0:00:27 > 0:00:29High on these Dorset hills,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33looking out across a patchwork landscape to the sea,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36the trees are beginning to lose their cloaks of green.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Before long, their wooden bones will stand bare
0:00:40 > 0:00:43and the secrets of this ancient woodland will be revealed.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Deep in this Dorset woodland,
0:00:47 > 0:00:48forestry and building
0:00:48 > 0:00:49go hand-in-hand.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Now, these trees shape not only the philosophy of this place
0:00:53 > 0:00:57but also the structures that are designed and built here.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Because this...is a school of architecture.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Do you want me to give you a hand? Here we go.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06I am meeting a group of country gentlemen who have been given
0:01:06 > 0:01:10the chance to muck in and keep in touch with their country roots.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I might break into a trot in a minute.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Oh, my goodness! You're going to have
0:01:14 > 0:01:15to warn me so I can keep up.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Tom's on the coast.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20Ships are getting bigger
0:01:20 > 0:01:22and bigger, and that means
0:01:22 > 0:01:24our historic harbours and ports
0:01:24 > 0:01:28need to be made deeper and wider to fit them in.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30But at what cost to marine life?
0:01:30 > 0:01:32That is what I'll be finding out later.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36And Adam is taking stock on the farm.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39At this time of year, the nights are drawing in
0:01:39 > 0:01:40and there is a distinct chill in the air.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43But there is still plenty of work to do with the livestock
0:01:43 > 0:01:44and the crops need checking.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01When it comes to spectacular countryside, Dorset dazzles.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06A diverse landscape spreads southwards
0:02:06 > 0:02:10and spills over dizzying cliffs into the sparkling sea.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Like much of Southern England,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Dorset's landscape is dotted with woodland.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22And Hooke Park is a fine example.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26350 acres of forest, a short hop from the county town of Dorchester.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Now, this is a lovely place to come for a walk.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37You just lose yourself in tranquil woodland.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42But hidden amongst the trees,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46an unwitting wanderer might stumble across some unusual features.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48These structures look like they're from another world.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53But in fact, they are something a lot more down to earth...
0:02:54 > 0:02:55Homework.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03This is the rural campus of the Architecture Association.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Students come here to learn how to build ultramodern
0:03:09 > 0:03:13buildings from an ancient material - wood.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Martin Self is the director.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17Well, Martin, this is... I mean,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20it's like a futuristic world in the middle of a woodland.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22What is going on here?
0:03:22 > 0:03:25So we're part of the Architectural Association School of Architecture.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27So it is a London-based architecture school,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30and this is like a satellite rural campus that we have...
0:03:30 > 0:03:32- Right. - ..down in the woods, in Dorset.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35And why is it so important for you to have this kind of branch,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38you know, in the woodlands, in the middle of nowhere?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Most architecture schools, they are based in the city.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43They're very constrained in what they can do.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45This just opens up a whole range of other possibilities.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47So we have more space, we have the landscape,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49we have the material as well, you know?
0:03:49 > 0:03:51We have the timber that we can work with.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55We can take very traditional techniques and then reinvent them
0:03:55 > 0:04:00with contemporary tools. It is a mix, I guess, of trying to just,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02you know, make the most of the material around us
0:04:02 > 0:04:05but also to bring in, you know, contemporary and, you know,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08avant-garde design ideas and to add a richness in that way.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14For 16 months, MA students learn wood craftsmanship
0:04:14 > 0:04:18from the best, building up to a supersized final project.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20In the first term, they do
0:04:20 > 0:04:22- do smaller pieces in small groups out in the woods.- Yeah.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25It gives them a chance to engage in that environment...
0:04:25 > 0:04:28- Yeah.- ..to have some fun, to do something experimental.- Yeah.
0:04:28 > 0:04:29Then they get the brief for something big.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Then they do some substantial, real projects.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33We can see a few of them round us here.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Just talk us through them, Martin, as we look around the yard.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37We started with the caretaker's house,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39which is down beyond the refectory there.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41A couple of student accommodation
0:04:41 > 0:04:43buildings that students designed and built.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45This thing, which is a timber seasoning shelter,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48an experiment in itself. What we call the big shed,
0:04:48 > 0:04:49but basically a big assembly workshop.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52This is where a lot of our work, like our large-scale work,
0:04:52 > 0:04:53gets carried out.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Look at this. It's like a farm building of the future,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59that, isn't it? Look at that, it is absolutely tremendous.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Students are drawn here from all over the world
0:05:07 > 0:05:09to study forest architecture.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Some of them even live on site.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15I want to hear first-hand what attracts them to this
0:05:15 > 0:05:17sleepy corner of Dorset.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20- Zach, where you come from? - So, I'm from Canada.- Right.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22And how did you end up in the woodlands of Dorset?
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Father was a carpenter, grandfather.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26I'd spent a lot of my life in the woods,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29and so the transition on that side wasn't much.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33- It is kind of like being at camp but with much better tools.- Yeah!
0:05:33 > 0:05:34- Are you living on site?- Yeah.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37So Sahil and I live in a house over there.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- Right. And what is it like? - I come from Mumbai.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Coming from a place where it is just full of people to suddenly
0:05:42 > 0:05:45- where there are no people around, it's full of trees.- Yeah.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48And it's been beautiful because we have already spent a year now,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52and just to see the whole seasonal changes, it has been great.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54And, Sweta, do you feel the same thing?
0:05:54 > 0:05:57- It's a completely different setting. - Yeah.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01But it is quite exciting to be really close to nature
0:06:01 > 0:06:05and then just working with the material that is surrounding us.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I hadn't really worked much with timber before I came over here,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11so it has been a whole learning process in terms with
0:06:11 > 0:06:14understanding the material first and then designing.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16And is that a process, then, that you have enjoyed?
0:06:16 > 0:06:18It has been one big ride for all of us.
0:06:18 > 0:06:19In the past one year,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22just understanding what this material can do.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25And every species having its own purpose.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27It has been a learning curve.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Now, dredging the seabed is often an essential part
0:06:39 > 0:06:42of keeping our ports and harbours running,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45but there are those concerned about the environmental impact
0:06:45 > 0:06:46this kind of work can have.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Here's Tom.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02British ports and harbours, maritime gateways on which the wealth
0:07:02 > 0:07:05of our island nation was built.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09They support tens of thousands of jobs
0:07:09 > 0:07:13and contribute billions of pounds to the economy every year.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20We are importing more and more goods from all around the world.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23But it's not just our cargo ships that are getting bigger,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25cruise ships are expanding, too.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28And they all need to fit into our historic ports,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31which are often just not deep or wide enough.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37The answer - an average of 36 million tonnes
0:07:37 > 0:07:41of silt and debris is dredged from ports, harbours
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and their approach channels each year.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48Large-scale dredging vessels cut and suck up
0:07:48 > 0:07:53the seabed before dropping it at designated sites further out.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56So what does that mean for our marine environment
0:07:56 > 0:07:59that could be churned up or indeed dumped upon?
0:08:08 > 0:08:13Falmouth Harbour in Cornwall, a working port since the 1600s.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Its success was built mainly on the packet ships that delivered
0:08:17 > 0:08:19mail to every corner of the British Empire.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Now its owners think it is in dire need of dredging.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Captain Mark Sansom is the harbour master.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38The original channel was a World War II channel approaching
0:08:38 > 0:08:40to the docks' base then.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Obviously, since that time, ship size has increased.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46And what we're finding is the fact that we are constrained
0:08:46 > 0:08:48now in the size of vessels that we can get into Falmouth.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51What we're looking to do now is to have a deeper channel
0:08:51 > 0:08:54running into the line of the berth you can see ahead of you, which
0:08:54 > 0:08:58will create a 400m berth with a deep-water approach.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59What is it going to enable Falmouth
0:08:59 > 0:09:01to do in the future that it can't do now?
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Well, I think the best example, really, is looking at cruise ships.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Ten years ago, we had around about 56,000 cruise passengers that
0:09:09 > 0:09:11were able to come through into the port.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Last year, we were down to about 10,500 passengers coming in.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17And that is almost solely due to the fact that we are unable to
0:09:17 > 0:09:19take the larger cruise ships
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and get them alongside where they want to be.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Mark sees this development as key for the future of the docks
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and the local economy.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31If you look at the jobs that the docks estate supports, I mean,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34there are about 1,400 jobs that they support.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37And if you look in terms of the impact that has on the local economy
0:09:37 > 0:09:41and the local community, that is something like a £30 million
0:09:41 > 0:09:44wage bill that is then spent in local businesses.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48And do you think that's at stake, at risk, if you don't get this dredge?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51If ports aren't able to improve their capacity
0:09:51 > 0:09:54to take larger vessels, then ultimately they can't survive.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Plans for dredging here also have very public support
0:10:00 > 0:10:02from the chancellor, George Osborne.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06On a recent visit to Falmouth, he couldn't have been plainer.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08We face a simple choice as a community.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Are we serious about providing economic opportunities
0:10:12 > 0:10:15in future for our children or are we going to allow endless
0:10:15 > 0:10:18delays and what I think are not...you know,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22concerns about the environment that can easily be dealt with
0:10:22 > 0:10:24to hold this all up?
0:10:25 > 0:10:27But others see it differently
0:10:27 > 0:10:30and question both the economic benefit
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and the extent of the environmental impact.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38Dr Miles Hoskin is a marine consultant and line fisherman.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39He is also a member of
0:10:39 > 0:10:42the Falmouth Bay and Harbour Action Group
0:10:42 > 0:10:45which has been campaigning for more than three years
0:10:45 > 0:10:46against the dredging.
0:10:46 > 0:10:47It is a beautiful area,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50but it is even more beautiful and interesting on the seabed.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53There are some absolutely rare and fascinating habitats.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55We are floating over it right now.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59And in recognition of that, more than ten years ago,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01this became a Special Area of Conservation.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Said to be at risk are beds of maerl, a rare
0:11:04 > 0:11:08coral-like seaweed which provides shelter for other marine life.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11These little nodules, you can see sort of branching.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14These grow about a millimetre a year, so it is very slow growing.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17They grow to the size of sort of a bit bigger than a golf all.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19And as you can see, all these little branches,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22when you've got all these nodules piled up on the seabed,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I mean, it is an amazing habitat for lots and lots of other species.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28What can dredging actually do to an environment like that?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Well, I mean, you have only got to look at...
0:11:30 > 0:11:33If you went and dug up your flower bed, it is the same thing.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36I mean, basically, you are taking a lot of heavy equipment
0:11:36 > 0:11:38and just gouging chunks out of the seabed.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41And if you have got something interesting there beforehand,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43you won't have it there afterwards.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47Potential damage to the maerl beds led the licensing authority,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49the Marine Management Organisation,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53to turn down a dredging application just a few years ago.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Now though, it is clearly back on the agenda.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59But Miles is also concerned about the impact silt
0:11:59 > 0:12:02lifted from the seabed could have on local businesses.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04These are mackerel feathers.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Obviously, you can only catch mackerel if they can see these.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10The concern is that when all the silt is stirred up by the dredging,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12it will be impossible to do this kind of fishing in the estuary
0:12:12 > 0:12:15because the fish won't be able to see the lures.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18So this kind of fishery will be impossible in the estuary
0:12:18 > 0:12:20when the dredging is going on.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24When that happens, that could push some people over the edge.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29The Marine Conservation Society believes that allowing
0:12:29 > 0:12:32dredging in Falmouth would set a dangerous precedent
0:12:32 > 0:12:37and lead to serious damage being done in other protected areas.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41So in a situation like this, can a solution that satisfies
0:12:41 > 0:12:42everyone be reached?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Most of us think of Dorset as a rural county.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03It is a patchwork of rolling hills, ancient woodland and sleepy villages.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11So it is no surprise to find that it is a place where nature thrives.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13This reserve has got plenty to see.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17There is all kinds of birds from tufted duck
0:13:17 > 0:13:18to black-tailed godwits.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22But right in the heart of Weymouth,
0:13:22 > 0:13:27Radipole Lake is the RSPB's most urban reserve in the country.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31And it is not unheard of to see a marsh harrier,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35one of the UK's rarest birds, keeping pace with a commuter train.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40The reserve came about in a rather unusual way.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43It is here because of the Second World War.
0:13:43 > 0:13:49During the war, Weymouth was a naval base and suffered heavy bomb damage.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52The rubble from the destroyed buildings was dumped in the river,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55leaving it of little use for anything.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Except this.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01From this position, I can already see...
0:14:03 > 0:14:07There's a shoveler, teal, quite a few heron.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09And even, hidden away out there...
0:14:10 > 0:14:12..there's some snipe.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14You know, I could stand here all day, but apparently,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18there's even more to see out there, so that is where I'm headed now.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23The word 'radipole' comes from the Old English for reedy pool.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26The reed beds that grew up on the rubble are the perfect habitat
0:14:26 > 0:14:28for some of our favourite wildlife.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38- Right, Rob.- Hello. - Nice to see you.- And you.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40What are you looking at here, then?
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Well, there's just the odd bits and bobs out there.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46There is a couple of little egret out there, at the back.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47Oh, yes!
0:14:47 > 0:14:51My guide today is Rob Farrington, the reserve manager.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Excellent. What are your top two wildlife stars here, then?
0:14:55 > 0:15:00At Radipole, really, everyone wants to see otters and kingfishers.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03- Otters we won't see today cos it's daytime.- Not in the day, no.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06- So what about your kingfishers? - Kingfishers... Of course,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08it's easier to see them in the day.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10And we are actually doing a bit of work on a kingfisher bank
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- if you'd like to help us out.- Oh, yeah, let's take a look.- This way.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Kingfishers are ready nesting at Radipole Lake,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20but to encourage them in greater numbers,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24a team of volunteers are clearing an island home for them.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Oh, a slightly treacherous way in here.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28- How are you doing, Stewart? - Hello, Ellie.- Can I give you a hand?
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- Yes, please.- So what is up here? What are you doing?
0:15:31 > 0:15:32Um, we are going to clean
0:15:32 > 0:15:34this bank off to make a lovely
0:15:34 > 0:15:35habitat for kingfishers.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38How does... How will they use this exposed bank?
0:15:38 > 0:15:41When it all gets nice and clear, they go into it,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44nice soft soil, about a metre deep.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47And hopefully, they will have two or three holes in this area.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49- So they will nest in the boroughs that they make.- Yes.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52- It is quite soft, actually, isn't it? So it should be all right.- Yeah.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55What about the reed-cutting you're doing?
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Um, well, we try to keep the ditch clear for the kingfishers.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03- They like to get a little bit of water for hunting and fishing.- Yeah.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04They also...
0:16:04 > 0:16:07As they come out of the nest, cos it's just a hole in dirt,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10a metre deep, they come out a bit smelly.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12And they have a wash as they come out.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15- So bathing as well as fishing. - Very important.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- Nice clear water for that.- Yeah.- This is going to take a while, isn't it?
0:16:18 > 0:16:19Yep.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24It is already looking like a home fit for a kingfisher.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27I am keen to see one of these regal creatures for myself.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30The hide just across the water should be the perfect
0:16:30 > 0:16:33spot for a close-up view.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34Well, after all that work,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37if I don't see any, I shall be mighty disappointed.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40What are our chances, Rob?
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Well, you can never tell with wildlife,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47- but this is a pretty good spot. - Nice egret over there.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- Yeah, yeah. - Your old mute swan there.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52BIRDS CHIRP
0:16:52 > 0:16:54What are we hearing there?
0:16:54 > 0:16:55Cetti's warbler behind there.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58HE CHIRPS
0:16:58 > 0:17:01That chika-chika-chika... That really aggressive, really loud...
0:17:01 > 0:17:03It wasn't long before we struck lucky.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09- Oh, so, kingfisher just coming into the row.- Oh, fantastic.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Just coming across here, doing its cartoon beep-beep.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15What is that, a warning, do you think?
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Well, I like to think it is the kingfishers are going
0:17:17 > 0:17:20so blinking fast down all these little narrow little waterways,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23I always think they are worried about ploughing into another
0:17:23 > 0:17:26kingfisher, so there always kind of beep-beep, beep-beep.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29The best thing about the kingfisher is everyone...
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- And I blame nature programmes for this.- Guilty.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35..is everyone goes off around the world
0:17:35 > 0:17:39and says how amazing everyone else's wildlife is, but our wildlife
0:17:39 > 0:17:41- is just as spectacular. - Just as gorgeous.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- It is just that we are used to it. - That's true.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47That electric blue is just so vivid. And it is...
0:17:47 > 0:17:51- It is nice that males and females are pretty similarly striking.- Oh, yeah.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52Yeah, yeah.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54If that little bird there was wearing lipstick,
0:17:54 > 0:17:59that's how we describe it... So the females have a red lower beak.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- Mm-hm.- It's nice to remember then -
0:18:02 > 0:18:05the girls wear lipstick, the boys don't.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07So the boys have got that whole black beak.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- So that looks like a male. - Looks male there, doesn't it?
0:18:09 > 0:18:13They have got incredible visual acuity to hunt so effectively from
0:18:13 > 0:18:17above the water and accurately get the fish once they're in the water.
0:18:17 > 0:18:18Yeah.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21And it's amazing how...how good at fishing there are. I know
0:18:21 > 0:18:23they are called the kingfisher,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25but they very rarely come back empty-beaked.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Do you know? It absolutely was worth making the trip all the way out here.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43I have seen kingfishers before
0:18:43 > 0:18:47but never lingering on perches for as long as this.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49So I have had amazing views.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52And you know what is really fantastic about this place?
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Is that it is right on everybody's doorstop.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07From kingfishers to kings of a totally different kind now,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10as Jules looks at a rural business here in Dorset
0:19:10 > 0:19:13that has been around since Henry VIII was on the throne.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19For hundreds of years,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Britain's farms have fed millions of us,
0:19:22 > 0:19:23from the fat of the land.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26And Dorset's fertile fields are no exception.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Scenes like this one - traditional breeds fattening for the table -
0:19:32 > 0:19:35have remained unchanged for generations.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37For as long as there have been farmers,
0:19:37 > 0:19:41there has been a middleman between field and fork,
0:19:41 > 0:19:47somebody who has transformed flock into feast, beasts into beef.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49And these guys into bacon.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54The butcher.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Butchery is one of the oldest trades.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03The first recorded butchers' guild in the world was in 1272.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07In the Middle Ages, butchers' stalls were often found crammed together
0:20:07 > 0:20:09in the heart of a town.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12It was literally a shambles,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16the term coming from the Anglo-Saxon for meat shelf or flesher moulds.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21In 1515, when Henry VIII was a young king,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25still on wife number one, a man named Robert Balson
0:20:25 > 0:20:29rented a plot for a butcher's stall in Bridport Shambles.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35And 500 years later, it is still here, making it not just the
0:20:35 > 0:20:39country's oldest butchers, but also Britain's oldest family business.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- Richard.- Hello, Jules.- How are you, mate?- Very well. Nice to meet you.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47- Well, happy 500th birthday. - Thank you. 500 years.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- Wow, that is astonishing, isn't it? - Yeah, it is a long time.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52And has it always been on this site?
0:20:52 > 0:20:53This is our new shop.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56We have been in this shop for just 123 years.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58- JULES CHUCKLES - The new shop!- The new shop.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01The inside hasn't really changed at all.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03In them days, there wouldn't have been a window.
0:21:03 > 0:21:04The shop was open-fronted.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07The meat was hung in the window and outside.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11But that was the days, just horse and carts, no traffic fumes,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13so it wasn't really unhygienic.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15And people would come in, buy a big joint of meat,
0:21:15 > 0:21:17which would last them all the week.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20And in terms of the kind of meat that you are selling now, though,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22has the content of the shop changed in any way?
0:21:22 > 0:21:25No, we are selling all the beef, lamb, pork and chicken,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28but then we have a few exotic meats as well now that we sell.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31A bit of bison, ostrich, wild boar,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33- kangaroo, crocodile...- Crocodile?!
0:21:33 > 0:21:36There are not local crocodiles, Jules.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Can't go out with your fishing rod and catch them.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42It is a limited market, but it is another string to our bow.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46We've survived plagues, fires, floods, wars...
0:21:46 > 0:21:49I think you got to love what you do and love your customers.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53- 4.95, is that close enough? - Yeah, OK, that's good.
0:21:53 > 0:21:544.80.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Just for a change.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59We like to make shopping a pleasurable experience.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02When people come in, we have served their fathers before, their
0:22:02 > 0:22:06grandparents before, and we say, "How is your mum, how is your dad?"
0:22:06 > 0:22:08And they love that sort of interaction.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10And that is something they don't get in a supermarket.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15One thing that hasn't changed over the centuries is Richard's
0:22:15 > 0:22:17traditional recipe for pork faggots,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20which has been handed down through the generations.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22So, what goes into your faggots, then?
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Free-range pork, offcuts of shoulder and belly,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28you've got the pig's liver, you've got onions.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32And it is mixed with a concoction of spices - sage, onion, parsley,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36thyme plus some secret ingredients which I couldn't possibly tell you.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- It's only you and me. - RICHARD LAUGHS
0:22:44 > 0:22:48My butcher's garb is as traditional as the recipe.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- There you go, Richard. What do you think?- Oh, marvellous.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Come and give me a hand to roll these faggots.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56- I better wash my hands. - Just wash your hands first.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59The minced ingredients are cooked and rolled into balls.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01So we are looking for sort of cricket ball size?
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Bit smaller than a cricket ball. If you roll them cricket ball size,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- I'm going to lose money, Jules. - THEY LAUGH
0:23:09 > 0:23:13And once rolled to perfection, the finishing touch is added.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15There's faggots and there's faggots.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18And unless faggots have got pig's caul on the top,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20it is not really a faggot.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Now, this is the fat membrane which has grown around the stomach
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- of the pig.- That's amazing.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- It's like lace, isn't it? - And you just lay it over the top.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31It keeps them moist when they are finishing in the oven.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35You have done a good job there, Jules.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37I reckon we could get you in an apprenticeship.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43And after just 20 minutes in the oven,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45it's time to taste the results.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- That is fabulous. - Yeah, it's very good.- Mm!
0:23:49 > 0:23:52I mean, the splicing, the onions really coming through
0:23:52 > 0:23:54into the liver...
0:23:55 > 0:23:56Wonderful.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57So...
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Shall we see what Bridport think of our efforts?
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Yeah, let's go.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- It's very nice. Very nice. - Fancy you'll have a dozen?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10They are cheap at half the price, aren't they?
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Especially the ones you made, Jules.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15She'll be back next week for a dozen of them.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18- What have you come in for today? - Faggots.- Have you?- Yes.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20So what is it about the faggot that you particularly love?
0:24:20 > 0:24:23It's just the texture of them. They're just so tasty and lovely.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25And with a few mushy peas, absolutely lovely.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Well, Richard, I'd say that has been a success, there are only two left.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33The proof's obviously in the eating, Jules. It has been great.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Well, they are absolutely delicious. So thank you.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- And here's to another 500 years. - 500 years.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42But I'm afraid I still can't tell you the secret ingredient.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46- That I will enjoy guessing at. - Cheers.- Lovely.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Now, as we have been hearing, plans to deepen Falmouth Harbour
0:25:00 > 0:25:04have raised questions about the environmental impact of dredging.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05Here's Tom.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12We have always dredged our harbours and ports.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15But in recent years, there has been growing concern about the effect
0:25:15 > 0:25:18this is having on life beneath the waves.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24For decades, spoil from the River Tamar and Plymouth Sound
0:25:24 > 0:25:27has been dredged up and dumped out
0:25:27 > 0:25:30to sea off here, Whitsand Bay in Cornwall.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35It is very close to a Marine Conservation Zone.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39And last year, the local community gathered to protest about
0:25:39 > 0:25:44dredge material being dumped here from nearby Devonport naval dock.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Hundreds of people have turned up here at Ramehead
0:25:48 > 0:25:51in protest despite the weather.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53That is how concerned they are.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59Please close this site and open another site in a safer area.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02It is not right to dump it by a Marine Conservation Zone.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Earlier this year,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07the dredging company was fined £40,000 by the regulator,
0:26:07 > 0:26:12the Marine Management Organisation, or MMO, for dumping unlawfully.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16But the case also raised questions about the MMO itself
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and why it had agreed to the licence.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22The local campaign group brought a claim to the High Court
0:26:22 > 0:26:26challenging the MMO's decision to grant a licence for dredging.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29And in February this year, that licence was quashed.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36After that, how confident can we be in the body that decides on
0:26:36 > 0:26:39and polices licences?
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Nick Wright is from the MMO.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Given what happened in Plymouth and the dredging...
0:26:45 > 0:26:46the people dredging were fined
0:26:46 > 0:26:49£40,000, I think, people might be worried that you don't keep
0:26:49 > 0:26:52a close enough eye on whether people actually follow the rules
0:26:52 > 0:26:54that you put in place. How can you reassure people?
0:26:54 > 0:26:57When we find that conditions are not being complied with,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59we investigate and take the appropriate action,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03which may lead to prosecution in significant cases.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07How confident are you that it is a sort of robust and reliable process?
0:27:07 > 0:27:11We are governed by the terms of the Marine and Coastal Access Act,
0:27:11 > 0:27:15which require us to make the best
0:27:15 > 0:27:16and appropriate decision.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19When we issue a licence, we consult,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23we take independent scientific advice where necessary.
0:27:23 > 0:27:28And we make sure that we make the right decision after careful
0:27:28 > 0:27:31consideration and consultation.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34The chancellor, George Osborne, recently said in Falmouth
0:27:34 > 0:27:37that he has applied pressure for dredging to happen
0:27:37 > 0:27:40and would even consider government support to pay for it.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Do you feel under any political pressure?
0:27:43 > 0:27:45No, we do not feel under any political pressure.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48We feel under pressure from the Marine and Coastal Access Act
0:27:48 > 0:27:50to make the right and appropriate decision.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53The MMO are independent of government
0:27:53 > 0:27:56and it is of no consequence.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59We will make the decision based on facts and evidence.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Simple as that.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05The decision in Falmouth continues to hang in the balance.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09But elsewhere, the MMO has signed off on a scheme which seems
0:28:09 > 0:28:11to have kept all sides happy.
0:28:12 > 0:28:13Here in Portsmouth,
0:28:13 > 0:28:17a dredging project will start in a matter of weeks.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20The plan is to make a state-of-the-art home for the
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Well, Portsmouth Harbour isn't just home to the Navy, ferries
0:28:31 > 0:28:35and cruise ships, it is also where native oysters live.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37And they are under threat.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Rob Clark is the chief officer
0:28:40 > 0:28:43of the Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority,
0:28:43 > 0:28:47which has come up with a plan to save them.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51The area in front of us here is going to be dredged.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54And there are plumes of silt which will be let off as a consequence.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56And those... That silt lays on top
0:28:56 > 0:28:59of these oysters and stops them reproducing.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02We worked with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation
0:29:02 > 0:29:06to relocate those oysters and re-lay them in high-density beds.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12The relocation of the oysters became a condition of the dredging licence.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15According to Rob, it is the first time this has happened.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18So you're moving them from there, and where you taking them to?
0:29:18 > 0:29:20There are two main places.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25One is just behind us here, in Ben Ainslie's new development,
0:29:25 > 0:29:27underneath his pontoons. And also we are going to put them
0:29:27 > 0:29:30in a number of locations in the harbours in the wild,
0:29:30 > 0:29:31in high-density beds.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Wow. Some desirable real estate next to Ben Ainslie's place there,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38- isn't it? Swanky! For oysters, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Paid for by the licensee, the MOD, the hope is that this
0:29:42 > 0:29:46ground-breaking project will also benefit local fishermen.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50- Is it your hope that you can rebuild that fishery again?- Absolutely.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52We are not going to achieve that by ourselves.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54We need to work with partners
0:29:54 > 0:29:56and we need to work with developers.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58We hope to mitigate some of that impact
0:29:58 > 0:30:00and support that inshore fishery environment.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05So, would something like this work in Falmouth?
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Well, research has been conducted by the University of Plymouth that
0:30:09 > 0:30:14supporters of the dredging believe shows maerl habitats would not be
0:30:14 > 0:30:15damaged if moved.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19But those campaigning against it question that conclusion.
0:30:19 > 0:30:20There are so many differences
0:30:20 > 0:30:22between the trial and what
0:30:22 > 0:30:24would happen in reality that it is,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26you now, it is very hard to believe
0:30:26 > 0:30:29that gives any meaningful insights into what would actually happened.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33You simply cannot extrapolate from a small scale trial to reality.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41It is surprising to find some precious
0:30:41 > 0:30:46habitats beneath the waters of some of our busiest ports.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50And in places, there have been very creative efforts to allow
0:30:50 > 0:30:53both business and the environment to thrive.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57But elsewhere, expect stormy confrontations to continue.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09I'm in Dorset,
0:31:09 > 0:31:13in a woodland location that's home to a school of architecture
0:31:13 > 0:31:16where they make incredible buildings out of wood.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25And looking around this vast forest, at first glance, you would
0:31:25 > 0:31:30think that there was a plentiful supply of building materials,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34but managing a woodland for construction timber is a tall order.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Jez Ralph is the estate's manager.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48It is his job to decide what grows and what goes.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52When we took over the woodland about 12 years ago,
0:31:52 > 0:31:57it was predominantly two species only - Norway spruce and beech.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02- And they were all planted at the same time, in 1950.- Right.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06So it is a very even-aged, monocultural system.
0:32:06 > 0:32:11So it is kind of quite a risk now - a risk of disease,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13a risk of storm damage, especially here.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17If you take away all these trees, you can see the coast behind us.
0:32:17 > 0:32:18And a changing climate.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20So now you are diversifying,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23you are evolving the woodlands into something slightly different.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27Yeah. So what we are trying to do now is alter this whole structure
0:32:27 > 0:32:31of the forest so that in 50 or 60 years, we have,
0:32:31 > 0:32:37say, 15 different species that are durable, or strong,
0:32:37 > 0:32:41or in some way are going to provide a product for the future.
0:32:46 > 0:32:47The forest is run commercially,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50producing timber for a range of purposes.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Straight trees go through the sawmill.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57But the conventional method of using machines to process timber
0:32:57 > 0:33:01means any tree that is an awkward shape is wasted.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04The problem is, is that a lot of our timber,
0:33:04 > 0:33:08like a lot of English woodlands, is of variable quality.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10It can be bent, it can be forked.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12It is just not suitable for the straightness you need to put
0:33:12 > 0:33:14it through a sawmill.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16And generally, we just sell it for firewood.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19So what we're trying to do here is we are trying to take this
0:33:19 > 0:33:22variable quality wood and we are trying to show
0:33:22 > 0:33:24that there is potentially a use for it,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26trying to find ways to process it
0:33:26 > 0:33:29and take things that are firewood quality now
0:33:29 > 0:33:31and make a whole building out of it.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36And that is where the woodland architecture students come in.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39This year, they're building project is all about turning
0:33:39 > 0:33:42forked tree trunks into useful building materials.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46It is early days, but they reckon it is going to be a woodchip stall.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49And like everything here, it is made with a mixture of traditional
0:33:49 > 0:33:52and ultramodern techniques.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Um, what is it? HE LAUGHS
0:33:54 > 0:33:57- That is a good question.- Yes.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00- This is half of a large truss we are building...- OK.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05- ..to support the roof panels.- Ah-ha. OK, right, so show me the model.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Because everything will fall into perspective here as we look at this.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11- Everything will make much more sense.- Wow.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14OK. So... Which bit are we looking at here? On the model.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16Right now we are studying kind of...
0:34:16 > 0:34:19Or we are looking at from about here to here.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- I see.- So this section in here.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24So we started by kind of wondering the woods,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27- taking photographs of about 200 trees in total.- Right.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30From those, we have done some preliminary design,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33gone back with kind of an idea of which ones we wanted.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Those trees are then 3-D scanned.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39We used the scans here to generate kind of a geometry,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42which are what we eventually need to be able programme our robot.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44- You've got a robot? - We've got a robot.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46You've got to introduce me to this robot.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49Yeah, we'll show you the control room over here.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52- So just right in here is Pradeep and Sweta.- Hello.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- Hello.- Can I come and watch from in here, is that all right?- Sure.
0:34:55 > 0:34:56Thank you.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05The building will be made up of 20 forked tree trunks.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11Using the scanned 3-D image of each unique tree, the robot arm cuts the
0:35:11 > 0:35:15joints needed to fit them together during the final construction.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Such an odd relationship going on in there, isn't it?
0:35:19 > 0:35:22With something that has grown so naturally and so beautiful
0:35:22 > 0:35:27and yet, you know, it is being fashioned by something so futuristic.
0:35:27 > 0:35:28It's odd.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Well, with the help of all of that technology,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39it seems like everything is going to plan.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41But to make sure they are on schedule, what they could really
0:35:41 > 0:35:45deal with is a Countryfile calendar sold in aid of Children in Need.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48And if you haven't got yours yet, here's how you do it.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56The calendar costs £9.50 including free UK delivery.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58You can buy yours either via our website at...
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Or by calling the order line on...
0:36:13 > 0:36:15To order, please send your name
0:36:15 > 0:36:17and address and a cheque to...
0:36:28 > 0:36:32A minimum of four pounds from the sale of every calendar will go to
0:36:32 > 0:36:33BBC Children in Need.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Now, last year's calendar was a record breaker,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39raising over £1.5 million.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42And of course, this year, we hope to raise even more.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54The nights are drawing in and there is a distinct chill in the air.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Sunny days may be long gone, but down on Adam's farm,
0:36:57 > 0:36:59things are just as busy as ever.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02This season, though, has been tougher than usual.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08This time of year is often one for reflection.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Many of you might have heard
0:37:10 > 0:37:12that my dear dad passed away a few weeks ago.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14And I have been really touched by all the kind messages that
0:37:14 > 0:37:18viewers have sent in. But his achievements live on.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20A lot of the rare breeds that he helped to save
0:37:20 > 0:37:22still need looking after.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24And it is a legacy I am proud to continue.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29When Dad helped set up the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
0:37:29 > 0:37:32in the early '70s, there were several breeds of livestock
0:37:32 > 0:37:34that had already died out completely.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40Since then, no breed of cattle or sheep has become extinct in the UK.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Dad and the Trust were responsible for keeping many of our best
0:37:43 > 0:37:45loved farm animals going.
0:37:45 > 0:37:46Come on.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50COW MOOS
0:37:50 > 0:37:52Not least, these lovely Gloucester cattle.
0:37:52 > 0:37:53And earlier in the year,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56I introduced this magnificent Gloucester bull, Dougie,
0:37:56 > 0:37:59and he turned out to be a bit of a character.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02So this is Dougie.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04He is my new Gloucester bull.
0:38:04 > 0:38:05He is Isaac's replacement.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Dougie here has been in isolation for about a month now,
0:38:08 > 0:38:10so he is fairly lively
0:38:10 > 0:38:11now I've turned him out.
0:38:11 > 0:38:12Whoa, whoa, fella.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15But he has been given a clean bill of health
0:38:15 > 0:38:18and he is ready to meet the cows. And he is pretty keen.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25Well, he is certainly looking pretty lively.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27And the horse is surprised to see him.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29I'm not sure this was a good idea.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32I will have to try to get him heading in the right direction.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Well, that was in the summer.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Since then, the lush grass has disappeared
0:38:41 > 0:38:44and the weather has got a lot more autumnal.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Thankfully, Dougie has settled into the herd.
0:38:50 > 0:38:51And he has done a really good job.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53He's got over half of the herd pregnant now.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55So what I am going to do is sort them out
0:38:55 > 0:38:58and take the pregnant ones away to some winter grazing.
0:38:59 > 0:39:00Go on out of the way.
0:39:03 > 0:39:04Go on. Go on.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Right, I only need one more. 370. There she is, over here.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21Lovely and quiet, these Gloucesters. Really lovely to work with.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27There we go. That's right. Four cows and a calf.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30I'll get these down to their winter grazing.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35It is not every breed you can leave out to grass in the winter.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37But Gloucesters are hardy cattle, which makes them
0:39:37 > 0:39:39perfect for the job I've got in mind.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45This part of the farm is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
0:39:45 > 0:39:47or SSSI.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49There are important plants growing here,
0:39:49 > 0:39:51so it needs to be carefully grazed.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Four Gloucester cows and a calf is perfect to start with.
0:39:57 > 0:39:58They just love it in here.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01These cows having a scratch on these thorn bushes.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Most people will be putting their cattle into sheds at this
0:40:04 > 0:40:07time of year, but we have got this part of the farm that needs
0:40:07 > 0:40:09grazing during the winter months.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11It is full of rare plants and butterflies.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15And for conservation, the sward needs breaking open
0:40:15 > 0:40:17and ripping out by the cattle.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19And then that encourages the wild flowers to set seed
0:40:19 > 0:40:21and do very well.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24So these rare breed cattle do a wonderful job in here.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27And I am delighted that Dougie has got these cows in calf.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30It is quite an investment spending money on an expensive bull.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33And the last thing you want is to find out he is infertile.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37And that goes for my sheep, too.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39You might remember in the summer I purchased
0:40:39 > 0:40:43a Kelly Hill ram from farmer Richard Smith just up the road.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45You are looking at the very best of what I have.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49- I reckon that animal is easily worth £600.- All right.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51OK.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53- And is there any negotiation there? - No.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- THEY LAUGH - He's a hard man.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59And seeing as I know what you paid for his dad...
0:40:59 > 0:41:00- Yes, exactly.- Put it there.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03- Thank you very much.- Thank you very much. Congratulations.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08I introduced the new ram to my ewes only a few weeks ago.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10Now it is time to get them in,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12to see how the new boy has been performing.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18And here he is. He is a really lovely ram.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20He is wearing a harness. On it is a chalk.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23So when he mates with the ewes, he leaves his mark on their rumps,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and he has served them all so far. I am really pleased with him.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29I reckon it is £600 well spent.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Now I have got to catch him.
0:41:31 > 0:41:32Out, girls...
0:41:35 > 0:41:38What I want to do is change his crayon,
0:41:38 > 0:41:39if I can tip him up.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43He is such a strong, powerful beast.
0:41:43 > 0:41:44There's a good boy.
0:41:44 > 0:41:45Right.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48We change the crayon every week or so, and then we know
0:41:48 > 0:41:50when the lambs are going to be born.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53He leaves a mark on the ewe's rumps when he serves them.
0:41:53 > 0:41:54And then due to the dates,
0:41:54 > 0:41:58we know when his lambs are going to be born in the spring.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00So there we go. From red to blue.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Right, I'll let him go. Go on, fella.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Late autumn is a busy time of year if you are a ram.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13And with several rare breeds of sheep on the farm,
0:42:13 > 0:42:15we have plenty of crayons to change.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20There is one breed, however, that I am particularly fond of.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25These are my Cotswolds, a breed that is very close to my heart
0:42:25 > 0:42:28because they were my dad's favourite.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31In fact, there is an old Cotswold saying that
0:42:31 > 0:42:34a shepherd should be buried with a lock of Cotswold wool in his hand.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38So that when they meet the great Lord at the pearly gates, he sees
0:42:38 > 0:42:40the lock of wool and realises that person was a shepherd,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43and that was the reason they couldn't go to church on Sundays.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46So that is what we did for my dad.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Right, better get on and change this ram's ruddle.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52All right, where are you, fella?
0:42:56 > 0:42:58There's a good boy.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01There are really big sheep, these Cotswolds. Famous for their wool.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05They've got wool right down their legs, all over their heads.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08Really beautiful, fine, lustrous fleece.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Right, I will just take his crayon off.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19There. That was easy, wasn't it, mate?
0:43:19 > 0:43:21Right, that is all the rams done.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24I'll pop out to the fields now and check on the crops.
0:43:24 > 0:43:25Go on, boy.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33When it comes to the arable side of the business, the weather
0:43:33 > 0:43:37in late autumn is less of a worry than at other times of year.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40The harvest is in, next year's planting is all done
0:43:40 > 0:43:43and, in many ways, we are playing the waiting game until spring,
0:43:43 > 0:43:45when the crops will start to grow again.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50There is, however, a new crop we've planted that is doing
0:43:50 > 0:43:53an important job for me over the cold winter months.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Across about 100 acres on this part of the farm, we are
0:43:59 > 0:44:01growing a cover crop.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05And it is basically two plants - a vetch and a black oat.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08And the idea is that the cover crop catches nitrogen
0:44:08 > 0:44:11and absorbs the nitrogen from the soil to stop it getting
0:44:11 > 0:44:15washed through the soil and into watercourses and causing pollution.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18The other thing it does is that it has organic matter above
0:44:18 > 0:44:21and below the ground in the leaf and the roots.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24When we spray this off in the spring to plant the spring barley,
0:44:24 > 0:44:27the nitrogen and the organic matter breaks down
0:44:27 > 0:44:29and works like a fertilizer for the following crop.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32And from that, we are getting about a tonne to the acre
0:44:32 > 0:44:34yield increase. It is really good stuff.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37It is helping the environment and me as a farmer.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41With fertile soils,
0:44:41 > 0:44:44fertile cows,
0:44:44 > 0:44:46and hopefully some fertile sheep,
0:44:46 > 0:44:50the farm looks well-placed to reap what we have sown come spring.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01Dorset is often seen as picture postcard perfect,
0:45:01 > 0:45:05a chocolate box vision of the British countryside.
0:45:05 > 0:45:06And it is largely farming
0:45:06 > 0:45:09and forestry that has shaped this beautiful landscape.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14We owe a debt of gratitude to the people who have devoted
0:45:14 > 0:45:16their lives to working the land,
0:45:16 > 0:45:20and we shouldn't forget them when they are unable to do it any longer.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24But too often, rural folk like farmers, shepherds,
0:45:24 > 0:45:28fishermen and village bobbies lose touch with their former lives
0:45:28 > 0:45:30when they get older and infirm.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32But that is not happening to this lot.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38# You've got to accentuate the positive. #
0:45:38 > 0:45:40This is The Countrymen's Club.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42# Eliminate the negative
0:45:42 > 0:45:45# Latch onto the affirmative. #
0:45:45 > 0:45:49Twice a week, a group of rural men between the ages of 60 and 100
0:45:49 > 0:45:52with life-changing conditions like dementia
0:45:52 > 0:45:55and Parkinson's disease come together on this farm to ensure
0:45:55 > 0:45:59a lifetime's experience and skills aren't forgotten.
0:46:01 > 0:46:02Knock-knock.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05- Hello. How are you doing?- Hello, Ellie, good to meet you.- You too.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07- This is Alf.- Hello, little one.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09I like to say he is the leader of the farm,
0:46:09 > 0:46:10or he thinks he is, anyway.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Are you now?
0:46:12 > 0:46:16The Countrymen's Club is the brainchild of Julie Plumley.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19She grew up on a farm in Dorset but spent 20 years
0:46:19 > 0:46:21as a social worker.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24It was in this of the role that she realised the benefits
0:46:24 > 0:46:27a rural environment could have for people in need.
0:46:28 > 0:46:32So in 2009, she bought this farm and formed Future Roots.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35It provides opportunities for teenagers and children experiencing
0:46:35 > 0:46:40difficulties in their lives. And then she set up The Countrymen's Club.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42How did The Countrymen's Club come about?
0:46:42 > 0:46:44It was when Dad got Parkinson's, so about three years ago.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46And his Parkinson's was progressing.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49And we tried to find somewhere for him to go where he could be with
0:46:49 > 0:46:52other men, like-minded men, that would enjoy the outside.
0:46:52 > 0:46:54And actually, in old age, what we found is
0:46:54 > 0:46:56there is nothing else for men who are poorly,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59who have either got Parkinson's, dementia, who have had strokes,
0:46:59 > 0:47:00who've had an outdoor life.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02So there is a lot of day centres around,
0:47:02 > 0:47:06but they actually don't cater for men who like the rural lifestyle.
0:47:06 > 0:47:07That's why we thought,
0:47:07 > 0:47:10"Right, hold on. This is working for the young people,
0:47:10 > 0:47:12"let's give this a go and see if it works for the older people."
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Why did it have to be with other men?
0:47:15 > 0:47:17Well, a lot of the men that would have worked on the land would
0:47:17 > 0:47:19have just worked with other men.
0:47:19 > 0:47:20And unless you have got men in the family...
0:47:20 > 0:47:24And my dad had two daughters, so he didn't come across another man.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27And also all the carers that now look after him are all female.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30So you don't ever... You don't ever talk to another man,
0:47:30 > 0:47:32and there is a difference in the communication.
0:47:32 > 0:47:33There you are.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36You know, they'll be cheeky with women and there is the banter,
0:47:36 > 0:47:39but it is very different when they are with their peer group.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41Yeah.
0:47:41 > 0:47:45The health benefits of spending time in the natural world
0:47:45 > 0:47:46are well documented.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49The serotonin levels in Parkinson's... That is
0:47:49 > 0:47:52the problem with Parkinson's, the feel-good factor is just not there.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54And if you bring them out into the sensory environment
0:47:54 > 0:47:56that they've loved - smelling the cows,
0:47:56 > 0:47:59the silage, the noises - all of a sudden, the serotonin kicks in.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02And I'm not saying farming is for everybody,
0:48:02 > 0:48:04but what I am saying is for rural men that love their garden,
0:48:04 > 0:48:06love being outdoors, they need all of that.
0:48:06 > 0:48:10And often they are kept away from those sensory feelings just
0:48:10 > 0:48:11because they're older.
0:48:12 > 0:48:17How is the grooming going, Tony, all right? That is looking neat.
0:48:17 > 0:48:18Very nice job.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21I do it every morning to my hair.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23That's where I get the training from.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26That's...that is a useful bit of training.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29- How do you like coming here? - Oh, yes, I like coming.- Yeah?
0:48:29 > 0:48:32It keeps me occupied.
0:48:32 > 0:48:33For us, as a family,
0:48:33 > 0:48:35it has been a bit of a life-saver,
0:48:35 > 0:48:38really. Because if he was at home,
0:48:38 > 0:48:41then he'd be at home in isolation, in silence, because
0:48:41 > 0:48:44he doesn't read any more, he doesn't watch the television any more.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48So this gives him some stimulation. And he loves being outside.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50He loves animals.
0:48:50 > 0:48:53It is just something for us as a family to talk to him about
0:48:53 > 0:48:55and something for him to do
0:48:55 > 0:48:59that brings him back into some kind of society.
0:49:01 > 0:49:04- I used to work the farm years ago. - Oh, did you?
0:49:04 > 0:49:06- When I was a lad.- Uh-huh.
0:49:06 > 0:49:07Then I went in the Army.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10When I came out, I worked on the farm.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12And I have done loads of jobs since.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14I had a little small hold of my own at one time.
0:49:14 > 0:49:16- So proper outdoorsman, are you? - Oh, yeah.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19- I didn't retire till a couple years back.- Right.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23I've got Parkinson's disease now. And this is a great help.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27When I first retired, I got in the wife's way.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30She was glad to kick me out of the house sometimes.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33Now I spend more time out of the house than I do in.
0:49:33 > 0:49:37It was affecting me, I think, more than it was him. I was quite nasty,
0:49:37 > 0:49:39shouting and, you know...
0:49:39 > 0:49:44But I am totally relaxed now because life is almost as it was before.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50After a busy afternoon in the great outdoors, it is
0:49:50 > 0:49:53back to the club to warm up with some hot soup.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55- GUITAR STRUMMING - All together now.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58# Back at home, my cares and woe
0:49:58 > 0:50:01# Here I go... #
0:50:01 > 0:50:03Julie hopes schemes like this will one day be part
0:50:03 > 0:50:06of the country's medical toolkit in the same way that doctors
0:50:06 > 0:50:10can refer people to the gym. And it is not just about the men.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13Julie is starting a similar club for elderly rural women
0:50:13 > 0:50:15called Land Ladies.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19Well, today's weather is ideal for staying inside
0:50:19 > 0:50:21with some home-made soup.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24But what will the weather be like for us all this week?
0:52:09 > 0:52:11We're in Dorset.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15And whilst Ellie has been catching up with a club for retired countrymen,
0:52:15 > 0:52:17I am in Hooke Park,
0:52:17 > 0:52:20exploring a school for budding woodland architects
0:52:20 > 0:52:23learning to build ultramodern buildings from the trees
0:52:23 > 0:52:24growing around them.
0:52:28 > 0:52:33Earlier on, we saw how a robot arm can cut precise joints in wood.
0:52:33 > 0:52:37Now, it is almost time to hoist our tree trunk into position.
0:52:37 > 0:52:38Now, we have all done practical exams,
0:52:38 > 0:52:42but let me tell you, they do not come much bigger than this -
0:52:42 > 0:52:45constructing a full-scale building.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48And this is part of the final project for the students here.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52Now, what they are doing is they're constructing a woodchip stall.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56And they're using these four sections of the trees that would, well,
0:52:56 > 0:52:58normally just be thrown away.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01Right then, Zach, we are at quite a critical point here,
0:53:01 > 0:53:04- aren't we, in the build?- Yeah. No, absolutely. We are kind of...
0:53:04 > 0:53:06We are nearing completion on the first half of the truss.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09- We have got nine forks up in the rig.- Yeah.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12You and I are just looking at kind of finishing the last
0:53:12 > 0:53:15- chiselling for the last fork. - Mm-hm.- So we are kind of...
0:53:15 > 0:53:18Right now, what we are struggling with is that you get these
0:53:18 > 0:53:22perfect pieces from the robot, but the robot can't put them
0:53:22 > 0:53:25together, so there is a little bit of handwork in fixing
0:53:25 > 0:53:27connections that maybe weren't quite deep enough.
0:53:27 > 0:53:31And then we've got this jig which kind of sets out the geometry,
0:53:31 > 0:53:34so each of these vertical points that we'll see tells
0:53:34 > 0:53:36exactly where the fork needs to be placed.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38Because they're big bits of wood.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40OK, well, you tell me how I can help out.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42- Yeah, absolutely. - I'm more than happy.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45What we are working on now is two the forks actually cross
0:53:45 > 0:53:49- through each other. So I will give you this chisel.- Sure.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51And all that we're doing is just kind of finishing to clean up this
0:53:51 > 0:53:54connection so that when we place it on,
0:53:54 > 0:53:58the other fork is going to sit nice and tight onto that, when we do.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00I see. So you just want to clean up all those edges.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02- Yeah, just clean it up. Any of the fuzz.- Yeah.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08And so what happens, then, if this stage does go a little bit haywire?
0:54:08 > 0:54:10If this one in particular were to go wrong,
0:54:10 > 0:54:13we'd probably be back in the forest looking for a tree.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15- Oh, really?- Yeah. So kind of...
0:54:15 > 0:54:18There are couple of forks in the truss that would be pretty
0:54:18 > 0:54:20- simple to replace.- Mm-hm.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22But this one would be a bit of a mission,
0:54:22 > 0:54:25going after very specific tree
0:54:25 > 0:54:27which may or may not actually exist.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29It looks just about finished, I think.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39OK, so the plan now is to get this telehandler in...
0:54:40 > 0:54:44Basically, lift this section up and take it right over the top
0:54:44 > 0:54:46and drop it into position.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01This moment has been months in the making.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04Every tree is a unique piece of the jigsaw.
0:55:04 > 0:55:06If the cuts are wrong and the piece doesn't fit,
0:55:06 > 0:55:08then the whole tree is useless
0:55:08 > 0:55:10and it is back to the drawing board.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21Well, this is absolute precision driving from the telehandler.
0:55:21 > 0:55:25I mean, we are just millimetres away from where we need to be.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37- There it is.- There it is! - There it is!- Woohoo!
0:55:37 > 0:55:42Yes, good work! Well done, team. So, good job. Excellent. Yes.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45Sahil. Super stuff. Super stuff.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50That must be a very satisfying moment, that.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53Oh, it is very hard to describe how many steps have been kind of
0:55:53 > 0:55:55- in the way to getting here.- Yeah.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58And you have taken something that really is so random and has grown
0:55:58 > 0:56:00so naturally, and yet you bring it in here
0:56:00 > 0:56:02- and it is absolute precision.- Yeah.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08Much of what these students are doing has never been done before.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Get it right and their methods could transform both architecture
0:56:11 > 0:56:13and the landscape,
0:56:13 > 0:56:17creating a new era of buildings - more technological,
0:56:17 > 0:56:20less wasteful and much more creative.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24Well, that is all we have got time for this week.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27Next week, Ellie and John are going to be in Shropshire.
0:56:27 > 0:56:28But from all of us here...
0:56:28 > 0:56:31- ALL:- Bye!- Bye-bye. See you later.