0:00:47 > 0:00:50The tranquil parkland of an historic estate,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53deep in the Warwickshire countryside.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00This picturesque house, with its sweeping grounds,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04belongs to one of our oldest aristocratic families.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10We're at Ragley Hall, the home of Lord and Lady Hertford,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12to get a Christmas party started.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15And what better way to experience a true country Christmas
0:01:15 > 0:01:16than at a stately home?
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I bet they know how to throw a good party here.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Yeah, but before we can start letting our hair down, Jules,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24there's so many things to get sorted. So let's just keep focused.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Yeah, you're right. Will you get my dress out of the car
0:01:27 > 0:01:30when we've done this? And then I need to do my hair.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34# Joy to the world... #
0:01:34 > 0:01:36I'll be at the party as well,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39hoping that these tuneful gentlemen will let me join them
0:01:39 > 0:01:42when they sing for their supper at the Hall later on.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44But first of all, unlike them,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47I'm going to have to learn how to sing in tune.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And what would Christmas be without garlands?
0:01:52 > 0:01:54I'll be searching Ragley's gardens
0:01:54 > 0:01:56for some suitable greenery
0:01:56 > 0:01:58and learning how to deck the halls.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04At Ragley Hall's festive shoot, Tom's following the guns.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07100 years ago, there would have been shooting parties like this
0:02:07 > 0:02:09right across Britain. But since then,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13many of our country estates have gone into an almost terminal decline.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16So, how are they succeeding in keeping things going
0:02:16 > 0:02:19here on the Ragley estate?
0:02:19 > 0:02:22And what will you be cooking up for Christmas?
0:02:22 > 0:02:25These turkeys really fit the season.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Although I'm not eating these ones - these are for breeding.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30And everyone associates turkeys with Christmas.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32But they haven't always been the favourite dish
0:02:32 > 0:02:33for Christmas lunch.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35At one time, it was another bird.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38And I'll be finding out why they've fallen out of favour.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54JULIA: This is Ragley Hall, near Alcester in Warwickshire.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58It's the home of the ninth Marquess and Marchioness of Hertford.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02It's been in their family since the late 1600s.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05But this is more than just a stately pile.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07This is a family home.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10And right now, the family are gearing up for Christmas,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14in grand style, as you would expect.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Countryfile has been invited along to take a peek and lend a hand,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19getting the place spruced up
0:03:19 > 0:03:21for one of the biggest social events of the calendar,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24the staff Christmas party.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Pride of place will be this whopper.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32- Nice tree, Mr Craven!- Big enough for you?- Quite large, yes.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35It's a round about 14 feet, we think,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39which is what was requested for the library.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Decorating it's going to be fun!
0:03:41 > 0:03:43It's going to be fun trying to get it in through the door!
0:03:46 > 0:03:51Here we go. Wipe your feet, please! Thank you.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54- Oh, careful! Steady! - Oh, sorry, Julia. Sorry.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Which way to the library?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59You've got to admit, this is quite an entrance hall.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Not up the stairs! Into the library!
0:04:06 > 0:04:10- We're trying to turn it round the corner, Julia.- It's not that big!
0:04:11 > 0:04:14That's it. That's it.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Despite this... Are you OK?
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Oh, don't lose it now!
0:04:23 > 0:04:27I'm sorry about this cable here. Mind the cable. That's it.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31- That's it, that's it. - It's in! What a perfect fit.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34- Look at that! - Yes, perfect. Thank you.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Right, John, are you going to help us decorate it now?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38I'm afraid not, Julia. I've got other things to do.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41I've got a lot more trees to deliver round the estate.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42Who are you, Father Christmas(?)
0:04:42 > 0:04:44No, I've got an appointment with a choir.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Always busy. Always busy!
0:04:53 > 0:04:56'It's all hands on decks,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59'but Lady Hertford herself is in charge. Clearly.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'Lady Hertford isn't your typical lady of the manor.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06'She hails from sunnier climes.'
0:05:06 > 0:05:07Now, you're from Brazil,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and Christmas Eve is a very important part
0:05:10 > 0:05:12of the celebration, isn't it?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15It is. The main Christmas...day,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18so to speak, when everybody stays with family and so on.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21And our Christmas Day is still a church day,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24if one doesn't do the midnight mass.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28But, you know, you go from house to house to see friends.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33And in my case, coming from Rio de Janeiro, we go to the beach.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Christmas on the beaches of Rio. Lovely!
0:05:38 > 0:05:41What was your first Christmas like in this house?
0:05:41 > 0:05:43It was absolutely amazing,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47because I never had a real Christmas tree before.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50And I remember being overwhelmed by the season.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Because we don't have, in Rio de Janeiro,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54the different seasons, as such.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57The green is not the same green.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59The trees are completely different, and so on.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01- No Christmas trees? - No Christmas trees.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Which means it was my first real season,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Christmas in this country.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08- It must have been incredible. - It was. It was.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15# In the bleak midwinter
0:06:15 > 0:06:18# Frosty wind made moan... #
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Decorating the Hall is a monumental task.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24There are a sumptuous state rooms to be done.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Ornate dining rooms too.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32And this, one of the most impressive spaces at the Hall -
0:06:32 > 0:06:34the South staircase.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39These murals took 14 years to paint.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44They show generations of the current Lord Hertford's family.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Ragley Hall didn't always look this fine, though.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50When was the house in its worst state?
0:06:50 > 0:06:55When my great-grandfather died in 1912.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58And he had virtually bankrupted the estate.
0:06:58 > 0:07:04His children, although they were probably in their 50s by then,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06they just scattered.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10Just did not want to be handed this poisoned chalice.
0:07:10 > 0:07:17I think that was a reason why the Ragley estate did so badly.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- So it was mostly empty?- Yeah.
0:07:19 > 0:07:27Until my parents moved in here in 1956,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31- when they got married.- So they took up this great challenge?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33They took an enormous challenge, yes.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35My great aunts and great uncles
0:07:35 > 0:07:39who stormed out of this room 100 years ago,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43they would be amazed to see me and my wife
0:07:43 > 0:07:45and our children living here now.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47And yes, you know, a good fire
0:07:47 > 0:07:50going there and dogs peacefully asleep!
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Who makes most of the decisions in the house?
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Because I've noticed that your wife knows exactly what she wants!
0:07:57 > 0:08:00- Oh, yes!- She's a lady who's in charge, isn't she?
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Oh, yes. Yes.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07- You're definitely not in charge of tinsel and baubles, I know that!- No!
0:08:10 > 0:08:12'Back in the library,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15'Lady Hertford has asked me and her son, William,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18'for some help with some tricky decorating.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21'This is famed author and 18th-century politician
0:08:21 > 0:08:22'Horace Walpole.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24'It's a portrait by Joshua Reynolds,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27'one of the greatest English artists of all time,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29'which makes it priceless.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32'One slip here, and bang goes my party invite!'
0:08:32 > 0:08:35I tell you what, Julia, can you pull gently the other end?
0:08:35 > 0:08:38I think it will fall off if we do that.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Why don't we put it on and then drag it along the top of it?
0:08:41 > 0:08:45I will do what I'm told for the first time in my life!
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Hey, hey, how about that?
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Fantastic.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54'Relax, Horace, you were never in any danger.'
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Ragley Hall's in tip-top shape, but it wasn't always the case.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03The current Lord Hertford's father put in a massive effort
0:09:03 > 0:09:06to turn things around. Sadly, that hasn't been the case
0:09:06 > 0:09:09for all of our stately homes, as Tom has been finding out.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21TOM: Once upon a time,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25homes like Ragley Hall were the bastions of our countryside.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29The man-made jewels of our nation's landscape.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34But over the last century, things have changed.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39While Ragley prepares to welcome in another Christmas, sadly, there are
0:09:39 > 0:09:43other stately homes that are only the ghosts of Christmas past.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Right across the nation,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52beautiful historic buildings have been tumbling down.
0:09:52 > 0:09:53CROWS CALL
0:09:55 > 0:09:58And you only have to go 20 miles up the road to find one.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Guys Cliffe House,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03proof of the turbulent history of the country estate.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09A century ago, there were 8,000 stately homes
0:10:09 > 0:10:11scattered across the English countryside.
0:10:11 > 0:10:17Today, nearly 2,000 of these glorious buildings have become ruins
0:10:17 > 0:10:19or simply vanished.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33The cracks began showing in the late 1800s.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Estates made most of their money from land.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44And farming just wasn't the money-spinner it had been.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49So for many stately homes, their income just tumbled.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Add to that the social levelling surrounding the two world wars
0:10:53 > 0:10:55and increases in inheritance tax,
0:10:55 > 0:10:59the future of our country houses was looking bleak.
0:10:59 > 0:11:05By 1948, we were losing one stately home nearly every week.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07# One, two, three four...
0:11:07 > 0:11:09# One, two, three four... #
0:11:09 > 0:11:15In a sudden flurry, centuries of history and family homes were gone.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18All these buildings lost forever.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29But there were some that weathered the storm.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Croome Court in Worcestershire -
0:11:31 > 0:11:34for 200 years, the seat of the Earl of Coventry.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38In the 1940s, it was sold off.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42But passing through various hands, it just hung on.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Today, it's in a mixed state of repair.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49But there is a way to get a sense of its full glory.
0:11:53 > 0:11:59It's been 70 years since any servants toiled here polishing and dusting
0:11:59 > 0:12:02their way through these halls, but we've found someone
0:12:02 > 0:12:06from that era, and she's going to drop in for a cup of tea.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20'I'm making sure things are nice and cosy,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23'because the lady I'm about to meet was personal maid
0:12:23 > 0:12:27'to the Countess of Coventry in the 1930s.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33'Her name is Hilda Newman, and that's her, just peeking out.'
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Were you friends with the Countess?
0:12:37 > 0:12:40You don't get friends with the Countess.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44You're always the servant. I was a head servant.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48And everyone respected me in the way I respected her.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Do you know what I mean?
0:12:51 > 0:12:55- So that hierarchy was definitely in place?- Yes, definitely.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57- Did you make a few mistakes ever? - I made a few mistakes.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Go on, tell me, what kind of thing? Did you put your foot in it?
0:13:00 > 0:13:05Well, I remember one morning, I wanted to ask her something,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07I can't remember what it was.
0:13:07 > 0:13:13And, eh, I said, "Oh, Lady Coventry," over the banister.
0:13:13 > 0:13:19She said, "It's m'lady. It's m'lady.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22"And you come here when you want me."
0:13:22 > 0:13:26'Hilda worked her last day here in 1939.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29'In the 73 years since, a lot has changed.'
0:13:30 > 0:13:33How does it feel coming back to the house today?
0:13:36 > 0:13:41- I can't explain it. My stomach's going...- Clearly...
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Is it, does it upset you cos they're fond memories in a way?
0:13:45 > 0:13:47- Yes.- Yeah?
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- Yeah.- Yes, yes.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54- It's just time passing and things changing?- Absolutely.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56I mean, I thought I'd got over it!
0:13:56 > 0:13:58- That's fine.- But you don't.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01No. You really make it come alive, it's great.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05- I can sort of feel the...almost hear the people.- I'm living it.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- Still?- Yes.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08I still do.
0:14:12 > 0:14:18After a rocky 70 years, Croome Court is now back in safe hands.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23In 2007, the crumbling building was acquired by the National Trust.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Amy Forster manages the house.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28So what kind of things are you up against here?
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Well, this is one of the worst places in the whole house, really.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34This is one of the beams that support the whole ceiling, and,
0:14:34 > 0:14:39unfortunately, as I can show you, I can put my hand right inside it
0:14:39 > 0:14:43- and grab sawdust.- That's not going to support a big house, is it?
0:14:43 > 0:14:46No! So this is one of the problems that we're facing all the way
0:14:46 > 0:14:47through the house.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51So, a mixture of that sawdust and that there
0:14:51 > 0:14:54is actually what I'm kneeling on here.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58- Exactly, yes.- Doesn't give a huge feeling of security.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00- How big a project is this for you? - It's massive.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03It's one of the biggest in the National Trust at the moment,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06so this project is going to cost just over £5 million,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and that's been funded from the Heritage Lottery Fund,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12lots of charitable trusts, lots of donations from our visitors as well.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Why is it worth all that money?
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Well, this house is one of the most amazing houses in the country.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it at the moment.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23We'll be opening it up and sharing it's like never before,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26so we're really excited about the project.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27I think I better move on -
0:15:27 > 0:15:31I can hear the deathwatch beetle clicking under my feet.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36Croome Court might have been saved, but for years to come, it's going
0:15:36 > 0:15:39to need injections of public cash to keep it running.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Croome will never again be a family home,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47but thanks to public funding, it's open to all of us.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51I'm heading back to the home of Countryfile's Christmas,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Ragley Hall, where they're managing to deliver all of that
0:15:53 > 0:15:56with their own money. How do they do that?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59First though, Matt's been finding out
0:15:59 > 0:16:01more about the estate's home farm.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Traditionally, country houses relied on their farms to feed those
0:16:19 > 0:16:22up at the big house, but now farming is a commercial enterprise.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Here at Ragley, with 6,500 acres,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28they farm arable crops,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31beef and run over 1,000 sheep.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40Shepherd Barry Woods has worked here for over 30 years.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43And he looks after all the sheep on the Ragley estate.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45BARRY WHISTLES
0:16:46 > 0:16:49'At this time of year, he has a very important job to do,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52'moving the sheep from the open parkland to their winter shelter.'
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- Good to see you.- Pleased to meet you.- All right. What's happening?
0:16:56 > 0:16:58What are you up to?
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Well, this is early lambing flock. There's 350 ewes here.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03- We're going to head up the farm.- OK.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05About three quarters of a mile.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Right, girls.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13BARRY WHISTLES
0:17:13 > 0:17:15To new shelter.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Such a lovely sound, that.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Gently! Steady, steady, steady, steady.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25You often find, when sheep go into a large open space,
0:17:25 > 0:17:26they'll burst away.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29'The dogs and the sheep have got a long trek to their winter quarters,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31'and it's all uphill.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34'Luckily for me, Barry's come prepared.'
0:17:34 > 0:17:37- So, Barry, the dogs are going on foot, but...- We're driving.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40We're going in the old... What a lovely job.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41Too old to walk.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Stand there!
0:17:47 > 0:17:48BARRY WHISTLES
0:17:48 > 0:17:51It's some view from up here, Barry.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Absolutely beautiful, isn't it?
0:17:55 > 0:17:58'Before the sheep can get to their winter quarters,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01'they've got one big hazard to negotiate.'
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Things are going to get a little bit more exciting now.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07So from the quiet, tranquil beauty,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10we're going to try and cross this road.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Are we going right or left, Barry?
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Left, left, left, left.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20- Right!- I ain't ready yet.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22BARRY WHISTLES
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Come on! Come on, come on.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28This is where it's really handy to have a sound man with a big boom.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Just wave it around, Rob, that's great.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Come on, come on, come on!
0:18:33 > 0:18:34Are we following you?
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Come on, come on!
0:18:36 > 0:18:37MATT WHISTLES
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Come on, girls!
0:18:39 > 0:18:40No time for nibbling.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Too easy, Barry.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47- I like a big traffic jam, as a rule.- Oh, no.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50That'll do. Stand there, stand there.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Thank you!- That's it, be polite.- Thank you very much!
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Oh, look. They know where they're going, look.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58MATT LAUGHS
0:18:58 > 0:19:00They only come once a year and they still know.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02That's great, isn't it? A lovely sight.
0:19:02 > 0:19:03Just seeing all their ears
0:19:03 > 0:19:06and their heads just bobbing up, I love it.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Whoa, whoa, whoa.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Steady, steady.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Nearly there, last few.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Stay. There's always one.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17There's always one.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Unbelievable.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21The last one.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26# Da-da-da-da! #
0:19:31 > 0:19:32There's always one.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35- Tell me about it. - Had to be done.- Tell me about it.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37I'm not as fit as I used to be.
0:19:40 > 0:19:41So, 350 of them in.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44- Yep. 500 more to come. - But I tell you what -
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- it's just nice to see them in, under a roof.- It is, in the dry.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- Makes me happy, anyhow. - Silage on tap.- Yep.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Let those lambs grow nice.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Certainly will. I hope so.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58So, this is what the girls will be nibbling on
0:19:58 > 0:19:59over the next few months.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02They've got a roof over their head and all the silage they could want.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04And this is what I love, cos in the depths of winter,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06if you take a big sniff...
0:20:06 > 0:20:08you're just transported back to summertime.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13'It's time to kick off the wellies
0:20:13 > 0:20:17'and head back to the Hall, as the estate butcher has just arrived.'
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Oh, look at that! Isn't that absolutely beautiful?
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- Jason, how you doing? - Hi, Matt, how are you?
0:20:25 > 0:20:28'Let's face it, you can't have a party without food, and Jason Woods
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'is in charge of feeding the masses at the staff Christmas do tonight.'
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Well, tonight we're making canapes
0:20:34 > 0:20:37and mince pies for the staff at Ragley.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39We've got some fantastic Ragley sausages,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42we're going to cut those up and pop them on a stick with a bit
0:20:42 > 0:20:44of mustard dressing, cos they're so good,
0:20:44 > 0:20:45- you don't need to do much with them.- Yeah.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48What's the plan with the goose, then?
0:20:48 > 0:20:51The goose, I'm just binding it with some strips of bacon,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53which is, in effect, protecting the breast.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56There's a lot of fat in there, and it's literally just to give
0:20:56 > 0:20:59the breasts some protection and keep the moisture in during cooking.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Then we take the bacon off and nibble it. Lovely.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03For anybody that is cooking turkey,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06though, what is your top chef's tip, then, for Christmas turkey?
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Certainly cook it the opposite way up to this,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11to let the fat run through it.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I'd also probably say check the size of your oven
0:21:13 > 0:21:15before you go and buy the turkey, because people get
0:21:15 > 0:21:19very ambitious with turkeys, and then it doesn't fit.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Hello, hello, chefs! Hello. Hiya.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Look at you, slaving away. over a frying pan.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26That's what I like to see you doing, Baker!
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Don't they look lovely? - They smell amazing.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30Are these the same, over here?
0:21:30 > 0:21:34Yeah, they're just fresh out. A little bit of mustard.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I'm not a mustard fan, but I'll just finish this one like that.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Have you seen what's for dessert, as well?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43- Oh!- Mini mince pies!
0:21:43 > 0:21:45I better taste these as well, yeah?
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- Tell you what, I'm just going to stay in here.- It's great, isn't it?
0:21:48 > 0:21:50It's perfect. Who needs a party? It's great.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53We could finish everything. No-one would know.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Go and put your dress on. Put your dress on and come back.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57All right, then.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Bye. Very good work, guys.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01There we are. Go and put your dress on.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03I knew how to get rid of her!
0:22:03 > 0:22:05MATT LAUGHS
0:22:11 > 0:22:14- JULIA:- Now, back out on the estate in the winter chill,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16everything looks peaceful.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19But there's still plenty going on, as John's been discovering.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24JOHN: 'There are over a thousand acres of woodland
0:22:24 > 0:22:27'and half a million trees on the estate,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31'but at this time of year, it's all about Ragley's Christmas trees.'
0:22:35 > 0:22:38'I'm meeting up with sawmill manager Len Quiney.'
0:22:38 > 0:22:42You must have sold quite a lot this year, so getting towards the end now.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46How important is it to the estate, this kind of business?
0:22:46 > 0:22:49It's a big business to the estate. As a cash flow, I think...
0:22:49 > 0:22:52I mean, we plant the trees, they do whatever they want to do.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54They don't take much looking after.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58All we do is go down, harvest them, bring them down to the sawmill.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01The general public come to us, go away happy.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03In an average year, then,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06how many Christmas trees would you expect to sell?
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Anything between 200, 300 trees.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15'Earlier, I took a huge Christmas tree up to the big house
0:23:15 > 0:23:18'and now I've got some others to deliver.'
0:23:18 > 0:23:22Oh, yeah, that is a lovely tree, isn't it? Beautiful proportions.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26'As a festive gesture, Lord Hertford
0:23:26 > 0:23:29'gives Christmas trees to the local schools.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34'I'm off to one right now, and it looks as though we're expected.'
0:23:34 > 0:23:36- CHILDREN:- Hello!
0:23:38 > 0:23:39CHILDREN CHEER
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Hello!
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Happy Christmas! Happy Christmas!
0:23:48 > 0:23:49CHILDREN CHEER
0:23:49 > 0:23:50Bye!
0:23:55 > 0:23:59It's not only local schools that get a tree.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01So do the churches dotted in and around the estate.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08These special deliveries are one of the highlights of the year
0:24:08 > 0:24:10for Ragley's foresters.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19This is one of the churches that gets a free Christmas tree.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22It's the little Weethley church, quite beautiful.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25And I can hear the sound of Christmas music from inside.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27# ..Child of Bethlehem
0:24:27 > 0:24:32# Descend to us, we pray
0:24:32 > 0:24:37# Cast out our sin and enter in... #
0:24:37 > 0:24:42'This is a small section of the Alcester Male Voice Choir.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46'And maybe, just maybe, they'll grant me a Christmas wish.'
0:24:48 > 0:24:54# ..The great glad tidings tell
0:24:54 > 0:24:59# O, come to us, abide with us
0:24:59 > 0:25:05# Our Lord Emmanuel. #
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Choir, Judith, that was splendid.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Thank you very much.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13And I hear that you're practising for the party at Ragley Hall.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Yes, we are, actually.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Lord and Lady Hertford are our presidents, our patrons,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21and they've invited us to sing for them at the party.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Secretly, Judith, I've always wanted to sing in a choir like this one,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29but the problem is, I don't think I'm any good at singing.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34Well, would you like to sing with us and see how it goes?
0:25:34 > 0:25:40MUSIC: "Deck The Halls" by Talhaiarn and Thomas Oliphant
0:25:40 > 0:25:43# Deck the halls with boughs of holly
0:25:43 > 0:25:47# Fa la la la la la la la la
0:25:47 > 0:25:48# Tis the season... #
0:25:48 > 0:25:49'Well, the others sound great.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51'We'll just have to see how it goes tonight
0:25:51 > 0:25:55'when I join the whole choir to sing in front of 100 guests.'
0:25:56 > 0:26:00# ..Fa la la, la la la la la la... #
0:26:03 > 0:26:08Although we're celebrating Christmas here at Ragley Hall,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11that's not stopped Tom doing a spot of investigating.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- TOM:- I've been exploring the downfall
0:26:23 > 0:26:26of many of our historic country houses.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28A staggering 1,845 have been lost
0:26:28 > 0:26:31over the last 100 years,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35many of the survivors depending on public funding. But not Ragley.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41As well as being a family home,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Ragley Hall is a 21st-century country estate that pays for itself.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49So, how has this place succeeded when so many others have failed?
0:26:51 > 0:26:53'Like most stately homes,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57'by the end of the Second World War, Ragley was on its knees.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00'But the 60 years since, passionate members of
0:27:00 > 0:27:03'the Hertford family have been fighting to bring it back.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07'The eighth Marquess saved it from the brink in the 1950s,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10'and today, his son, the current Lord Hertford,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13'is determined to keep the place alive.'
0:27:13 > 0:27:16What would you say to future generations?
0:27:16 > 0:27:19What's the key to making sure it stays with you?
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Just being there.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25If you're here and you keep that fire going
0:27:25 > 0:27:28and you keep the roof intact
0:27:28 > 0:27:32and you keep the place open to the public,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35if you've got the right people with you, you'll do it.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38And you'll carry on doing it.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42And at this time of year, there's perfect chance to meet
0:27:42 > 0:27:45the folk that keep Ragley in good working order.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48It's the Christmas shoot for the trustees,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50friends and a few of the staff at Ragley Hall,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and I'm joining them in this executive caravan.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57'Ragley Hall is a commercial venture.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01'Like any other, it depends on its profits to survive.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05'Alan Granger is the estate's Chief Executive
0:28:05 > 0:28:09'and today he definitely means business.'
0:28:10 > 0:28:12- So, how did you get on?- Good, yes. Very good, thank you.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14I was worried about a few of them coming down
0:28:14 > 0:28:16- and hitting me on the head. - Yeah, well, I did quite well.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23Give me a feeling overall of total turnover of this estate.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27The whole business turnover is around about £5 million.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30So do you look at it as, you know, we've got a block of land...
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Do you try and think quite widely
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- about how you can capitalise on that?- Absolutely.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38It's a series of assets that we have available to try
0:28:38 > 0:28:40and utilise in the best way possible.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Farming is still a substantial part of our income,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46property itself, letting houses.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49We have a woodlands business and then the house itself
0:28:49 > 0:28:53which is used for the public and as an events venue.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56What do you think it is that you're doing right at Ragley?
0:28:56 > 0:28:58That's a really difficult question.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02We are just trying to do different things, keeping up with what
0:29:02 > 0:29:06people want, trying to change the product that we're offering.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08'Today is a bit of time off,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12'but Alan and the team have their hands full -
0:29:12 > 0:29:15'keeping the estate running is a never-ending job.'
0:29:15 > 0:29:16Well done.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20- So, is this a partridge?- It's a partridge. French partridge.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22Identified by its red legs.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28'But what about the future?
0:29:28 > 0:29:32'There's a young lad that I need to catch up with to find out.'
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Eventually, all this and the responsibility that comes
0:29:36 > 0:29:41with it, will fall into the hands of Lord Hertford's son, William.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44So, who are the various horses that we've got in here?
0:29:44 > 0:29:46This one's Billy.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48- Billy. And this one? - That one's Connor.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52'It's a family tradition to give the horses a Christmas treat.'
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Are there any big dreams you have for this place?
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Any things you think, "I'd really like to see an X,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59"which maybe I'm not going to tell my parents about."
0:29:59 > 0:30:01But you can tell me.
0:30:01 > 0:30:02A theme park?
0:30:02 > 0:30:06No, I just wish to be a good custodian, really.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09For you, there is a little bit of obligation involved.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12I wonder if you feel like that ties you sometimes.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14It does sometimes.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17I wanted to do Classical Civilisation, actually,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19because I loved the subject so much.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21However, I realised, this summer alone,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24that it would be more beneficial
0:30:24 > 0:30:26for me, really, to actually study
0:30:26 > 0:30:28Rural Land Management instead.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32I just look around and remember what I have
0:30:32 > 0:30:34and I'm reminded how fortunate I am,
0:30:34 > 0:30:36so I embrace it, really.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41'We don't have an endless pot of public money,
0:30:41 > 0:30:44'so it's up to people like William to keep many of our stately homes
0:30:44 > 0:30:48'alive, so future generations can enjoy them.'
0:30:50 > 0:30:53The key to the long-term survival of these places
0:30:53 > 0:30:55is to be loved by people.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57Now, that could be a family who live here,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01staff who work here, or the public that come and visit,
0:31:01 > 0:31:05because without that, they're beautiful
0:31:05 > 0:31:06but empty shells.
0:31:11 > 0:31:16The gardens here at Ragley are a real draw for visitors.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21And even in the bleak midwinter, they have a drama all of their own.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26And that's where Ellie's heading right now,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30to look for a little Yuletide inspiration.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35You could be forgiven for thinking that not much goes on out here
0:31:35 > 0:31:37at this time of year, but you'd be wrong, because right now,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40the Ragley gardens are working harder than ever.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45'I'm joining head gardener Ross Barbour.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47'He's going to help me find
0:31:47 > 0:31:50'some natural festive touches for tonight's party.'
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Are you all right, Ross?
0:31:52 > 0:31:54- Hi, Ellie.- How are you doing?- Good, thanks.- What are you up to here?
0:31:54 > 0:31:56I'm getting some foliage together to go in some
0:31:56 > 0:31:58garlands for the Hall, some Christmas garlands.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Ah, very festive. Do you want a hand?
0:32:01 > 0:32:04- How long? Like this? - A bit longer than that.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Then the boys can shorten it down to the length that they want.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Sounds nice.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11- There we go, how's that? - That's perfect.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15- Shall we make something gorgeous out of it?- Yep. Sounds good.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19- Here we go.- Some more.- Lovely.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22- So this is what goes on in the woodshed, then?- Yeah.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24What are you going to make here?
0:32:24 > 0:32:27We're doing garlands for going over the fireplaces in the Hall.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Wow. And do you tend to just pick what's out there
0:32:29 > 0:32:31or do you have to grow specifically for it?
0:32:31 > 0:32:33It's all grown in the garden already.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35How many of these do you have to make? How long do they have to be?
0:32:35 > 0:32:37We do two four-metre ones that go
0:32:37 > 0:32:39- over the fireplaces in the Great Hall.- Wow.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- I'm going to have a little go. - Have a bit of holly, then.- Right.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Have some holly with some berries on.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47So they need to be smallish sprigs, do they?
0:32:47 > 0:32:48I think three will do.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52- One, two, three. - One, two, three. OK.
0:32:52 > 0:32:53And we just...
0:32:54 > 0:32:56So you get a little bunch, then what?
0:32:56 > 0:33:00And then like that, and Lee will tie it up. Fantastic.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03'It can take the gardening team a couple of days
0:33:03 > 0:33:04'to make these garlands.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08'We've got a few hours, and it's freezing.'
0:33:08 > 0:33:09Perfect.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12We'll deck the halls.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- A bit more. A bit of yew?- Right.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21That's the garland sorted.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23But there's still plenty to do over at the Hall.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29- JULIA:- 'I've a big task ahead,
0:33:29 > 0:33:31'but where's Matt Baker when you need him?
0:33:31 > 0:33:33'I seek him here,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36'I seek him there...
0:33:36 > 0:33:40'and find him in the games room - surprise, surprise.'
0:33:40 > 0:33:41Oh, here you are.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43I should have come here first, of course.
0:33:43 > 0:33:44- Hey?- Come on, I need you.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47- Can I just finish my game? - No, I need you now.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Come on, man.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50Playing on your own, saddo!
0:33:50 > 0:33:52THEY LAUGH
0:33:53 > 0:33:55- Right.- OK, what's happening?
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- Big job in here.- Yeah?
0:33:57 > 0:33:59Yeah, we're going to need a bit of help.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01There we go, that's good.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03- Hello, guys.- Hello.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Right, what we've got to do, this carpet needs to be rolled up.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10- It's actually in three sections. - What, all of it?
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Yeah, all of it's got to come up.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14So it's a bit of rolling that we've got to get doing.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16- ELLIE:- OK, I'll lend you a hand. - Thank you.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19JOHN: I'll opt out, cos I've got an important message to deliver.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22- John, that's the second time today. - I know. But enjoy yourselves.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25- What are you doing, John? - I've got a bad back as well.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28- After delivering that tree.- OK.
0:34:28 > 0:34:29So we're a man down.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33- Yeah.- I'll get on that, don't worry. You get rolling, I'll sort it out.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35- I'll find somebody else to help. - What? How did that happen?
0:34:35 > 0:34:37'Rolling these carpets up is quite a task,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41'so we've called on the help of house manager, John MacDougall,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44'and Lord and Lady Hertford's youngest son, Edward.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48'Oh, and Pippa the dog, who's really enjoying herself.'
0:34:48 > 0:34:50That's it. That's looking good.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57'These carpets protect the ancient tiled floor beneath
0:34:57 > 0:35:01'from the feet of thousands of tourists who visit every year.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03'Rolling them up is a Christmas ritual.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06'The family's way of re-staking their claim
0:35:06 > 0:35:08'after the tourist season.'
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'You could just eat it, though, Pippa.'
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Just two more after this, guys.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17I'm sensing we're going off slightly.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21OK, go.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- There we go.- Excellent. Right.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29'One down, two to go.'
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Now, this should be easier,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34because you don't have another carpet in the way.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Hang on, hang on, hang on.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Pippa, come on, come on!
0:35:42 > 0:35:44OK, go again.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47'Two down, and here's Lucy checking out the handiwork too.'
0:35:47 > 0:35:50While they're busy rolling up the carpet for Christmas,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52we all know that New Year is just around the corner,
0:35:52 > 0:35:55and if you haven't already got one of these, you're going to need it.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58It's the Countryfile calendar for 2013.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00It costs £9,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03and at least £4 of it goes to BBC Children In Need.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06You can get one by going to our website - that's...
0:36:10 > 0:36:12- OK, John.- Whoa!
0:36:21 > 0:36:25At this time of year, there's nothing like a real open fire.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28And before he gets his glad rags on, it's Shane's job to build it.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31- Are you all right, Shane?- Very well, thank you.- How's it going?
0:36:31 > 0:36:32I'm not good at making fires.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35You have to give me your best tips. Starting with paper, are we?
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Yes, start the tinder with paper. You just scrunch it up.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40- Not too tightly.- OK. - Looser the better, really.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41Yeah, yeah.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- Then onto kindling and then onto the big stuff?- That's it.- OK.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47So, how long have you worked here? You look very young.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Coming to the end of my fifth year now.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Really? How old were you when you started?
0:36:51 > 0:36:52I was 21 when I started here.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54- A mere child.- 26 now.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- And what's your job at the estate?- I'm a houseman.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59So, I do odd jobs around the house,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02like maintenance and things like that.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- Gosh. And you get to live on the estate, don't you?- I do.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07I feel quite privileged, actually,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09to live at one of the gatehouses here at Ragley.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Some great surroundings and a really great place to be.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Are you looking forward to tonight?
0:37:14 > 0:37:16Yes, really looking forward to it, actually.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- Don't get too drunk in front of your bosses.- I most certainly won't.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- Right, so the big ones on. - The small ones, first of all.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25- Is this fire going to keep this enormous room warm?- Yeah, it will.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27It does give out quite a lot of heat,
0:37:27 > 0:37:28and the wood burns really well.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30There's a really good draw on this fire.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33- And merriment keeps you warm, as well.- It certainly will.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44'Now, that's what I call a blaze.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.'
0:37:53 > 0:37:58ELLIE: Christmas is a holiday for most of us...not for Adam.
0:37:58 > 0:37:59There's still animals left to feed
0:37:59 > 0:38:02and plenty left to do before the festivities begin.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09This is a lovely time of year.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Christmas is just around the corner.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15I don't like to do too much on Christmas Day, so I'm just getting
0:38:15 > 0:38:18these logs chopped, getting some kindling to light the fire with.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Lots of people use an axe the wrong way.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23They'll hold their hands together, then try and swing it.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26What you want to do is keep your hands apart, then as you swing
0:38:26 > 0:38:29it down, slide your hand down and let the weight of the axe do the work.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30Very easy.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33I've got some holly cut for the kids, as well.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36They'll be able to decorate the house with that.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41Keep out. Look out.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45Mind your nose. There you go.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00Look at that, it's nearly Christmas, and the roses are still in flower.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10This old farmhouse doesn't have any central heating,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12so it's good to keep the log fire in.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15And there's something very special about looking into the flames
0:39:15 > 0:39:18of a log fire in the winter months.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26There are certain animals on my farm that have a starring role
0:39:26 > 0:39:28at this time of year.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33We keep a few donkeys on the farm
0:39:33 > 0:39:35to breed from and to sell as pets,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38and they're really lovely creatures, and of course lots of people think
0:39:38 > 0:39:41about donkeys at Christmas, because they're in all the nativity scenes.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44And on Christmas Day, for us as farmers,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47we race around, getting all the animals fed and watered
0:39:47 > 0:39:48and bedded down and checked on.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51If there's any problems, we have to deal with it,
0:39:51 > 0:39:55but hopefully there won't be, so we can get back to opening our presents.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00And then there's lunch to tuck into.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02These are my new turkeys.
0:40:02 > 0:40:03I've got three different breeds.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07I've got the Norfolk Blacks, the Bronzes and the Whites.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10And the males are the stags that are all puffed up,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13showing off to their smaller female.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16And the Norfolk Black is a very traditional bird.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19The meat is slightly gamier than the white turkey
0:40:19 > 0:40:21and their slightly smaller breast.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23But turkeys have been around for 10 million years,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25and there's fossils to prove it.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28And they were domesticated, it's said, by the Aztecs, and eventually
0:40:28 > 0:40:33we got them over here in the UK, then farmed them on a grand scale.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35But before lorries and roads,
0:40:35 > 0:40:40we used to walk them from Norfolk all the way to London, to the markets.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42And to stop their feet getting sore, they used to walk them
0:40:42 > 0:40:46through tar and grit, to harden the bottom of their feet.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49And also, they use to clothes them, to keep them in good condition.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51They're remarkable animals.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Turkey is the UK's favourite festive meat.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59For 87% of us, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without one.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Around 10 million turkeys were sold last year, so it's big business.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05But it hasn't always been that way.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Traditionally, most people ate goose for Christmas.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11And it tied in with farming,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14because the goose farmers used to turn the geese out onto the stubbles
0:41:14 > 0:41:17after harvest, to feast on all the spilled grain
0:41:17 > 0:41:19and then fatten up for Christmas.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24And that remained the case right up until post-war years.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27But then, in the '60s, a new breed of turkey was imported
0:41:27 > 0:41:32from America that was fast-growing and more economical to produce.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35And it was only then, really, that the goose
0:41:35 > 0:41:37was knocked off its top spot.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40And that had a major impact for geese farmers who had
0:41:40 > 0:41:43for so long ruled the Christmas menu.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48I'm on my way to a goose breeder in Stamford, Hampshire,
0:41:48 > 0:41:51who has a passion for protecting many of the breeds
0:41:51 > 0:41:54that are on the brink of extinction today.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Colin Murton is the go-to man when it comes to geese.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03He's keen to preserve some of our rarer breeds.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08- Colin, hi.- Morning. - Lovely to see you.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Goodness me, what a lovely scene. Toulouse geese.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Well, it's nice to see them, isn't it?
0:42:13 > 0:42:16And how long have you been breeding geese for?
0:42:16 > 0:42:19- Almost 30 years, I suppose. - Ever since you were a boy?
0:42:19 > 0:42:21- That's about right, yeah. - Can we go in and take a closer look?
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Yes, come and have a look.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Now, I've got a few Toulouse, Colin,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31but I don't know much about their history.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34I think they must have come in in the mid-1800s,
0:42:34 > 0:42:37with the English passion to make everything bigger and larger.
0:42:37 > 0:42:42And since the goose went out of fashion for our Christmas table,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45they have become very rare, haven't they? Many of the breeds?
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Oh, I think there's 18 breeds listed and they're all rare,
0:42:48 > 0:42:51but the Rare Breed Survival Trust, in conjunction with the Goose Club,
0:42:51 > 0:42:55has identified eight of these breeds really in dire straits.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Really want all the support they can get.
0:42:58 > 0:42:59And why have they become so rare, then?
0:42:59 > 0:43:02They're birds from the great outdoor. You can't intensify them.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05With turkeys and chickens, you can keep them inside,
0:43:05 > 0:43:07you can bring the unit costs down.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Geese, you just can't confine. They need grass, they need space.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13I remember when I was a kid, we had a great big gander in what
0:43:13 > 0:43:15we called the home paddock, which was just outside the yard,
0:43:15 > 0:43:19and my dad heard me screaming, and this gander had me on the floor.
0:43:19 > 0:43:20THEY LAUGH
0:43:20 > 0:43:22But it didn't put me off geese.
0:43:22 > 0:43:23It does happen.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27Another of Colin's rare breeds are his Pilgrims,
0:43:27 > 0:43:29and they need letting out.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31If you want to let those out? The Pilgrims, in there,
0:43:31 > 0:43:33- and I'll let these out.- OK.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37- Come on, boys, out you come. - Come on, then, geese.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40GEESE HONK
0:43:42 > 0:43:43Well, they're lively.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Tell me about the Pilgrims, then.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48The ganders are always white, and the geese are always grey.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50Which is very, very useful, especially as a beginner.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53You know how many males you've got and how many females you've got.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55Many of these will go for Christmas,
0:43:55 > 0:43:59apart from one or two I shall keep as replacement breeding ganders.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01So, for people who want to get started, it's quite a good animal,
0:44:01 > 0:44:04if they want to support a rare breed, isn't it?
0:44:04 > 0:44:07Yeah, they really need all the support they can get.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09But the work that's involved, other than shutting them
0:44:09 > 0:44:13up every night to keep them away from foxes, is trivial, really.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15And what would you recommend people choose,
0:44:15 > 0:44:16because of all the different breeds?
0:44:16 > 0:44:19If you choose what you like, then it will do well.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21If you like it, you'll look after it.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26'And now it's time to help Colin with some routine jobs.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28'But first, we need to catch one.'
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Yes, I've got him. I've got him.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38So he's one of your favourites, is he?
0:44:38 > 0:44:41I shall use him next year as a breeder, yes.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Lovely, aren't they?
0:44:43 > 0:44:48Beautiful. The feathers, the down is just wonderful, isn't it?
0:44:48 > 0:44:51Goose down, isn't it? We all sleep under goose down.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54- What makes him so special? - Well, it's the shape, it's the type.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57It's the strong head and just look at that eye. Look how that shines.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00Wonderful, isn't he? So, we need to stick a ring on him.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02He's already got one ring on his foot, I see.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05One's a permanent ring, which has got a unique number.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07But I like to put a colour ring on them,
0:45:07 > 0:45:09which I can put on at any time,
0:45:09 > 0:45:12so that I can fix him from a distance.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15- Can I slip that on? Just coil it on, don't you?- That's right.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17Just wind it round.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20- There we go. - It's as easy as that.
0:45:20 > 0:45:21And what else?
0:45:21 > 0:45:24Well, the only other thing, it's not necessarily essential,
0:45:24 > 0:45:27but I like to worm them, just as a precaution.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30And I worm them twice a year. A couple of mls...
0:45:30 > 0:45:32- Just a squirt down the mouth? - Straight down the mouth.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35- There you are.- There we go, mate. - Back of the throat.
0:45:35 > 0:45:36And that's it. Oops!
0:45:36 > 0:45:39Mostly of it went down. But it's as easy as that.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42- That's him all done. - Yep, that's finished.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44Come on, boy. Off you go.
0:45:44 > 0:45:48MUSIC: "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"
0:45:48 > 0:45:50GEESE HONK
0:45:52 > 0:45:55- So will you be eating goose for Christmas?- Oh, yes.
0:45:55 > 0:45:56There's no comparison.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59The flavour of the goose, far superior to a turkey.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02A bit like duck but much drier and gamier.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04And a little bit less meat than a turkey, though?
0:46:04 > 0:46:06It doesn't go quite as far, pound for pound,
0:46:06 > 0:46:08but its quality rather than quantity.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11And really, I suppose, they are our original,
0:46:11 > 0:46:13traditional Christmas roast?
0:46:13 > 0:46:16Yeah, for many hundreds of years, it has been the Christmas meal.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19- Well, it's been lovely to meet you. - Good to see you too.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21- Happy Christmas. - Yeah, and you. Bye, now.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27MUSIC: "Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson
0:46:32 > 0:46:35- JULIA:- Adam can't make the party tonight - shame.
0:46:35 > 0:46:36Because back here at Ragley Hall,
0:46:36 > 0:46:38we're all getting right into the spirit.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40Especially Tom.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42Look at you, Tom! Sharp suited!
0:46:42 > 0:46:44Tell you what, wearing those, bobby-dazzler,
0:46:44 > 0:46:46you'll have to change your name to An-Tom Du Beke.
0:46:46 > 0:46:47LAUGHTER
0:46:47 > 0:46:50You need to smarten up, get with the programme - look at this place!
0:46:50 > 0:46:53What's going on? Is this Strictly or Countryfile?
0:46:53 > 0:46:55# Da, da, da, da... #
0:46:55 > 0:46:57Look at those trews!
0:46:57 > 0:46:58You've got a lot of catching up to do, you three.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00- Come on!- We certainly have. What a gorgeous day.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02Think bodes well for Christmas Day?
0:47:02 > 0:47:04Well, they do say,
0:47:04 > 0:47:06"Red sky at night, shepherds' delight."
0:47:06 > 0:47:08Is that as in-depth as the Countryfile forecast goes,
0:47:08 > 0:47:10or shall we leave it to the experts?
0:47:10 > 0:47:12I feel sorry for our weather boys and girls.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14- They're missing the party. - Don't worry about it.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16As it's Christmas, I've sent them a festive surprise.
0:47:16 > 0:47:17Oh, you're so nice.
0:49:50 > 0:49:57.
0:50:09 > 0:50:14- JULIA:- This is Ragley Hall, near Alcester in Warwickshire.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16It's a grand 17th-century mansion,
0:50:16 > 0:50:19just the place to host our special Christmas edition of Countryfile.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23We've been getting stuck in and helping everybody here
0:50:23 > 0:50:27get ready for the biggest party of the year, the staff party.
0:50:27 > 0:50:30- MATT:- THE Christmas party, where Lord and Lady Hertford
0:50:30 > 0:50:34throw the doors to their family home wide open.
0:50:34 > 0:50:35And it's going to get busy.
0:50:35 > 0:50:40Very shortly, hundreds of guests are going to descend on the Hall
0:50:40 > 0:50:41and they all need feeding.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Look at this, they won't be disappointed.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46Beautiful sausages and look at the curry!
0:50:47 > 0:50:51And I'm pretty sure a drink or two will be in order.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54Winter sun over the yardarm and all that.
0:50:56 > 0:51:00# Fa la la la la la la la... #
0:51:00 > 0:51:02And what's a party without music?
0:51:02 > 0:51:04# Tis the season to be jolly... #
0:51:04 > 0:51:06Well, this should be the mother of all staff parties
0:51:06 > 0:51:10and we're all going to be dressed up for the occasion.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12- JULIA:- Easy, Tom.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15There's plenty to do before the big event,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18including helping Lady Hertford wrap some presents up.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22So, are you looking forward to the party tonight,
0:51:22 > 0:51:24or is it slightly stressful for you?
0:51:24 > 0:51:25No, no. It's the best bit.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30I love the background bit, which is getting together,
0:51:30 > 0:51:34getting everyone in the same mood, Christmas time...
0:51:34 > 0:51:40and everybody helps everybody in the Christmas spirit.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44- Well, you helped a lot with the carpet and so on.- Thank you.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46And thank you for that.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49So, what are you looking forward to most tonight?
0:51:49 > 0:51:53John perhaps singing with the choir?
0:51:53 > 0:51:57- I hear it's the first time he does that?- Mm-hm.- I'm flattered.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00- I think we all should be very proud of being part of this.- Yeah.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10- JULIA:- The wrapping's done, the glassware is sparkling,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13the best carpet is being rolled out.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16The first guests will be here in about an hour,
0:52:16 > 0:52:20and the Great Hall is filled with warmth and light.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22Oh and very big Christmas cards.
0:52:22 > 0:52:24ELLIE : We've got to do the obligatory.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27- Are you going to be boy or girl? - I'll be the boy.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29Really? OK, go on.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Victorian style. Three, two, one.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33Ta-da! Three rounds of Silent Night.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39MUSIC: "Silent Night" by Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber
0:52:39 > 0:52:42- JULIA:- The Countryfile presenters are in their finery,
0:52:42 > 0:52:46but we're not here to party. We're here to work.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49Tom and Matt are on the canapes, whilst Ellie and I
0:52:49 > 0:52:52are on the wine, in a manner of speaking.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55Before then, I've got one last decorating duty to perform.
0:52:55 > 0:53:00- It's the moment of truth. Do the lights all still work?- Let's see.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02One, two, three...
0:53:02 > 0:53:05- Ta-da!- Look at that! - It's lovely, isn't it?
0:53:05 > 0:53:10There's one more thing, though. The final touch is yours.
0:53:10 > 0:53:11And I'll just watch you.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14The technique is, you just chuck it.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18There we go!
0:53:18 > 0:53:21- Never done that before.- Fantastic!
0:53:21 > 0:53:27MUSIC: "Jingle Bells" by James Lord Pierpont
0:53:29 > 0:53:32'As the sun goes down, the staff party starts up.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35'And here are the first arrivals.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38'Seems we're still a presenter down, though.'
0:53:42 > 0:53:43Tom! Have you seen John anywhere?
0:53:43 > 0:53:46- Not for a while, actually. And it's getting on, isn't it?- It is.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48Do you know the words to Come, All Ye Faithful?
0:53:48 > 0:53:51- I could probably dredge them up. - Start warming the voice up.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53And I'll look for him.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55# O come, all ye faithful... #
0:53:55 > 0:54:00# Joyful and triumphant
0:54:00 > 0:54:05# O come ye, o come ye
0:54:05 > 0:54:07# To Bethlehem...#
0:54:07 > 0:54:10'Hurry up, John! Your audience awaits.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13'We'll keep them fed and watered until you arrive.'
0:54:13 > 0:54:14Let's do this!
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Right. Here we go.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27Ah.
0:54:28 > 0:54:29Silly me.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33# Ding dong merrily on high
0:54:33 > 0:54:36# In heaven the bells Are ringing... #
0:54:36 > 0:54:38Hello, everybody. Hello, Edward.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Can I offer you some festive mulled wine?
0:54:40 > 0:54:41Pop that one on there.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44The empty. Don't waste any, good idea!
0:54:44 > 0:54:46Goodness, what's this?
0:54:46 > 0:54:50You know, I should have asked before I came out, shouldn't I?
0:54:50 > 0:54:53- That's goose and apple. - I'll try that one.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57So we've got goose and apple, that's the turkey curry.
0:54:59 > 0:55:00The sausage is good.
0:55:00 > 0:55:05# Gloria
0:55:05 > 0:55:08# Hosanna in excelsis
0:55:08 > 0:55:12# Gloria... #
0:55:12 > 0:55:15- JULIA:- 'Right in the nick of time, here's the entertainment.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17'It's John and the Alcester Male Voice Choir.'
0:55:17 > 0:55:19- The music is here! - It is, indeed.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22The party can now start. They're waiting for you.
0:55:22 > 0:55:23Nice to see you.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26Are you warmed up, John? # Me, me, me, me! #
0:55:26 > 0:55:30# Deck the halls With boughs of holly
0:55:30 > 0:55:34# Fa la la la la la la la la
0:55:34 > 0:55:37# Tis the season to be jolly
0:55:37 > 0:55:39# Fa la la la la la la la la... #
0:55:39 > 0:55:41- Oh, good crowd!- Hello.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43A terrible waste left my tray here.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47- I'm supposed to be working. - No, I'm here for the party. Cheers!
0:55:47 > 0:55:49- Bottoms up.- Happy Christmas.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51JOHN: # Troll the ancient Yuletide carol... #
0:55:51 > 0:55:54- That's lovely.- That will do, won't it?- Warms the cockles.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00JOHN: # See the blazing Yule before us
0:56:00 > 0:56:03# Fa la la la la la la la la
0:56:03 > 0:56:07# Strike the harp And join the chorus
0:56:07 > 0:56:11# Fa la la la la la la la la... #
0:56:11 > 0:56:13- OK, Tom. Here you go. - That's one is ready to go, is it?
0:56:13 > 0:56:15- Yeah, thank you very much. - Phwoar, looking good. Thank you!
0:56:15 > 0:56:17Here we go.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22Maybe just one to keep the engine running.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26# Fa la la la la la la la la
0:56:26 > 0:56:29# Sing we joyous all together
0:56:29 > 0:56:33# Fa la la, la la la la la la
0:56:33 > 0:56:36# Heedless of the wind and weather
0:56:36 > 0:56:41# Fa la la la la la la la la. #
0:56:41 > 0:56:44PRESENTERS CHEER
0:56:44 > 0:56:47- Wasn't that lovely? Get that man a drink!- Thank you, choir!
0:56:47 > 0:56:50- TOM:- Well done, John. Every note. Brilliant.
0:56:50 > 0:56:51Well done, John. Well done.
0:56:51 > 0:56:54We know that Christmas has well and truly started.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56Yes, so there's just one final thing to do.
0:56:56 > 0:56:59We raise our glasses for one final festive cheers.
0:56:59 > 0:57:01So, from everybody here at Ragley Hall,
0:57:01 > 0:57:03to all that are watching...
0:57:03 > 0:57:05merry Christmas!
0:57:06 > 0:57:08JOHN: Choir?
0:57:08 > 0:57:10# We wish you a merry Christmas
0:57:10 > 0:57:13# We wish you a merry Christmas
0:57:13 > 0:57:15# We wish you a merry Christmas
0:57:15 > 0:57:17# And a happy New Year
0:57:17 > 0:57:22# Glad tidings we bring to you and your kin
0:57:22 > 0:57:24# We wish you a merry Christmas
0:57:24 > 0:57:30# And a happy new year! #
0:57:30 > 0:57:33- Merry Christmas! - Merry Christmas!- Cheers.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36# Ding dong Verily the sky
0:57:36 > 0:57:39# Is riv'n with Angel singing
0:57:39 > 0:57:48# Gloria...
0:57:48 > 0:57:51# Hosanna in excelsis
0:57:51 > 0:57:57# Gloria
0:57:57 > 0:57:59# Hosanna in excelsis. #