Cornish Heartlands Countryfile

In a quiet corner of the Cornish countryside,

preparations are underway for a gathering quite unlike any other.

Because here at Nancarrow Farm, the race is on

to prepare a huge feast for 1,000 people,

while making sure that nothing goes to waste.

Margherita is on the trail of

disappearing words that describe nature.

The lark singing melodies at dawn.

The old willow tree swaying in the wind.

Tom is looking at controversial plans to protect livestock

by restricting our right to roam freely in the countryside.

I would say that there are dogs loose in these sheep...

..nearly weekly.

And Adam is looking at a crop that is making big inroads

into British agriculture.

What sort of acreage are we talking about in the UK, how has it changed?

Three years ago, we perhaps only had 200 acres.

This year, we've got 5,000 acres.

Cornwall's countryside is steeped in history.

The ruins of tin mines remind us of its industrial past.

But it's farming that shapes the landscape now.

And that's because of the weather.

Even on this autumn day, it's lovely and mild.

This county is ideal for growing produce and grazing animals

for most of the year.

I'm in the middle of the county

at a farm just six miles north of Truro.

Generations of Cornish farmers have made their living on this land.

But it's becoming more and more difficult

for small family farms to survive.

During my time on Countryfile,

I've reported on many novel diversification ideas,

but this place has come up with something I've never seen before.

They put on big feasts... and I mean big.

Nancarrow Farm has been in the same family for nine generations.

Pete Mewton has lived here all his life

but son-in-law Steve Chamberlain is a newcomer.

He moved to the farm six years ago from near London

and brought plenty of bold ideas with him.

So, Steve, when you first got here,

did you realise that things had to be done to bring in extra capital?

Yeah, definitely. We did the farmers' markets.

Pete's done that for 18 years

and we continued that and we tried different ways of adding value.

We renovated these barns and really tried to create a bit of a hub

where people could come together

and really value what we produce day in, day out.

It does prove a nice backdrop and, luckily for us,

it's been successful.

Pete, what was your reaction when this city-slicker

arrived on the farm and started putting forward new ideas?

I love having my grandchildren being brought up here,

as my daughters were.

How it is now is quite different from when I took over with my dad.

For them to want to carry it on

in this totally modern environmental way, I was delighted,

I was delighted that they wanted to come home and take on the farm.

Steve's background in marketing proved useful

when it came to cooking up the farm's biggest venture yet,

a feast unlike any other -

a four-day festival for charity they're calling 1,000 Mouths.

So, what's it all about? What gave you the idea, Steve,

this feast for 1,000 mouths?

Well, we do feasts throughout the year,

but this event is a much bigger festival,

where we've taken one bullock and we're trying to feed 1,000 people

and the message really is about eating sustainably

and to do something for charity

and bring some real positivity into the world of beef.

All over the farm, last-minute preparations

for tonight's feast are underway.

The man in the hot seat is resident chef Jack Bristow.

It's his job to make sure that every last ounce of meat gets cooked

from just one Red Devon bullock.

Hello, Jack. Well, this is quite a challenge you've set yourselves,

-isn't it? Are you going to pull it off?

-Yeah,

it's a big challenge but we're confident that we're going to feed

1,000 mouths from one bullock.

And we're going to do it in a way that will hopefully educate people

and they'll see cuts they've seen before,

cuts they haven't seen so much.

You know, it's not all about those big popular prime cuts

and they can actually get better cuts for less money.

Well, there's a big chunk of beef that everybody knows.

Yeah, so your classic rib of beef on the bone.

So if you were to cook this for a Sunday dinner,

you'd cook the whole thing as it is.

So there's less wastage.

If you were to take this to a steak,

you would literally just cut out the eye of the meat.

And then all of this is going into waste, OK?

But that's what makes them so expensive.

So is it possible to get a cheaper steak?

Yeah, there's a lot of hidden steaks in the animal.

This is called the spider steak or the oyster steak.

It's well-known, as well, it's called a butcher's steak.

The reason it's called a butcher's steak is because

this is what the butcher takes home.

-He thinks that's the best bit, does he?

-He does and so do I.

So how much would that cost?

This, you are looking at probably a couple of pounds.

Because if the butcher's not taking this home, this will go into mince.

So this is the skirt steak.

So there's two of these on the animal...

Unusual cuts like this will help ensure

that nothing from the bullock goes to waste.

Well, let's just talk about you for a moment, Jack,

because you are in the unusual position of being a chef

right here on a farm. Has that changed your attitude towards the job?

When you have to walk past all your ingredients and the animals daily,

and you seem them grow up,

I think your respect levels just grow immensely.

The farmer's done their job to the best of their ability,

the butcher's done their job to the best of their ability

and then, as a chef, you need to continue that.

So it's celebrating the whole animal.

And later, we'll be there as the big feast gets underway.

Now, after a big meal, there's nothing better than a good walk.

But access to our countryside may be about to change.

Here's Tom. And his report contains pictures

which some viewers might find upsetting.

This is sheep country.

The rolling meadows perfect for a leisurely stroll.

-Morning.

-Morning.

A great place to rear livestock, you might think.

But here, and across Britain,

there is a rising tide of violence against farm animals,

all carried out by man's best friend.

116 sheep have been found dead on a farm near Chichester,

in what Sussex police have described

as Britain's worst-ever sheep attack.

Police say they're almost 100% certain

the deaths were caused by dogs.

Should farmers be allowed to shoot dogs which worry their sheep?

Well, the National Trust says there's a growing problem with dogs

killing livestock along the coastal path in South Devon.

One farmer says the situation is so bad that he'll shoot the next dog

he sees worrying his flock.

There's been a call for an overhaul of laws which protect livestock.

It follows an increase in incidents involving dogs.

In North Wales alone, there have been more than 500 attacks

in the last four years.

Livestock and dogs - it's an old problem and an emotional one.

The statistics are appalling.

Another 15,000 sheep have been killed by dogs on British farms

since I last covered this in February last year.

And that doesn't include attacks on cattle.

Lots of you get in touch with Countryfile about this.

And who can blame you?

Out-of-control pets attacking sheep and cattle,

cost farmers an estimated £1.4 million last year.

These aren't just isolated incidents,

as Lancashire farmer Robert Pennington knows to his cost.

How often is this happening?

I would say there is dogs loose in these sheep...

..nearly weekly.

How often do we find them injured?

At least an injured sheep every month.

-At least.

-As I understand it, you know, dogs can kill them

by actually attacking them and ripping their throats,

but also they can die from shock and stress.

Stress. Especially when they are heavy in lamb and we end up with

dead lambs and dead sheep.

It's horrendous. These are predominantly people

that don't understand that their little pet dog

has instincts that are so basic,

it's to chase and hunt.

It's not the dog's fault.

The only person responsible is the person that let it off the lead.

We get threats for asking people to be putting their dogs on a lead

because they're among sheep.

-Really, they actually threaten to...

-Yes.

-..to hit you or whatever?

-Yes.

Yes, if you don't go away and mind your own business,

we'll give you a good hiding.

This is one of the threats that we get on a regular basis.

Nevertheless, you as a farmer,

you do have the right to shoot a dog that's worrying sheep.

Have you sometimes had to shoot the dog?

I don't want to shoot anybody's dog.

-Of course not.

-It's the last thing to do.

It only causes more problems.

-Mm.

-And more aggravation.

But as a last resort, if I can't stop the dog attacking the sheep,

I have no option.

In the most recent attack,

three terrified sheep knocked a wall down to get away.

One was already nursing a horrific injury from a previous attack.

They've been missing for four days. But then...

Robert's just had a call saying they've found this sheep

that's been missing, he thinks it was chased earlier,

so we're going to go and see what state she's in.

The sheep, with its neck wound still evident, is in a nearby copse.

No sign of the other two.

Yeah, she's there. Now, if we can quietly go to her,

just try and keep in front of her, we won't spook her.

How are you feeling as you approach?

Apprehensive.

But I'm very glad to see her on her feet and trying to eat.

Come this way.

But as Robert and I get near to the injured sheep,

there's an unwelcome interruption.

Just as we were filming, some of the sheep behind us here,

they disappeared, and then we saw a lady walking through

with a dog off the lead. And she walked down there and,

you may have heard in the distance, Roger, Robert's colleague,

telling her she had to get it on the lead

and only then did she actually do it.

-She's going to go into hiding again.

-That's what they do when they're...

-Well...

-traumatised and injured, is it?

-Yes.

Dog attacks on livestock are on the increase

and our footpaths bring dog walkers into contact

with these animals all too often.

Now the problem's getting national attention.

And MPs are currently discussing

a new package of animal welfare measures

that could become law. Hoping to influence them

is the Country Land and Business Association.

Their legal adviser, Andrew Gillett,

is proposing a simple-sounding solution.

We'd like to see an ability to be able to temporarily divert

public rights of way, including footpaths and bridleways,

where there is livestock in the area.

So, in essence, all you're going to be doing is turning up,

you'd find a different area that you could explore,

different area of the countryside,

and it would only be a short area, as well.

And when you say temporary, what does that mean?

Well, looking at a 40-day period in any 90-day period,

but there would also be a power to extend that

if the parish council agreed.

But isn't there nonetheless a principle here that gives me, you know,

the right to roam on these footpaths, particularly,

and you're letting farmers take that power away?

Well, it all comes down to a point of view of priorities.

What do you see as proportionate?

And you're looking at issues were sheep are being mauled to death

on a regular basis by dogs,

you've got dogs who are potentially being shot by farmers

because they are doing it,

and all of that could be solved by a little bit of flexibility.

I don't own a dog, it doesn't fit with my lifestyle,

yet you're going to close footpaths to me, who doesn't walk with a dog.

You would be absolutely right if we were talking about a closure,

but this relates to temporary and minor diversion, where you would

only be looking at maybe diverting from the centre to the edge

of a cross-field path or looking at diverting around a field or two.

This really is quite minor.

Closing down public rights of way is a big suggestion,

and not everyone is happy about that step.

And later on, I'll be finding out why.

Nature has made a rich contribution to our language.

Thousands of words exist to describe our wild world,

taming it for our tongues and pages.

For most of us, the seed is sown in childhood.

Starling, a songbird with iridescent feathers.

Lavender, a small shrub used in perfumes and medicine.

Fern, a flowerless plant which has feathery fronds.

Lark, a small ground-dwelling songbird that sings on the wing.

But nature words are in danger

of disappearing from the mouths of children.

There is a rising tide of concern amongst writers, who have picked up

on the dozens of food and wildlife words

that have been culled from junior dictionaries,

deemed to no longer be relevant to children's lives.

Future generations could grow up without words like willow,

wren and rhubarb.

But lost words are just the beginning.

For many, they're a sign that we are losing touch with nature

and the natural world and that has a knock-on effect on health

as well as conservation.

Laurence Rose has 30 years' experience at the RSPB.

He is also a writer who is troubled by the downgrading of nature

in the lives of young people.

-Laurence.

-Hi, hello, good to see you.

-Good to see you.

So what prompted this concern about nature words disappearing?

Well, it's a symptom, really, of the fact

that children are less connected to nature than ever before.

Something we've always known,

but it's just something that really brings it into sharp focus.

And this isn't just a concern about words disappearing

from a spelling test, it's bigger than that for you.

It's much bigger than that, children need to get out

and we know that their physical wellbeing, their mental wellbeing,

can be optimised by having too much time indoors,

so getting outside, exploring nature, making discoveries,

and then sharing that with their friends and family

and social media is really, I think,

a recipe for a much-improved childhood.

And what does this mean for nature?

Well, we need to be developing the next generation of conservationists,

the next generation of teachers, the next generation of parents,

and if those kids don't grow up with a love of nature,

even the ability to name and describe nature,

then they are not going to care for it, they are not going to be

the people that we can hand over responsibility to.

So that's, I think, a long-term problem

that conservation is going to have to face up to,

if we can't turn this situation around.

But wild words aren't going without a fight.

Dozens of writers and naturalists have expressed concern

about their loss and are determined to do something about it.

North Cornwall Book Festival is the perfect rural setting

for writer Chrissie Gittins, who aims to use poetry

to rekindle children's interest in the countryside.

-Chrissie, great to see you.

-Hello. Lovely to meet you.

Why did you think it's so important to keep words about nature alive?

When we're very little, we learn to name animals and plants and trees,

and if a child then goes to the dictionary

for the spelling of the word or the meaning of a word

and they find that those words aren't there,

what are they to suppose - that they aren't important any more?

So I decided to take 40 words connected with countryside

and nature and write poems about them.

And here at the festival, she is encouraging children

to do the same...

Welcome!

..writing their own poems inspired by time outdoors.

I wonder if anybody can tell me something that they have seen

that they really like. Olivia?

Um, the waves crashing on the beach.

Absolutely. The waves crashing on the beach.

BIRDSONG

Does anybody know what kind of bird that is?

-Sparrow?

-It could be a sparrow,

but it's something else beginning with L.

-A lark.

-Wonderful.

You could have the larks tweeting at dawn.

-Another one.

-The big green trees swaying in the wind.

I wonder if you know the names of any big trees?

Beech tree?

-Beech tree.

-Oak trees.

-Willow.

-Willow.

The big willow tree swaying in the wind.

Well, a little bit of time out under the Cornish sky has soon got

the nature words flowing thick and fast from the children.

And me, too.

The roses next to the lavender in my fabulous garden.

-Majestic garden.

-Majestic, oh, wow.

There we go. Looking good.

LAUGHTER

So that's finished off our poem and let's have a read of what we've got.

The larks singing melodies at dawn

The cold wind thrashing my ears

The old willow trees swaying...

So there is hope for wild words and a new generation of nature lovers.

But it's time spent outdoors that will be the critical thing,

making the effort to get young people inspired by

and immersed in nature.

Absolutely fabulous, thank you so much for your contributions.

Let's give ourselves a clap.

The Cornish landscape has been an inspiration to writers and artists

since time immemorial.

But, for one local artist, it goes much deeper.

I'm David Hosking and I am a Cornish landscape painter.

I work and live in Porthleven,

and welcome to my studio.

I love the Cornish landscape, and all my painting, really,

is an interpretation of that.

What inspired me to be a landscape artist?

I think, really, I was born in Cornwall

and I've lived in the middle of the countryside all the time

and I think it's sort of...

It became part of my soul from the very beginning.

Then, when we moved to Garlidna Farm,

it became even more exciting because I found that my main inspiration

was the moorlands

and all the old mine buildings

and the landscape was really exciting for a growing lad.

This is an amazing, amazing engine house, it is a perfect example.

I love working these into my art

because they've got such an immense size

and such a sense of history.

All the years I used to catch the bus,

I was waiting just outside here,

I've never before been so close to this engine house

and it's absolutely beautiful.

This is one of my favourite places to paint.

Obviously, I live in Porthleven

and I do lots of painting of Porthleven.

It's a perfect location for me because it's got all the boats

and the iconic clock tower.

The most exciting thing for me as a painter about the harbour

is the shapes of the boats.

I love the shapes of the boats and I play with that a lot.

Cos I think each boat has got its own personality.

And I love the play of light on the wet sand

and that can make very dramatic effects in a painting.

Divided sky technique that I use, or process that I use,

started one day - I was very struck how quickly the sky was changing

and the weather was changing and I thought it would be amazing

just to be able to reproduce this in a painting.

Then, when I was actually working on a painting, I realised I could

use the verticals of the masts of the boat as divisions in the sky.

I'm very interested in the concept of time

and I thought to be able to actually have different periods of time

within one painting would be a very exciting thing to do

and I have tended to do it almost in every painting ever since.

When I start a painting, I can never tell exactly what's going to happen,

it's like starting a journey.

Some journeys, though, are well known.

David is returning to Garlidna Farm, his childhood home,

looking for inspiration for a new exhibition.

Going back to Garlidna, to me, is very exciting,

I haven't been through the gates for 45 years.

I am a bit nervous about it, to be truthful with you,

because I'm not quite sure how I'll feel when I get there.

It's changed very much, but there are also lots of similarities.

The windows are the same size,

and that window there was my bedroom all the time I lived at Garlidna,

I can almost see myself looking out in 1957 and it's sort of...

That's really scary, that is.

I hadn't expected it to be quite so nerve-racking as it is

being back here because I really am here and I don't really...

..believe it.

HE SOBS

Leaving the farm, going away from the farm...

..was a natural thing in my life at the time

but I didn't realise how much

the farm was a part of me.

I want to express the emotions I'm feeling now...

..and it will make the exhibition worthwhile then

and I can't wait to get started, actually.

Overall, I hope that the exhibition, sort of,

will be an exhibition of Garlidna as I feel about it now,

capturing the atmosphere, hopefully,

and taking the person who's looking at the painting on a journey,

just like I'm on a journey when I'm painting.

I'm hoping they're going to journey into the painting,

just like I do.

Earlier, we heard about proposals to protect livestock

by suspending public rights of way.

But what about our right to roam?

And be warned, Tom's report again contains distressing images.

Flocks of sheep like these are under attack up and down the UK

almost every day.

More and more livestock are being killed and injured

by dogs off the lead.

It costs farmers almost £1.5 million a year,

so now plans are being proposed to allow landowners

to close and divert footpaths across their property.

It may protect livestock,

but for many it goes against a fundamental right -

the right to roam.

For more than 80 years, the Ramblers Association has campaigned to keep

our 140,000 miles of footpaths open to all.

And Adrian Harvey from the Association is adamant

that that shouldn't change.

So what do you think of this idea of farmers being able to temporarily

-close footpaths?

-We just think that it's not going to be effective,

it's not going to solve the problem we're facing.

You say it won't solve the problem but the farmer might say,

"It's keeping people and their dogs away from my livestock, problem solved."

It will keep people away, certainly,

but it won't necessarily keep dogs away and what we know

is that many instances of livestock worrying,

involve unaccompanied dogs.

But for those instances which do involve people with their own dogs,

there are already things that can happen with permissive diversions.

We've seen examples in Hartlepool,

where the farmer introduced a traffic light system,

red - please don't cross my land with any dogs at all,

to green - it's fine.

But with the permissive paths you can only ask,

you can't insist that they don't walk on that footpath, can you?

You can only ask, but this farmer in Hartlepool has found

that 99% of people do take the alternative when it is offered

and when it is explained to them.

People are by and large reasonable.

Is there a broader problem, do you fear, here?

I think there is, I think this kind of approach risks

creating division and tension between different sets of people

and if we are going to solve this problem, and I think we need to,

then we have to do that by working together.

There is, of course, an existing mechanism

to keep livestock safe in our landscape -

the Countryside Code.

And really it's basic common sense.

Keep dogs under effective control.

Leave gates as you find them.

Follow advice and local signs.

But here in Lancashire,

farmers' notices are often torn down in just days.

Some of the laws covering this issue

date back as far as the 19th century,

so an all-party group for animal welfare is to propose

a new, modern set of measures next month.

And chair of the group, Angela Smith MP,

has agreed to give us an exclusive preview.

Specifically, what do you think about the Country Landowners' Association's idea

that farmers should be able to close footpaths

for a certain length of time?

It looks like an easy solution, I'm not sure that it would be.

I think what we need to do is make sure that local walkers,

walking groups, work with farmers, with the NFU,

with the local authorities, to come up with solutions

that may involve closing a footpath for a few days

and putting a diversion in place.

But I can imagine farmers watching this, having a shout at the telly,

saying, she's talking about voluntary approaches,

it all sounds a bit woolly, this is a crisis.

Are the penalties strong enough and enforced enough on dog attacks?

There's three laws relating to this.

It is a bit of a mess, if I'm honest.

I think we need stronger sentencing powers.

I think there's a very limited fine that can be made available

for offences relating to worrying livestock.

We also think the police should have the right to take evidence,

seize the evidence...

-As in the dog, the carcass?

-The dog or the carcass.

And we also think that the law needs

extending to a wider range of livestock.

It doesn't, for instance, include llamas or alpacas...

Mmm, which are now seen around the country, aren't they?

Exactly, so...

So the law is inadequate, but, again, it's not the complete answer.

Mmm. One thing that amazes me from some people,

they have an unusual sort of arrogance, almost,

and a lack of respect for the fact

the farmer's trying to make a living here.

That's got to change, hasn't it?

It really has. It's incredible that people can think it's acceptable

to behave in that way.

I mean, not only are they showing their complete ignorance

in relation to the welfare of the livestock,

but it also indicates a very poor attitude towards

the dogs themselves,

because the risk is, if dogs are worrying sheep,

that they will be shot, or destroyed by the farmer,

quite, you know, understandably so.

The right to roam and animal welfare are both highly emotive issues.

Steps are clearly being taken, but the law takes time

and, for now, farmers will just have to wait.

So, despite their growing anguish,

they must rely on awareness campaigns,

education and possible tougher sentences

to change the dreadful behaviour of a minority of dog owners.

SHEEP BLEAT

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

You can tweet us on...

Or send us an e-mail at...

I'm in the heart of the Cornish countryside,

where preparations are well under way for a feast with a difference.

Farmer Steve Chamberlain and his team are about to feed 1,000 people

from a single Red Devon bullock.

Feeding 1,000 mouths here is a momentous project,

and not only does it celebrate local food,

it also showcases the concept of from field direct to fork,

in the best possible way.

Taking centre stage will be the home-grown bullock,

but we're going to need something to go with it.

Darren Broom is the head chef here at Nancarrow Farm.

Working alongside him is Alice Rutgen.

Originally from Germany,

Alice's expertise has helped kick-start

this kitchen garden project.

-Well, this is great, Darren, isn't it?

-It is.

You don't need to go very far to collect your vegetables

-for the feast.

-Just outside my back door.

Is that part of your plan?

Yeah, definitely. From the farm kitchen we basically really wanted

to extend our diversity,

not just from the animals in the field

but to the kitchen garden as well.

Things we can just come and pick,

inspire people with menus and get on the event menus.

So what are you collecting for tonight, then?

So we've got various kales, we've got Russian kale, cavolo nero,

and some different coloured rainbow chards.

-Some nice squashes.

-Lovely squashes.

We've got Crown Prince squash and acorn and onion squashes,

and we've got some of those smoking in our pit as well

for tonight's feast.

Alice, can I stop you for a moment,

-cos you're in charge of the garden, aren't you?

-Yeah.

How did you get involved?

Well, it all started with an e-mail to Steve,

whether he wanted to have a little vegetable garden here,

and then I came over and we started this project in April.

And you're actually growing to order, then?

Yeah. So, in the beginning of the season we all sat down together

and I asked him what he wanted and I ordered the seeds,

and then we started growing.

And it's not just the feast getting the benefit.

Some of it goes to the pigs, so they are just over there and...

-I can see them.

-Yeah.

-Very happy looking pigs.

-Yes.

They've just been feasting on apples,

so they are nice and chubby now.

PIGS GRUNT

When the pigs are through, the rich manure they produce

goes straight back into the kitchen garden,

ensuring a steady supply of good organic veg.

Well, just a few hours to go now to the big event,

and prep work is well under way,

but join me later as the guests start to arrive for the big feast.

Meanwhile, though, here's a feast for your eyes -

the Countryfile calendar for 2018.

It costs £9.50, including free UK delivery.

You can go to our website,

where you'll find a link to the order page.

Or you can phone the order line on...

If you prefer to order by post, then send your name, address

and a cheque to...

A minimum of £4.50 from the sale of each calendar

will be donated to BBC Children in Need.

By this time across the country,

most of the harvesting has been done,

but there's one unexpected late developer

that's only just ripe for picking, as Adam's been finding out.

Dave here is heading out into the fields to prepare the ground

to plant the crops for next year,

because here we were fortunate enough, despite the wet summer,

to be able to get all our harvests finished and in the barn,

and the combine is now washed off, ready to be put away for the winter,

whereas, over in Oxfordshire,

they're about to start their harvest of a new crop

that could revolutionise arable farming,

and that's where I'm heading now.

Soya is by far the largest imported foodstuff in the UK.

It's used in everything from baby foods to beer.

Up until now, we've not been able to grow it extensively,

but here, near Didcot, there's a crop of it waiting to be harvested.

I'm meeting David McNaughton,

an agronomist who thinks British soya has an exciting future.

David, I think about soya as a crop grown in South America and the US,

and here we are growing it in the UK. How have we managed that?

Well, the main explanation for that is the new varieties.

They're much earlier to cut, they stand up much better

and, well, you can see they'll be ready for cutting very soon.

I suppose, September, we quite often get an Indian summer, don't we?

The sun is shining today, so I can understand how it works.

What sort of acreage are we talking about in the UK?

-How has it changed?

-Well, rapidly is the answer.

Three years ago we perhaps only had 200 acres -

this year we have got 5,000 acres.

Going forward, well, next year

we're hoping for 15,000, 20,000 acres.

Goodness me, that's a huge growth, and what's driving that?

The major driver has been the price.

Soya is perhaps the only commodity that has fundamentally

increased in its value.

It's more than doubled in real terms value in the last ten years.

-Why?

-The major answer to that is China.

This year they will import 90 million tonnes of soya.

To give you an idea, the EU is the second-biggest buyer in the world,

buying about 27 million tonnes.

Goodness me. So, with that demand and the price where it is,

you can understand why farmers' heads are turning to this new crop.

Absolutely. We've got the price,

we've got the varieties and the crop's certainly now viable here.

Here on Lucy Allen's farm, they're growing soya for the first time.

Weather permitting, she can start harvesting her 100-acre crop today.

-Hi, Lucy.

-Hi, Adam.

-Good to see you.

-You too.

So, are you going to get the combine going?

I think so. The sun's out and the crop looks fit,

so we might give it a go this afternoon.

-And why soya?

-We needed an alternative spring crop,

an alternative break crop.

We had oilseed rape here growing last season,

and the flea beetle just completely destroyed the whole field,

-so we had to think again.

-I grow oilseed rape at home,

and flea beetle is just so difficult to control, isn't it?

Particularly with the limited chemicals we're allowed to use.

Yeah, it's really hard to manage.

-But it doesn't get the soya?

-It doesn't get the soya, no.

The only problem is birds at the beginning,

and other than that it just grows.

And the cost of growing it, what's that like?

Fairly low in comparison to oilseed rape.

Fingers crossed it will do us well.

And I understand you can get a good price for the soya

-at the end of the day.

-Yeah, we've managed to secure a contract,

and financially it does stack up against other crops,

so it is a viable option for us.

-Just got to get it harvested.

-Just got to get it in the tank.

Right. I'll watch you drive the combine up the field

-and see how you get on.

-OK.

Despite it being sunny here,

they've had quite a bit of rain over the past few weeks,

so there's a good chance the crop might still be too wet.

One of the risks of growing this crop is that it comes so late

to harvest in the year, but there are other crops like spring beans

and linseed that are still standing in the fields right now,

so, you know, if soya's a viable alternative, why not give it a go?

Before tackling the whole field,

Lucy needs to check the moisture level of the beans.

Well, that looked like it was going pretty well, Lucy.

It did, better than I thought it was going to be.

-So we've got a sample here.

-Oh, yeah. Little soya beans.

They're a bit like peas, really, aren't they?

Yeah, they are in the same family. There are a legume.

So legumes will put nitrogen back into the soil.

Yeah, they fix nitrogen and leave a nitrogen legacy,

which is great for crop rotation, which is great for the next crop.

Yeah, brilliant. So, I brought the moisture meter down.

-Shall we grind some up and try the moisture?

-Yeah, let's have a go.

-OK.

We're aiming for 14% -

that means that we don't have to dry it afterwards.

Right, moment of truth.

Oh, dear. It says nearly 20%.

Yeah, that's a bit too wet to harvest a bit more,

so I think we'll just leave it - the sun's out - and let it dry.

Are you worried about leaving it in the field, then?

If it was any other crop, yes,

but I'm assured that this is built to stand weather,

so I'm going to trust them and see what it does.

It certainly looks very robust, doesn't it?

-It's upright and the pods are all holding together well.

-Yeah.

It's a first for me, seeing soya harvested in the UK.

It's a first for me, too.

It's not just arable farmers like Lucy that could benefit

from British soya.

A large amount of the imported crop is currently used

to feed British livestock.

So, would there be greater opportunities

if more soya were home grown?

Just outside Banbury, I'm meeting Simon Robbins,

who helps run a business processing animal feeds.

So, Simon, what crops are we growing in the UK at the moment

that can do the job of soya?

We grow proteins in the UK.

They are mainly peas and beans.

We've got some peas and beans here, and they're a great animal feed.

-They're a good protein source.

-And soya beans are better?

They're fantastic, yeah.

-I've got some cooking, if you'd like to see them.

-Yeah, I'd love to.

Now, this isn't quite what I was expecting to see in soya.

I was thinking you'd have it in beans.

No, unfortunately soya needs to be processed to make it digestible

for the animals, so we take the beans in that you've seen earlier,

put it through the cooking plant and process it into this meal,

which then makes it suitable for feeding to animals.

What source of protein levels are you talking about,

in comparison to the peas and beans?

Well, with the peas, they have a protein level of about 20%.

Beans have a protein level of about 25.

Soya has got 35% protein,

but it's also got 18% oil,

so it's a rocket-fuel-type raw material for feeding to animals.

-And goes into all sorts of animal feed?

-All sorts of animal feeds -

because of its energy level, it tends to be the smaller,

younger growing animals that need to be really pushed on,

and this is a high-quality protein and a high-energy product.

And if we can grow more soya in this country,

what does that mean for a business like yourselves?

Well, our business is totally reliant on imported soya beans,

so if we could get it from our back yard, it'd be fantastic.

And great for the farmer, too, as an alternative crop,

knowing there's a market for it.

There's always a market if the price is right.

Well, I hope it's not going to be too cheap.

So can enough soya be grown in the UK

so we don't have to rely on imports?

Only time will tell.

As consumer interest in where our food comes from grows,

it's only natural that farmers are keen to use home-grown produce

to feed their livestock.

It's certainly got me interested.

When it comes to planning and preparing our future cropping,

it seems that soya is a very viable alternative to oilseed rape.

The varieties that suit the UK are well proven,

and the techniques in growing the crop are tried and tested,

and the marketplace is readily available.

The only difficulty will be

getting used to combining at this time of year

rather than cultivating and preparing for next year's crop,

but farming is an ever-changing feast,

and if we're going to grab these opportunities,

then we need to jump at the chance.

-MARGHERITA:

-Cornwall's sun-kissed and well-watered climate

is perfect for produce that can be grown in few places.

Canny producers snap up the land here,

reaping rich harvests that we'd normally associate

with warmer climes - everything from olives to apricots.

One couple found themselves with a totally unexpected windfall

when they bought land with a lake they planned to use for fishing

and ended up with this, a vineyard.

I'm here to find out how their lives and business were transformed

from water to wine.

Engin and Liz are the accidental entrepreneurs

running a vineyard near Padstow.

How do you accidentally start a vineyard?

Oh, it's a bit of a long story.

So, in 2007, we came to look at six and a half acres of land here

with a ruined watermill in the valley,

and a fishing lake and some woodland,

and, in the process of looking at that,

we were offered these two fields and we bought the lot, 25 acres,

not realising we'd bought fields that the other farmers didn't want

because we have just got very poor soil,

and not very good for growing many things, but, as it turns out,

it's not bad for vines, so Engin decided to plant a vineyard.

So did this start as a hobby or a business?

It was something to keep us busy a little bit on early retirement.

And I thought he'd have a hobby, 100 vines,

but he ordered 11,000 in 2008 and that's how the vineyard worked.

-Wow.

-And that was without any business plan.

Poor-quality soil is ideal for vines.

It stresses the plants,

which respond by producing lots of juicy grapes,

but it's still quite unusual to grow vines in Britain,

and these first-time winemakers had to do their homework

to choose varieties able to cope with our northerly latitude.

So, here we grow four varieties of cool-climate grapes,

quite often Germanic in nature,

and today we're picking Dornfelder, which grows really well here for us.

We get great big bunches of black, juicy, ripe grapes.

It goes into our sparkling pink, our still rose and our red.

We pick whole bunches, so you put your hand on the grape bunch

and you snip with a little bit of stalk,

and just place them in the picking box.

OK, so that one's looking pretty good.

How much would we harvest once you've got everything in?

In a good year, 22 tonnes of grapes.

And how many bottles does that give us?

That will make 22,000 bottles of wine on average.

OK, I'm going to need to pick a little faster, I think.

-Yes, I think so.

-Hang on, you've got 11,000 vines.

We're going to be here a long time.

The wine-making is all done on site.

First, the grapes are de-stalked and gently crushed.

The resulting juice is then left to ferment for at least two years.

Luckily, I don't have to wait two years before I get a taste,

but, before I sample the goods, Liz and Engin have one more job for me.

-Liz, so who are these beauties, here?

-Hello.

So this is our funny little flock of Southdown sheep.

They're here mostly as grass cutters.

We don't use any herbicides on the farm,

so we had hoped to keep them in the vineyard all summer and all winter

-but sadly some of them eat grapes.

-LAUGHTER

Most keep their heads down and eat the grass and the wild flowers,

but others put their heads up and eat grapes,

so, now the harvest is over, we are going to move them up

from these lower fields up into the vineyard,

where they'll stay till bud burst in spring,

and they do a great job up there.

So, who's coming with us?

I don't know. Andrew's going to pick them out.

There you go, little fella.

-Come on.

-Go on, then, guys.

-Come on, girls.

Anyone for some clover?

CORK POPS, LAUGHTER

Finally, time to sample the fermented fruits of our labours.

So, this is our pink sparkling, made 100% with the Dornfelder grapes

-that you picked this morning.

-Oh, my goodness.

-This is from 2014.

-That looks beautiful.

Made in the champagne method,

and so secondary fermented in the bottle for 18 months,

and it's a really lovely thing. It's really popular.

It's won some awards.

-It's nice.

-Oh.

-Lovely.

Oh, that's a little too easy to drink.

It is quite easy to drink, actually.

From fishing lagoon to winery, this slice of Cornish soil

is working hard for its owners

and producing a harvest that's worth celebrating.

I'm in Cornwall on a farm that's hosting a grand feast.

Farmer Steve Chamberlain and his team

aim to feed 1,000 people

over four nights here at Nancarrow Farm.

It's all for charity,

and the first batch of hungry mouths is just arriving.

Well, I've met the farmer, the chefs and the gardener,

who've all been working flat out to make sure

there's enough really good food for everyone.

In the kitchen, head chef Darren Broom is hard at work.

Time is ticking by, Darren.

-12 chefs in action here.

-It sure is, yeah.

Is it going to be ready on time?

-Yes, definitely.

-Nobody's going to go hungry, then?

Nobody's going to go hungry.

Is it the first time you've ever done this?

-Big scale.

-Feed so many people from one single animal?

Yeah. We've done it on a slightly smaller scale on some of our feasts

where we use whole lambs and whole pigs,

but a cow is totally different sort of scale.

So, does it make you have to think again about how you prepare it?

It does. It's been quite a challenge to figure out what muscle groups

can you break down, and how can you cook it in a real, sort of,

centre showpiece style, and, yeah, obviously feed everybody

that I think is going to get a really good portion.

And when you've finished all the preparations,

should there be some meat left?

-Yeah.

-What will happen to that?

-So, any of the trimmings that we've had,

they're all going to get minced down and we donate a lot of the mince

from the bullocks to a local school.

-so it'll all get used.

-Not a scrap will be left?

Not a scrap, no, hopefully not.

JOHN LAUGHS I'll let you get on.

Brill, thank you.

# Charlie is my name

# Champagne Charlie is my name... #

Well, field to fork isn't a new idea,

but having a big feast like this on the farm itself,

well, that is certainly new to me.

Now, normally our food is packed and produced and brought to us

but, here, everyone has travelled to the food.

They'll be eating it at source.

# She fed me from an old pig trough

# And I won't be back no more... #

Every one of the guests has bought a ticket for tonight,

and the money raised will go to a charity which works

to alleviate starvation in communities all over the world.

Well, there's been a really good response, hasn't there?

How much money do you think you'll raise?

We're hoping to raise up to £10,000 over the whole weekend.

Jenny Clarke is here passing on the message.

The money is going towards Action Against Hunger's programmes

in almost 50 countries around the world.

In those programmes, we save the lives of malnourished children

through therapeutic treatment,

and we also provide clean water, food, health care and training

to enable entire communities to be free from hunger.

And how do you equate a big feast like this

with the problem of hunger?

Well, at Action Against Hunger, we all love food.

We're real foodies and we want to make sure that everyone has

the right access to food that they need,

so having a feast like this, and celebrating food, and raising money

to make sure other people can have it as well is just perfect.

And everyone here seems to feel the same way.

I think it's absolutely wonderful.

It's an amazing idea,

and here we are in Cornwall where we have plenty, you know?

It's...it's an abundance all around us.

We get you so used to it, but, of course, we see it on the news.

There's famines happening all the time.

I know it's all too easy to go to the supermarket

and not buy local produce,

and I think this evening is going to draw attention to using

all kinds of food, using every part of an animal,

and making sure that you buy sustainable food

and use it all properly.

The feast is under way.

The first guests are being served,

and it's time to catch up with Steve.

Do you think you might do this again, then?

I think so. We've got a few more nights left,

so hopefully it'll raise a bit of money, and, um,

yeah, I think everybody knows what it's about.

The atmosphere's been great

and everyone's just got stuck in and that's what we want.

And where better to share a feast

than here in the heart of a Cornish community?

-John.

-Margherita.

I'm glad you made it to the feast.

-I bring you sparkling Cornish wine.

-Oh, thank you very much.

-Is there anything to eat?

-There certainly is.

Nothing has to be left to waste tonight.

-Everything had to be eaten.

-I'll do my bit.

That's all we've got time for from Cornwall this week.

But please join us again next Sunday because we have a special edition

about the Countryfile Ramble.

Until then, bye-bye.

Let's join everybody, shall we?