:22 > 0:10:24rather than sell.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28Once these farms are sold, they're gone, that's the end of it.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Once the money has gone, there's no more.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34The farmers argued in vain that the council had misled them in
0:10:34 > 0:10:37the sale of their farms, but in October, the
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Local Government Ombudsman ruled in the council's favour.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44What's that sale day going to be like?
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Very upsetting, really.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54To see something we've worked for for 20-odd years just gone in a day.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56It will be very, very, very upsetting.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Will you be able to be here for it?
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Well, I'll have to be here for it because I'll have to see it
0:11:00 > 0:11:03through to the end, you know? But it won't be a very good day at all.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09We asked Herefordshire Council for an interview but they declined,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11though they did give us a statement.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32It's not just here in Herefordshire that council farms are being
0:11:32 > 0:11:33sold off.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38In Wales, hundreds of acres of farmland have gone in the
0:11:38 > 0:11:40past few years.
0:11:40 > 0:11:46Scotland sold theirs long ago, and Northern Ireland has never had any.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48But in England, in the last financial year,
0:11:48 > 0:11:52the number of county farms dropped by an average of three a week.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Councils, however, are facing their own problems.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02Between 2010 and 2015, their funding from central government was
0:12:02 > 0:12:06cut by an average of 40%.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Hardly surprising, then, that when the price of agricultural land is
0:12:10 > 0:12:14rising faster than the FTSE 100, the central London housing market
0:12:14 > 0:12:19and, until recently, even gold, county farms are seen as a cash cow.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24This is the seven... 775,000.
0:12:24 > 0:12:2620 acres.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Well, I hope it's well-drained pasture if it's like this most days.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33'Clive Hopkins is head of farms and estates at Knight Frank,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37'whose agricultural research team track the value of farmland.'
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Why do you think it is going up so much?
0:12:41 > 0:12:43It's a rare decrease in commodity.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47And I think to own land in this country is greatly sought after.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Does that explain why councils are attracted to the idea of
0:12:51 > 0:12:54selling this land off? They can make a lot of money.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Councils have huge pressures on them to find money from various
0:12:58 > 0:13:01resources. And to have a land-holding
0:13:01 > 0:13:03is certainly one of those sources which they can turn to.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07And what forecast have you got for the next ten years on land values?
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Well, we're in uncertain times, with Brexit and everything
0:13:11 > 0:13:14else that's going on in the world, so it's difficult to predict, but
0:13:14 > 0:13:19land prices, I think, have weathered the last recession extremely well.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21And it's a very robust market.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29With land commanding such great prices,
0:13:29 > 0:13:34it's easy to see the attraction for councils in selling it off.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39But is holding on to land really as unprofitable as many of them
0:13:39 > 0:13:40seem to think?
0:13:40 > 0:13:42That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56These are the uplands of Aberdeenshire.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59A vista of snow crested peaks, dense forests,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03crystalline burns and silent glens.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It's also one of the last haunts of an animal that's amongst our
0:14:07 > 0:14:10rarest and most endangered.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15The Scottish wildcat, a true creature of this wilderness.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21The Scottish wildcat is our only native wildcat.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25It's bigger and more muscular by far than the domestic type.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31It's a fierce predator, stealthy and silent,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35able to survive in the harshest conditions.
0:14:35 > 0:14:36No-one knows for sure,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40but some experts believe there could be as few as 50 true wildcats
0:14:40 > 0:14:42left in Scotland,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44and the biggest threat to their existence -
0:14:44 > 0:14:46well, it's not what you'd think.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53'Dr Roo Campbell is a scientist who's been on the trail of
0:14:53 > 0:14:56'the Scottish wildcat for the last six years.'
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Roo, what is the problem?
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Why is the Scottish wildcat so endangered?
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Well, the chief problem now is that the wildcats that we have here
0:15:04 > 0:15:06are interbreeding with the feral cats.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09As it continues, the wildcats that we have in this environment
0:15:09 > 0:15:11- become less and less wildcat. - CAT HISSES
0:15:11 > 0:15:13How do you define a wildcat?
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Well, I think you define a wildcat, I think, based on
0:15:17 > 0:15:20two fundamental things, and that's how it looks and how it behaves.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22So, if it looks like a wildcat and it behaves like a wildcat,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24that's really important,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26and a lot of that's dictated by the genetics.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29You can look at the coat patterns, the tail shape, erm,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31and we can understand from that,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35we can make an educated guess at how much of a wildcat this cat is.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40But time is running out -
0:15:40 > 0:15:45it's thought they could be extinct in less than five years,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47so each new sighting gives
0:15:47 > 0:15:50- Roo and his team hope... - CAT HISSES
0:15:50 > 0:15:53..and here at the edge of Clashindarroch Forest,
0:15:53 > 0:15:55they've seen a prize specimen.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00In this area, we have a male that we hope...
0:16:00 > 0:16:02we suspect is a male wildcat.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Erm, and it's been seen on five cameras, so that's covering
0:16:05 > 0:16:08something like just under 20 square kilometres of ground, actually.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12- The same cat?- The same individual cat, caught on separate cameras.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Does this wildcat have a name?
0:16:14 > 0:16:16- Yes, the wildcat's named Jake. - Jake?
0:16:16 > 0:16:17Jake the wildcat.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22So, Jake is out there somewhere,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and he's been seen around a local barn.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Philippa Murphy of Forestry Commission Scotland is keen to
0:16:28 > 0:16:30make it comfy for him.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32So, lots of straw - what's the plan?
0:16:32 > 0:16:35The plan is we're going to take some of these bales into the shed
0:16:35 > 0:16:39down here to make it slightly more appealing for cats.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- Right, let's get started, shall we?- Yeah.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52It's a bit of a squeeze coming through the door.
0:16:52 > 0:16:53Yeah, it is, isn't it?
0:16:53 > 0:16:55Oh, what a great barn.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57It is.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- And we're going in this little cabin, this room.- We are, yes.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03This little cabin here - hotel room number one(!)
0:17:05 > 0:17:08- It's not ensuite, is it, no?- No. - THEY LAUGH
0:17:11 > 0:17:15'Hidden cameras have spotted other wildcats here too, and these bales
0:17:15 > 0:17:19'should provide everything they could wish for on a cold night.'
0:17:19 > 0:17:22We want to try and pile them up, so that there's lots of little nooks
0:17:22 > 0:17:24and crannies in the straw to encourage, hopefully,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27the cats to burrow in and create a den amongst them.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30If we can get them here, and we can get cameras out, we'll hopefully
0:17:30 > 0:17:33have a good chance of getting some really good footage of cats.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Are you happy with that? Is that random enough, as it should be?
0:17:36 > 0:17:37Yes, I think so. It's looking good.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39And I hope they appreciate the effort you've gone to.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Yes, here's hoping, and hopefully we'll get some good footage as well.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43- Excellent.- OK.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50'There's an army of volunteers out here rigging camera traps,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52'hoping to see Jake and his mates,
0:17:52 > 0:17:57'and Annie Sturgeon, Marion Malcolm and Maria Dawson have struck gold.'
0:17:57 > 0:18:00So, Jake has been here. Jake was here, as they say.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02- Yeah, Jake was here. - Absolutely, yes. Exactly here.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03And how elusive has Jake been?
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- Oh, well, all last winter, we saw him a lot...- Yeah.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10..which was great, but we haven't seen him yet.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12- That card...- It could be the one. - Who knows?
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- It could be the one.- It could be. - He might be there.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- I like how he's keeping you guessing, though.- He is, yes.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24'But there's been an even more stunning sighting -
0:18:24 > 0:18:31'a kitten, perhaps purebred, maybe even Jake's offspring.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34'Fingers crossed this could be a great sign.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'And later I'll be seeing what else is being done to help save
0:18:39 > 0:18:40'the Scottish wildcat.'
0:18:47 > 0:18:51- SEAN:- There are the snow-capped Cairngorms to the west,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55rugged coastline to the north and east,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58but, at its heart, Aberdeenshire is farming country.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Livestock and cereal crops form the bulk of the agriculture here.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08So, at this time of year, as we head toward Christmas,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10with the harvest long past,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13you'd expect Aberdeenshire's farmers to be putting their feet up,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15but not here. Oh, no.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17TURKEYS GOBBLE
0:19:19 > 0:19:23'Not when you've got 1,200 turkeys to tend to.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26'Craig Michie rears Bronze turkeys,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30'famous for their iridescent plumage and great flavour.'
0:19:30 > 0:19:32TURKEYS GOBBLE
0:19:34 > 0:19:37I originally worked as a town planner in an office -
0:19:37 > 0:19:38that's what I studied.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41I met my wife over in Colombia on a career break,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44and then thought one day, "I want to be a turkey farmer,"
0:19:44 > 0:19:46and came back to Scotland with her.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49So, is it just December that you build up to?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Well, actually, we do some turkeys for Thanksgiving,
0:19:52 > 0:19:56cos there's a lot of Americans up here through the oil industry,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58and, you know, they share my passion for turkey too,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01so it's great going to the markets there and chatting to Americans.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04They're really enthusiastic about this too.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07'Craig keeps his birds for eight months,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10'hand-rearing them for the first few weeks.'
0:20:10 > 0:20:14They come in a day old at the end of May, so I believe that's
0:20:14 > 0:20:17the earliest-hatched birds in the country, and then it's the
0:20:17 > 0:20:20journey towards December, which is a very exciting time.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23It must cost you a fortune, though, rearing them for so long,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- with all of the food.- Yeah, I almost forget the economics of it.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28It's just the love, you know? But, yeah, yeah, you are right.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31I mean, this is inefficient weight gain, but I believe
0:20:31 > 0:20:35the slower you grow that bird, the better it tastes on Christmas Day.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37They'll be gobbling mad for this,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40and this is their little treats as well, the apples.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42TURKEYS GOBBLE
0:20:49 > 0:20:51- They know that sound, do they? - Yeah, they do.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53We can chuck a few out. Yeah.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58This is the sort of stuff they would have in the wild, isn't it?
0:20:58 > 0:20:59Yeah, it is.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01It also attracts the insects in, these apples,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04and that gives them that real varied protein source,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06which I believe enhances the flavour,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09and it gives you that little, like, distinct nuances in flavour as well.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12TURKEYS GOBBLE
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Craig's daughter Vima is one of the turkeys' biggest fans.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18She likes to help out around the farm.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Maybe put out some feed.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Vima's a big help on the farm.
0:21:22 > 0:21:23- Wow.- Big help with the feed.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26- WOMAN SPEAKS SPANISH - What's a pavito?
0:21:26 > 0:21:27Turkey.
0:21:27 > 0:21:28- It's a turkey.- Yeah.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31En ingles or en espanol?
0:21:32 > 0:21:33- Espanol.- Espanol.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38It was from his Colombian wife Marie that Craig got the idea for
0:21:38 > 0:21:40using alpacas as guard animals.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43These two are called Valderrama and Higuita,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46after Latin American football players.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Back in South America,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51farmers use them all the time to keep an eye on their livestock.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Basically, the alpaca in the wild will protect their young,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58and they'll protect the turkeys.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01You know, they'll see the turkeys as their young.
0:22:01 > 0:22:02My uncle is a poultry farmer.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07He actually has lots of chickens, so he was the one that got us the idea.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09About a few months ago,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11when we were harvesting that field of spring barley,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15I was driving down in the tractor and I could see a big commotion.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Alpacas were running down the field, and they were chasing a fox.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22I could just see this tail, and it was just incredible.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23So, if you hadn't met Maria,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25you wouldn't know anything about the alpacas?
0:22:25 > 0:22:26I guess I wouldn't. It's one of the great...
0:22:26 > 0:22:28One of the many things you wouldn't know.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- One of the many things. - Many, many things.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32I had a lot to learn and, you know, I'm just slowly learning.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- My wife's always teaching me new things.- Yeah.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Christmas is just around the corner,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41so it's time for Craig to take his turkeys to
0:22:41 > 0:22:43one of his key customers -
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Formartine's, a nearby farm shop and restaurant.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50What weight are these, then?
0:22:50 > 0:22:51Oh, these will be oven-ready.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55They'll be around 5, 6kg.
0:22:57 > 0:22:58Let's hit the road.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09'The turkeys are a big hit with the visitors to the farm shop,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11'owned by John Cooper.'
0:23:11 > 0:23:13I think they're ready for the woodland out here. They're...
0:23:13 > 0:23:15- On you go. Pass it over. - TURKEY SQUEAKS
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- Lovely. - Shall we show them their new home?
0:23:18 > 0:23:19The turkey paradise.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Another exciting part of the story.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Ah, these are their friends.
0:23:24 > 0:23:25New neighbours.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Just pop them in, yeah?
0:23:27 > 0:23:30It's nice for our customers to engage with the food we sell,
0:23:30 > 0:23:35and so we find it's more of an educational process for them to
0:23:35 > 0:23:38find out about Craig and the way that he rears the birds,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41and, you know, they're a really prime local product -
0:23:41 > 0:23:45one of the great examples of food from Aberdeenshire.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Well, come on in and eat some turkey.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Now you're talking. That sounds good.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53'John and his chef Matt are about to cook up
0:23:53 > 0:23:56'a Bronze turkey feast for me.'
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Throughout December, we tend to run a, sort of, Christmas twist,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- and rather than just your average roasted turkey...- Yeah.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05..the turkey galantine just combines Christmas dinner
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and a simple lunch dish.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10'The galantine is made by rolling turkey breast
0:24:10 > 0:24:12'and stuffing in Serrano ham.'
0:24:12 > 0:24:17- Are you happy, boss?- Turkey galantine - very good job, sir.
0:24:17 > 0:24:22'Served with all the trimmings, including cranberry caviar.'
0:24:22 > 0:24:23Here we go.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Mmm.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31That is fantastic.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34What a tasty end to a really good day,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and what I like about this turkey is I know where it's come from.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40It's slow-grown, it's had a good life and it's been fed on the
0:24:40 > 0:24:42best of Aberdeenshire's crops -
0:24:42 > 0:24:44too good to wait for Christmas.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53MOOING Earlier, we heard how councils are
0:24:53 > 0:24:58selling off county farms for much-needed cash.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00But is there a way to protect their future?
0:25:00 > 0:25:02MOOING Here's Tom.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16There are more than 3,000 council farms in England and Wales,
0:25:16 > 0:25:21and they seem to be fast disappearing from our landscape,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25but in some parts of the country, the story is quite different.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29So, what's the plan right now?
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- So, these cows are all around three weeks old...- Uh-huh.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35..so we're just going to give them their milk for this afternoon.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41'Michael and Laura Trayte are tenant dairy farmers in Staffordshire,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44'and have been on this 80-acre council-owned farm
0:25:44 > 0:25:46'for just over a year.'
0:25:46 > 0:25:48So, you were working on farms before,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50- but now, together, you actually run the place?- Yeah, we've...
0:25:50 > 0:25:54We've worked our way up and now we've finally got our own farm,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56which was always the...always the dream.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Could you have done this if there wasn't the stock of council farms?
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I don't think we'd be able to do it at this point,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06because council farms offer the starter farms,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08which are a lot smaller,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10erm, whereas, other, sort of, estate farms are a lot bigger,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13and we wouldn't have enough cows or enough money
0:26:13 > 0:26:15- to stock the farms to begin with. - MOOING
0:26:15 > 0:26:16It's a pretty essential first run, really?
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Yeah, we believe so,
0:26:18 > 0:26:19and it gives us that experience
0:26:19 > 0:26:22that larger landlords are looking for in the future.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Mike and Laura's approach helped win them
0:26:27 > 0:26:29a national New Entrants Award -
0:26:29 > 0:26:32the third time a Staffordshire tenant farmer
0:26:32 > 0:26:34has won in three years -
0:26:34 > 0:26:37but they're not resting on their laurels.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40It's changed massively since we first...first came.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43The council have put up the new shed,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47and then we've put in the cubicles ourselves.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50What about stock numbers, Laura? What's the plan there?
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Well, we started with 80 when we got here.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54This winter we'll be milking 100,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57and then next year we'll be up to 120.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58Erm, so, then...
0:26:58 > 0:27:02then we'll see what the future holds after that, whether...
0:27:02 > 0:27:03what we do then.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Mike and Laura's farm is contributing to an annual profit
0:27:08 > 0:27:11of £500,000 for Staffordshire Council,
0:27:11 > 0:27:13and rather than selling their farms,
0:27:13 > 0:27:18the council sees them as a valuable long-term investment,
0:27:18 > 0:27:23and the stats agree - 60% of all farmland sold off in the UK
0:27:23 > 0:27:25remains as agricultural land.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30'Mark Winnington is the man responsible for growing
0:27:30 > 0:27:32- 'the council's income.' - MOOING
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Do you think your attitude to council farms here differs
0:27:34 > 0:27:36from some of the others around the country?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Yes, I think at the moment all the councils are looking at their
0:27:39 > 0:27:42social problems and the cost of it and thinking,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44"Let's take the County Farms. Let's have an early Christmas present.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47"Let's actually liquidate the assets."
0:27:47 > 0:27:49In Staffordshire, we do things in a different way.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52We're looking for growth. We're looking for economic opportunities.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55All the assets in the county have got to work really hard,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and one of those assets, for us, is county farms.
0:27:58 > 0:27:59In five years' time,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03when we expect zero money coming from the Government,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07that county farms is part of that annual revenue
0:28:07 > 0:28:09- into the county.- Yeah.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12'Mark believes his farming background gives him
0:28:12 > 0:28:14'a different view from other councils.'
0:28:14 > 0:28:16We can actually say to people,
0:28:16 > 0:28:20"Look, county farms is a part of the rural environment."
0:28:20 > 0:28:22It's an important cog.
0:28:22 > 0:28:23It's training young people,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27making sure that they can feed the nation in the future.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29It's an asset in terms of the environment,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32it's an asset in terms of the animals, and it's an asset
0:28:32 > 0:28:36in terms of the young people that are coming into the industry.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41So, here in Staffordshire, county farms are thriving -
0:28:41 > 0:28:45a very different picture to many other parts of the country.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53At Hartpury College near Gloucester,
0:28:53 > 0:28:57they've been teaching the farmers of the future since the late 1940s.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01That's it. Don't force it. Just let them gently swallow it. That's it.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05But will today's students even get the chance to take on
0:29:05 > 0:29:08a county farm when they leave?
0:29:08 > 0:29:11'David Fursdon is the farmer who chaired the Government's
0:29:11 > 0:29:13'Future of Farming Review,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'which encouraged councils to hang on to them.'
0:29:16 > 0:29:19So, when it came to county farms, what did your review recommend?
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Well, we said first of all that we wanted county estates
0:29:22 > 0:29:26to understand what they'd got and how to make money out of it,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28because we were afraid that, in some cases, they were looking at
0:29:28 > 0:29:30selling them off without looking at
0:29:30 > 0:29:32what income they could get from them.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35There was definitely scope for looking at, and reassuring,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37actually, some of the councillors that take the decisions,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40reassuring them that there were ways of making money
0:29:40 > 0:29:43out of their estates without having to sell them.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45In the end, it will be a tough financial decision.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Is that asset giving a return to the owners who are, in this case,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51the council? If it is, keep them. If it's not, they've got to go.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Or, if they have really got a massive capital need,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56then we're going to struggle.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59So, where does that leave tenant farmers like Steve,
0:29:59 > 0:30:01who I met earlier?
0:30:01 > 0:30:04What would you say to a farmer in their 50s whose farm is being sold?
0:30:04 > 0:30:06It's going to be really tough for them, isn't it?
0:30:06 > 0:30:08And I don't think we have any ready answers for it.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11I mean, there are opportunities on some farms
0:30:11 > 0:30:14to use their experience that they've gained,
0:30:14 > 0:30:18in some form of a managerial role, but it isn't easy for them
0:30:18 > 0:30:21and I feel for them and I think it is a real challenge.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25Clearly there are tough decisions ahead, not only for farmers
0:30:25 > 0:30:29like Steve, but also for councillors up and down the land.
0:30:30 > 0:30:35If you've got a £1 million farm and a £1 million hole in your budget
0:30:35 > 0:30:39for education or social care, it's hard to resist a sale,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42but that is something you can only do once.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46What if the decision was to invest and engage with agriculture?
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Could that deliver longer-term profits
0:30:49 > 0:30:52and a brighter future for farmers?
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Aberdeenshire's north coast is one of breathtaking beauty,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14where unflinching sandstone cliffs are battered by
0:31:14 > 0:31:15the relentless North Sea.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21And small fishing villages cling determinedly to the edge.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25It's also home to a wealth of marine life.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29Nobody knows this better than the fishermen who, for centuries,
0:31:29 > 0:31:31have made a living from these waters.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Less than 100 years ago, this coast would have been heaving
0:31:38 > 0:31:41with fishing boats and bustling with fishermen.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Nowadays, the industry is all but gone.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Few fishing boats work these waters.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52But here in Gardenstown, I'm meeting Iain West,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55who still scours the inshore for lobster, crab and mackerel.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59- Iain!- Hello. How are you?
0:31:59 > 0:32:02- You are a brave man.- It's freezing. - It's brussen, as they say.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Right, tell me about your family.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07How long have you and yours been fishing?
0:32:07 > 0:32:09I've been going out on boats as early as I could walk,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12but I started fishing about maybe ten, or something like that.
0:32:12 > 0:32:13Did you learn everything from your dad?
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Has it always been training on the job?
0:32:15 > 0:32:18My dad and my grandad. Where to put the lobster pots
0:32:18 > 0:32:20and where get the fish in different places like that.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23But I guess you must get all kinds of things kind of ending up
0:32:23 > 0:32:25in your lobster pots that you're not fishing for.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28You're never sure what you're going to get. Every day is different.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32I'm no fish expert, but I know these aren't lobster.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34That's some sea urchins, canniburrs.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Canniburrs!
0:32:36 > 0:32:37Is that a local term, canniburrs?
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Yeah, it's a local name for them.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41And we've got an octopus.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43- An octopus?- In this here.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47- How often do you see octopus? - Not a lot.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50'But when he does, Iain and other fishermen take them
0:32:50 > 0:32:54'to a local aquarium, where they're in big demand.'
0:32:54 > 0:32:58- I hope that aquarium has got a tank with a lid!- I hope so.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01- I think we'd better close the lid, because he...- Before he disappears.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Yeah, he's on the move.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Don't worry, you're going to like it up there.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Iain's octopus is headed for Macduff Marine Aquarium,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10just along the coast,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13which specialises in species native to the Moray Firth.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16But before the octopus can join the other residents,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19it will be placed in quarantine so it can undergo health checks.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22Claire Matthews is the manager here.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24- Claire!- Hey, Helen. How are you doing?
0:33:24 > 0:33:26I have something for you.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Oh, sea urchins? Lovely. Thank you very much.
0:33:29 > 0:33:30- Are these useful?- Absolutely.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34They are brilliant for keeping down any algae that grows in the tanks,
0:33:34 > 0:33:35they are natural munchers.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38They just scrunch away as they go. They're fabulous.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40- We'll put them straight in. - Can I give you a hand?
0:33:40 > 0:33:43- Oh, yes, he's quite spiky. - He's quite hefty.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46- Just drop it in?- He'll be fine.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50He does have a very strong shell, so this is absolutely fine for him.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52- Ohh! Oh!- There he goes. See? Perfect.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Run me through some of the species that you have here.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58A lot of animals that you would possibly be more familiar with
0:33:58 > 0:34:02on your plate, so things like cod and haddock and plaice...
0:34:02 > 0:34:04That's a menu, not a list of fish in an aquarium.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07We are very keen to promote what's in our local environment
0:34:07 > 0:34:09and celebrate our own marine life,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11such as these lovely cuckoo wrasse here,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15which are absolutely beautiful, which may be not so well known.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19There are creatures of every size here, from enchanting anemones
0:34:19 > 0:34:24to sharks and rays, which the aquarium also has a hand in breeding
0:34:24 > 0:34:27and eventually releasing back into the sea.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31Now, though, it is time for something very special.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Have a look at that view!
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Oh! Up here on the roof,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40you really can enjoy what this part of the world has to offer.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Incredible.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44But we're not here to take in the vista.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46We're here because it's feeding time.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49- Claire, you have the all-important fish food.- Absolutely.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52This is lunch for some of our fish in our main tank here.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55We've got a lovely mix today. It's a bit slimy.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57- It's pungent, isn't it? - Yes. Scatter away.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02So, we've got some sea bass piling in.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Some of the cod are looking interested.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08- I know a lot of your fish have got names.- Yes.- Do they have characters?
0:35:08 > 0:35:10You do get personalities.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12For example, there's Jemima in there, the halibut,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15and she is definitely a meanie.
0:35:15 > 0:35:16- Really?- Yeah.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19You know when she's coming for you when it goes dark overhead!
0:35:19 > 0:35:23To make sure that none of the fish miss out, a team of divers go in
0:35:23 > 0:35:26to hand-feed the ones that live at the bottom of the tank.
0:35:26 > 0:35:27This means that the flatfish,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31the turbot and the rays all get their fair share.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35Oh, my word!
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Lauren is literally hand-feeding that fish, isn't she?
0:35:38 > 0:35:41That's Eric. He likes to come over and ride on her hand.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44There's always something to look at.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46They are all native species.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48That is so impressive and, actually,
0:35:48 > 0:35:50if you live here on the Moray Firth,
0:35:50 > 0:35:55this is a way of really appreciating what is literally on your coastline.
0:35:55 > 0:35:56- Definitely.- And look after it.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Yeah, that's really what we're all about here,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02just trying to get the message out about how amazing
0:36:02 > 0:36:04our own marine life is, how diverse it is.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08You hear loads about coral reefs, and ours is just as interesting.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13It's remarkable to see such variety of marine species,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17all of them native to this fabulous stretch of coast.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Now, it's said that nothing is stronger than the bond
0:36:26 > 0:36:28between owner and their dog,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31and this is especially true in the farming community.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34Today, Adam's looking to hone his skills to get the most
0:36:34 > 0:36:36out of these amazing creatures.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45With more than 1,000 sheep and 100 cattle on the farm,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47my sheepdogs are a crucial companion.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50They're out in the fields with me come rain or shine.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54I've got three dogs out just now.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58This is Millie, who's about eight years old. Still works quite well.
0:36:58 > 0:37:03She's an Australian kelpie cross collie, and this is Meg.
0:37:03 > 0:37:04Here, Meg. Meg.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08She's about 11 now. Had a few operations and is really retired.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10She was very good in her day.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12HE WHISTLES
0:37:12 > 0:37:13And this one is Peg.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17She's seven, and by far my top working dog.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20I took her on after her previous owner died suddenly.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27Steve Barry did an amazing job with Peg, and even won trials with her.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32They understood the same language, but I'm still trying to work it out.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33HE WHISTLES
0:37:33 > 0:37:36I've worked hard with her over the last couple of years,
0:37:36 > 0:37:40but feel like I owe it to Steve to get the absolute best out of her.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Good girl.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Good girl.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49Peg, lie down. Lie down. Lie down!
0:37:51 > 0:37:54It's hard work, isn't it? You're a bit tired.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57It's a little bit frustrating because I know Peg worked
0:37:57 > 0:37:59so well for Steve,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02and she's a brilliant little dog. The problem is me.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04I'm not as good as she is,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08so that's why I've got to go and see a man about a dog. Come on, Peg.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10But not just any man.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12When it comes to training collies,
0:38:12 > 0:38:14he's the best in the business.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17- COMMENTATOR:- 'He's going to take it. Wallop.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19'Good job. Good job.'
0:38:21 > 0:38:23England! Well done, Dick.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30A few months ago, Dick Roper, with his dog Will,
0:38:30 > 0:38:32led the England team to victory
0:38:32 > 0:38:35at the One Man And His Dog competition.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39And with 40 years' experience in the game, I'm in safe hands.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42'Before I get down to a masterclass,
0:38:42 > 0:38:46'I'm keen to discover what makes a good working dog...'
0:38:46 > 0:38:48My word, what a bundle of joy!
0:38:48 > 0:38:51'..starting with what to look for in a puppy.'
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- How do you choose a puppy? - They are all different characters.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57As you can see, you've got brave ones, subservient ones.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00I like one that's inquisitive,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03I like one that's intelligent, I like the ones that draw to me,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06because one thing that we can't do, as human beings,
0:39:06 > 0:39:08we can't hide our characters from the dogs.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10We can try and hide our characters from people,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12but you can't hide them from the dog.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14The dog will suss you out like that.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16So, get a dog that likes you,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19because if it doesn't like you to start with, it'll never like you!
0:39:19 > 0:39:20That is the way it is.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22There's a home for every puppy, really,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24because every puppy suits somebody.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Can we see one running round the sheep?
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Yes. I'll tell you what, we'll take Solo,
0:39:28 > 0:39:32because Solo has been before. It could be chaos. It could be chaos.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36First of all, what we have to do is get these in, back in the kennels.
0:39:36 > 0:39:37Come on, boys.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39HE WHISTLES
0:39:39 > 0:39:43'Over the years, Dick has trained more than 100 dogs,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45'all to a very high standard,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48'so, if anyone can help me become a better handler,
0:39:48 > 0:39:49'Dick is the man.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52'He is using Pete, an experienced dog,
0:39:52 > 0:39:55'to gather the sheep and keep them contained.'
0:39:59 > 0:40:00Lie down.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02'Then he's going to let Solo loose
0:40:02 > 0:40:05'with the sheep for only the second time.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08'Dick will try and keep him at the right distance from the flock,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11'aided by a highly technological piece of kit.'
0:40:17 > 0:40:23It is so lovely to see that puppy's natural instinct bursting into life.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26Circling those sheep now.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30ADAM LAUGHS
0:40:30 > 0:40:32He's brilliant.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Good dog. Good boy. Good boy.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40He's got it going one way and now he's stopped it
0:40:40 > 0:40:43and he's turned it back, and it's now circling the other way.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46You have to teach a dog both sides, its left and its right.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51It's interesting now.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54He's just brought the puppy into him, stopped it, and he stroked it
0:40:54 > 0:40:57and told it it's a good dog and now he's let it go again,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00so that every time it comes to him it doesn't think it's going to get
0:41:00 > 0:41:03dragged off the sheep, it's allowed to work again.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05- That was pretty impressive, Dick. - Whew!
0:41:05 > 0:41:08He's got amazing potential, hasn't he?
0:41:08 > 0:41:11- Great potential. A lovely character.- How old?
0:41:11 > 0:41:13- 18 weeks.- Incredible!
0:41:13 > 0:41:16For this young character to go out there, second time to sheep,
0:41:16 > 0:41:19oh, yeah, I'm out of breath, but it is so exciting for me.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21It really is exciting.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29That was brilliant, seeing that puppy being put through its paces.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Good girl, Peg. And Dick's so good with his dogs.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34He really understands their psychology.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36It's almost like he's inside their heads.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39I just hope he can share a bit of his expertise with me,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41and I can get this one going well.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Come on, then, Peg.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48I tell you what, Dick, I'm quite nervous about this.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51As my sheepdog trialling idol, I'm ready for this tirade of abuse
0:41:51 > 0:41:55coming out of your mouth, how useless I am.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57I've seen you work on the television, Adam,
0:41:57 > 0:42:00and there's definitely room for improvement,
0:42:00 > 0:42:01but this isn't Dragons' Den, OK?
0:42:01 > 0:42:03It's a sheepdog trialling lesson.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07- Peg, here. Good girl.- OK. What shall I do? Put her through her paces?
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Yeah, put her through her paces and I'll listen to you
0:42:10 > 0:42:12- and have a chat with you afterwards.- OK.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Away.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18'Firstly, I'm asking Peg to bring the sheep towards me,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21'and then I am showcasing my ability with her...
0:42:21 > 0:42:23'or lack of it, as the case may be.'
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Lie down.
0:42:28 > 0:42:29Peg, lie down.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32I don't know what you think, Dick,
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- but I struggle to stop her a bit at a distance.- I can see why.
0:42:35 > 0:42:36HE WHISTLES
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Lie down. Lie down.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41You're talking to her like you would talk to a lady.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43You're being very gentle with her.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46She's taking your voice commands exceptionally well,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48left and right spot-on, but when she's not stopping,
0:42:48 > 0:42:52you've got to give her a command to stop, which is an order.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54It's not an ask. It is, "You will stop."
0:42:54 > 0:42:56In fact, she's working really well for you.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58But when you come to give the stop command,
0:42:58 > 0:42:59it is exactly the same.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02You give it very, very gently. Instead of giving this...
0:43:02 > 0:43:03HE WHISTLES SHARPLY
0:43:03 > 0:43:05..you should be giving it to her as...
0:43:05 > 0:43:07HE WHISTLES LONG, LOUD DESCENDING NOTE
0:43:07 > 0:43:09- OK?- "STOP!"
0:43:09 > 0:43:10And she just did.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12THEY LAUGH
0:43:12 > 0:43:14Dogs don't understand the words that you say.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17They only understand the tone and the shape of the word,
0:43:17 > 0:43:20so it's like music to them.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24OK? What you've got to do is make the music slightly different.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27You need the note to be higher and sharper.
0:43:27 > 0:43:29Come by.
0:43:35 > 0:43:36HE WHISTLES
0:43:38 > 0:43:39- HE WHISTLES - Lie down!
0:43:44 > 0:43:45Lie down.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48And, Adam, one thing, one thing.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51These hands you use, OK?
0:43:51 > 0:43:53You don't use them for a dog, OK?
0:43:53 > 0:43:55So you don't need to be telling it to lie down.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57- It's always the voice, OK?- OK. - She's doing very well.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00She's not looking at you, she's ignoring you.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04- She's working perfectly without me. - That's right.- I'll sit in the car!
0:44:09 > 0:44:12- HE WHISTLES - And with a couple of pointers...
0:44:12 > 0:44:13Good.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15- ..whistling louder... - HE WHISTLES
0:44:15 > 0:44:19..and with a different tone, I feel like I'm really onto something.
0:44:19 > 0:44:20Come-bye, come-bye!
0:44:20 > 0:44:21THEY LAUGH
0:44:21 > 0:44:24You've put them in your pocket.
0:44:28 > 0:44:30She's absolutely top-class.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33That passion and knowledge that Dick has got
0:44:33 > 0:44:36when it comes to working sheep dogs is just extraordinary.
0:44:36 > 0:44:37And so infectious.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40I totally get it, though.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42My perfect moment, even though it sounds a bit corny,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45is moving a flock of ewes and lambs across a flower meadow
0:44:45 > 0:44:47in the spring with my dog.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49And so I'm really excited about getting home
0:44:49 > 0:44:52and putting into practice some of the tips he has given me,
0:44:52 > 0:44:55and hopefully Peg and I will be an even stronger team.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04Earlier I went on the hunt for the elusive Scottish wildcat,
0:45:04 > 0:45:07one of our most endangered animals.
0:45:07 > 0:45:13The hills and glens of Aberdeenshire are one of its last outposts.
0:45:13 > 0:45:14But their numbers are dwindling
0:45:14 > 0:45:18and the biggest threat to their survival is interbreeding.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24Wildcats have been breeding with feral and stray cats.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26This has been diluting the gene pool,
0:45:26 > 0:45:31resulting in fewer and fewer purebred animals.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34So Scottish Wildcat Action
0:45:34 > 0:45:35is tackling the problem.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39They are trapping feral cats and having them neutered.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Emma Rawling from the group
0:45:41 > 0:45:44is keen to tell me more.
0:45:44 > 0:45:45I know them individually and I'm
0:45:45 > 0:45:48going to make darn sure I get those ones neutered this winter.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50Wow! You are like a feline bounty hunter.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52- SHE LAUGHS - A little bit!
0:45:52 > 0:45:55'Emma is taking me to one of her traps inside an old barn
0:45:55 > 0:45:59'where a number of feral cats have recently been caught.'
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Mind your footing here.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04Mind the old wire.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06A bit of barbed wire.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08We don't want any human neutering going on, do we?
0:46:08 > 0:46:09THEY LAUGH
0:46:09 > 0:46:11Right.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14- (Quiet.)- (OK.)
0:46:14 > 0:46:15(In case there's a cat.)
0:46:17 > 0:46:19(Fingers crossed.)
0:46:22 > 0:46:25It doesn't look like we've been lucky again this morning.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27- No?- Oh, sorry.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30It's a pity because this trap actually caught a cat
0:46:30 > 0:46:31two nights ago.
0:46:31 > 0:46:32Two nights ago?
0:46:32 > 0:46:35Yes, a big female cat that we took off to the local vets
0:46:35 > 0:46:37and had neutered and vaccinated and everything
0:46:37 > 0:46:39and I released here on Wednesday morning.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41And then the vet would knock them out before...
0:46:41 > 0:46:45That's right, so the whole process is designed to be as little in terms
0:46:45 > 0:46:48of actually handling the cat as possible,
0:46:48 > 0:46:50so it's not too stressful for the cat.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52And it's not too dangerous for us, cos feral cats
0:46:52 > 0:46:56can really be very fierce and quite savage when they are cornered.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59Basically, the transfer cage enables the vet to give it an injection,
0:46:59 > 0:47:02make it sedated and sleepy
0:47:02 > 0:47:04before they even handle it.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06Then once it's quiet they can be health-checked, weighed,
0:47:06 > 0:47:08measured, vaccinated,
0:47:08 > 0:47:10wormed and then given the neutering surgery.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12And then popped back in the cage to wake up,
0:47:12 > 0:47:15all without anyone having to get bitten.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20'To tempt the strays, Emma baits the traps with tinned fish
0:47:20 > 0:47:22'and catnip.'
0:47:22 > 0:47:24Someone's eaten some of our bait, though.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26Oh, really? That's good. So...
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Shall we have a look and see who did the deed?
0:47:28 > 0:47:29This could be exciting. SHE LAUGHS
0:47:29 > 0:47:32What should go through this thing, a vole, a little mouse?
0:47:32 > 0:47:33Probably mice, yeah.
0:47:33 > 0:47:35There is one last night,
0:47:35 > 0:47:37and there is a little vole just in the shot there.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41- Where?- Just a little dark shape there.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43Mousey has been in eating
0:47:43 > 0:47:45our bait overnight,
0:47:45 > 0:47:48- which is kind of good, because... - That's a food source for cats.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52..if you think about it it's a food source for the cats, spot on.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56Probably one of the reasons that the cat is attracted to the barn.
0:47:56 > 0:47:57There we go.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06So, nothing today, then?
0:48:06 > 0:48:08No, sadly not.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11You never know, it really is just a matter of luck.
0:48:11 > 0:48:13But we will keep persisting.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16As we know, wildcats are less than a mile from here.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19It's crucial that we get on top of this problem
0:48:19 > 0:48:21and try and minimise the risk to our wild cats.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24For you personally, what do wildcats mean to you?
0:48:24 > 0:48:26I think the wildcat is probably emblematic of everything
0:48:26 > 0:48:29that's special about Scotland. It's elusive,
0:48:29 > 0:48:31it's beautiful.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Incredibly tough.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35And for me personally,
0:48:35 > 0:48:37I'm on a bit of a quest to see if I can play my part
0:48:37 > 0:48:39in saving the species.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41I'm certainly going to give it every last ounce of my effort.
0:48:43 > 0:48:44(Wait!)
0:48:44 > 0:48:47(Did you see that? Get down, get down, get down.)
0:48:47 > 0:48:49(Can you see it just over there?)
0:48:49 > 0:48:50(I'm sure I saw one.)
0:48:50 > 0:48:53(Remember this is an area where the cats are coming up and down.)
0:48:53 > 0:48:55(Let's see if we can get a bit closer.)
0:48:55 > 0:48:57(There it is!)
0:48:57 > 0:48:58Ooh, yes!
0:48:58 > 0:49:01I've got one. Not a cat,
0:49:01 > 0:49:03but the Countryfile calendar.
0:49:03 > 0:49:05Of course! Now, last year,
0:49:05 > 0:49:09this raised over £2 million for Children in Need.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12I'm sure this year we can do even better,
0:49:12 > 0:49:15and here's how you can get yours.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19It cost £9.50, including free UK delivery.
0:49:19 > 0:49:24You can go to our website where you will find a link to the order page.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26Or you can phone the order line on...
0:49:34 > 0:49:36If you prefer to order by post,
0:49:36 > 0:49:39then send your name, address and a cheque to...
0:49:51 > 0:49:54A minimum of £4 from the sale of each calendar
0:49:54 > 0:49:57will be donated to BBC Children in Need.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11I'm on the north coast of Aberdeenshire,
0:50:11 > 0:50:14finding out how locals had been preserving the heritage of this
0:50:14 > 0:50:18coastline and looking after the marine species that live here.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Now, I'm off to meet someone who is preserving life here
0:50:23 > 0:50:26in a very different way.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28Brian Angus is a local artist
0:50:28 > 0:50:31who sketches all along this coast.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33He specialises in lino cuts,
0:50:33 > 0:50:35a bold printing method he uses
0:50:35 > 0:50:37to capture in striking detail
0:50:37 > 0:50:40the places and the people that live here.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43Talk to me about this part of the world, then, Brian,
0:50:43 > 0:50:45because it is beautiful.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48What makes it so good to paint and draw and sketch?
0:50:48 > 0:50:50For me it's the drama of the landscape
0:50:50 > 0:50:52is quite marvellous.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54Combined with the way that people have built their houses
0:50:54 > 0:50:57in the villages into the landscape.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00And it's got that combination of the man-made and the natural
0:51:00 > 0:51:02which is quite engaging for me.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04So it all starts with a sketch?
0:51:04 > 0:51:07Is there another bit around here that we could have a go at?
0:51:07 > 0:51:09I can see you're pretty well on with this one.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11We can go and find a place we can do some sketching,
0:51:11 > 0:51:13or take some photographs, and go from there.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15Can we find something easy for me to sketch?
0:51:15 > 0:51:18- That's what we've got to do, Brian. It needs to be beginners.- OK.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24What are you looking for when you're looking for something to sketch?
0:51:24 > 0:51:27I'm looking for a good compositional shape
0:51:27 > 0:51:30and here we've got the pathway going away from us,
0:51:30 > 0:51:32giving a sense of depth and distance.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35And the way the houses go into the distance, is well.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38It's a nice combination of movement in the space there.
0:51:38 > 0:51:39Brian, I'll do you a deal.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42- I'll take the photos if you do the sketch.- OK.
0:51:42 > 0:51:44You'd like to think I couldn't get this wrong.
0:51:44 > 0:51:45HE GIGGLES
0:51:48 > 0:51:50That's so quick!
0:51:50 > 0:51:53It's cos I'm freezing, that's why.
0:51:53 > 0:51:58'Time, then, to go back to a nice, warm studio, I think.'
0:51:58 > 0:52:01So, is this one of the photos that I took?
0:52:01 > 0:52:03Yep, I just printed out one of these photographs.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05- And we're going to take a section of it...- OK.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07..and what we do is
0:52:07 > 0:52:09put some tracing paper over it
0:52:09 > 0:52:13and we draw the areas we want to include in the picture.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16'The tracing is transferred to a lino print block
0:52:16 > 0:52:19'and we mark which bits to cut away to leave our image.'
0:52:19 > 0:52:23But use that as a support and what we're going to use are these,
0:52:23 > 0:52:26and these are woodcut tools and they all have slightly different shapes.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28That's a little U.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31- I would start with that one. - OK.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33It's like picking a golf club, isn't it?
0:52:33 > 0:52:36Scoop out every bit
0:52:36 > 0:52:38from there, that's right.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41You have to look at it in minute detail, because
0:52:41 > 0:52:45you are not making a big, broad sweep with a brush.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48You're cutting out the fine detail one little cut at a time.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51I guess it makes you think about what is out there
0:52:51 > 0:52:52in terms of the landscape and what
0:52:52 > 0:52:54you can see in a different way, doesn't it?
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Because I'm going to look at those buildings in a different way now.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59'So, with darkness falling,
0:52:59 > 0:53:01'in the interests of speed,
0:53:01 > 0:53:03'I hand it back to the expert.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06'We are doing this simple print in an hour or so,
0:53:06 > 0:53:08' but some of Brian's more detailed images take up
0:53:08 > 0:53:10'to a week of cutting.'
0:53:10 > 0:53:12We get this nice and even on the roller.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15And then your job
0:53:15 > 0:53:17is to cover that over.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21Well, I think that looks really good.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23I don't mean to blow our own trumpet,
0:53:23 > 0:53:25but you're really good at this, Brian.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28'The finished print is transferred to paper
0:53:28 > 0:53:30'using a Victorian book press.'
0:53:30 > 0:53:32Turn that round, nice and tight.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35- How tight?- As far as you can.- OK.
0:53:36 > 0:53:39It's a good core workout, isn't it?
0:53:39 > 0:53:41All right, that's fine.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44I'm nervous but excited.
0:53:46 > 0:53:47Da-da!
0:53:49 > 0:53:52Well, I think that's pretty impressive for an afternoon's work.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54I think you should be very proud of that.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57I don't want to sound arrogant but I am.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01I'm rubbish at art! Everyone laughs at me. See?
0:54:01 > 0:54:04A bit of tracing, a bit of help and look which you can create.
0:54:04 > 0:54:05Brilliant.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09"A bit of help." 99.9% of this was made by Brian.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12'And there it is, a moment preserved in time
0:54:12 > 0:54:15'in this timeless setting.'
0:54:15 > 0:54:18Well, the setting may be timeless, but sadly we are not.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20That's all we've got time for today
0:54:20 > 0:54:24but daylight is running out for Joe, as well.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Yes, and no sighting of the elusive wildcat here today.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30But great to know that every effort is being made
0:54:30 > 0:54:32to save the last of them.
0:54:32 > 0:54:34Next week we are at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland
0:54:34 > 0:54:37where there will be festive cheer aplenty
0:54:37 > 0:54:40as the team get-together for a Countryfile Christmas special.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42We'll see you then.