0:00:27 > 0:00:30It's Christmas time in a Gloucestershire woodland.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Robins are singing in the chill winter air
0:00:33 > 0:00:36and the mistletoe is ripe with berries.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Whilst homes are ready to burst with Christmassy cheer,
0:00:41 > 0:00:43there's still a lot of work to do here.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46This is the Countryfile Christmas Special.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50And we're here decorating a mile of these trees
0:00:50 > 0:00:52in a suitably festive fashion.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Yes, but not with baubles and tinsel.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57We're in the process of setting up a magical lighting display
0:00:57 > 0:00:59that's going to make these magnificent trees
0:00:59 > 0:01:00look even more enchanting.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04And it wouldn't be Christmas without a social gathering, so the whole
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Countryfile team is on the way
0:01:06 > 0:01:08and they're bringing some new friends.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10John's are rather prickly.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Just how cute is he?
0:01:12 > 0:01:15By rights, he should be fast asleep right now,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18but he's just not big enough, he's not put on enough weight
0:01:18 > 0:01:20to survive hibernating through the winter.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25I'll be meeting volunteers who are looking after little fellas like him.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Ellie's not fattening up hedgehogs.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32She's got us in her sights.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35But don't worry, it's not me that's doing the cooking.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37I've asked a very lovely Michelin-starred chef
0:01:37 > 0:01:39to be my friend for the day
0:01:39 > 0:01:43and we're planning something Christmassy - partridge and pears.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Tom's getting into the Christmas spirit too.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Christmas trees, a sprig of mistletoe
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and a bit of fizz always help to pep up my Christmas.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55And, as I'll be discovering,
0:01:55 > 0:02:00they're also bringing some seasonal cheer to our farmers.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03So, I know what I'm brining to the party, but what's Adam's plan?
0:02:03 > 0:02:06I'll be seeing how my local agricultural university
0:02:06 > 0:02:09prepares for Christmas, and I'll also be seeing
0:02:09 > 0:02:12if some of the students here can carry a tune.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15# Hark the herald angels sing
0:02:15 > 0:02:20# Glory to the newborn king. #
0:02:21 > 0:02:26We've got the whole programme to get these woodlands looking sparkling.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27Is that enough time for you?
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Yeah, I think I can do it. What are you going to do?
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Me, I'm going to go find out more about this place.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33You've got a lovely canvas to work with.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36- Stunning, I know.- Don't mess it up. - I won't.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Westonbirt Arboretum lies in the heart of the Cotswolds
0:02:47 > 0:02:50and is home to our national tree collection.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Whatever the season, there's always something to see
0:02:53 > 0:02:56in this treasure trove of trees from around the world.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02And at Christmas, this woodland is just magical.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07The arboretum has seen more than 180 winters
0:03:07 > 0:03:11and it's home to more than 16,000 trees.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Established in 1829,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16the arboretum was the vision of wealthy landowner Robert Holford,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18a man with a passion for landscaping
0:03:18 > 0:03:22in the great age of Victorian plant-collecting.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27With 3,000 varieties, there's a tree here to suit everybody's taste,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31with the oldest dating back to the Roman invasion 2,000 years ago.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34And even with all of these trees, the arboretum is planting
0:03:34 > 0:03:40300 new ones every year, so I'm off to see where they start out life.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Penny Jones is the propagator here in Westonbirt.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Penny, how are you?
0:03:46 > 0:03:47I'm very well, thank you.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50I understand this is the engine room of the arboretum.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53It is the engine room, it's where all the seeds are processed
0:03:53 > 0:03:56ready to be grown into trees to go out into the collection.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59How many of these would you expect to germinate?
0:03:59 > 0:04:03If I get 20% of what I sow, I'm happy.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05And when would we expect to see those?
0:04:05 > 0:04:09The actual plant ready for planting, in most cases, is two years,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11which is quite a quick turnaround.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Must be quite a feeling when you pop them in here and do see them
0:04:14 > 0:04:16germinate and they've come from goodness knows where?
0:04:16 > 0:04:19You never lose that childlike fascination
0:04:19 > 0:04:22with a seed that's germinated and watching it grow.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24As soon as possible,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27this global variety of species are taken outside
0:04:27 > 0:04:30to acclimatise to the Cotswolds.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35You've got 16,000 trees here, you're planting about 300 every year.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Why is there such a need for that constant turnaround?
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- Are you going for a world record, Penny?- No, not exactly.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44We are beginning to lose a lot of our old trees that would've been
0:04:44 > 0:04:46planted in 1850s and later.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50- They've reached the end of their natural life.- Right.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55This is the one that you're going to be planting, which is a Liquidambar.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59It's got a great autumn colour, it flushes red in the spring
0:04:59 > 0:05:03and it will be a colourful plant with an evergreen backdrop.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06With this young sapling in tow, I'm ready to get digging.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Mark Ballard, arboretum curator, manages this living museum of trees.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- Mark, how you doing?- Hi, Matt. - Nice to see you.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20- Well, you've obviously picked the spot, then.- Yes.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Lots of different factors to consider,
0:05:23 > 0:05:24but we've got a perfect spot, we hope,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26for the plant that you've got with you.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Yes. Good point. Let me get it out the back.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32It's a real art form to choose where you're going to put these
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- because it's like a three-dimensional gallery.- It is.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37This is a real special plant botanically,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40but it's got to do a job for us in the landscape,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42so every plant that you see must work together
0:05:42 > 0:05:46and it has a role within that landscape to look beautiful.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48No pressure, then(!)
0:05:50 > 0:05:52- It's quite an honour, this. - It is an honour.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02What you have to do is use your imagination to think forward
0:06:02 > 0:06:05tens of years as to how it's going to look in the future.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Which is one of the reasons why we're so in awe of
0:06:08 > 0:06:10the original creators of the arboretum.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19That's a brilliant job, Matt.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- That was a lovely thing to be part of.- And promise me you'll come back
0:06:22 > 0:06:25- to have a look at this thing as it gets bigger.- I would love to.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Still disappointed with that wonky post at the back.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Yeah, we'll straighten that up when you're gone!
0:06:33 > 0:06:36With such a vast site at our fingertips,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Mark and I are off to explore.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42It's quite incredible this, cos you go on what is a very long walk,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44let's be honest, but you never get bored, do you?
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Cos everywhere you look there's a different character.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51I think that's the secret of the Holford's landscape idea.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54This picturesque style that they loved is that there's always
0:06:54 > 0:06:56something to draw your eye
0:06:56 > 0:06:58and there's always something that's going to lead you on.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Do you have a favourite or does that change?
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I think I'd probably go for a tree that,
0:07:03 > 0:07:06when I first came to Westonbirt many, many years ago,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09I can remember seeing it and thinking, "Wow, what is that?
0:07:09 > 0:07:12"It's a spectacular tree." It's this Acer griseum, paperbark maple.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17It's just finishing its autumn colour, which was amazing,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19but it's the bark.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Oh, yeah, look at that!
0:07:21 > 0:07:24It doesn't hurt it, does it? When you're rubbing the bark off?
0:07:24 > 0:07:26No, it's just something it does.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28It will just gradually shed this bark.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32I can see why Mark loves this tree.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34I wonder if Julia's found her favourite yet.
0:07:36 > 0:07:37Yes, I've found it.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39This is my magnificent Indian cedar
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and it's my job to transform this wonderful tree
0:07:42 > 0:07:44into a Christmas show stopper.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49But before I plug anything into the mains, or illuminate even a twig,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51I need some serious instruction, because today,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54ladies and gentlemen, I am a lighting apprentice.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Ben isn't your average electrician.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Every year he and his merry men wow the crowds here
0:08:05 > 0:08:07by lighting up the national arboretum
0:08:07 > 0:08:11and transforming it into an enchanted Christmas spectacular.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13He's a real bright spark.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20So, your knees must be trembling at this time of year, then, Ben,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22with all the responsibility?
0:08:22 > 0:08:27Um, yeah, it's anticipation, fear, excitement all thrown into one.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Where do you begin with an arboretum?
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I mean, you're not just illuminating a tree or a garden
0:08:32 > 0:08:33or a row of trees?
0:08:33 > 0:08:37We've been doing this for about 14 years now.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40We try and change it every year, but the trees do it for us.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43They're such brilliant specimens, all we have to do is
0:08:43 > 0:08:46stick a light under it and they'll look fantastic on the night.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47And they're providing the variety?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Yeah, just transforms the arboretum into something that
0:08:50 > 0:08:52we all think is something quite special.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55What happens if an idiot like me comes along and trips over a wire
0:08:55 > 0:08:59- and unplugs everything?- First of all, we'd beat you severely.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Yep, that's absolutely fine. Given. Accepted.
0:09:03 > 0:09:04It's got much better now.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07The only thing that's going to happen on the trail
0:09:07 > 0:09:09is mechanical failure and if anything like that happens
0:09:09 > 0:09:13with a generator, we have a back-up that we'll drag into place.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17So far, touch wood, we've never had to close the trail for anything,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19any reason or kick the people out.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21It's always gone on every night we've been out.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Fantastic! Hopefully this year it's going to go exactly the same way.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- Have you got a torch?- Uh, several.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Ben and his team have already spent two weeks rigging 1,000 lights
0:09:36 > 0:09:38and ten miles of cable.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42But with just hours to go before the big switch-on, they're going to
0:09:42 > 0:09:46need all their reserve energy to get everything finished.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Right, the pressure's on.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Let's hope nobody blows a fuse.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54To make things even more complicated,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57every year the team dreams up what they call "wow factors"
0:09:57 > 0:09:59to really impress the crowds.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Because the trail is about a mile long
0:10:03 > 0:10:04and there's a lot of families,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07young kids that come along and a mile in the middle of winter can be
0:10:07 > 0:10:11quite a stretch, we throw in a lot of interactive features,
0:10:11 > 0:10:16just things to break up the walk and hopefully to add something to it.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18The wow factors are strategically placed
0:10:18 > 0:10:20every hundred yards along the walk.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22This one needs a drum-roll.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25I'm liking the look of this. How does it work, Ben?
0:10:25 > 0:10:27This is our drum kit.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Each one's got a microphone in it which triggers a relay when you hit
0:10:30 > 0:10:33the drum, and hopefully it will trigger a light off down there.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- How are your drum skills?- Amazing. - Give me a minute.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41I feel like Jean Michel Jarre.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44If you're a young viewer, you won't know who that is,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47but he was a French dude that did lots of lighting, bangy stuff.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- OK, go for it.- Here we go.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Yep, all good.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Ah, that's a nice one.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03All tests passed, but can it cope with a concert?
0:11:17 > 0:11:18Thank you, Paris!
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Just time for some last-minute fairy lights.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31These are mega fairy lights, they're like fairy lights on steroids.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34'And the wow factors are ready.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37'The bubbles are going to be bubbling,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41'the bonfire will burn and the smoke rings will be smoking.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:46'I'm ready for my last challenge.'
0:11:48 > 0:11:51So we're back at the Indian cedar tree and it's time for me
0:11:51 > 0:11:54to illuminate this beauty with some Bradbury magic.
0:11:56 > 0:11:57Where do I start, Ben?
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- Colours. Pick some gels. - Colours, I like that.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Oh, that'll look nice, won't it?
0:12:08 > 0:12:09Lovely.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Blue, a nice royal blue.
0:12:14 > 0:12:15Sunny yellow.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20- Right, gels in the gel frames. - Mm-hm.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23- Positioning the lights, I guess, next.- Yeah.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27You have six lights. A trunk shot's always a good start.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29And then if you divide the tree up into the various limbs
0:12:29 > 0:12:33you've got there. Maybe a back shot. Completely up to you.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44How do you think you've done?
0:12:44 > 0:12:46I want to see them on and I'll make the final adjustments.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49If we fire it up, we'll see what you've done.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01So, I'm walking along, I've come to visit
0:13:01 > 0:13:06the arboretum for Christmas, I come to this stunning tree...
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and I think to myself, "Gosh, the lighting is spectacular.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14"It's really well thought out, very well put together."
0:13:14 > 0:13:16I think he's got to go, though.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23My tree's now ready for the big switch-on later
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and it's definitely going to be a highlight.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37That's what I like to see - Matt and Julia working up an appetite,
0:13:37 > 0:13:38and I hope they're hungry
0:13:38 > 0:13:42because I've got a little something up my sleeve.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45SONG: "The 12 Days Of Christmas"
0:13:45 > 0:13:48It's one of our oldest and best-loved carols,
0:13:48 > 0:13:49the sound of Christmas.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56But how about turning that famous tune into the taste of Christmas?
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Based on the famous line of the partridge and the pear,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01I'm after some ingredients to be cooked up
0:14:01 > 0:14:05by our Michelin-star chef later on.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Normally the loud and colourful turkey steals the all the attention,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13but game birds like partridge, pheasant and grouse have long been
0:14:13 > 0:14:17traditional festive fare and this is the prime time of year for seeing
0:14:17 > 0:14:21partridge and pheasant and that is because it's shooting season.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Here in the Vale of Evesham is a farm that comes into its own
0:14:27 > 0:14:29during the winter months.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Paul's family have been rearing game since the war
0:14:33 > 0:14:36and he's been in charge for the last 28 years.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Tell me about this shoot today? How does it work?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44This is called a syndicate shoot, it's a farm shoot.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47We have eight paying guns and we decide how many birds we're going to
0:14:47 > 0:14:50release and we're mostly partridge.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55And we try and shoot something over 100 every day.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58The birds I'm after today are the red-legged partridge
0:14:58 > 0:15:02rather than its much rarer cousin, the native grey partridge.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06The red-legged birds are also known as French partridge
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and for a reason you might not expect.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12It's meant to be that during the Napoleonic Wars
0:15:12 > 0:15:16when the French infantry ran away with their red breeches,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20they resembled or mimicked the red-legged partridge which runs
0:15:20 > 0:15:23quite a long distance before it actually takes off into the air.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25So, spoiler alert, then -
0:15:25 > 0:15:27the partridge doesn't live in the pear tree?
0:15:27 > 0:15:29No, he doesn't.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30Never been seen in a pear tree.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34He sleeps on the ground, he may sit on a fence post or some rock
0:15:34 > 0:15:38or something, but, no, he is a ground-roosting bird, unfortunately.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Oh, it's ruined... No, it's not ruined Christmas,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42cos there's going to be some good eating, hopefully.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44If people feel uncomfortable about this,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46this isn't just for sport, is it?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49No, it's like a harvest in the whole of agriculture.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54It's a very organic food, it's very high in protein,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56vitamin B6 and iron.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Even though it's shot with lead,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- it still has a lower lead rate than fish and, say, even potatoes.- Wow.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04And everything gets eaten from today?
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Everything gets eaten from today.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09And I think what I feel matters is that this is an animal
0:16:09 > 0:16:11that's had a good life and a very swift death,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15and you can't guarantee that of all meat, so this is actually
0:16:15 > 0:16:17a meat many people would be more comfortable with.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Yes, it's hard to get people to eat it,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24but the trend is going the right way. People are eating a lot more.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26'Well, I can think of a few people
0:16:26 > 0:16:28'who'd be keen to try this later on,
0:16:28 > 0:16:33'when I'll be uniting partridge and pear in a special Christmas dish.'
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Right, Ellie, here's your Christmas present.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Wow! Thank you very much! - Enjoy them.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41We shall enjoy this festive feast. Thank you very much.
0:16:41 > 0:16:42That's the food sorted.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46I just need Tom to help me out with a few extra festive treats.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54Don't you worry, Ellie, I think know where I can find just the things.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59You might think that the fields would be pretty quiet at this
0:16:59 > 0:17:03time of year, aside, maybe, from the odd Christmas miracle,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05what with all the crops being harvested
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and the animals being snugly indoors,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12but that's where you'd be wrong cos Christmas is providing a cash crop
0:17:12 > 0:17:16for an increasing number of British farmers, as I'm going to find out.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Seasonal diversification is the name of the game.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27I'm on my way to visit three wise men and women
0:17:27 > 0:17:30who've turned their hands to festive farming.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34And hopefully, along the way, I can pick up some gifts to add
0:17:34 > 0:17:38a little extra jollity to celebrations at the arboretum later.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42The first place requiring my Christmas presence
0:17:42 > 0:17:44is this Gloucestershire apple orchard.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49We work in traditional orchards just like this.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51This one was planted by my great aunt in 1912.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Helen Brent-Smith and her partner David Kaspar make cider
0:17:56 > 0:17:58and perry here.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02But they've also started taking advantage of a free add-on
0:18:02 > 0:18:03to their trees.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05I see you've got a bumper crop on here,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08but not necessarily of apples at this time of the year.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11- That's right.- Look at the lovely mistletoe up here. Amazing!
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Mistletoe is an extra. It loves old apple trees.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16If you had a good crop of mistletoe on you,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19roughly how much might you expect to get from it?
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Possibly up to a ton.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23And in money, that would be?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25A few hundreds, but it's not...
0:18:25 > 0:18:28- A few hundred pounds. A good Christmas bonus.- Yeah.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31So, you better put me to work here. What's the idea?
0:18:31 > 0:18:34I think there's a very nice clump on the top there.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39That's lovely. And up we go.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43'Helen is one of a growing number of orchid owners
0:18:43 > 0:18:46'cashing in on this naturally occurring crop.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50'And this inventiveness is also turning a foe into a friend.'
0:18:52 > 0:18:53- Here's our bounty.- Look at that.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56I've never really seen how it grows before
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and it really is part of the tree, look at that!
0:18:58 > 0:19:01The mistletoe has drawn the nutrients from that branch.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- So it does need a bit of management? - It does.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07- Or it could damage the key part of your business.- Yes, exactly.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09There we go. That's a good load.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Now, would I be allowed to take a little bit,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14just in case I strike it lucky at the Countryfile Christmas Special?
0:19:14 > 0:19:15Absolutely. Of course!
0:19:15 > 0:19:18A small part of Gloucestershire coming with you.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20And thank you very much. Happy Christmas.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Festive.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33But the next stop on my list isn't just making a little extra cash
0:19:33 > 0:19:36for Christmas. They've built the bulk of their business
0:19:36 > 0:19:39on branching out to meet this seasonal market.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49John Hardwick started out by selling home-grown produce door-to-door.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53But from these green shoots sprouted a whole new business.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57I used to go round all the houses at one time delivering veg,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00and then when we got round to Christmas they would all say,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02can you supply me with Christmas trees?
0:20:02 > 0:20:06So then I would buy a few trees and that is how it all started.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09And Christmas trees make up what proportion of your business?
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Probably now about 50%,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14it has really grown in the last 10 years.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19His first few trees have grown into 54 acres of festive forest,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22helping John earn the position of chairman
0:20:22 > 0:20:26of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28How long have they taken to get like this?
0:20:28 > 0:20:328-10 years to get to this size, they were planted at the same year
0:20:32 > 0:20:34but some grow quicker than others.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39With these spruce-covered slopes busier than Santa's Grotto,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41there is no time for idle chatter.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44I could get into this.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- What next?- Now you've got to net it.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52For one big kid, Christmas has come early.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56More machines to play with!
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Wahey!
0:21:05 > 0:21:08There certainly are some fine specimens on here,
0:21:08 > 0:21:12but taking a tree to an arboretum all feels a bit coals-to-Newcastle.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Thankfully, they're not the only kind of Yuletide cheer you
0:21:15 > 0:21:17will find here.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29I have to say, sparkling wine like this always feels a bit more like
0:21:29 > 0:21:33France rather than Somerset, but there they are, growing behind us.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- When did you begin this? - About five or six years ago.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39This is our first vintage of the sparkling wine.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Better make sure it's all right.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46I'd say this boozy bounty is bound to go down well with
0:21:46 > 0:21:49the rest of the gang, but before I make my way to the
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Westonbirt's winter wonderland, I've got to make one more stop.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Harnessing the potential Christmas brings is not just about crops.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Livestock can also deliver lucrative opportunities,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04as one lady knows only too well.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09From her farm in Berkshire, Jackie Rowberry
0:22:09 > 0:22:13trains animals to perform on film and television,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17but she is increasingly specialising in festive performances,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20with an animal synonymous with the season.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21There they are!
0:22:21 > 0:22:24I don't think I've ever seen them close up before.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27How does it work as a business? Seasonal, I would imagine.
0:22:27 > 0:22:28Very seasonal, yes.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Sometimes we start in October, and we do films, commercials,
0:22:32 > 0:22:37and then November, we are busy with schools, town centre bookings,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39and we go right through to Christmas Eve.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44- And in that key period, can you make a bit of money?- It is not too bad.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46There are very expensive to keep.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49A couple of these, I gather, are going off to Westonbirt.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- Who's on the sleigh? - Jingle and Bell.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53On the sleigh team.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03- Are we ready to go?- Yep. Want to give him a push?- A little bump start.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08'I guess sometimes even Santa's little helpers need a little helper.'
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Well, it's Christmas, what did you expect?
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Back at Westonbirt, the forestry team are working
0:23:38 > 0:23:41tirelessly to keep these trees looking good.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Mark Ballard, the arboretum curator, has been explaining how
0:23:45 > 0:23:49he copes with the challenges of keeping the woodland disease-free.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Over the last few years we have heard a lot about threats
0:23:51 > 0:23:56to our trees, so how are you and how have you coped?
0:23:56 > 0:23:59It's a time like never before, there are lots of threats,
0:23:59 > 0:24:01pest and disease.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05We keep a close eye on our trees, just to make sure
0:24:05 > 0:24:08they are all OK and obviously to keep the people that come to see us safe.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- More so now or have you always had that?- We have always done that.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Some of the diseases you heard about in the press, some we have, some we
0:24:16 > 0:24:20don't, some we expect in the future to hit us, stuff like ash dieback.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23But there, we can also play an important role,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26because we have about 41 different species of ash.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29- You can work out which ones are resistant?- Exactly.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32We have researchers closely monitoring those species, with
0:24:32 > 0:24:36the hope there may be some tolerance or resistance we don't know.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38It is about the biggest picture, working together.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41But day-to-day, we have to manage the safety, that is
0:24:41 > 0:24:44the most important thing.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47During their annual tree safety inspection, the team found
0:24:47 > 0:24:50a fungus growing on one of their oldest and most precious oak trees.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55To inspect it further, I need to get a better view.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02I'm kept in safe hands with arboretum tree climber Andy Bryce.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07- All right?- So this is the purpose of the journey.- It is.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10It has been growing on the tree for a number of years,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- sometimes you can tell by these annual rings how old it is.- OK.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16A bracket fungus is like the tip of an iceberg
0:25:16 > 0:25:20and it can have devastating consequences for the life of trees.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22How can you work out what kind of impact this is
0:25:22 > 0:25:25having inside the tree?
0:25:25 > 0:25:28We use a special tool. One of these.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- Just a hammer.- Very technical.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35We listen for a change in the wood, from solid wood to decayed wood.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38We can have a little tap around and you might be able to hear
0:25:38 > 0:25:40the difference from solid wood...
0:25:40 > 0:25:43HAMMERING
0:25:43 > 0:25:46..coming down into something a bit more hollow.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49And the danger is then, it affects the structure of it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Here we are, it could split the tree.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55We have a big fork here, we have a lot of weight in it, and there is
0:25:55 > 0:26:00a pocket of decay in there, it could cause this to split out.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03We are quite happy with what the tree has done to contain it itself,
0:26:03 > 0:26:09and we can leave it for a number of years before we do anything.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- Right, shall I do the first shift then?- I think so.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16That means hanging around a bit longer. Good lad. See you later.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Cheers, then!
0:26:19 > 0:26:22If anything happens, I'll let you know.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Tell you what, all this hanging around has made me
0:26:28 > 0:26:30feel quite peckish.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Ellie?!
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Ellie!
0:26:36 > 0:26:41Well, I've got just the man to sort out peckish Matt.
0:26:41 > 0:26:47None other than Tom Kerridge, a chef with not one but two Michelin stars.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Gastronomic royalty, he's well used to cooking up special treats.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56I wonder how he'll fare with our partridge and pear.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Before we start slaving over a hot stove, I want to find
0:27:00 > 0:27:05out about Tom's personal connection to Westonbirt Arboretum.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- Tom, you've got memories of coming here, haven't you?- I have, yes.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11It's one of those great memories as a kid,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14it's where my mum used to bring me and my brother, we used to come
0:27:14 > 0:27:18quite a lot, especially in the winter months, it is amazing, beautiful
0:27:18 > 0:27:22place, and I don't think I've been back for about 20, 25 years.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Does it feel like when you were young? Does it bring back memories?
0:27:25 > 0:27:27It feels exactly the same, it's amazing,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31except there is probably more trees and they are probably a lot bigger.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33- You've been practising this recipe for a while.- Actually, no.
0:27:33 > 0:27:38- This is a recipe specially designed for you.- Yeah! Lovely.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41In a hidden corner of the woods,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45we've set up a Countryfile country kitchen - well, it's
0:27:45 > 0:27:49a table with a cloth on it and we are surrounded by trees.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51But I have a feeling that Tom will
0:27:51 > 0:27:53work his magic despite the unusual setting.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59OK, I need you to dice this mushroom. Big, chunky pieces.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03- And the pear, same sort of size. - Big and chunky.- Big and chunky.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05What are you cooking?
0:28:05 > 0:28:09Obviously, we are outdoors, that means barbecue,
0:28:09 > 0:28:14so we are going to do a barbecue kebab-style partridge,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and pheasant kebabs with pear and mushroom.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Wow! And you know we've dispelled that particular myth,
0:28:21 > 0:28:25- partridges don't have anything to do with pear trees, sadly.- Really?
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Never mind, we like the Christmas theme.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Yes, and we'll stick with it for this recipe.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33What does Christmas Day mean for you?
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Christmas Day, for me, I come from a small family,
0:28:36 > 0:28:42and I have married into a big one, and my wife's family, it is
0:28:42 > 0:28:45always about people having fun and great food.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48- We are getting oak leaves falling on our food.- I like it.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51We are using outdoor flavours for this dish, we are
0:28:51 > 0:28:56using some Douglas fir pine, we've got some here that is chopped.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00- That's really citrusy. - Yes, and really powerful.
0:29:00 > 0:29:05It will give us that lovely outdoor flavour we are looking for.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08You don't get much more local than that.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11The partridge is marinated with the Douglas fir, juniper,
0:29:11 > 0:29:13salt and thyme.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16Into that, some pear cider.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Got to say cider properly, especially in this part of the world.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23- You did, that was correct. - Yeah, that was correct.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27So the correct pronunciation of pear cider, or perry, going in.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Along with a lovely cider, Tom adds some English rapeseed oil,
0:29:31 > 0:29:35uniting the partridge and pear in a right tasty soaking.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38- We have some here. - How long has that been there for?
0:29:38 > 0:29:42- I did this yesterday.- Fantastic. Then we have a kebab stick.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44I will stick a little piece of partridge,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47then one of the big chunky pieces.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50- Mushroom. I didn't take stalks off. - Don't worry.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Then we're going to put a little bit of the pheasant
0:29:53 > 0:29:56and a bit of the pear, big chunk of pear.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Going to start putting together kebabs like this ready to go
0:29:59 > 0:30:01onto the barbecue.
0:30:03 > 0:30:08- Here we go.- OK. Let's get the first ones on!- The first sizzle.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11- The first sizzle. That's the noise you want to hear, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:30:11 > 0:30:16- Not in December, usually.- No. It makes a nice change, doesn't it?
0:30:16 > 0:30:21- It does.- OK, so, in here, I have a glaze of caramelised honey,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24some of the pheasant stock from the leftover bones
0:30:24 > 0:30:27- and a little bit of that pear cider.- Wow!
0:30:27 > 0:30:32- Just brushing it on top of the kebabs.- Not just any old brush.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37No, it is actually a Douglas fir pine brush, they look amazing.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41They look so, so good. They're smelling fantastic.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45- They're almost, they're not far from being ready.- Yes.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Not far off tasting!
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Oh, look at this.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59It is a lovely idea, isn't it?
0:30:59 > 0:31:03We should do more outdoor winter barbecues, I think.
0:31:04 > 0:31:11That is good. Partridge and pear, the perfect Christmas combo.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13I better save these for the others, though.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19It is all going a bit too well. We've got reindeer, fizzy wine and food.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22I want to step away from the preparations
0:31:22 > 0:31:25and take a look at the actual Christmas season.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33So many of our Christmas traditions have links to the countryside.
0:31:33 > 0:31:39Holly, ivy, mistletoe, even our cards have robins on the front.
0:31:39 > 0:31:40But why?
0:31:40 > 0:31:44First up, Professor Ronald Hutton, a historian from Bristol University.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48So, Professor, in your opinion,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50where do our Christmas traditions come from?
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Right out of ancient pagan times
0:31:52 > 0:31:55and the pagans were simply the pre-Christian peoples of Europe.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57What did the pagans bring to the Christmas party?
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Ways of avoiding feeling suicidal at this dark, cold time of year.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03- Which makes sense.- Three things.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05First is greenery,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08bringing in whatever is still green in the woods to your homes,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11your temples, and later on, your churches, to cheer you up.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Second, light, press back the darkness.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16Make your home blaze with a Yule log
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and a fire or big, white Christmas candles.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21And the third is feasting,
0:32:21 > 0:32:24getting round the table with friends and family and making merry.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28So, greenery, that would be the mistletoe, the holly?
0:32:28 > 0:32:31In practice, until modern times, it is holly and ivy.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Mistletoe is really quite rare until the 18th century,
0:32:34 > 0:32:38and in fact nobody seems to kiss underneath it until the 1780s, 1790s
0:32:38 > 0:32:43when servants in London start doing it, probably because they are bored,
0:32:43 > 0:32:47and then their masters and mistresses see what they're doing and start to snog.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52So, where does Father Christmas fit into all this?
0:32:52 > 0:32:56He is created in the 1610s as a response to
0:32:56 > 0:32:58puritans who are trying to abolish Christmas
0:32:58 > 0:33:02because they see it as Catholic and pagan, which it kind of is.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05And so those who love Christmas create this character called
0:33:05 > 0:33:09Father Christmas, who embodies everything that Christmas means.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13And he is strictly about adult enjoyment, does not
0:33:13 > 0:33:16give presents to anyone, is not interested in children.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19He's about the feasting, the frivolity, the general fun of Christmas.
0:33:19 > 0:33:25But, in the 1880s he gets blended with Santa Claus, who is a saint,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28St Nicholas, who's patron of children
0:33:28 > 0:33:31and we get the Father Christmas we have had ever since.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35- So Father Christmas is in fact two people.- He is.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38I don't know how I'm going to tell my little boy all of this, it will be shocking.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40I would wait a few years.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Pagans celebrate the arrival of the shortest day of the year,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53winter solstice, on December 21st.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Teresa Mori is a pagan
0:33:55 > 0:33:58and she is also a third degree Wiccan high priestess.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01For her, the old ways are the best ways.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05How do you celebrate Christmas?
0:34:05 > 0:34:07I celebrate Christmas like anybody else
0:34:07 > 0:34:11would celebrate Christmas, with a few extra things.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15And with more awareness of what a lot of the things we do normally
0:34:15 > 0:34:18at Christmas actually mean from a symbolic point of view.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23So for instance, the Christmas tree which is evergreen,
0:34:23 > 0:34:29- like all evergreens, symbolises the continuing life.- And holly?
0:34:29 > 0:34:34The holly, which I have just been cutting, I should say it is very important
0:34:34 > 0:34:40when you cut holly to ask the tree, first of all, if it's OK.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43That might sound crazy, talking to a tree.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46How do you do it? And how do you get the answer?
0:34:46 > 0:34:51Using your intuition. And getting the feel for the tree, tuning in.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55- Is that why you have chosen paganism?- One of the reasons, yes.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Paganism is about, it's about joyfulness.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03It's about feeling part of the seasonal cycle.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08And it is not so much a set of beliefs as what you do and how you feel.
0:35:14 > 0:35:19I can see how pagan customs have influenced our modern-day traditions.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22And we know about fat man, what about robin?
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Where does he fit in to it all?
0:35:25 > 0:35:29Christmas isn't Christmas without this little red breasted fellow.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Peter Exley from the RSPB is here to tell me why.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38It was the Victorians, they started the trend for sending
0:35:38 > 0:35:42Christmas cards and Christmas cards were delivered by postmen who
0:35:42 > 0:35:44wore red tunics and so they were called redbreasts.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48They are such friendly, fluffy, gorgeous little creatures.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52They are colourful, they sing through the winter, few other birds do that.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56They're always some of the first birds most people see.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58They are tough little blighters, though.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02They are, they are fiercely territorial. They hold very small territories
0:36:02 > 0:36:05and they will fight to the death to defend them.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08There's a much darker side to the robin.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Why do we see them in our back gardens and perched on our spades?
0:36:11 > 0:36:14It is because they think we are pigs, believe it or not.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17The are a bird of woodland and in their natural habitat
0:36:17 > 0:36:20they would follow wild boar or deer as they are rooting over,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and flying down and picking up things like worms,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26and in a garden it is like a woodland glade and we are doing
0:36:26 > 0:36:28the same as a wild boar or pig would do,
0:36:28 > 0:36:32so that is why they like being close to us, following us for food.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40Here at Westonbirt the old yuletide customs are embraced.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Father Christmas always sports the traditional green suit that,
0:36:43 > 0:36:45together with a wreath of holly and ivy,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47represents the coming of spring.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Has it been a good season so far?
0:36:51 > 0:36:55Very good, very busy, the elves are working hard.
0:36:59 > 0:37:00Looking good, Santa.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04There we go, Mr Claus,
0:37:04 > 0:37:08not long until you are turning on the Christmas lights here.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11And our very own Mr Craven will be helping Mr Claus switch on the lights
0:37:11 > 0:37:15but first of all he's some prickly little problems he needs to attend to.
0:37:15 > 0:37:20Winter can be a hard time for a lot of British wildlife
0:37:20 > 0:37:27and this prickly little fellow finds it particularly tough. The hedgehog.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31He should be sleeping away the cold winter months in hibernation,
0:37:31 > 0:37:35but like many others like him his calendar is a bit out of kilter.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41The trouble is, hedgehogs often have a second or third
0:37:41 > 0:37:44litter of babies known as hoglets, in late summer.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49But when the weather starts to turn, Mum goes into hibernation
0:37:49 > 0:37:52and the late arrivals are left to fend for themselves.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Many of the youngsters have not built up enough fat reserves
0:37:57 > 0:38:00in time for the cold weather.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04So, if they try to hibernate, they might never wake up.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Luckily, they are determined little creatures
0:38:07 > 0:38:11and when it comes to Christmas wishes they have quite a list.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Mary Hinton can fulfil some of those wishes,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21she is a volunteer with Help A Hedgehog,
0:38:21 > 0:38:26and her garage, a few minutes from Westonbirt, doubles up as a hospital.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31This one was found out in the day, in a road.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33When he first came in he was only 355g,
0:38:33 > 0:38:38so hedgehogs have to be 600g to have a safe chance of hibernating.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40And you weigh him in a food bowl!
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Yes! Just on a domestic pair of scales.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45This is what people can do at home.
0:38:45 > 0:38:52He is 605g so he is above danger level now.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55This one has done very well, it is now up to a safe weight.
0:38:55 > 0:39:00So top of the Christmas wishes list for hedgehogs is a nice fat tummy
0:39:00 > 0:39:02and that means lots of lovely food.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09- In hedgehog terms he is getting quite chubby now.- He is.
0:39:09 > 0:39:10What do you feed him on?
0:39:10 > 0:39:14Basically we did a mixture of wet cat food, non-fishy,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17and we mix it with dried mealworms which they are absolutely
0:39:17 > 0:39:20addicted to, so that is a bit of a treat.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23And also little cat biscuits and we mix it all together
0:39:23 > 0:39:29- and that gives them a good range in their diet.- What shouldn't you feed them?
0:39:29 > 0:39:32You should not give them the bread and milk.
0:39:32 > 0:39:33- Really?- It's a complete fallacy.
0:39:33 > 0:39:39Hedgehogs are lactose intolerance so it makes them very poorly and can kill them.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44Hedgehogs are tenacious characters,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47which often gets them into a spot of bother.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51In some cases they need more than a good meal to put them right.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56That's why another perfectly ordinary home has been
0:39:56 > 0:40:00transformed into a life-saving facility for hedgehogs in need.
0:40:07 > 0:40:13This bungalow also provides high-rise living for 53 hedgehogs.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16That's a record number for another helper.
0:40:16 > 0:40:23- The festively named Carol Doyton. Shall I hold him?- Yes, we want to...
0:40:24 > 0:40:28Even the tiniest hedgehogs get five-star treatment
0:40:28 > 0:40:31- right here in Carol's kitchen. - This is a special milk.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Milk? I thought you were not supposed to give them milk.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39It is special, it is puppy milk that we feed the hogs.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43There we go, he's got the hang of it now.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46He's really enjoying that, isn't he?
0:40:46 > 0:40:49This is a kind of emergency unit, is it?
0:40:49 > 0:40:51It is the intensive care unit.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Mainly because little ones need such constant care.
0:40:54 > 0:41:00- What is wrong with this one?- That is our strimmer injury.- Strimmer?
0:41:00 > 0:41:05- Here's an object lesson to be very careful when you're out in the garden.- Yes.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10It is easy to give the hedgehog a haircut without intending it.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14That's right, he's been on antibiotics for a week and
0:41:14 > 0:41:15he's also go roundworm
0:41:15 > 0:41:20so he is actually on medicines for that as well.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22How do you see the future for hedgehogs?
0:41:22 > 0:41:28- We keep hearing that they are in a bad way in the wild.- It is worrying.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32It is said that by 2025 there will not be any
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- hedgehogs as we know it now. - Do you believe that?
0:41:35 > 0:41:40I do actually because there is just so many things, netting...
0:41:40 > 0:41:41Ow!
0:41:41 > 0:41:42Oh, sorry!
0:41:42 > 0:41:44That was a really big bite!
0:41:44 > 0:41:47THEY LAUGH
0:41:48 > 0:41:50No, no, no.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53He's obviously got a little bit fed up so
0:41:53 > 0:41:55we'll put you back in there.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Hedgehogs are a threat to me,
0:41:57 > 0:42:00never mind humans being a threat to hedgehogs!
0:42:00 > 0:42:01Lucky you had your gloves on.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Talk about biting the hand that feeds!
0:42:06 > 0:42:11But this little fellow will survive to join the dwindling hedgehog population -
0:42:11 > 0:42:13down to just under a million today,
0:42:13 > 0:42:18compared to an estimated 30 million in the 1950s.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22So it is a good job that people like Carol are able to do their bit.
0:42:22 > 0:42:27Last spring the Help A Hedgehog volunteers released 160 hogs
0:42:27 > 0:42:31back into the wild after keeping them warm and safe through winter.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35But there is one more Christmas wish that you can help with.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46If you come across a tiny hedgehog like this that is obviously
0:42:46 > 0:42:49underweight, best to try and keep it warm
0:42:49 > 0:42:53and call someone like Carol or Mary to get help.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57But should you find a fully grown hedgehog that is hibernating
0:42:57 > 0:43:00cosily somewhere safe just leave it in peace.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03That's the best Christmas present any hedgehog could have.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08For their size, hedgehogs can be pretty demanding creatures.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13But that goes too for the slightly bigger animals down on Adam's farm.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30The animals on the farm need checking 365 days of the year.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32It doesn't matter if it is Christmas or not.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34What we do is make sure we have everything
0:43:34 > 0:43:38together for Christmas Day with all the animals well bedded down
0:43:38 > 0:43:41with plenty of hay and straw and those sorts of things.
0:43:41 > 0:43:42Here we go then!
0:43:45 > 0:43:48There, that is a lovely deep bed for them, to keep them warm and snug
0:43:48 > 0:43:50and last them a few days.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52Right, pig next.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57Who's a lovely lady?
0:43:59 > 0:44:01She's in here because she's giving birth soon.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06One of my lovely iron age sows.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08Very tough.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13Donkeys next door.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16We've a couple of thousand animals on the farm and they all need
0:44:16 > 0:44:19checking and feeding every day including Christmas Day,
0:44:19 > 0:44:23so my livestock manager and Duncan, my business partner, and I share it
0:44:23 > 0:44:27out on the day and go around all the animals in time to get
0:44:27 > 0:44:30back for our Christmas turkey and opening presents.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32And these donkeys are so sweet,
0:44:32 > 0:44:37if these aren't Christmassy I don't know what it is.
0:44:37 > 0:44:38Aren't you lovely?
0:44:42 > 0:44:45There are a couple of animals on the farm that are definitely going to
0:44:45 > 0:44:49get spoiled rotten this Christmas, as Alfie my son has two new friends.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52Ferrets might be small but my dad remembers times
0:44:52 > 0:44:55when they were essential during the winter months.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58You've got some lovely ferrets, they're beautiful!
0:44:58 > 0:45:00- You know what ferrets were for?- Yep.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02They used to put them down holes to catch rabbits.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04When this country had a depression,
0:45:04 > 0:45:10this farm depended on the rabbits, and in the right season, mushrooms,
0:45:10 > 0:45:14- to keep them going. That's all they had.- That was the farm income.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17He's lively, this one, isn't he? What are they called, Alf?
0:45:17 > 0:45:18- This one is Pepper.- Yeah.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20And this one is Scratchy.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23I like this one, but that one tends to bite a bit.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26You know how they used them?
0:45:26 > 0:45:29They put them down the holes and put nets over the holes
0:45:29 > 0:45:34so that when the rabbits came out of the warren to escape the ferret,
0:45:34 > 0:45:36they'd go into the nets and they'd have them.
0:45:36 > 0:45:40I love it that Alfie enjoys working with animals and feeding them.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43You'll be out with me on Christmas Day, helping feed the animals.
0:45:43 > 0:45:45- No way!- Good lad.- You will.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48You won't get your stocking unless you help me out on Christmas Day.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51I'm off to Cirencester Ag College, which is now a university.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55- You went there, didn't you?- It is a university, and I did go there,
0:45:55 > 0:45:59and recently I've been awarded an honorary fellowship.
0:45:59 > 0:46:01I was thrilled and very honoured.
0:46:01 > 0:46:05- How long ago were you there? - I was there when I was 20.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09- So that's 60 years ago. - There we go, you can have Pepper.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12And I'll leave you here to look after Alf.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14It's great that the family have connections
0:46:14 > 0:46:17with our local agricultural university.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20They're also preparing for Christmas
0:46:20 > 0:46:24and I'm keen to catch up with some of the students before they break up.
0:46:24 > 0:46:29Lydia is a second-year agriculture and farm management student.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32She's helping get ready for the festive season
0:46:32 > 0:46:34by moving some sheep onto their winter grazing,
0:46:34 > 0:46:38which will keep them going over the Christmas period.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43- You've got some quite good stubble turnips in here.- Yes.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46What have you learnt about these?
0:46:46 > 0:46:48Well, stubble turnips are a fantastic crop
0:46:48 > 0:46:51to put your animals on over winter.
0:46:51 > 0:46:52They're called a catch crop which means
0:46:52 > 0:46:54they are planted in-between two main crops.
0:46:54 > 0:46:58So, after you've harvested wheat in the summer, you plant these.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Particularly when the grass has stopped growing during winter,
0:47:01 > 0:47:02it's a really valuable feed.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04Yes, especially because the sheep will eat the whole thing.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06And as you can see, there's plenty of it.
0:47:06 > 0:47:11And they are very cheap to grow and they grow incredibly quickly,
0:47:11 > 0:47:13it only takes about 12 weeks from planting
0:47:13 > 0:47:16- until you can put your animals out onto them.- Yes, fantastic.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18I went to agricultural college and I know it's not all work,
0:47:18 > 0:47:21- there's a bit of play involved. - Yes.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23So what do you do to enjoy yourself?
0:47:23 > 0:47:26I actually run the college choir, so that's my hobby.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29This time of year, with Christmas just around the corner, are you
0:47:29 > 0:47:33getting your vocal cords nice and warmed up for the Christmas carols?
0:47:33 > 0:47:36Yes, indeed, we are. We've got our uni carol concert coming up soon
0:47:36 > 0:47:38so we're all rehearsing like mad.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40We've got one this afternoon actually.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44- I'll have to come along and sing some carols with you.- You should.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48While the sheep are happy munching on the stubble turnips,
0:47:48 > 0:47:50student Philip Steadman is tending to the pigs.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55Come on, pigs, wake up.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58- A pig is an important part of what you look at at uni.- Absolutely.
0:47:58 > 0:48:00Pigs take up a lot of our time.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02We learn about their production, life-cycles
0:48:02 > 0:48:04and the different systems.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06And these pigs are growing fast, aren't they?
0:48:06 > 0:48:08Yes, they are a fantastic bunch of pigs.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11Just over the corner there, we've got some pigs that are about
0:48:11 > 0:48:14100-110 kilos, so they'll soon be ready to go off to the butchers
0:48:14 > 0:48:15just in time for Christmas.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19- So, you are involved with the choir? - Yes, I am.- What is your part?
0:48:19 > 0:48:21Well, I tinkle the ivories now and again,
0:48:21 > 0:48:25- but I'll turn my hand to anything. - So you're on the piano?- Yes, I am.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28I've got the job of rounding up the team for practice this afternoon.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30- Shall we get to it? - I think we should.
0:48:32 > 0:48:33As the daylight hours close in,
0:48:33 > 0:48:36the students prepare for a choir practice.
0:48:48 > 0:48:53# Hark, the herald angels sing... #
0:48:53 > 0:48:56- They're very good, aren't they? - They are, yes.
0:48:56 > 0:49:01- This is a lovely way to relax after study.- It is, yes.
0:49:01 > 0:49:04It's quite a good way of releasing tension and it's also nice
0:49:04 > 0:49:06because it's a festive time as well.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10# Joyful, all ye nations rise
0:49:10 > 0:49:14# Join the triumph of the skies... #
0:49:14 > 0:49:18They are very good, actually. It's given me an idea for later.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22This lot deserve an audience
0:49:22 > 0:49:24and I know exactly where to find one.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26# Hark the Herald Angels sing
0:49:26 > 0:49:30# Glory to the newborn king. #
0:49:32 > 0:49:35So the choir are on their way, the reindeer have arrived.
0:49:35 > 0:49:37- Hello to all the girls here. - Hello, girls.- Good.
0:49:37 > 0:49:41I'm very excited about this tree you've been decorating with lights.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45- What scheme have you gone for?- I've gone for festive disco splendour.
0:49:45 > 0:49:47- All bases covered, then.- Yes.- Great.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49Don't worry about the tree, I'm quietly confident about it.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52Have you got your hands on a Countryfile calendar for next year?
0:49:52 > 0:49:56All sorted. You would not believe how organised I am for 2014.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59- All dates in?- All the important dates marked up.- My birthday?- It's in.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02If you want to get hold of one of these, details are on the website.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04Lots of beautiful photographs.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06You want one of these on your kitchen wall.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09So, Father Christmas is coming with the rest of the Countryfile team.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11But answer me this question - I think I know the answer.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13Have you been dreaming of a white Christmas?
0:50:13 > 0:50:17Of course I've been dreaming of a white Christmas, you know I have.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19Look, I can make your Christmas dreams come true.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22- It would make me ecstatic. - Look at this.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25- I've marked it up in the calendar. - You are amazing, Matt Baker.
0:50:25 > 0:50:29Well, with fingers crossed, we will hand over to the BBC Weather Centre
0:50:29 > 0:50:32for the Countryfile Christmas forecast.
0:52:50 > 0:52:57.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18We have a woodland theme for this year's Countryfile Christmas special.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21Have you all heard the special guest coming for the big switch on?
0:53:21 > 0:53:24- Father Christmas.- Really? Oh, good.- Exciting stuff.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26And it is a big switch on.
0:53:26 > 0:53:281,000 lights, lasers and bubbles
0:53:28 > 0:53:32and one very special illuminated Indian cedar tree as well.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35We've all been assigned our roles, and I gather we are going
0:53:35 > 0:53:38to check on the lighting display on the Scots Corner.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42- What happens if the lights don't go on?- Put more money in the meter.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46- Oh, hello.- Lovely. We've got some sustenance here to keep you going.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49- Very nice.- Oh, that's delicious. - A partridge kebab.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52So you're heading for the Scots Corner then.
0:53:52 > 0:53:56- Everybody else know what their roles are?- Yes, we do.- Let's go.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00Can I take another one of them? Lovely, let's go. See you in a bit.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04# O, little town of Bethlehem...
0:54:04 > 0:54:06Thank you.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08# How still we see thee lie
0:54:08 > 0:54:13# Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
0:54:13 > 0:54:17# The silent stars go by... #
0:54:17 > 0:54:20Among all the stalls here is one from our hedgehog helpers,
0:54:20 > 0:54:24with lots of sorts of things here. Look, very nice, aren't they?
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Christmas gifts, all hedgehog related. Oh, yeah.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30Hello. How is it going? All right?
0:54:30 > 0:54:33- Yes, good.- Passing on the message to the visitors
0:54:33 > 0:54:36- about keep an eye out for hedgehogs? - Yes.
0:54:36 > 0:54:40And I shall dash off shortly to pick up another one from Gloucester.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43- It never stops, your work, does it? - No, it doesn't.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47# And praises sing to God the King
0:54:47 > 0:54:51# And peace to men on earth
0:54:51 > 0:54:56# For Christ is born of Mary... #
0:54:56 > 0:54:59- Very good, how was the flight? - It was great, but a bumpy landing.
0:54:59 > 0:55:04- You've picked up a couple of hitchhikers on the way.- Yes.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11There she is, not quite in all her splendour yet.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Now, just remind me of the scheme.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Festive, disco splendour.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19I just hope John and Father Christmas hurry up,
0:55:19 > 0:55:21- I can't wait to see it.- I know. I'm on tenterhooks.
0:55:24 > 0:55:28- Has anybody seen Father Christmas yet?- Yes.- You have?
0:55:28 > 0:55:30- What was he wearing?- Green.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34# Here comes Santa Claus Here comes Santa Claus... #
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Happy Christmas!
0:55:36 > 0:55:39You've brought two of your reindeer with you as well.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41Yes, it's Jingle and Bell tonight.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44- Handsome looking creatures, aren't they?- Yes.- Right.
0:55:44 > 0:55:48And a big crowd of people to welcome you, Father Christmas.
0:55:48 > 0:55:49- Wonderful.- How about that?
0:55:49 > 0:55:52And look, here's a plunger to switch the lights on with,
0:55:52 > 0:55:55- Father Christmas.- Would you like to help do it, John?- Can I?
0:55:55 > 0:55:57- Thank you very much.- Please do.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00And shall we have a countdown from this great big crowd we have? OK?
0:56:00 > 0:56:03Three, two, one...
0:56:05 > 0:56:06CHEERING
0:56:06 > 0:56:09- Look!- Hey! - Julia, that is lovely.
0:56:09 > 0:56:11Look at that!
0:56:11 > 0:56:14# A beautiful sight Oh, we're happy tonight
0:56:14 > 0:56:17# Walking in a winter wonderland...
0:56:17 > 0:56:20Wow! Look at all the rainbow colours!
0:56:20 > 0:56:23It is stunning amongst all the trees, isn't it?
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Yes, it's really, really good.
0:56:25 > 0:56:29# He's singing a song as we go along
0:56:29 > 0:56:32# Walking in a winter wonderland...
0:56:32 > 0:56:36- This is Julian's tree. What do you think of it?- It's very pretty.
0:56:36 > 0:56:41- It is pretty, isn't it?- It's not just the branches, it's the shadows.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44- All the shapes.- It all disappears off into the darkness, lovely.
0:56:44 > 0:56:47# But you can do the job when you're in town...
0:56:47 > 0:56:52- Which is your favourite one?- The big one.- The blue.- Yes, the blue.
0:56:52 > 0:56:54The blue one.
0:56:54 > 0:56:58- It's like a magical kingdom. - Isn't it just? Yes.
0:56:58 > 0:57:04# Walking in a winter wonderland. #
0:57:06 > 0:57:08Oh, magic, isn't it?
0:57:13 > 0:57:17Well, that is it from our Christmas special from Westonbirt Arboretum.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20- Hasn't it been lovely? - It has been delicious.
0:57:20 > 0:57:24We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
0:57:24 > 0:57:26- Merry Christmas!- Merry Christmas!
0:57:26 > 0:57:28Oh, boys! Oh, lovely!
0:57:29 > 0:57:31- Have a good one.- Merry Christmas.