0:00:28 > 0:00:31Autumn, a season ablaze with colour.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Leaves light up woodlands like fireworks.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44So pull on your walking boots, fill a flask
0:00:44 > 0:00:48and head outdoors to enjoy one of nature's greatest displays.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52I'm in Big Tree Country in Perthshire, where the
0:00:52 > 0:00:54trees are a kaleidoscope of colour
0:00:54 > 0:00:57both day and night.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04John is cooking up a colourful autumnal pud with Nancy Birtwhistle,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06the Bake Off queen who's just surrendered her crown.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Autumn berries, not Mary Berry!
0:01:08 > 0:01:10THEY LAUGH
0:01:10 > 0:01:14And in Gloucestershire, tension mounts as Adam helps out with
0:01:14 > 0:01:16one of the season's most vibrant spectacles...
0:01:16 > 0:01:18STAG BELLOWS
0:01:18 > 0:01:19..the red deer rut.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Right, he's just jumped up, and we just back off.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26We can retreat out of the door. But he's all right, he's stopped now.
0:01:26 > 0:01:27It's a bit nerve-racking!
0:01:30 > 0:01:33'This is a celebration of the season.'
0:01:34 > 0:01:36On today's programme, we are
0:01:36 > 0:01:37going to be drawing from the colours
0:01:37 > 0:01:39of nature's autumn palette, both the
0:01:39 > 0:01:42expected and, as far as this apple is
0:01:42 > 0:01:45concerned, apparently the unexpected.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03'The shifting seasons are nature's timepiece, measuring the slow
0:02:03 > 0:02:07'progress of the Earth's annual journey around the sun.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13'Autumn first takes hold in the north, so I've come to
0:02:13 > 0:02:18'Perthshire in Scotland, the land they call Big Tree Country.'
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Vast tracts of land were given over to forest in the 18th century
0:02:27 > 0:02:31by the Dukes of Atholl, transforming the landscape for posterity
0:02:31 > 0:02:35and for profit. But I'm here for a spot of leaf peeping.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41'Leaf peepers travel the globe in search of autumn's most vibrant
0:02:41 > 0:02:43'hot spots.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46'Top of the leaf-peeping tree are the forests of New England
0:02:46 > 0:02:48'and the maples of Japan.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'And this place, Faskally Woods,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57'is rated as one of the best places in the world to see autumn colour.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01'But Faskally's reputation has a rather unusual history.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09'At the heart of Big Tree Country, Faskally was planted in the 19th
0:03:09 > 0:03:10'century as a model woodland
0:03:10 > 0:03:14'and served as a teaching ground for young foresters.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17'Here they tested new ideas,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'planting a wide array of trees in a small area.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24'The result was a vast range of species,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27'all offering their own autumn colours.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32'Mike Cheesewright was a student here in the 1960s and is showing me
0:03:32 > 0:03:35'around his forest classroom.'
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Tell me about what it was that first brought you here. When was that?
0:03:38 > 0:03:41That was 1961, the Forestry Commission.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46I was working at that time in a forest nursery near Norwich, and I
0:03:46 > 0:03:49got a letter saying, "You're going to Pitlochry, to the forestry school."
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I said, "Where's Pitlochry?!" ELLIE LAUGHS
0:03:52 > 0:03:55So, what were you learning? You were here to learn what?
0:03:55 > 0:03:58About forestry and the management of forests,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02everything from planting the trees to managing them.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05So some of the trees in this wood might have been planted by you!
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Ooh, indeed, yes. Yes.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13Each student was given a tenth-of- an-acre plot to clear the timber that
0:04:13 > 0:04:18was on that plot and then to decide what was going to be planted there.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Why do you think autumn's such a big draw for people here?
0:04:21 > 0:04:22Autumn colours.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28If you go to Canada to look at the autumn colours there,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30it's mile after mile after mile.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Here, every mile is different.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46'Faskally isn't just a feast for the eyes, it's also a working woodland.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50'But all the maintenance is carried out with preservation of autumn
0:04:50 > 0:04:51'colour in mind.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54'Charlie Taylor from Forest Enterprise Scotland is going
0:04:54 > 0:04:55'to tell me how it's done.'
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Why are we cleaning boots when we're going into a muddy forest?
0:04:58 > 0:05:01- You've got very high standards here! - We're starting a campaign
0:05:01 > 0:05:04called Keep it Clean, which is really to try and get all our visitors and
0:05:04 > 0:05:08the folk that work regularly in the forest to clean their boots, clean
0:05:08 > 0:05:12their bike wheels, clean paws of their pets that come in the forest.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16It's really to try and prevent or reduce the spread of disease,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19because we've got some quite serious disease across the country now.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Right, I think we're pretty squeaky. Shall we grab our bits?
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- Grab our gear and grab a saw. Here you go.- Right!
0:05:25 > 0:05:27- And we'll head off down the hill. - All right!
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Right, what's the plan, then?
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Well, in this particular part of the forest, we want to perpetuate
0:05:33 > 0:05:35the larch trees, so what we have to do
0:05:35 > 0:05:38is we thin the trees at all stages.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And the larch, we need to thin them quite early on to space them out.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44So it's a bit like spacing carrots in your garden.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46So you've got ten or so here
0:05:46 > 0:05:48and ultimately you'll end up with just the one?
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Yeah, in the longer term.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- OK, so, time to gear up. - All right, let's cut some trees!
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- How close to the ground? - Give yourself a bit of room.- OK.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02That's it. Yeah, you're off now.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Agh!
0:06:05 > 0:06:09- Done!- So now, looking up...
0:06:10 > 0:06:13- Yeah, this has got loads of room now.- Yeah, that's off and running.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16- And is it just these little ones that you take out?- Well, no.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19We've got to think about the upper canopy,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22create some space for these trees to get up into the light,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24so we have to move some of the big trees, as well.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26CHAINSAW ROARS
0:06:27 > 0:06:29'Time to step things up a gear.'
0:06:40 > 0:06:42There it goes.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45- Timber! - SHE LAUGHS
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- What a thud that makes when it lands!- Yeah, it is fantastic.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53'A valuable crop and a little more headroom for the next
0:06:53 > 0:06:55'generation of larches.'
0:06:55 > 0:06:57CHAINSAW ROARS
0:06:57 > 0:07:02'With continued management, this woodland should provide a riot
0:07:02 > 0:07:05'of colour to delight leaf peepers not just this autumn
0:07:05 > 0:07:07'but for many seasons to come.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Later on, I'll be finding out how these woods get even more
0:07:12 > 0:07:15colourful after the sun goes down.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19But first, Matt is down south, in Kent, where the
0:07:19 > 0:07:22trees are alive with their own colour of autumn.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34'England's orchards are expecting their biggest harvest in more
0:07:34 > 0:07:36'than 20 years.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44'An estimated 160,000 tonnes of apples will be picked this autumn.'
0:07:46 > 0:07:47The success - or not -
0:07:47 > 0:07:50of an apple crop used to lie in the hands of the gods.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53The wrong weather would determine the fate of the harvest.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57But now, as British growers operate in an increasingly competitive
0:07:57 > 0:07:59market, the latest in science
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and technology plays a big part in success, too.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- So, James, here we are, then, what, a month into the harvest?- Yes, yeah.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12How is it looking this year?
0:08:12 > 0:08:14It's looking very good for us at the moment, Matt.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16The yields are very good,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18we've had a wonderful summer that's grown the apples very
0:08:18 > 0:08:22nicely for us and, as you can see, bright and vibrant colour.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27'Jim Simpson is the managing director of Adrian Scripps,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30'one of the country's top apple growers.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33'Their orchards have been designed to produce as much
0:08:33 > 0:08:34'fruit as possible.'
0:08:34 > 0:08:37This is an apple called Kanzi.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39What we're trying to do, like all farmers and growers,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43- is maximise our productivity per hectare.- Mm-hm.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47So we're planting a more intensive orchard with our trees closer
0:08:47 > 0:08:50together so that we get more cropping wood and then more fruit.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52This is known as the trellis technique.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57So, James, why does it work so well as far as productivity's concerned?
0:08:57 > 0:09:02We're trying to harvest sunlight and produce the very best apples
0:09:02 > 0:09:04we can, a consistent quality.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08So, the slightly narrower tree exposes the fruit
0:09:08 > 0:09:10and keeps the fruit out into the sunlight,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13and we can see the effect of that by looking at this apple.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15So, this has sat in the sun...
0:09:15 > 0:09:18and that's been covered by a leaf.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22'Today, half of British-grown apples are produced using this
0:09:22 > 0:09:23'intensive method.'
0:09:25 > 0:09:28So it seems like the old-fashioned orchard with classic apple
0:09:28 > 0:09:33trees is a thing of the past, but to make apple trees grow like this
0:09:33 > 0:09:35takes a lot more than clever pruning.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'Our modern super-orchards were first developed here,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46'at East Malling Research Station in Kent.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51'Set up in 1913 to support local fruit growers, its work
0:09:51 > 0:09:55'was to change the shape and size of orchards round the world.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00'Every last detail of an apple tree was scrutinised to
0:10:00 > 0:10:02'reveal its secrets,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06'including digging underground tunnels to study the trees' roots.'
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- You all right?- Good to meet you. - Is this the original underground lab?
0:10:11 > 0:10:15It is, yes. Yes, and this is where we look at the root growth
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and the root architecture of different fruit trees.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22'Today, Dr Mark Else is following in the footsteps of the pioneering
0:10:22 > 0:10:25'scientists who helped turn the humble apple
0:10:25 > 0:10:27'tree into a high-performance machine.'
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Back in the early days of this place,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33what problems were scientists trying to solve, Mark?
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Problems associated with growing fruit trees,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39so that might have been trying to control the size of the tree,
0:10:39 > 0:10:40trying to get the blossom to set,
0:10:40 > 0:10:44understanding how to prune the trees to get maximum yields.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Pest and disease issues, of course, were still a big problem then.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52'To solve these problems, scientists looked at how using different root
0:10:52 > 0:10:56'systems or rootstocks could control different aspects of a fruit tree.'
0:10:56 > 0:11:00This is the rootstock, with the root system going into the ground.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03This is what's called the scion, the part of the tree that bears fruit.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- Yep.- And you can see here, basically this is the graft union, so this
0:11:06 > 0:11:08is where those two genetically different trees
0:11:08 > 0:11:09were grafted together.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13So we can get a good idea of how controlling this rootstock is
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- by simply taking a walk down here, can't we?- Yes. Yes.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18- Is that fully grown?- Yes, it is.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21This is a very old tree. So, all these trees were planted at the
0:11:21 > 0:11:26same time, and the scion, the apple variety, is the same in each case.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28The only difference is the rootstock.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30So you can see as you go down the row, then,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33there's a very clear difference in terms of tree size and tree vigour.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Absolutely. And when you look at the girth of the actual trunk, as well,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- I mean, yeah, it's different all round.- Yes.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42- And that's the rootstock effect. - Right.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48'East Malling's crowning glory was categorising the M9 or Malling 9,
0:11:48 > 0:11:52'a rootstock ideal for commercial orchards.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56'It was so successful that at one time more than 95% of apples
0:11:56 > 0:11:59'grown in Europe had a direct connection to the M9.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04'Unfortunately, nobody thought to register it.'
0:12:05 > 0:12:06It was a nice idea,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09what this place was doing, purely from creating a beautiful
0:12:09 > 0:12:12apple tree for lots of people to get wonderful apples from,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15but it hasn't been a moneymaker.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18In those days, patenting wasn't considered to be important.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21It was providing a service to the fruit industry.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24And if that was created in today's day and age, I mean,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27how much money would that have generated for this place
0:12:27 > 0:12:29if you had've patented it?
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Combined with the fact that it's a dwarfing rootstock
0:12:31 > 0:12:34and so it also delivers huge savings in labour,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38at today's prices the net additional benefit would be
0:12:38 > 0:12:40around £8.2 billion.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42MATT GASPS
0:12:42 > 0:12:43Wow!
0:12:43 > 0:12:48- That's...! That is some price, isn't it?- Yes. Yes...!
0:12:52 > 0:12:56'It's a mistake that they won't make again.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59'East Malling continue their work to improve rootstocks
0:12:59 > 0:13:03'as well as developing new tastes and aromas,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07'producing and trialling the apples that we'll be eating in the future.'
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Here we have lots of different types of apple that were bred
0:13:11 > 0:13:15probably between 25, 30 years ago, and the idea at that time was
0:13:15 > 0:13:21trying to predict what the consumer would prefer in 20, 30 years' time.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24So there's a lot of genetic variability in these selections.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28- Each tree, each apple has its own different characteristics.- Right.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- And can we just lunge in and just grab one and taste it?- Sure, yeah.
0:13:32 > 0:13:33OK.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39I like that. What's this one called?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Well, because it isn't a commercial variety,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44it doesn't have a name, it just has a number at the moment.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45- OK.- Try this one.
0:13:48 > 0:13:49Mm!
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Oh, it's pink inside! Well, that's a lot more fun.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Try this one.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Oh, my word, that looks like a toffee apple.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00Doesn't it? Look at that, it glints in the sunlight.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Oh, my word! Look at that inside! Mm!
0:14:06 > 0:14:09That is incredibly juicy.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Oh, my word, it's like a cherry crossed with an apple.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16That is absolutely delicious.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18The thing is, that's packed full of antioxidants,
0:14:18 > 0:14:23so in terms of health benefits to consumers, that's a very good apple.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25It could also potentially help to extend the storage life
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- because of these antioxidants in the apple.- Right!
0:14:28 > 0:14:30So that's the purpose of these sort of selections, is to think
0:14:30 > 0:14:33past taste and flavour but also
0:14:33 > 0:14:35the added benefits of that sort of apple.
0:14:35 > 0:14:41If you were the one who created this thing 30 years ago, you've nailed it!
0:14:41 > 0:14:43It's absolutely beautiful!
0:14:45 > 0:14:47'This apple of the future, the Redlove,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51'will hopefully make its way into our fruit bowls early next year.'
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Well, this week's programme is all about autumn colour, but if you would
0:15:01 > 0:15:04like some countryside colour all year round, well,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06why not bag yourself one of these?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Look, the Countryfile calendar for 2016,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10sold in aid of Children in Need,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14with this cheery little fella on the front, Happy Hedgehog.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Our Colours Of The Countryside calendar costs £9.50,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20including free UK delivery.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22You can buy yours either via our website...
0:15:26 > 0:15:28..or by calling the order line.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41To order by post, send your name, address and cheque to:
0:15:53 > 0:15:56A minimum of £4 from the sale of every calendar will go to
0:15:56 > 0:15:57Children in Need.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Now, last year's calendar was a record-breaker,
0:16:00 > 0:16:05raising over £1.5 million, so this year, with your help
0:16:05 > 0:16:08and that of the happy hedgehog, we hope to raise even more.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13'Now, over in Devon, we heard about one rare breed
0:16:13 > 0:16:15'making a colourful mark on the landscape.'
0:16:24 > 0:16:27My favourite colour is probably bluey-grey.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31It runs through the poultry and the sheep now, as well.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34- C'mon! - SHE WHISTLES
0:16:36 > 0:16:39'Colour is important to Gillian Dixon.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43'On the 93-acre farm she runs with her husband Ian, their menagerie
0:16:43 > 0:16:47'of animals comes in many distinct tones, especially the sheep.'
0:16:48 > 0:16:51We're an overgrown smallholding rather than a large commercial
0:16:51 > 0:16:53farm, so we've got the opportunity to experiment with
0:16:53 > 0:16:56different-coloured sheep.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00We started off with Balwen, which are a small Welsh breed.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03We have coloured Ryelands, which are a really attractive,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06stocky little breed, but they've got a very interesting fleece,
0:17:06 > 0:17:10some Zwartbles, which are a Dutch breed, and particularly
0:17:10 > 0:17:14a project that I'm working on at the moment is lavender sheep.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23This is Dilly, named after lavender dilly, and you can see
0:17:23 > 0:17:27the markings that we're striving for to get a nice blaze,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30blue, bluey-grey on the face.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33She's got the characteristic pale grey round the eye.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36And then you can see her fleece is this very unusual colour.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39And if I part it...
0:17:39 > 0:17:41you can see it's sort of more grey at the base.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43There's very few sheep that have a blue face,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45but none of them have this completely
0:17:45 > 0:17:47bluey-grey-coloured fleece.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55'This unusual breed of lavender sheep
0:17:55 > 0:17:58'came about by accident 20 years ago.'
0:17:58 > 0:18:02It was the gene from these unusual lavender Jacobs that
0:18:02 > 0:18:05led to the development of the lavender sheep.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Very rarely, a lavender-coloured Jacob will be born rather than
0:18:08 > 0:18:10a black and white one.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14The Jacob breed society doesn't recognise the lavender Jacobs,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17so the gene's going to be lost, essentially, if that's the case.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20So by using it in developing the lavender sheep, it's
0:18:20 > 0:18:22a way of saving the gene
0:18:22 > 0:18:24and preventing its extinction, essentially.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33'There are fewer than 30 lavender ewes in the country, and with the
0:18:33 > 0:18:35'autumn tupping season upon us,
0:18:35 > 0:18:39'Gillian is looking to secure a future for this colourful breed.'
0:18:39 > 0:18:40Come on, then.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44'Well, we've got some Zwartble ewes running with this lavender ram lamb.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46'He was born in January, February time.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49'He was a twin, so he's not particularly big,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52'so we're kind of hoping that he can actually reach the ewes.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54'But he's definitely showing interest in the ewes.'
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Hopefully he won't need a pedestal!
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Next year, my understanding from the genetics is that all the lambs
0:19:02 > 0:19:04will probably come out black.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Then, if we breed those back to lavender,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09we should get 50-50 lavender and black.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12We would keep the lavenders and go on with those.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15So it's definitely a long-term project.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22'Now, from rare flocks in Devon to unusual crops in Yorkshire.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24'Here's John.'
0:19:27 > 0:19:30'Autumn's harvest - at this time of year,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34'there are colourful crops you expect to see.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36'And some you don't.'
0:19:36 > 0:19:39I'm on the outskirts of Pontefract
0:19:39 > 0:19:42for something of a Countryfile exclusive.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45I'm going to be helping uproot the first commercial
0:19:45 > 0:19:47crop for nearly 50 years
0:19:47 > 0:19:49of liquorice.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55'We know it as the sticky black stuff of childhood sweetshops,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57'but that's not how the story starts.'
0:19:59 > 0:20:02For thousands of years, in various parts of the world,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06liquorice has been used as a medicine, to ease coughs,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09colds and stomach complaints, and it's thought that in the
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Middle Ages, Spanish monks brought
0:20:12 > 0:20:14liquorice plants here to West Yorkshire.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20'They thrived in Pontefract's sandy soil.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25'But it wasn't until the 1750s, when an enterprising chemist added
0:20:25 > 0:20:26'sugar to the crop,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30'that the liquorice confectionery industry was born.'
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Well, when I was a lad, John, all round where the eye can see
0:20:36 > 0:20:41was just liquorice fields, nothing else but liquorice fields.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44'Tom Dixon comes from a long line of liquorice farmers
0:20:44 > 0:20:49'and remembers a time when the famous crops dominated Pontefract.'
0:20:50 > 0:20:53- I mean, it was a huge industry, wasn't it?- Oh, a massive industry.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55At the turn of the century,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58there were 17 factories producing sweets in this town.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00And now there's only two.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02And in the heyday of the liquorice industry,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05just about everybody here would have been employed in it.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Oh, the majority of the girls from the town
0:21:07 > 0:21:10and the surrounding villages was all employed in the liquorice factories.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12All of them.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15We used to call them stampers, liquorice stampers.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16And you could tell a girl,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19when you went out into Pontefract on the night, whether she was
0:21:19 > 0:21:20a stamper, cos they were walking
0:21:20 > 0:21:22round town like this, John.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24- They couldn't ruddy stop! - They couldn't stop stamping!
0:21:24 > 0:21:28No, they were stamping all the time, they were knocking all the time.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31And what about actually harvesting the liquorice?
0:21:31 > 0:21:32That must have been hard work.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Oh, it was hard work, John, because there was no automation.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Everything was done by spades.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42And they had to dig trenches down about six to seven feet.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44It was really back-breaking work.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50'But the industry became a victim of its own success.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53'The crop was labour-intensive and slow to grow,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57'so cheaper imported root began to take over.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59'By the end of the 1960s,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03'the liquorice fields of Pontefract were no more.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07'But after nearly half a century,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11'one farming family is bringing the sweet stuff back again.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18'The Copleys took over this 120-acre farm in 2003,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22'and they decided that, amongst the potatoes and the pumpkins,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26'there was room for some local heritage, 50 liquorice plants.'
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- Heather!- Hi!- Good to see you!
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Now, this is the first time I've ever seen a liquorice plant.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Well, you and most of the population.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- Yes, it is a rather unique plant.- Yeah!
0:22:38 > 0:22:41And why revive it, then, after 50 years?
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Well, the majority of people that can remember it are 80-plus,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46and if we didn't pick it up or somebody pick it up
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and run with it, I do feel the whole history,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51the story and the future of liquorice would be lost.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53So this is living history now.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Yes. Yes, we've revived it,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58and now we'll try and bring it back to Pontefract.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59And, of course, with liquorice,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03- it's not what's above the ground that's important, is it?- No.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05It's what's underneath, the roots.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08And how far would the roots spread from each plant?
0:23:08 > 0:23:13They will go down about four feet and up to 25 feet long.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16You're really starting on a small scale. Can you see it becoming big?
0:23:16 > 0:23:20I can see, if we get the product of designated origin,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- that could be a real turn-up for us. - Like Melton Mowbray pies?
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- You'd have Pontefract liquorice. - Absolutely. That'd be amazing.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29So we really want to put it back on the map.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Well, Heather, I know somebody who would really like to
0:23:33 > 0:23:37- experiment with your liquorice in the kitchen.- That's fantastic.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39- I can't wait to see.- All the best with the harvest.- Thank you!
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Thank you! Bye-bye!
0:23:44 > 0:23:47'Nancy Birtwhistle shot to fame as last year's
0:23:47 > 0:23:49'winner of The Great British Bake Off.'
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- ..Nancy. - CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:23:53 > 0:23:56'As a Yorkshire lass, Nancy knows a bit about liquorice
0:23:56 > 0:23:59'and an awful lot about baking.'
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Nancy, I've brought you some liquorice.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- Did you know it was making a comeback in Yorkshire?- I didn't!
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- And this is the fresh root.- It is, straight from the ground, yeah.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Never seen it like this.
0:24:09 > 0:24:14As I remember it, it was a dried stick, and we used to chew on it.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18- Oh, yes! It lasted all day.- And it lasted all day when you were playing.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20And I think it was a penny a stick.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22I didn't really like the taste of that,
0:24:22 > 0:24:26- because it was very bitter, wasn't it?- I did! I did like it. I did.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32'A few seasonal berries will top our dish,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35'but first to prepare the star of the show.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41'Nancy wastes no time preparing a liquorice reduction using water,
0:24:41 > 0:24:45'star anise and our freshly harvested roots.'
0:24:46 > 0:24:49What we're going to make, what I've got an idea about,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51- is a chocolate tart.- Mm-hm.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54And chocolate and aniseed work very well together,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57and there's absolutely no reason why chocolate
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and liquorice shouldn't work deliciously well together.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Do you want to pour this liquor into that chocolate
0:25:05 > 0:25:07and give it a gentle stir? And I'll do this.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- What, stir as I'm pouring it? - Yeah.- Yeah.- Absolutely perfect.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- So, this could be a big new thing, could it?- Why not?- If it works!
0:25:15 > 0:25:19I mean, we're looking for new flavour combinations all the time, John.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21It's a pity you can't have another go at Bake Off.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Well, I think this would win 'em over!
0:25:24 > 0:25:25JOHN LAUGHS
0:25:28 > 0:25:31'It bakes gently for 50 minutes.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37'And our autumn berries complement the chocolate tart flavoured
0:25:37 > 0:25:42'with the oldest newcomer in town, Pontefract liquorice.'
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- Well!- Here you go, then, John. - Time for the taste test.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Time for the taste test.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- Let me cut you a slice. - Ooh, yes. Now...
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Mm!
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Yes, I can definitely taste the liquorice.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01- You need a good dollop of it, don't you, into the chocolate?- Mm.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I think you're on to a winner, Nancy.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07A Hollywood handshake!
0:26:07 > 0:26:09And if you'd like to try this at home, well,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Nancy's recipe is on our website.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19- A bit more, I think. Don't you? - NANCY LAUGHS
0:26:26 > 0:26:29'I'm in Faskally Woods in Perthshire...
0:26:30 > 0:26:34'..exploring one of the best places in the UK to see autumn colour.'
0:26:37 > 0:26:41With a fresh nip in the air and the sun low in the sky, it is
0:26:41 > 0:26:45undeniably autumn. But what is it that makes this season so colourful?
0:26:54 > 0:26:57'BBC weatherman John Hammond is on hand to shed
0:26:57 > 0:27:00'a bit of light on nature's blazing display.'
0:27:02 > 0:27:04- All right, John?- Hello, Ellie!
0:27:04 > 0:27:06- Welcome to my secret scientific cinema.- Ooh!
0:27:06 > 0:27:09- What time does the movie start? - Tickets, please! No, it's free.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14Fantastic. So, you're going to tell me why autumn is so colourful.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Hopefully, yes. Now, let me ask you a question.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21What do eggs, aubergines and flamingos have in common?
0:27:21 > 0:27:22You've got me on that one.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24They're all things we use to forecast the weather.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27No, only kidding. We use seaweed, of course.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32They all contain the same pigments that we see in autumn leaves.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36So, for example, yellow leaves, they contain xanthophyll,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40and it's xanthophyll that you get in egg yolk.
0:27:40 > 0:27:46- A-ha!- OK? Orange leaves, well, they contain...- This one?- ..carotene.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50But, actually, flamingos, though they're pink, contain carotene,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52because flamingos eat shrimps,
0:27:52 > 0:27:57and it's the carotene within shrimps which contains the orange pigment.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59And last but not least, the aubergines.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Now, that contains anthocyanin, and so does red cabbage, for example, and
0:28:03 > 0:28:08- it's the anthocyanin in the red leaves that you get in autumn.- A-ha!
0:28:08 > 0:28:11It's the proportion of all these different pigments which determine
0:28:11 > 0:28:14what colour the leaves are for the various species in autumn.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18- So, how do we end up seeing these colours in the leaves?- Ah. OK.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Well, let me show you using my little projector here.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25Now, normally, of course, leaves are what colour?
0:28:25 > 0:28:26Green!
0:28:26 > 0:28:31Green, yes, and it's the green, which is chlorophyll, which helps to
0:28:31 > 0:28:34photosynthesise the energy coming from the sunshine, and that's what
0:28:34 > 0:28:38charges the tree through the year and energises it and allows it to grow.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40But actually, what you might not know
0:28:40 > 0:28:43is that hidden beneath the chlorophyll are
0:28:43 > 0:28:47the yellows and the oranges, and what happens later on in the summer
0:28:47 > 0:28:49is that the sunshine tends to kill off the chlorophyll as the days
0:28:49 > 0:28:53get shorter and it reveals those yellows and oranges,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56hence the beautiful autumn colours you get in September and October.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58What about the reds that we see?
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Ah! Now, something rather different happens here.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04We tend to get sugars building up in the leaves,
0:29:04 > 0:29:08and those sugars are converted to anthocyanin,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11and it's the anthocyanin which produces the beautiful
0:29:11 > 0:29:14reds of the maple and the Virginia creeper, for example.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16You're the weatherman, so you can tell me -
0:29:16 > 0:29:19how does the weather relate to the show that we get?
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Well, of course, through the spring and summer,
0:29:21 > 0:29:25what we need is moisture to provide the nutrients for those trees,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28so ideally a wet late spring, early summer.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30But then, later on in the summer,
0:29:30 > 0:29:32what we really need is lots of sunshine.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35That actually helps to kill off the chlorophyll
0:29:35 > 0:29:38and reveal the yellows and the oranges.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Warm days, cool nights through the autumn are ideal, and that allows
0:29:41 > 0:29:45also the sugars to build up in the leaves to produce those red
0:29:45 > 0:29:49- pigments, as well.- And how has it been here, where we are now?
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Well, actually, here in Perthshire, I would say we are in position A.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55It's been ideal through the year.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Other parts of the country, we've had a lot of variety,
0:29:58 > 0:30:02but there's been no disaster, no prolonged drought, no sharp frost.
0:30:02 > 0:30:03So wherever you are, I think
0:30:03 > 0:30:05- the display will be pretty good this autumn.- Nice!
0:30:05 > 0:30:08- And we're in the sweet spot right now.- We really are.- Thank you, John.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10Have your aubergines, make yourself a moussaka.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- Hope you enjoyed the show. - I did, thank you!
0:30:20 > 0:30:22We'd love to see the autumn colours that you've
0:30:22 > 0:30:24captured from your part of the
0:30:24 > 0:30:25world, so tweet us your photos.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Or send them in via our website...
0:30:40 > 0:30:45'From crimson red and buttery gold to deep racing greens,
0:30:45 > 0:30:49'the landscape of East Sussex is awash with autumn colour.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55'And it's an abundant time of year for those who know
0:30:55 > 0:31:00'the secrets of harvesting the full spectrum of woodland treasures.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03'The natural world is full of so many mysteries and secrets,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05'and some of that, really,
0:31:05 > 0:31:09'is revealed in our chemical processes of working with colour.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14'As a forager, Fergus Drennan explores the landscape to make
0:31:14 > 0:31:16'the most of wild resources.
0:31:19 > 0:31:20'For the past two years,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23'he's worked together with artist James Woods to produce
0:31:23 > 0:31:26'a one-off book, a wild-food guide
0:31:26 > 0:31:29'made entirely from foraged materials.'
0:31:29 > 0:31:31At the start of the book,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34the initial content's about how to make materials, so how to make a
0:31:34 > 0:31:35book, which is kind of ironic,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38how to make a book from a book made by hand.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43'And to make pages for a book about foraging, you need mushrooms.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46'Yes, that's right, mushrooms!'
0:31:46 > 0:31:48When you're making paper with mushrooms,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51it's such a kind of spontaneous exploration.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53There aren't that kind of baggage of rules to work with.
0:31:53 > 0:31:54It's really like playing,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57but playing outside as, you know, we've done for millennia,
0:31:57 > 0:32:01and that's when I think you really learn and you really connect
0:32:01 > 0:32:04with a place, because you're enjoying it, you're having fun.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07- I'll let you know if it hurts!- OK. - JAMES LAUGHS
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Get nearer the tree, if you can.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14'You can actually use fungi for making paints, for dyeing wool,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17'for getting a whole range of natural colours.'
0:32:17 > 0:32:19- FERGUS STRAINS - Got it!
0:32:21 > 0:32:24'When foraging, it is important to always ask the landowner's
0:32:24 > 0:32:27'permission and respect the Countryside Code.'
0:32:27 > 0:32:29You know, there's the law on foraging
0:32:29 > 0:32:31and how much you can take or whatever,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34but, you know, very often, something like that is just so pretty,
0:32:34 > 0:32:37it's so beautiful, that you just want to admire it and just leave it.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39So although we're going to leave this mushroom here,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41with this one you can make a yellow dye.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45If you mix that with rusted iron, you can turn it into a green dye.
0:32:45 > 0:32:46So you could illustrate this beautiful
0:32:46 > 0:32:50picture of a mushroom here with the colour of the mushroom itself,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53so using the mushroom itself to paint the mushroom.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55- On a piece of mushroom! - LAUGHS
0:33:04 > 0:33:06'Different times of year give you different colours within
0:33:06 > 0:33:08'the same range of mushrooms.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15'You could look into mixing pulps together, so you can mix a white
0:33:15 > 0:33:17'pulp with a brown pulp,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21'and in theory there's an unlimited amount of papers you could get.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25'Once the paper's been made,
0:33:25 > 0:33:27'it's time to transform plant extracts
0:33:27 > 0:33:30'into paint, pigments and dyes.'
0:33:30 > 0:33:33One of the interesting things about wood sorrel,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36apart from the fact it makes a wonderful salad ingredient,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39it's the oxalic acid in there which gives it its flavour.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41But from a kind of artistic point of view,
0:33:41 > 0:33:45when you're working with colours extracted from berries or things,
0:33:45 > 0:33:48if you add acid you can get a whole different range of colours.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Usually, you'd think autumn colours would be your oranges and your
0:33:55 > 0:33:58browns, but realistically, when it comes to dyeing
0:33:58 > 0:34:01and paint making, the colours you can get are really vibrant.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03You can get blues, pinks, reds.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Dried and powdered nettle leaf.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Blood-red webcap mushroom.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Dandelion flowers.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Weld leaves and flowers.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17Sea buckthorn berries.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19Red clay.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28My mission in life is to just find really playful,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31wonderful ways to connect and value the natural world,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34and working with colours as well as forest food is just one really
0:34:34 > 0:34:37fantastic way to do that.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52'There is one colourful event in nature's calendar that's
0:34:52 > 0:34:54'a true autumn spectacle.'
0:34:56 > 0:34:58BELLOWS
0:34:58 > 0:35:04'Deep in the woodlands, tensions and testosterone levels are rising.'
0:35:04 > 0:35:06BELLOWS
0:35:06 > 0:35:10'It's rutting season, and Adam's helping out at a deer farm in the
0:35:10 > 0:35:12'Cotswolds, where the stags are
0:35:12 > 0:35:14'about to have the shock of their lives.'
0:35:20 > 0:35:23'I've been a farmer my whole life, and I've worked with some
0:35:23 > 0:35:28'pretty dangerous animals, but today's a first for me.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31'Deer are one of the least domesticated livestock,
0:35:31 > 0:35:35'and generally they need little looking after, which is great...
0:35:35 > 0:35:37'until they need handling.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41'At this time of year, the stags are fuelled with aggression,
0:35:41 > 0:35:46'and for our safety and theirs we plan to remove their antlers.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49'Something tells me this isn't going to be easy.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54'Richard Ward manages this herd and is on hand to tell me more.'
0:35:54 > 0:35:56- So, an exciting day today.- It is.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Today is the beginning of the rut as far as we're concerned,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01and especially as regards the stags are concerned.
0:36:01 > 0:36:02The rut being the time
0:36:02 > 0:36:06- when the stags go in and start mating with the hinds.- Exactly.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09And so what's the process, then, to get him in with his ladies?
0:36:09 > 0:36:12We need to remove his antlers before he can go in with his ladies.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17The reason is that he's going to have 30 ladies to cope with but he knows
0:36:17 > 0:36:20that his next-door neighbour's got another 30 to cope with,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and although he's got his 30, he'd far rather be with the other 30.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26ADAM LAUGHS So it's best to remove his antlers.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28Secondly, we have one or two footpaths that run through
0:36:28 > 0:36:30the deer paddocks.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33- That's another reason why we need to remove his antlers.- Yeah.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37- Bambi is a home-bred, reared-in-my-garden stag!- "Bambi"?
0:36:37 > 0:36:40He's very, very friendly,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43which is why he is allowing us to get quite close to him today.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Normally, any other time of the year,
0:36:45 > 0:36:49we could go up and cuddle him and he would be fine, but today he's got
0:36:49 > 0:36:53other things on his mind, and thus we need to be a little bit careful.
0:36:53 > 0:36:57So we're going to administer something that will knock him
0:36:57 > 0:36:59out and allow us to remove his antlers.
0:36:59 > 0:37:04While that's taking place, we'll make sure he's fit for purpose.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07Once we've removed his antlers, we'll put him in the back
0:37:07 > 0:37:11of a trailer behind the quad bike and take him to his respective wives.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16- Oh, there we go. So, that's gone in now, has it?- Yeah.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20So now we wait a few minutes for the drugs to take effect,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23and eventually he will just go to sleep.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28'Just ten minutes later, with a little bit of persuasion,
0:37:28 > 0:37:29'Bambi nods off.'
0:37:30 > 0:37:34- That's it.- That's it.- Perfect.
0:37:34 > 0:37:35Just putting a towel over his eye
0:37:35 > 0:37:39so that he doesn't get any of the shavings in his eye.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43- So no blood or nerves in the antler?- No, no.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Antler's the fastest-growing bone material we know of.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51- I mean, look there. Nothing at all.- No.- OK?
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Right, let's try and do the other side.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56- That's a serious antler, isn't it? - Do you want his head the other way?
0:37:56 > 0:38:00- Indeed.- Let him down. - Oh, he's standing up.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02'For a moment, I thought he was waking up,
0:38:02 > 0:38:07'but in no time he settles back down and the second antler is removed.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11'And believe it or not, this is just 12 months' growth.'
0:38:11 > 0:38:13That's quite a weight there. Incredible.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17'Growing up to an inch a day during peak season,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20'cutting the antlers back is an annual task.'
0:38:20 > 0:38:21So he's ready to go, is he?
0:38:21 > 0:38:26He is. Let's get him loaded on the trailer and take him to his wives.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28- C'mon, fella.- OK?
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- Watch that. OK?- OK.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38- How heavy is he? - He's about 200, 250 kilos.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41- It's a fair weight, a quarter of a tonne.- Yeah.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49'A short trip to a neighbouring field,
0:38:49 > 0:38:52'where Bambi will soon have the pick of the ladies.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55'The antidote is administered,
0:38:55 > 0:38:57'and immediately he starts to come round.'
0:38:59 > 0:39:00OK.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04So, his hinds are waiting for him just over there.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07He'll wake up fairly quickly now.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09And either they will come to him or he will go to them,
0:39:09 > 0:39:10but it won't take long.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Quite exciting. More exciting for him or you?
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Erm, I think probably for him. ADAM LAUGHS
0:39:17 > 0:39:19Well, it's a very quick process.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21I thought it would be more stressful than it is, actually.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23No, very stress-free.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27He knows that he has to go through this before he's allowed to be
0:39:27 > 0:39:30- with his ladies, so he's quite used to it.- Yeah.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35'That was relatively straightforward,
0:39:35 > 0:39:36'but I've been told the next
0:39:36 > 0:39:40'stag could be a bit of a handful, so we need to keep our distance.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44'And that's why we need Dave with his dart gun.'
0:39:44 > 0:39:48So, the deer are now in this handling system, but they need to be
0:39:48 > 0:39:54darted, so Dave is going to shoot the dart into the deer, hopefully.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56So, where do you aim at, Dave?
0:39:56 > 0:40:00I'm going to aim for the top of the front shoulder towards
0:40:00 > 0:40:03the neck there. As long as it goes into a muscle.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10SHOT
0:40:17 > 0:40:21Well, it was a good shot, Dave. He didn't even flinch when it went in.
0:40:21 > 0:40:22No. No, he didn't. Every animal
0:40:22 > 0:40:25reacts differently to the darting situation.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28He looks fairly wound up there, actually, doesn't he?
0:40:28 > 0:40:30He's very, very wound up, I think,
0:40:30 > 0:40:34through being brought into this small enclosure.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36- He's full of adrenaline.- Yeah. Yeah.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39- What a handsome-looking fella, isn't he?- He is, isn't he?
0:40:42 > 0:40:44'We wait and wait.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49'But this stag is determined to fight the drugs.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51'It's a good 15 minutes before he succumbs.'
0:40:52 > 0:40:55So, this stag has now gone down, but there's a chance
0:40:55 > 0:40:59he might jump back up again, so we're just hanging back a bit.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02OK.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Dart's nice and clean.
0:41:04 > 0:41:05OK...
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Look out. Look out. Just retreat.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Give him a few more minutes.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22So, the stag has jumped back up on his feet
0:41:22 > 0:41:27and needs a bit of a top-up, so Dave's just going to lance him with
0:41:27 > 0:41:33this now just to give him a little bit more drug to make him sleepy.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35Here we are, Dave.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Right, he's just jumped up. I'll just back off.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47We can retreat out of the door, but he's all right, he's stopped now.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51A bit nerve-racking!
0:41:53 > 0:41:56'Thankfully, the second dose starts
0:41:56 > 0:41:58'to take effect in a matter of minutes.'
0:41:58 > 0:42:00Come on, fella, lie down, and you'll
0:42:00 > 0:42:02wake up amongst some beautiful hinds.
0:42:05 > 0:42:10So, the team are now moving in just to make sure he's fully asleep
0:42:10 > 0:42:13and to remove his antlers.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19- That's what we want, a nice, clean cut, no jagged edges.- Yeah.- Perfect!
0:42:22 > 0:42:23'The guys work incredibly quickly,
0:42:23 > 0:42:27'and in no time at all both antlers are removed.'
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Good.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31Although people might think this looks cruel,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34the animal has been darted with a sedative and is just asleep.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38Cutting off antlers doesn't hurt. It's like clipping your toenails.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41And it's essential that it's done so that the deer don't
0:42:41 > 0:42:44hurt each other or hurt the people working with them.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47And this happens on deer farms all over the country.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54'The stag is now ready to be taken to his ladies.'
0:42:54 > 0:42:58- That's the wormer, is it?- No, that's the antidote. That's the revival.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Oh, that's the revival! That's the antidote.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05'With the antidote already given, there's no time to hang around.'
0:43:05 > 0:43:07He's almost too long for the trailer!
0:43:25 > 0:43:26- Right.- Good. Let him be.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30- There's a good boy. - He'll be up in a minute. There we go!
0:43:32 > 0:43:34- Well, he was up quick, Richard. - He was.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38He knows what he's here for, and that'll help wake him up, no doubt!
0:43:38 > 0:43:39ADAM LAUGHS
0:43:39 > 0:43:44- And how long does the rut go on for? - Towards the end of November.- Yeah.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46Otherwise, the calves will be born too late
0:43:46 > 0:43:49and won't have much of a chance of surviving the following winter.
0:43:49 > 0:43:50OK.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53'We're going to give this chap a bit of space to recover.
0:43:53 > 0:43:58'And we'll see how Bambi, the first and friendlier stag, is getting on.'
0:43:58 > 0:44:00BELLOWS
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Bambi's woken up. Looking for his wives already.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09And all this roaring, is that to sort of warn off other stags?
0:44:09 > 0:44:13No, that's to let all his hinds know that he's about
0:44:13 > 0:44:15and he's ready for them. ADAM LAUGHS
0:44:15 > 0:44:16"I'm here and present"!
0:44:16 > 0:44:19What better autumn statement could you have than
0:44:19 > 0:44:21a stag at the beginning of the rut?
0:44:22 > 0:44:24BELLOWS
0:44:36 > 0:44:40'I'm in Kent, looking at the changing face of England's orchards.'
0:44:43 > 0:44:47Modern science has breathed life into the roots of these bursting
0:44:47 > 0:44:50orchards, and here on this farm, the latest technology
0:44:50 > 0:44:55is ensuring that the perfect apple makes its way into your fruit bowl.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57MUSIC: The Robots by the Balanescu Quartet
0:45:00 > 0:45:05'The fruit harvested here is still hand-picked the old-fashioned way.'
0:45:05 > 0:45:07These apples were picked this morning.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09These were in the orchard two or three hours ago
0:45:09 > 0:45:11and now they're in our cold store.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15'But the machinery used to store the apples is far from traditional.'
0:45:15 > 0:45:18- This is the very latest, state-of-the-art technology.- Right.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22So, what we're doing here is we're storing apples at five and one,
0:45:22 > 0:45:28so 5% CO2, 1% oxygen, and we bring the gas regime down.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30The apple will become stressed at some point,
0:45:30 > 0:45:34the colour of the skin will change. You and I won't see it, Matt.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37We just won't physically be able to see it, but that sensor will see it.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39- Yeah.- When the fruit is stressed,
0:45:39 > 0:45:43we just back the regime off a little bit so the apple's comfortable.
0:45:43 > 0:45:44- I see.- They're fast asleep.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46So, the stressed state, then,
0:45:46 > 0:45:49is that what prolongs how long you can store it for?
0:45:49 > 0:45:51It prolongs how long we can store it for.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55Now, obviously, apples only grow at a certain time, so this really
0:45:55 > 0:45:58is the key to the business, isn't it, how long you can store them for?
0:45:58 > 0:45:59This is absolutely the key.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Consumers want to eat apples 12 months of the year.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05We can grow them and harvest them.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08If we can extend the storage life with these processes,
0:46:08 > 0:46:11then we can deliver them 12 months of the year to the consumer.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19'This equipment ensures the apples are kept in perfect
0:46:19 > 0:46:21'condition for a long winter nap.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24'Once they reach the pack house, yet more gadgetry sifts,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27'sorts and scrutinises the fruits.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47'These are the most advanced fruit-grading
0:46:47 > 0:46:50'machines in the country.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54'The level of detail this technology is capable of is just extraordinary.'
0:47:06 > 0:47:09Well, this is mightily impressive, for starters,
0:47:09 > 0:47:13but just talk us through what's happening here, James.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16What we've got here is a robot that scans the bin when it arrives
0:47:16 > 0:47:20so it knows the size of the bin, and then it's filling this
0:47:20 > 0:47:22flotation tank to move the apples forward
0:47:22 > 0:47:25and on to the sorting process.
0:47:25 > 0:47:27MATT LAUGHS
0:47:27 > 0:47:30It's the ultimate kind of apple bobbing tray, this!
0:47:30 > 0:47:31Yeah.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33And then on this first sorting table,
0:47:33 > 0:47:36this is the only part of the process that has a human element.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39I was going to say, there's a human, for goodness' sake! There's a human!
0:47:39 > 0:47:43She's just making sure that every leaf is removed.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46And then we're flowing into what we call our "first clean tank".
0:47:55 > 0:47:58What we're trying to do with this section of the machine is
0:47:58 > 0:48:00to separate the fruit out
0:48:00 > 0:48:03so that we can look at each individual apple before we move
0:48:03 > 0:48:08under these brushes and then through and under the cameras.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11- Under the cameras?- Under the cameras. - Right, lead the way!
0:48:11 > 0:48:15- So, is this the camera? - Absolutely.- Wow.
0:48:15 > 0:48:20- And under this piece of equipment, we're shining infrared light.- Right.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23We monitor the wavelength in and we measure the wavelength
0:48:23 > 0:48:25out of the apple and the difference.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29We can then tell you whether that apple is good inside
0:48:29 > 0:48:32or whether it's rotten inside or discoloured
0:48:32 > 0:48:35so we can take those apples out of the system altogether.
0:48:35 > 0:48:36Goodness me!
0:48:36 > 0:48:39Then we have to look at the external quality of the apple,
0:48:39 > 0:48:41the size and the shape and the colour,
0:48:41 > 0:48:44as well as any marks or any blemishes that are on the fruit.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47And that's being done in this machine here.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50Under here we have cameras taking between 16
0:48:50 > 0:48:57- and 20 pictures of every apple... - At that speed?!- ..per second,
0:48:57 > 0:49:0120 pictures per second of each individual apple.
0:49:01 > 0:49:04We can then decide whether that's a class one or a class two apple,
0:49:04 > 0:49:07- and we can see that on the screen. - I've just caught a glimpse of that.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10So, is this a line of apples or is this one apple?
0:49:10 > 0:49:14This is one apple. And you can see the marks on those apples have been
0:49:14 > 0:49:16identified by the software.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20- And so it goes into a certain pack or grade.- I see.
0:49:20 > 0:49:21And just a reminder, then,
0:49:21 > 0:49:24how many apples are actually coming from the orchards out there?
0:49:24 > 0:49:29Well, we'll bring 120 to 130 million apples into this facility
0:49:29 > 0:49:31and run them over this machine.
0:49:31 > 0:49:33- It's mind-blowing, isn't it?- It's...
0:49:33 > 0:49:36Yes, it takes a little while to get your head around it.
0:49:44 > 0:49:48I mean, when you look down, you just see how uniform they are, don't you?
0:49:48 > 0:49:52Yeah, very much, and here we've got one that we've taken out.
0:49:52 > 0:49:57There's not enough colour on that fruit for any of our customer packs.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00But are you making a rod for your own back here
0:50:00 > 0:50:03from a consumer's perspective? I mean, I like a characterful apple.
0:50:03 > 0:50:06- I don't mind that my apples aren't uniform.- Absolutely.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09But, you know, if consumers get used to getting a pack of six apples
0:50:09 > 0:50:12and every single one looks the same, are you creating an issue there
0:50:12 > 0:50:15when things aren't quite right?
0:50:15 > 0:50:20From our perspective, we can grow a really good-quality apple.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22And a good-quality apple, graded uniformly,
0:50:22 > 0:50:25like we're doing here, makes our whole process quicker,
0:50:25 > 0:50:29more efficient, so we can deliver to the consumer at a much more
0:50:29 > 0:50:31economic price, let's say.
0:50:33 > 0:50:36I think this is the most impressive robotics
0:50:36 > 0:50:39and technology that I've ever seen in agriculture.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42It's right at the forefront. This is cutting-edge.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15'With the arrival of autumn, nature opens her treasure
0:51:15 > 0:51:19'chest of colour, festooning the landscape in gold and ruby hues.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27'I'm in Faskally Woods in the heart of Perthshire's Big Tree Country,
0:51:27 > 0:51:29'a place that's world-famous
0:51:29 > 0:51:31'for the beauty of the turning leaves.'
0:51:36 > 0:51:40As if nature's fireworks weren't dramatic enough on their own,
0:51:40 > 0:51:45these woods play host to a seasonal event that's even more spectacular.
0:51:46 > 0:51:50By night, Faskally is transformed into an enchanted forest,
0:51:50 > 0:51:54the trees surrounding its loch illuminated by displays
0:51:54 > 0:51:57of coloured lights, all set to music.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05'Karen is one of the trustees.'
0:52:05 > 0:52:06Last-minute preparations?
0:52:06 > 0:52:10- Absolutely, yes.- So, how long has it taken to get to this stage, then?
0:52:10 > 0:52:13We've been preparing since the day it finished last year, to be honest.
0:52:13 > 0:52:14What's the idea behind it all?
0:52:14 > 0:52:17It was originally to get people out of the cities
0:52:17 > 0:52:19and towns into the forest.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22We had about 2,000 people, I think it was, in 2002,
0:52:22 > 0:52:24and this year we're expecting over 55,000.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27Wouldn't this work at any time of year? Why do you do it in autumn?
0:52:27 > 0:52:31The leaves look so much better, the colours look better in the autumn.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33- I can't wait for it to get dark now! - KAREN LAUGHS
0:52:36 > 0:52:38'The paler leaves create a better
0:52:38 > 0:52:41'canvas for reflecting the light show.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44'But before it gets dark, I'm heading out onto the loch to check
0:52:44 > 0:52:47'one of the centrepieces for tonight's display.'
0:52:47 > 0:52:49Ahhh! A rowing boat!
0:52:50 > 0:52:52How charming!
0:52:52 > 0:52:53- Hello!- Hello.
0:52:53 > 0:52:55'Dave is the man with the oars.'
0:53:06 > 0:53:09OK, this is Ellie. We are ready for you to give it a try.
0:53:10 > 0:53:12Ooh!
0:53:12 > 0:53:14Hey!
0:53:14 > 0:53:17It's definitely working! It looks amazing!
0:53:19 > 0:53:21Look at that!
0:53:21 > 0:53:23- SHE LAUGHS DELIGHTEDLY - That looks awesome.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29That really does look good.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38'With the fountains in good working order,
0:53:38 > 0:53:41'it's back to dry land for me to prepare for the big switch-on.'
0:53:43 > 0:53:46Look, I've been allowed backstage.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49This is the nerve centre for the whole operation.
0:53:49 > 0:53:50The generator's whirring away,
0:53:50 > 0:53:54creating enough power for more than 700 lights.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57And although it's still daylight, this is when the lights go on,
0:53:57 > 0:53:59to have them warmed up and ready for the big show.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02And guess who's been invited for the switch-on!
0:54:02 > 0:54:05Ah, I was expecting a big, red button! Where do I press?
0:54:05 > 0:54:08You just do a single mouse click on that big Go button there.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10OK, ready, steady, three, two, one...
0:54:10 > 0:54:13MUSIC: The Gospel Of John Hurt by Alt-J
0:54:21 > 0:54:24'As darkness falls, the Enchanted Forest works its magic
0:54:24 > 0:54:28'and transforms these woods into another world.'
0:54:52 > 0:54:55Well, I certainly didn't think that natural autumn colour could be
0:54:55 > 0:54:58improved upon, but this is something quite remarkable.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00It's so atmospheric
0:55:00 > 0:55:04and a great way to end our celebration of autumn colour.
0:55:04 > 0:55:05Join us next week, when we'll be
0:55:05 > 0:55:07exploring North Wales.
0:55:07 > 0:55:08See you then. Bye-bye.