0:00:37 > 0:00:41Welcome to Snowdonia, where the landscape never ceases to amaze me.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51With some of the country's most dramatic scenery,
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Snowdonia is not only home to the highest peak in Wales but to
0:00:55 > 0:00:58some of the most challenging farmland in Britain.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09At first glance, this ancient landscape and the lives of
0:01:09 > 0:01:12those living here has barely changed in centuries.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16But is that really the case?
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Thanks to a recently unearthed BBC documentary filmed here
0:01:19 > 0:01:24in 1956, I'll be able to see exactly how farming's changed here
0:01:24 > 0:01:26in the past 60 years.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30'Sheep farming here is very different from sheep farming down on
0:01:30 > 0:01:32'the smooth pastures of the lowlands.'
0:01:36 > 0:01:40While I'm here, I'll be looking back through the Countryfile archives, to
0:01:40 > 0:01:44the times we discovered farming in all its glory - then and now...
0:01:46 > 0:01:50..from the time Matt experienced the handiwork of a true pioneer...
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Oh, this is the life!
0:01:59 > 0:02:02..to when Helen took a trip into the past...
0:02:02 > 0:02:05I'm really sorry, but I've missed the line, haven't I?
0:02:05 > 0:02:06- LAUGHING:- That's me profit gone!
0:02:08 > 0:02:13..and the time I met the futuristic farmers growing deep underground.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16My word, Steven, this is just incredible!
0:02:42 > 0:02:45At the heart of Snowdonia National Park,
0:02:45 > 0:02:49a few miles south-west of Capel Curig, is the Nant Gwynant Valley...
0:02:51 > 0:02:54..its spectacular slopes crowned by rugged peaks,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56including Snowdon itself.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08It was here in 1956 that dapper broadcaster Christopher Chataway
0:03:08 > 0:03:12arrived, like an astronaut landing on an alien planet,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15to make a film called Away From It All.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20'So many people love mountains, so many people visit mountains,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22'yet so few go to live there.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26'I went to the north Welsh mountains to find out what chance
0:03:26 > 0:03:29'a townsman would have of settling there for good.'
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Chris Chataway came here as a "townsman", as he called himself,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41to see if he could carve a new life among these mountains.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44The resulting film gave a fascinating insight into the
0:03:44 > 0:03:48recent history of farming and a snapshot of the way of life,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51seemingly unchanged for generations.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00One of Chataway's interviews was with Piers Williams,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04a well-respected sheep farmer who owned Hafod y Llan,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07a 4,000-acre farm in the southern end of the valley.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12I hear that sheep farmers are doing very well this year here.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16- Is that right?- Well, it's a bit too early to say that now,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20because we haven't sold any stock yet.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28The farm is familiar to thousands of hill walkers as the start of
0:04:28 > 0:04:31the famously challenging Watkin Path up Snowdon.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36And it's a place I've come to know myself over the years,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40as I've already been here three times for Countryfile.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43But until now, I had no idea that the BBC had sent
0:04:43 > 0:04:46a predecessor of mine here six decades ago.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52Since 1998, the National Trust has run the farm.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Tristan Edwards is the Trust's area manager for Snowdonia.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- These are lovely Welsh black cattle, aren't they?- They are.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03They are really suited to this farm, and they look the part.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07So, what did you know about Piers Williams when he was
0:05:07 > 0:05:09a previous owner of the estate here?
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Well, yeah, he was a tremendous character, and they'd been here as
0:05:13 > 0:05:16a family for generations, and he was right there at the vanguard of
0:05:16 > 0:05:18progressive farming.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21And why was it that the National Trust came to buy the estate?
0:05:21 > 0:05:24This is a really important landscape.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26There's a national nature reserve here, it's a Site of
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Special Scientific Interest, it has all the designations going on it.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33But critically, it's a key part of the Snowdon summit,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36so it's really important for the general conservation of the
0:05:36 > 0:05:38landscape as a whole.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41So, in Piers's day, it was all about production to feed a starving
0:05:41 > 0:05:46nation post-war, but now you're much more about conservation.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48I don't think Piers would be surprised
0:05:48 > 0:05:49that this is what we are doing.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51I'm sure he'd be doing the same thing,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54because whilst there is some food, people also want a good,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57healthy environment in which that food is created.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58So we've reduced the sheep numbers,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00because they were quite high in the past.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03There were limited cattle numbers here.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06And the effect of that was quite a lot of molinia, tall grass
0:06:06 > 0:06:09that the sheep weren't interested in.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11The cattle are sort of chomping
0:06:11 > 0:06:14away at it, so it's creating a more mixed sward.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16And do you think Piers would be surprised to see,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20you know, the technology in the sheds and all those sorts of things?
0:06:20 > 0:06:23He'd have loved it, I would have thought. "I could have done with far
0:06:23 > 0:06:27"fewer workers!" And he have loved some of the tractors and so on.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30But certainly it's progressive,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and he would have been right for it, and I'm sure, you know, if he was
0:06:33 > 0:06:37a generation further on, he'd have been doing the same thing exactly.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Although the flock size has been greatly reduced, you'll still find
0:06:46 > 0:06:50hundreds of sheep dotted around the valley's steep slopes each summer.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Right now, though, most of the flock are away,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59overwintering on various farms down in the lowlands,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02partly because it's so wet up here but also because they want to save
0:07:02 > 0:07:05what little grass they HAVE got for the ewes and lambs in the spring.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09'For Elgan Jones, a shepherd here,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13'winter is spent not out on the hills but getting stuck in
0:07:13 > 0:07:15'with the kind of chores I recognise from home.'
0:07:15 > 0:07:18My word! Do you ever get used to this weather?
0:07:18 > 0:07:19- ELGAN SIGHS - I don't know!
0:07:19 > 0:07:21I don't think you get used to it.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24You get less disappointed when you wake up in the morning.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26You just get hardened to it!
0:07:26 > 0:07:28So, with the tractors, obviously, you know,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31on a lowland farm we've got big tractors and lots of arable.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- Different machines down here. - Oh, yeah, this probably looks like
0:07:34 > 0:07:38a Dinky toy compared to what you've got at home, doesn't it?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41You don't need anything big round here, really. Small, compact...
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Nimble, to be able to get in and out of these little sheds.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- Exactly.- So, what's this one here? That's an unusual-looking machine.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Yeah, this is an Alpine tractor.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52It's got a low centre of gravity, so it'll go on steep bits.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54And then there's twin wheels to put on it
0:07:54 > 0:07:56that'll do wetlands, as well.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00- A lot of the farm here is just hillside and mountain.- Yes, yes.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Very little low ground.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10'Machinery like this has certainly made life in the hills
0:08:10 > 0:08:12'a little easier.'
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Look at this beauty!
0:08:13 > 0:08:16You can trace the history of those modern-day tractors right
0:08:16 > 0:08:20back to sweet little machines like this Fergie TE20
0:08:20 > 0:08:22that's been working in this valley
0:08:22 > 0:08:25since 1951 and is still going strong.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So it was definitely around when Chris Chataway made his film
0:08:28 > 0:08:31here, and it's just like the tractor that Matt drove up in the
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Cotswolds a couple of years ago. Right, let's take it for a spin.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44MATT: Whether it's upland, lowland, arable or dairy,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48at the heart of every farm is the tractor.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Today, there are more than 200 tractor manufacturers.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57But few, if any, have had such an impact as my farming hero...
0:08:59 > 0:09:01..Harry Ferguson.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Often described as a genius,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07Ferguson was a remarkable man whose talents knew no bounds.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Whether he was designing racing cars,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12being the first Briton to build and fly his own aeroplane
0:09:12 > 0:09:16or revolutionising farming with his Ferguson System,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Harry's brilliance lay in simple, efficient designs that worked
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and stood the test of time.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25I've come to the Drinkwaters' family farm in the Cotswolds to meet
0:09:25 > 0:09:29two brothers who are self-confessed Fergie fanatics,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32and I'm going to find one of them in here.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Andy, are you there? Ah, tinkering away. How are you? Nice to see you.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- Pleased to meet you, Matt. - This is some place.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Every bit of available space there's either a tractor
0:09:41 > 0:09:43or an implement parked in it.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46When did this and WHY did this all start?
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Well, we were brought up on these Ferguson tractors
0:09:49 > 0:09:53and tractors like this, and that's what Dad had when we were kids.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54We've just grown up with them.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Looking at the collection, it was this tractor here, wasn't it,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59at the front, that was the real game changer?
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Yes, it was the little grey Fergie, the TE20.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05It just revolutionised farming.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- NEWSREEL:- 'No-one had brought out a piece of machinery which was
0:10:08 > 0:10:10'as simple to control as a draught animal.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13'This, however, has now been made a practical possibility
0:10:13 > 0:10:17'by the Ferguson tractor, operated with the Ferguson System.'
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'The little grey Fergie hit the fields in 1946,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24'launching modern tractor technology that has never been bettered
0:10:24 > 0:10:26'and is still being used today.'
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Oh, this is the life!
0:10:31 > 0:10:34What a beautiful, beautiful tractor!
0:10:34 > 0:10:37For the first time, tractors became part of the implements
0:10:37 > 0:10:40as opposed to just dragging them. This was Harry's genius.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44'All right, what IS the Ferguson System?
0:10:44 > 0:10:47'The Ferguson System gives you a three-point,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50'one-minute method of attaching or detaching implements.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52'How about that?'
0:10:52 > 0:10:54It was Ferguson's three-point linkage
0:10:54 > 0:10:56that truly revolutionised farming
0:10:56 > 0:10:59and meant that his little grey tractor could do a whole wealth
0:10:59 > 0:11:01of jobs on and off the farm.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04'Instead of carrying heavy pieces of wood to the saw,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07'you can take the saw into the forest, if necessary.'
0:11:08 > 0:11:10'Harry's design was a phenomenal success.
0:11:10 > 0:11:16'By 1951, he controlled a staggering 65% of the worldwide tractor market.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18'The factory in Coventry
0:11:18 > 0:11:23'was producing more than 300 TE20s every day.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27'Harry's right-hand man and driver at the time was Peter Warr.'
0:11:27 > 0:11:28What's it like for you here, Peter,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30to be surrounded by all of these tractors?
0:11:30 > 0:11:32It's bringing back lots of memories.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35It was the Ferguson, which is good.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Everything was geared round the farmer.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41The dealers had to stock all the necessary spares
0:11:41 > 0:11:44so that the tractor was off the road for the shortest possible time.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49And that's what he built it on - the good servicing and the aftercare.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51How did he, in his mind,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54try and convince farmers that this was the bit of kit to get?
0:11:54 > 0:11:56He did lots of demonstrations and things like that.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59He'd go to the farmer and demonstrate.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02I think that's basically how he got the message over,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04and often competed against other tractors
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and other forms of cultivation.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10One of Harry's competitions was called Cultivating the Square.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14It was designed to show how the little grey Fergie could work
0:12:14 > 0:12:18in the tightest of spaces, an area too small even for a horse to work.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20So, in the spirit of Mr Ferguson,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23watched on by Andy's brother Pete and our umpire Peter,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Andy and I are going to give it a go.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27- Three... - Oh, hang on!
0:12:27 > 0:12:29- ALL:- Three, two, one!
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Whoohoo!
0:12:31 > 0:12:33JAUNTY BANJO MUSIC PLAYS
0:12:33 > 0:12:38Oh, gosh, that was quick, he's in there already.
0:12:38 > 0:12:39GEARS CRUNCH
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Tortoise and the hare.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46- He's making his first run.- He's a bit close to the post, isn't he?
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Oh, he's done his second row already. Right.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Andrew's got the post down. Right.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54It's ever such a tight square, this.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Matt seems to have got the hang of it now, doesn't he?
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- I like the way he's got his tongue out. Have you noticed?- Yeah.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10That'll do!
0:13:13 > 0:13:15- Very good, Matt. - Do you think we did him proud?
0:13:15 > 0:13:19- Very proud indeed. He'd be pleased. He'd be pleased.- Yeah.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34ADAM: I'm visiting another farm, Gwastadanas in Snowdonia,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37looking back at farming then and now.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45When broadcaster Christopher Chataway came here 61 years ago,
0:13:45 > 0:13:49he spoke to local sheep farmer Piers Williams.
0:13:49 > 0:13:50You're in the middle of the shearing?
0:13:50 > 0:13:52We're in the middle of the shearing, yes.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- And when will you have finished? - Finished shearing?
0:13:55 > 0:14:00Well...end of next week. Depends on the weather, doesn't it?
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Today, Bedwyr Jones and his family manage the farm.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Bedwyr's been a tenant here for 20 years.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11And I'm intrigued to find out what Bedwyr makes of that
0:14:11 > 0:14:15interview that was carried out on this farm 60 years ago.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19- Bedwyr, good to meet you.- And you. How are you?- Lovely-looking sheep.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20Are you close to lambing?
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- Just started today, yeah. First one today.- Have you?- Yeah, yeah.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Now, what did you make of that footage all those years ago?
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Similarities to their concerns back then, similar to ours today,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I'd say. Not a lot has changed, I suppose.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Is it easy to make a living here, would you say?
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Well, if you think about going in for hill sheep farming,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45you've got to be prepared to stay at home and wear old clothes!
0:14:45 > 0:14:46CHRISTOPHER LAUGHS
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- It's harder than lowland farming? - Oh, yes, much harder.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Would most farmers here be glad to go to the lowlands, if they could?
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Well, I don't know.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57There are many instances of hill farmers that have gone down
0:14:57 > 0:15:02to the lowlands and they never returned back to the hills.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07You'll never get a lowland farmer coming uphill.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10The hill farmers are going downhill all the time.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12You've got to think outside the box.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16We've expanded, keeping more sheep and more cattle.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Genetically, as well, we will try and improve the flock, as well.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25- Is mutton as profitable now as it used to be before the war?- Oh, no.
0:15:25 > 0:15:26Competition, partly, from abroad?
0:15:26 > 0:15:30Probably, yes, from New Zealand and Australia.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34I've got friends that are farming in New Zealand.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38They're struggling to make a living out of sheep farming there, as well.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41I'm sure if we worked together a bit more,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44there'd be room for us both in the world market, I'd say.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Do you find any difficulty in getting young people,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49young labourers?
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Oh, yes, there is a scarcity.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56The number that we have, they're very good men.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59There's not a lot of young people about.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03A lot of farms will struggle to get the next generation to come through.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07If you took a 30-mile radius from here, there's not many
0:16:07 > 0:16:10farmers' sons or daughters that want to farm in these hills.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Are some moving to the lowlands?
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Oh, yeah, or taking other jobs, I suppose, yeah.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Farming's a hard life up here. It's not for the faint-hearted.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Bedwyr and his family are part of
0:16:25 > 0:16:28a farming tradition that goes back generations.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33Keeping this way of life alive in the 21st century isn't easy.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37It takes passion and perseverance, qualities Helen discovered
0:16:37 > 0:16:41when she visited a farm in the Lake District last summer.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48HELEN: The beginning of the 20th century saw the arrival of tractors
0:16:48 > 0:16:51powered by petrol and diesel.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Before then, our farmland was shaped and cultivated
0:16:54 > 0:16:57by horse and steam power.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00You may think that as soon as mechanisation came along,
0:17:00 > 0:17:01working horses became redundant,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04but actually there was a time at the turn of the century
0:17:04 > 0:17:07when old and new worked side by side.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10And here at Old Hall Farm in Cumbria, they still do.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Husband and wife Alex and Charlotte Sharphouse
0:17:17 > 0:17:19are combining their two passions.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Charlotte loves working with heavy horses,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24whilst Alex prefers something a bit more up-to-date.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Charlotte!
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- Who is this fella? - This is Troy.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Now, talk me through how you got to this point in your life.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Ten years ago, we bought this derelict farm,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40and we set about farming a traditional Lakeland farm.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43And it's all about the forgotten skills, the forgotten arts,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46- forgotten machinery. - So it's still a working farm?
0:17:46 > 0:17:49It's still a working farm. We farm it traditionally.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52We've just got about 120 acres.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So, a traditional farm would have done a bit of dairy,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57a bit of arable, a bit of beef.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Troy's raring to go, and I'm also being put to work.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04It's time to harvest some potatoes.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Come on, Troy. Come on, lad. Back up.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Reins next.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Just want to go up through the ring.
0:18:15 > 0:18:16- OK, Troy. - Walk on.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18We've got this, Troy.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- We're away. Teamwork now. Walk on. - So I just have to...?
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- Steer where the potatoes are. - Aim down the middle.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25Ah!
0:18:26 > 0:18:29I've gone a bit off track, haven't I?
0:18:29 > 0:18:32I'm really sorry, but I've missed the line, haven't I?
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- LAUGHING:- That's me profit gone!
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Walk on, Troy. Walk on. Good boy.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Towards the end of the 19th century, horses were being replaced
0:18:43 > 0:18:47and this was a more familiar scene on farms across the land.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51This is where Alex comes into his own.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54These are unbelievable! So, what do you do with these?
0:18:54 > 0:18:56These are a pair of ploughing engines.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59You can see the two massive winch drums underneath the engines.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01You park the engine each side of the field
0:19:01 > 0:19:03and pull the implement between them.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06It was the very first form of mechanisation,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08after the horse, with steam.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13It revolutionised, really, land cultivation on a decent scale.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16'A year ago, Alex and his team
0:19:16 > 0:19:19'took on their most ambitious project yet...
0:19:24 > 0:19:25'..Talisman.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28'It's considered to be the king of the steam world.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30'At the turn of the 20th century,
0:19:30 > 0:19:35'it was the ultimate vehicle for heavy haulage and farm work.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37'With only one left in existence,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39'Alex is attempting the formidable task
0:19:39 > 0:19:44'of making his very own Talisman from scratch.'
0:19:44 > 0:19:47This is a serious-looking piece of kit. What is happening here?
0:19:47 > 0:19:49This is the front, the smoke box,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52where the wheels fit underneath on the axle.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54- So...can I help? - Yeah, you certainly can.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57We're going to have a go at putting some rivets in.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00'Alex has got to a pivotal point in his build.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04'Talisman is about to take shape.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08'Now for my part in the process. I hope I don't mess it up.'
0:20:08 > 0:20:09Don't drop it. As fast as you can.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Don't... Don't hurry me.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Oh, right, I see what you mean about making it fast.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Oh, when you said, "Hurry up,"
0:20:18 > 0:20:20I was like, "Why are you rushing me? This is a tricky business."
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- But you need it to be hot, right? - It's got to be hot.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Just put it down now.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Impressive. Well done. Look how happy you are!
0:20:45 > 0:20:47PLOUGHING ENGINE WHISTLES
0:20:47 > 0:20:51'With Talisman well under way, I want to see what it feels like
0:20:51 > 0:20:54'to be behind the wheel of one of these remarkable machines.'
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- You've really got to put a bit of welly into this, haven't you?- Yeah.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13You know, for most people, steam power and hoof power are outdated,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15but one thing you cannot argue with
0:21:15 > 0:21:18is that this farm is powered by passion.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22PLOUGHING ENGINE WHISTLES
0:21:33 > 0:21:36ADAM: 'You can still find an abundance of passion - and rain -
0:21:36 > 0:21:39'here on the farms of the Nant Gwynant Valley in North Wales.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48'But there's one ancient practice you definitely won't see.'
0:21:48 > 0:21:52Back in 1956, it was still common practice to wash the fleeces
0:21:52 > 0:21:54while they were on the sheep.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59And sheep washing here in Snowdonia was a particularly dramatic affair.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04'After the gathering and dipping and ear marking comes the
0:22:04 > 0:22:07'washing of the sheep to get the grease out of the wool.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36'A year's profit or loss is at stake,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39'and the farmers want to be fairly sure the mountains and the weather
0:22:39 > 0:22:44'haven't ruined their living before they stop to talk to you about it.'
0:22:44 > 0:22:49'Extraordinary! I'm glad my flock doesn't have to go through that.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51'I'm heading for the exact spot
0:22:51 > 0:22:53'where Chris Chataway filmed the sheep washing.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56'With me is local wool expert Elfyn Owen.'
0:22:58 > 0:22:59Well, this is great!
0:22:59 > 0:23:01So this is the spot where they used to push the sheep down onto
0:23:01 > 0:23:03the platform and into the water.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- Yes. It's a fantastic set-up, isn't it?- Amazing!
0:23:06 > 0:23:10And they would have used this walled pen to force the sheep down
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- onto the platform and in, would they?- Well, yes.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15They built it specially for the job.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18It's something I've only ever seen on film or photographs of.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- Have you seen it in real life? - Yes, I used to help my dad,
0:23:21 > 0:23:26and we used to swim with the sheep to clean them up.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28And, well, it's hard to believe
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- nowadays that it was done. - Incredible!
0:23:31 > 0:23:34And why were they washing them? Just to clean the fleece?
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Yes, to get the vegetable matter out, any dirt that was in the
0:23:37 > 0:23:42fleece and to get the grease out of the fleece.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44For shearing time, they wanted the wool to rise,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48so it was easier when the hand shears were used.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50So they'd gather them,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- wash them, leave them for a few days and then hand-shear them.- Yes.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56Nowadays, we're using electric shearing machines and we
0:23:56 > 0:23:57don't wash the sheep.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00The merchants realised that the grease was worth something,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03so they wanted us not to wash the sheep
0:24:03 > 0:24:06so that they would take the grease out themselves, really.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08The grease is known as lanolin, isn't it?
0:24:08 > 0:24:11It's really good in hand creams and face creams.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13- They use it in lint for burns, all sorts, now.- Yes.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- It's a valuable product. - It is.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17They do a bit of money off that at the moment.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20It's a pity the wool prices are not that good, as they used to be.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23As you know yourself, coming from the Cotswolds,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27there was a lot of wealth around the wool and the sheep industry,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30but things changed, probably in the 18th century,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34more emphasis on producing meat for the growing population then,
0:24:34 > 0:24:35- isn't it?- Yeah.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Amazing to see places like this that still exist.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40You wouldn't want to chuck a sheep in there today, though,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42with the water running as fast as it is?
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- ELFYN LAUGHS - No, it is a bit rough today!
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Well, thank you very much for showing me. It's great to see.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49You're welcome.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Farming never stands still.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59It's always in transition and driven by innovation.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02And there are few schemes more innovative than the one
0:25:02 > 0:25:04I visited last year - underground!
0:25:13 > 0:25:15I've come to Clapham in London,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18the last place you'd expect to find fresh, local produce.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Check this out. You don't get much fresher than this.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26And believe it or not, it was grown right beneath where I'm standing.
0:25:26 > 0:25:2812 storeys down is an urban farm,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30and to find out more, I'm going under the streets of London.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48This place is just extraordinary. It's actually a bit spooky.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50It's this huge underground tunnel.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52It's not what I was expecting at all.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55And there doesn't seem to be a farm in sight.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'To discover what on earth is going on down here,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02'I'm meeting with West Country man Steven Dring...
0:26:02 > 0:26:04'if I can find him.'
0:26:04 > 0:26:07- Here's someone now. Is that you, Steven?- It is indeed, yes.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09- Hi!- Hi there. - Good to meet you.- How are you?
0:26:09 > 0:26:11What an extraordinary place. What is it?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14This used to be a World War II air-raid shelter.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15All the way throughout this tunnel,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18there would have been bunk beds, medical centres,
0:26:18 > 0:26:19sort of dining areas
0:26:19 > 0:26:23to feed 8,000 Londoners hiding down here during the war.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25So while it was being flattened upstairs by bombs,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27- they were safe down here? - Absolutely.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29AIR-RAID SIREN WAILS
0:26:29 > 0:26:31RUMBLING And what's that noise?
0:26:31 > 0:26:34That would be the Northern line about four storeys above us.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- My word, Steven, this is just incredible!- Yeah.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56So, what's going on in here, then?
0:26:56 > 0:26:59So, we're just using hydroponics and LEDs
0:26:59 > 0:27:01and traditional agricultural equipment
0:27:01 > 0:27:03just to produce leafy greens and salads and herbs.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11'These plants have been selected because they're quick-growing
0:27:11 > 0:27:13'and can be harvested within days.'
0:27:15 > 0:27:17And you've got a whole range of plants here,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19- lots of different colours. - Absolutely.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22We've got some really dark burgundy in the red basil over here.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26Then we've got some salad rocket, beautiful green salad rocket.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28We're growing about 20 products.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31We've got some coriander, pea shoots, parsley, celery.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33- So, yeah, a full range of products. - Incredible!
0:27:38 > 0:27:42'With an ever-increasing population and a limited amount of land,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45'could this be a potential solution for growing crops?
0:27:49 > 0:27:51'Horticultural director Chris Nelson
0:27:51 > 0:27:53'has the challenge of making this system work.'
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Hi, Chris. Steven tells me you're the expert
0:27:58 > 0:28:00when it comes to growing this kind of stuff.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Yes, I've had a lifetime of growing crops,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06but not necessarily in a tunnel 33 metres underground.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09And you're growing 20 different varieties.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11- That must be a challenge. - It is.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13There's a certain amount of logistics
0:28:13 > 0:28:14that you have to work out -
0:28:14 > 0:28:19when to sow, when to put into dark and when to bring in the lights.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21They range... So, what we're looking at here
0:28:21 > 0:28:23only takes three days under the lights,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27but something like that one over there is 15 days under lights.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31'The clever thing about using LED lighting
0:28:31 > 0:28:34'is that the colour range of lights can be altered
0:28:34 > 0:28:38'not only to optimise plant growth but flavour, too.'
0:28:39 > 0:28:42- And hydroponics, so grown in water.- Yeah.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44It all comes from downstairs,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47so underneath here is a range of tanks, pumps and feed tanks
0:28:47 > 0:28:50that comes in through there and it floods up
0:28:50 > 0:28:52and it comes under there.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57- Yeah.- And you can see here - just an amazing root system.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02'Chris shows me where it all starts.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05'The seeds are sown onto a kind of special carpet.'
0:29:09 > 0:29:12So, here we are in the dark propagation area.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15I'll just turn on some lights for you.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17'They're then transferred to a darkroom
0:29:17 > 0:29:19'to replicate conditions under the soil.'
0:29:21 > 0:29:24- So, from here, it goes into the LED lights to get it sprouting?- Yeah.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26And from there, it goes to harvesting,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28which you haven't seen yet.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31- Shall we go and take a look at that? - Go and have a look.- Perfect.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Here we are - we're coming up to where we do the harvesting,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38which is a really simple process.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40We use a very, very sharp knife,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43which Daniel here is cutting through the product,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45and just as simple as that.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48- How old is this plant, then? - It's about ten days old.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51You can see here it's quite seed thick.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53- And what is it? - That's garlic chives.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- You can smell it. - Yeah.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00- Mm! Really strong flavour.- It is, isn't it?- Quite a kick to it.- Yeah!
0:30:04 > 0:30:06'So all that's left is to pack them into containers
0:30:06 > 0:30:09'and take them up to the world above.'
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Oh, it's bright sunshine out here!
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Yeah, a little bit brighter than downstairs, yeah.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Thank you. Cheers.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Do you think this is the future?
0:30:19 > 0:30:23I think reusing spaces and utilising spaces like we've got downstairs
0:30:23 > 0:30:25and expanding that area that we've got to grow,
0:30:25 > 0:30:27for a growing population,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29I think this is always going to be complementary to farming.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33- It's been fascinating to meet you. Good luck.- Thank you.- All the best.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47From the futuristic tunnels of
0:30:47 > 0:30:50London to the timeless beauty of Snowdonia.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59When Christopher Chataway visited this valley back in 1956, one of the
0:30:59 > 0:31:02most memorable interviews he carried out
0:31:02 > 0:31:05was with a young farmer, Lucy Jones.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11I'm delighted to say not only have we found Lucy but I get to
0:31:11 > 0:31:13show her the interview she did here,
0:31:13 > 0:31:17and she hasn't seen it since it was broadcast 61 years ago.
0:31:17 > 0:31:18HE KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:31:21 > 0:31:25'I'm meeting Lucy at Gwastadanas Farm, where she grew up,
0:31:25 > 0:31:30'now run by tenant farmer Bedwyr Jones, who I met earlier.'
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Right, then, Lucy, we've got our cups of tea.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- Are you sitting comfortably? - Yes, thank you.- Let's begin.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50'I went to the north Welsh mountains to find out what chance
0:31:50 > 0:31:53'a townsman would have of settling there for good.'
0:31:54 > 0:31:56- That's my father. - That's your dad?- Yes.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59'..sheep farming down on the smooth pastures of the lowlands.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03'David Jones' farm stretches for thousands of acres over the
0:32:03 > 0:32:07'slopes of Lliwedd, Garnedd Ugain, Crib Goch...'
0:32:07 > 0:32:10What's it like, seeing him?
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Strange. Strange.
0:32:13 > 0:32:14'At gathering time,
0:32:14 > 0:32:19'his calls can be heard echoing back from the seven peaks of his farm.'
0:32:19 > 0:32:21HIS SHOUTS ECHO
0:32:23 > 0:32:27- And this is out in the hills behind us.- Yes, indeed. Yes.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29SHOUTING CONTINUES
0:32:30 > 0:32:34'It takes days rounding up all the sheep on a farm like this.'
0:32:34 > 0:32:36SHE LAUGHS
0:32:37 > 0:32:41Why do you think it is that the young people are leaving?
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Well, there are many reasons, I suppose.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48- But perhaps you better ask Miss Lucy Jones about that.- All right, I will.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- Thank you very much. - Thank you.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52- Miss Lucy Jones! - Lucy Jones, yes.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57Do you think that sheep farming does provide
0:32:57 > 0:32:59a good life for the younger people?
0:32:59 > 0:33:05Oh, yes, I think so, but not many people seem to think so these days.
0:33:05 > 0:33:06What's it like seeing yourself?
0:33:06 > 0:33:08- Horrible. - ADAM LAUGHS
0:33:08 > 0:33:13- What are your plans for the future? - Oh, I hope to marry a farmer.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15And you've got one in mind?
0:33:15 > 0:33:19- Oh, yes, I have!- And you would farm up here in the hills, would you?
0:33:19 > 0:33:25If possible, yes, but it's not very easy to get a hill farm these days.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29- You had one in mind? - I did have one in mind!
0:33:29 > 0:33:32- Did you find him?- I did. - And you married him?- Yes.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35- Yes, I did.- And where is he now? - He's over there. Come here.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38- Let's have a look. - Let's have a look at you.
0:33:38 > 0:33:39THEY LAUGH
0:33:39 > 0:33:41- Lovely to meet you. - Pleased to meet you.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43- The man of her dreams! - That's right, yes.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45So, Lucy, you found your dream man.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49Did you find your dream farm and manage to stay in this valley?
0:33:49 > 0:33:51No. No, we didn't do that,
0:33:51 > 0:33:56because every farm we fancied just went out of our reach.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00You know, there's a limit to how much you can afford to pay.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03And my father wasn't a great one for borrowing money, you know?
0:34:03 > 0:34:06In those days, I don't think people did.
0:34:06 > 0:34:11So we went for the shop, and it worked out very well for us,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14- didn't it?- It did, yes.- What was the shop?- It was the grocer's shop.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18- So no regrets.- No, we don't have any regrets.- No regrets.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20- We were there for 27 years. - Yes.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22You're the secretary of the Young Farmers' Club.
0:34:22 > 0:34:27Do you learn there a great deal of modern scientific farming methods?
0:34:27 > 0:34:32Oh, yes. We have a lot of conferences and a lot of lectures.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Stressful at times, you know.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37You were forever having to make speeches about something or other.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39ADAM LAUGHS
0:34:39 > 0:34:42And you had to sound very enthusiastic about everything,
0:34:42 > 0:34:44which you weren't all the time.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48But it was a lovely, lovely introduction to, well,
0:34:48 > 0:34:49a bit of social life, you know?
0:34:49 > 0:34:51Otherwise you'd have been stuck,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54you wouldn't have had anything to fall back on.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57- So you had dances to go to? - Oh, yes, dances.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00- Did you get up to a bit of mischief? - Every now and then!
0:35:00 > 0:35:03Not like they do now!
0:35:03 > 0:35:05In our time, I suppose we did.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Do you think that science has got a great deal to teach you?
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Do you think that there are other strains of grass and kinds of
0:35:12 > 0:35:15things like that, that a great deal could be done here?
0:35:15 > 0:35:19No, not really. Everything that can be done is being done already.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22You don't think that most of these new methods have any application?
0:35:22 > 0:35:26No, not really, not for the mountains. Not in Snowdonia, anyway.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30'Well, Lucy Jones is a charmer but no scientist.'
0:35:30 > 0:35:32What do you think of THAT comment?!
0:35:32 > 0:35:36That's all right. I can live with that!
0:35:36 > 0:35:38"A charmer but no scientist"!
0:35:38 > 0:35:40- Yeah.- You were right about the mountains, though, weren't you?
0:35:40 > 0:35:42- Yes, I was. I was, wasn't I? - Yes.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- There's not much you can do up there.- No, not a lot.- No.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- And what was he like as a gentleman? - He was very nice.- Good. Good.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54It must have been quite a culture shock for him to come into
0:35:54 > 0:35:56a shed like ours!
0:35:56 > 0:35:59I thought you spoke beautifully there about, you know,
0:35:59 > 0:36:03your life and your aspirations and the young farmers and what
0:36:03 > 0:36:04can be done in farming.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07You know, you obviously had a good grasp of it.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Well, I was brought up to it, wasn't I?
0:36:10 > 0:36:11That's all I knew.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13- Yeah. - Yes, that's all I knew.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23Like Lucy, I look back on my time as a young farmer very fondly,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26and every new generation of young farmers brings something
0:36:26 > 0:36:29exciting and special to the countryside.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33And that youthful vitality and enthusiasm is something
0:36:33 > 0:36:36I think we should celebrate.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39So I'm launching the search for Countryfile's Young Farmer of
0:36:39 > 0:36:42the Year, and I want your help.
0:36:42 > 0:36:43SHE WHISTLES
0:36:43 > 0:36:47So, what is it that makes young farmers so special?
0:36:47 > 0:36:49They come in all guises,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52working all hours for the welfare of their animals,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56impressing us with their dedication and skills.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Young farmers are not only the next custodians of our beautiful
0:36:59 > 0:37:03landscape, they're also our food producers and innovators of
0:37:03 > 0:37:04the future.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08Of course, all farmers were young once, even yours truly,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and whether you were born into it, like me, or come from outside
0:37:11 > 0:37:15farming and choose it as a career, it's important to learn.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21'Agricultural colleges like this one in North Wales can teach these
0:37:21 > 0:37:25'young farmers the next generation of techniques and technologies.'
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Now, I try and keep up to date, but there's always something new
0:37:30 > 0:37:34you can learn, so I'm going to ask them to give me a bit of a lesson.
0:37:36 > 0:37:41Hi, guys. Good to see you! Or should I say "bore da"?
0:37:41 > 0:37:42'With forward-thinking projects
0:37:42 > 0:37:47'like this study into overwintering cattle, I'm eager to discover more.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49'Tomos Owen's going to explain.'
0:37:50 > 0:37:52Very good! So, what's going on here, then?
0:37:52 > 0:37:56The cattle are being outwintered on kale with a bit of silage,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58and they're just moving to the next section.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- And what's the idea behind that? - Cut costs over the winter.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Winter's the most expensive time of the year.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06And there's costs like straw, sheds, scraping,
0:38:06 > 0:38:10carrying the manure back to the fields, and just cutting all of it.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- And are these things important for you to learn, do you think?- Yeah.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16It's different from the traditional and it's thinking of new
0:38:16 > 0:38:18ideas and different ways to do stuff.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21It's all about running a business, isn't it? Yeah.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25- I'll go and join the girls, leave you to the bales.- All right.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30'Kale makes a nutritious winter feed, but can be prone to pests,
0:38:30 > 0:38:35'something sixth generation farmer Caitlin Jones knows all about.'
0:38:35 > 0:38:37Is it difficult to grow?
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Slugs can be a problem, but as long as you take the control
0:38:40 > 0:38:43method to prevent them having a big effect, it's fine.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46So, what do you want to do when you leave college?
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Well, potentially, I'd like to go and study
0:38:48 > 0:38:52a degree in agriculture and then go and train to be an agronomist.
0:38:52 > 0:38:53So, studying crops.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56- So, this is quite useful, learning about this here.- Yeah. Definitely.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59It helps knowing about obviously the different diseases, pests,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02things that can influence the productivity of the crops.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05Wow, you're not tempted to go back home then?
0:39:05 > 0:39:07Well, I've got brothers home farming now,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10but I think you don't necessarily have to go home to farm.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Agriculture is such a wide industry. I think there's a lot of jobs
0:39:13 > 0:39:16that... There's nothing stopping me coming home later in life.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18Right, let's get this fence wound up.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21'Fellow student Cain Owen is also inspired by the college's
0:39:21 > 0:39:23'innovative ideas.' Great, job done.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26So, Cain, what other projects are going on at the college?
0:39:26 > 0:39:29There's an exciting new project going on where we monitor ten cattle
0:39:29 > 0:39:33from the inside with ten cattle from the outside, with pedometers.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37- So, a pedometer is telling you how much they're walking about?- Yeah.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40And what will you hope to see from that then?
0:39:40 > 0:39:43We hope with information that the cattle from the outside be
0:39:43 > 0:39:48much fitter and that will impact their ease of calving.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50They'll walk much more outside here.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54They walk to the water trough and to the silage and stuff,
0:39:54 > 0:39:57compared to the ones that are inside, just walking about
0:39:57 > 0:40:00and sitting. Inside is the traditional method.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Everyone uses it, but with a pedometer,
0:40:03 > 0:40:07we can use the information to show that this is much better and
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- healthier for the cattle.- Great, new technology to give you new ideas.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Yeah.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- Can I take a look at the cattle inside?- Yeah, come on then.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24'The students are working with cutting edge facilities.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27'Gethin Wyn and Ieuan Davies are showing me round.'
0:40:27 > 0:40:30- Hi, gents.- Hi.- Are you all right? - It's a lovely shed, isn't it?
0:40:30 > 0:40:33I've only ever seen one of these roundhouses before.
0:40:33 > 0:40:34They're great, aren't they?
0:40:34 > 0:40:37So, how does it work then? What's the advantage of it?
0:40:37 > 0:40:41There's good ventilation, there's air coming through it all the time.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Yeah, it's a different kind of shed, compared with what we're used to.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48There's amazing handling system, easily accessibly from every pen.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51- So, you don't have to go in with them. It's a lot safer.- Much safer.
0:40:54 > 0:40:55There's a good girl.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58- Go on, then. In you go.- Go on.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01- What a brilliant system, isn't it? - Aye, it is.- Really good.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Really good.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Is this the sort of thing you might get at home, do you think?
0:41:06 > 0:41:08I'm not sure. It's a great facility. No contact.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12And what are you going to do with your life when you live here?
0:41:12 > 0:41:18- I've been chosen to go to New Zealand for work.- What sort of farm?
0:41:18 > 0:41:19Sheep and beef.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22If you come home new ideas, do you think they'll take them on
0:41:22 > 0:41:25board, or they'll say, no, we've always done it this way?
0:41:25 > 0:41:28No, they're open-minded to what I have to say.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32- And yeah, I think they would. - Yeah, that's good, isn't it?
0:41:32 > 0:41:33How about yourself?
0:41:33 > 0:41:36Is there much you've learned here at college that you'll be able
0:41:36 > 0:41:38- to take home, do you think? - I think so, yeah.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42Yeah, I think what the college gives us is it makes us think out
0:41:42 > 0:41:46of the box, so we can see as it is at home and think, right,
0:41:46 > 0:41:50we can improve on that and make an improvement and try to change
0:41:50 > 0:41:52- the way we think about agriculture. - Brilliant.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Well, it's great to hear young farmers like yourselves being
0:41:55 > 0:41:58so passionate and open-minded about the industry.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02It's good news. Shall we let this one out and get another one in?
0:42:02 > 0:42:03- Yeah.- Yeah.- OK.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Right. How do we do that?
0:42:11 > 0:42:12Very good.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17When I was a youngster, I helped out on my dad's farm
0:42:17 > 0:42:20learning all I could about day-to-day farming life.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23But for fresh ideas and a wider perspective on agriculture,
0:42:23 > 0:42:25formal education is hard to beat.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30To me, the future of agriculture looks bright
0:42:30 > 0:42:31but what do the students think?
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Really, really lovely to meet you.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35And, Caitlin, here you are with all your colleagues,
0:42:35 > 0:42:38the future of British farming. Is it in safe hands?
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Yeah. I think it definitely is. We learned so much in college,
0:42:41 > 0:42:42it's going to set us up for the future
0:42:42 > 0:42:44and there's so much technology coming out,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46it's definitely going to help.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48And there's just so many opportunities.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50It's just up to the individual what they do with them
0:42:50 > 0:42:52and if they take advantage of the opportunities.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54Well, I think you're perfect people
0:42:54 > 0:42:56to take our industry onwards and upwards.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58Lovely to meet you all and good luck.
0:42:58 > 0:42:59- All the best.- Thank you.- Bye.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04I think agriculture has got some very exciting
0:43:04 > 0:43:05but challenging times ahead.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09And it's been wonderful to meet such an enthusiastic bunch
0:43:09 > 0:43:12of young people who are going to be joining our industry.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17And that's why I'm launching
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Countryfile's Young Farmer Of The Year Award.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24It's part of the BBC's annual Food And Farming Awards
0:43:24 > 0:43:27and the winner will be announced at a glittering ceremony in June.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32I'd like to hear from you about young farmers you know
0:43:32 > 0:43:35who are passionate about agriculture and the countryside
0:43:35 > 0:43:37and who deserve recognition.
0:43:38 > 0:43:43You can nominate any young farmer, aged under 25.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45They could be a hard-working livestock farmer,
0:43:45 > 0:43:47an agri-tech innovator,
0:43:47 > 0:43:49have a special love of wildlife,
0:43:49 > 0:43:53or be working to protect our countryside.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57Nominations close at midnight on the 26th March.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00Please don't e-mail or send postal nominations after that date
0:44:00 > 0:44:02as they will not be considered.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04Remember, if you're watching us on demand,
0:44:04 > 0:44:06nominations may have already closed.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08All the details are on our website,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11along with full terms and conditions.
0:44:11 > 0:44:12So, go on, get in touch.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14I'd love to hear from you.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17And, who knows, maybe a young farmer from your community
0:44:17 > 0:44:18will take centre stage
0:44:18 > 0:44:20as Countryfile Young Farmer Of The Year.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Farming thrives on innovation and enterprise
0:44:27 > 0:44:30and that's just what young farmers can bring to the industry.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34And few come more enterprising than a certain young beef farmer
0:44:34 > 0:44:37that Matt caught up with in West Sussex last spring.
0:44:41 > 0:44:4424-year-old Jack Stilwell from West Sussex
0:44:44 > 0:44:47has been obsessed with cows since he was a boy.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49But it wasn't until he was at agricultural College
0:44:49 > 0:44:52that he realised he was going to need more than his summer job wages
0:44:52 > 0:44:54to make it as a farmer.
0:44:54 > 0:44:58So he turned to the internet to raise money through crowdfunding,
0:44:58 > 0:45:01asking complete strangers to donate cash
0:45:01 > 0:45:03to help make his dream come true.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06And they did
0:45:06 > 0:45:08to the tune of £4,000.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10His initiative earned him a Young Farmer Of The Year Award.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16- Morning, Jack.- Morning.- How are you doing, mate? Nice to see you.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18- Good to see you.- Are you all right? - Yeah, very well, thank you.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20It's quite a story this, isn't it?
0:45:20 > 0:45:23How you got the money and how you got to be where you are today.
0:45:23 > 0:45:24I really had no idea I was going to get it.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26The amendment, kind of, gathered
0:45:26 > 0:45:28and everything started to fall into place.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30A few people have been a bit sceptical,
0:45:30 > 0:45:31but you always get that with something new.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33I think a lot of people have never heard of it.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36It's new to the business world, let alone the farming world,
0:45:36 > 0:45:40so the idea that somebody is asking for money can raise a few eyebrows.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43But, once people actually understand it, and get to grips with it,
0:45:43 > 0:45:45everyone's been on board. So it's been a journey, definitely.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47Is it better than you thought it would be?
0:45:47 > 0:45:49I mean, this is the world that you're in now.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51- You must be just loving it. - Yeah. I'm enjoying it very much.
0:45:51 > 0:45:56I'm not embarrassed to say I'm a bit of a cow geek and I love my cattle.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00What we're doing now, feeding them, that makes me happy.
0:46:00 > 0:46:01It's one of my favourite things in the world.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04It sounds pretty cheesy, a bit corny, but I'm all right with that.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08In return for the donations,
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Jack promised to keep people up to date with his progress
0:46:11 > 0:46:12via social media.
0:46:14 > 0:46:15Hello. Aren't you beautiful?
0:46:17 > 0:46:19He used the £4,000 to buy
0:46:19 > 0:46:22ten Hereford and ten Aberdeen Angus cattle.
0:46:22 > 0:46:28And, just six months on, his herd is now nearly 250 strong,
0:46:28 > 0:46:31spread over three sites across the South Downs,
0:46:31 > 0:46:33some rented, some shared.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38So, these are the first ones you bought, then. Yeah.
0:46:38 > 0:46:42So, these heifers, here, are what I initially purchased
0:46:42 > 0:46:44with the crowdfund money.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47So, it's nice to see it's all coming, sort of, full circle.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50So, these were all in calf to my Hereford bull here, old Curly.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53- He is a beauty, isn't he? - Yeah. I'm very happy with him.
0:46:53 > 0:46:55So, this will be the first time, then, that you've actually calved?
0:46:55 > 0:46:58Yeah. Up to now, I buy them in as calves
0:46:58 > 0:47:01but I've never actually calved my own.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05This will be another learning curve and the next new experience.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09- Exciting times.- Yeah. It's very good. I'm looking forward to it.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11Though Jack works pretty much on his own,
0:47:11 > 0:47:13he reaches thousands of people worldwide,
0:47:13 > 0:47:17using the internet to post his photos of British farming.
0:47:17 > 0:47:19So, we're going to take a snap and see how much interest we get
0:47:19 > 0:47:21by the end of the day,
0:47:21 > 0:47:24measured by the number of people who like the photo.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26If you kneel down next to him.
0:47:26 > 0:47:27Yeah, all right, then.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31- That's good.- It works? Right, now just do one of him and put him up.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33Let's see how I get on.
0:47:42 > 0:47:43Well, the last stop of the day
0:47:43 > 0:47:46is on another bit of Jack's shared farmland.
0:47:46 > 0:47:47It's with his breeding cows of the future
0:47:47 > 0:47:49and it's been quite a big day for them
0:47:49 > 0:47:52because, after a long winter indoors,
0:47:52 > 0:47:55they're about two get their first taste of fresh green grass.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Well, even though Jack got into farming in a very modern way,
0:48:03 > 0:48:07what he's doing is incredibly traditional and it's all about this.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09The landscape.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11Pasture land and grass.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14Nearly, he's chosen breeds that can do well on grass
0:48:14 > 0:48:16and don't need a huge amount of supplementary feed.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20The problem he's got is that his fields are really quite spread out.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23So, today, we're taking part of his herd over the Downs.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33This is the fun bit. Here we go.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37- Some of these have never seen grass, have they?- No.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41- Go on, girlies!- Go on, go on!
0:48:41 > 0:48:43Good, good, good, good!
0:48:43 > 0:48:44There's the last one.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46Look at them go!
0:48:46 > 0:48:47Woohoo!
0:48:47 > 0:48:49That's a great sight, isn't it?
0:48:49 > 0:48:51That's what it's all about indeed.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54- Seeing them run across the grass like that, it's...- Uh-huh.
0:48:54 > 0:48:55Yeah. It's a good sight to see.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04So, really, going forward, then, what is the grand plan here?
0:49:04 > 0:49:07The grand plan for me is just to continue to grow, get bigger.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09All the time a good opportunity comes my way,
0:49:09 > 0:49:11I'll grab it with both hands.
0:49:11 > 0:49:13As long as I can keep it sustainable
0:49:13 > 0:49:14and allow it to keep paying for itself,
0:49:14 > 0:49:17I don't really see a limit to it, to be honest.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19I'm just going to keep going.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21Jack hopes his story will inspire others.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25Just as he was inspired by the wise words of one of his sponsors.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30He said that someone helped him when he was younger,
0:49:30 > 0:49:32which allowed him to become successful
0:49:32 > 0:49:33and the one caveat to that was that,
0:49:33 > 0:49:36when I was successful, when I'd made it,
0:49:36 > 0:49:38that I should help people do the same thing.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40And I really like that sentiment.
0:49:40 > 0:49:43Hopefully, it won't be too long before Jack can help out
0:49:43 > 0:49:44some other young farmer
0:49:44 > 0:49:46and, judging by Curly's fan club,
0:49:46 > 0:49:48there's plenty of interest out there.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51692 likes and counting.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11I've been deep in Snowdonia's rugged landscape
0:50:11 > 0:50:14looking back at farming then and now.
0:50:17 > 0:50:22With the help of a recently unearthed BBC film from 1956.
0:50:27 > 0:50:30Many of the challenges that this beautiful but harsh environment
0:50:30 > 0:50:32throws at farmers haven't changed.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37Farmers have always battled with the elements,
0:50:37 > 0:50:41but it's not just us that suffers when the weather turns, of course,
0:50:41 > 0:50:44our livestock can really take the brunt of it, too.
0:50:46 > 0:50:50'Pip Jones, a PhD student from the University of Bangor,
0:50:50 > 0:50:54'is researching the ramifications of our wild British weather...
0:50:57 > 0:51:00'..on all types of sheep.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04'She's brought along her woolly but slightly wooden helpers.'
0:51:04 > 0:51:06You've got a life-size sheep in the middle of the field
0:51:06 > 0:51:08and the rams are getting quite interested.
0:51:08 > 0:51:09What on earth is going on?
0:51:09 > 0:51:12Well, it's a really windy day and we've got our sheep here today
0:51:12 > 0:51:14to see how cold the sheep are feeling in these conditions.
0:51:14 > 0:51:15So, why are you doing that?
0:51:15 > 0:51:18Well, our project is all about designing farms
0:51:18 > 0:51:19with weather in mind.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22So I suppose if a sheep gets too hot or too cold,
0:51:22 > 0:51:24that affects its productivity, does it?
0:51:24 > 0:51:26There's all sorts of implications for getting too hot or too cold.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29I mean, firstly, you're using energy to stay warm
0:51:29 > 0:51:31which is going to reduce your productivity,
0:51:31 > 0:51:33but there's all sorts of welfare implications as well,
0:51:33 > 0:51:35and that's only worse for a lamb.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37So what gizmos have you got inside this sheep
0:51:37 > 0:51:41- to tell us what the temperature is? - Inside the sheep we have...
0:51:41 > 0:51:42Goodness me.
0:51:42 > 0:51:43..a whole array of heaters.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46And what they are doing is keeping the sheep at 39 degrees Celsius,
0:51:46 > 0:51:49which is the core body temperature of a sheep and a human.
0:51:49 > 0:51:53What we can do is work out how much extra energy it takes
0:51:53 > 0:51:55to keep that sheep at 39 degrees
0:51:55 > 0:51:57according to the environmental conditions.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00A day like today, where it's really windy as well as cold,
0:52:00 > 0:52:01we've got a wind chill factor,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04so she uses even more energy than she would do otherwise.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08And can you not just do that with modern weather stations?
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Well, modern weather stations will give us all of that information,
0:52:11 > 0:52:12and in fact, on a weather forecast,
0:52:12 > 0:52:15you will see the "feels like" temperature for a human,
0:52:15 > 0:52:16but that is animal specific.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18So what we're trying to do is work out
0:52:18 > 0:52:20that "feels like" temperature for a sheep
0:52:20 > 0:52:23to inform farmers as to how to plan their farms better
0:52:23 > 0:52:25with that in mind.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Do you think people will listen to you? Do you think it will take off?
0:52:27 > 0:52:30I think so. We've had all sorts of farmers interested.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33I mean, lots of the things that we talk about they understand.
0:52:33 > 0:52:35I mean, they've see how the sheep behave and interact
0:52:35 > 0:52:38with the shelter on their farmland both in the summer when it's sunny
0:52:38 > 0:52:41and in the winter when it's windy like today,
0:52:41 > 0:52:43and it's not anything new.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45In fact, it's quite old thinking, those kind of shelter systems,
0:52:45 > 0:52:48but over the years many of them have been lost
0:52:48 > 0:52:51and so what we're doing is providing up-to-date technology,
0:52:51 > 0:52:55precision farming, but using some of these old ideas
0:52:55 > 0:52:56and reinvigorating them
0:52:56 > 0:52:59and seeing how, in fact, they increase the productivity
0:52:59 > 0:53:00and efficiency of farmland.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03- It's absolutely brilliant. It's a great idea, isn't it?- It is.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06- She's a very understanding sheep. - She's very obliging.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08THEY LAUGH
0:53:13 > 0:53:15'Well, could a townsman make a living?
0:53:15 > 0:53:18'If he could manage to buy a sheep farm
0:53:18 > 0:53:20'and was to prepared to learn from the scientists
0:53:20 > 0:53:22'as well as the farmers,
0:53:22 > 0:53:25'he not only could, but I think he'd do very well.'
0:53:27 > 0:53:31In the past 60 years, farming has changed here.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33From the introduction of modern machinery,
0:53:33 > 0:53:35to the impact of global trade,
0:53:35 > 0:53:37but the Snowdonia landscape,
0:53:37 > 0:53:41that dominates farmers' lives here, remains eternal.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48Looking back on Christopher Chataway's film
0:53:48 > 0:53:52from the 1950s, it's not just the farming that's changed,
0:53:52 > 0:53:55so have television presenters.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57'My choice would be sheep farming.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01'You would have to be adaptable and progressive,
0:54:01 > 0:54:03'and you would have to work about twice as long
0:54:03 > 0:54:04'as you would in a town,
0:54:04 > 0:54:08'but then with luck you might make a very good living,
0:54:08 > 0:54:11'and you would have all this around you.'
0:54:33 > 0:54:37To be honest, I really don't think he would have lasted five minutes.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40I'm pleased I don't have to farm in this unforgiving landscape.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42Well, that's all we've got time for.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44Next week, we'll be exploring
0:54:44 > 0:54:45Kent's Hoo Peninsular
0:54:45 > 0:54:48where Matt really will be getting his hands dirty,
0:54:48 > 0:54:52and Anita will be on the hunt for one of the most extraordinary birds.
0:54:52 > 0:54:53Until then, goodbye.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55I think it's time for a cup of tea.