0:00:26 > 0:00:30The gently undulating Cotswold hills,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33picture-postcard stone villages...
0:00:34 > 0:00:36..miles of ancient woodland...
0:00:38 > 0:00:40..and the magnificent River Severn.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44This is Gloucestershire.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48And it's where I call home.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50This is my little apple orchard
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and I've got some pretty big plans for it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I want to bring in some cattle to graze it off,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58potentially make some cider with these ancient apple varieties
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and, most importantly, manage it for wildlife,
0:01:01 > 0:01:05so I'm going to start by planting my own little wild-flower oasis.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08And, tonight, you can join me because we're giving away
0:01:08 > 0:01:13200,000 packets of wild-flower seeds like these.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15How much exercise do you want to take?
0:01:15 > 0:01:19The Princess Royal has lived in Gloucestershire for four decades.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Tom's been finding out about the challenges she faces,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25from breeding horses to bovine TB.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29How do you feel when you do get positive results in the sense
0:01:29 > 0:01:32that your cattle do have TB and some have to be put down?
0:01:32 > 0:01:37Well, you know, when you've got a cow and a calf of that size...
0:01:37 > 0:01:40it's more than deeply frustrating. It's really upsetting.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Adam is on home turf, too.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48I'm a Gloucestershire boy born and bred,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50and I love living and working here.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52One of the great things about the county
0:01:52 > 0:01:55are our local breeds, like the Gloucestershire Old Spot here,
0:01:55 > 0:01:56one of my favourites.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58And, today, I'm looking at them all.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01PIG SQUEALS
0:02:01 > 0:02:03And John's celebrating the centenary
0:02:03 > 0:02:06of one of the county's favourite writers.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Laurie Lee was born here in the Slad Valley near Stroud,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15and it was the place that inspired him to write his most famous novel,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Cider With Rosie.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20I'll be meeting his daughter to find out more about the man
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and about his love for this beautiful landscape.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Gloucestershire, a glorious gateway between the Midlands
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and southwest England.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42The Royal Forest of Dean guarding its western frontier.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46To its east, chocolate-box Cotswold villages.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50And, cutting deep through its centre, the River Severn.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55The Forest of Dean isn't the only piece of this county
0:02:55 > 0:02:56with royal connections.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01I've come to this 400-acre estate in the heart of Gloucestershire
0:03:01 > 0:03:06to meet someone who's been farming here for nearly 40 years
0:03:06 > 0:03:08and she's someone you might have heard of.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12ARCHIVE: Princess Anne and Captain Phillips
0:03:12 > 0:03:14are planning to become farmers in the grand manner.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Today's announcement by Buckingham Palace said
0:03:16 > 0:03:19they would run the estate as a farming enterprise.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Though you may associate farming more with her older brother,
0:03:25 > 0:03:31the Princess Royal Princess Anne is arguably the most rural of royals.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Today, she runs Gatcombe with her husband, Sir Timothy Lawrence,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39and she's farmed livestock here for almost four decades.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43But she's also involved in nearly 50 countryside organisations
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and has recently hit the headlines
0:03:45 > 0:03:49with her opinions on rural housing and eating horse meat.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53Should we be considering a real market for horse meat?
0:03:55 > 0:03:57It's really nice to come back
0:03:57 > 0:04:01and be able to just be yourself in an area like this.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03I'll be delving deeper
0:04:03 > 0:04:07into her sometimes controversial views on the countryside.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09But, first, I want to discover
0:04:09 > 0:04:13why she's made these Gloucestershire hills her home.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16It seems a bit banal to be walking through here and saying,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18"What do you like about this place?"
0:04:18 > 0:04:20It's sort of screamingly obvious, isn't it?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22It's not bad, really. Not bad, really.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25But having now been here, it must be close to 40 years,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29- you must have got a real love for the place.- Um...yes.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33We've been here long enough to have a bit of an impact on the place.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37We put it back to grass. We changed the way it's farmed.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Introduced three horse trials now, occasional events.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43But, you know, we've done... These stone walls,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46they don't stay like that without a bit of effort
0:04:46 > 0:04:49and we've done a lot of stonewalling as well.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Bit by bit, we've added value, I suppose.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55We started to manage the woodland, changed the farming here.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00And of course, as time's gone by, it's learning how to manage it
0:05:00 > 0:05:02and...
0:05:02 > 0:05:06If that's farming, it's the responsibility of landowning
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and land management to make the best possible use of the ground.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12And it's been really interesting.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14You must be aware of the danger that some people are saying,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17"Well, she's only doing this because of birthright,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19"because of privileged position."
0:05:19 > 0:05:20How do you counter that?
0:05:20 > 0:05:22I don't.... In this instance...
0:05:22 > 0:05:26I mean, being able to take on a place like this, for me,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28I've got to make it work.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31This is not something that comes free. This has got to pay its way,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33otherwise I can't stay here.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39The Princess's rural roots stretch back to childhood,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43where a young Princess Anne first encountered livestock
0:05:43 > 0:05:45and country life on the royal estates.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49She formed an early bond with horses,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53going on to become European Eventing Champion...
0:05:53 > 0:05:56COMMENTATOR: This is really a marvellous round by Princess Anne.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02..and competing for Britain in the 1976 Olympics.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Today, this passion is very much part
0:06:07 > 0:06:10of the Princess's farming enterprise,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12with a stable of breeding horses,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15including a rare Suffolk Punch we're about to meet.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Wow. She's tremendous. Who is this?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21This... Commonly known as Windy.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22Her proper name is Summer Breeze.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24I did breed her, actually.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27I did have her mother. So she's now five.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29And we've worked her already,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32so she's been in harness and she's log pulled,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35here in the woods and in other places.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40So we're happy that she has a good temperament and is...
0:06:40 > 0:06:41would be worth breeding from.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The only trouble is we've now got to convince her of the same thing!
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Hence why they are rare, I think.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Breeding is a mug's game, really.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53But if you've got mares, which you know have talent
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and good temperaments, then they're probably worth breeding from.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Hopefully we'll got a foal off her at some stage.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03When she's finished interfering with the camera.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06When she's finished having a scratch on the camera.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08She's found herself a scratching post there, I think.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10- And then she can go back to work. - THEY LAUGH
0:07:12 > 0:07:15These animals are prime specimens.
0:07:15 > 0:07:16But across the country,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20this could be the worst year for horses in living memory.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Welfare groups are warning of a crisis,
0:07:23 > 0:07:28with thousands of horses left neglected or fending for themselves.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31As patron of the charity World Horse Welfare,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34it's an issue close to Princess Anne's heart
0:07:34 > 0:07:38and one in which she's taking a very direct interest.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43This is Annie. She is on loan as a rescue.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Was she called Annie before she came here?
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Yes, literally. When they introduced her up here...
0:07:49 > 0:07:52When World Horse Welfare brought her, and I said, "What's her name?"
0:07:52 > 0:07:55They laughed, rather embarrassed, and said, "She's called Annie."
0:07:55 > 0:07:56I said, "OK, Fine."
0:07:56 > 0:07:59It's fate. It was meant to be, in that case.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01You thought it was a bit odd, didn't you, dear?
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Unfortunately, she is just one of thousands of horses
0:08:04 > 0:08:05who are now in trouble across the country.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09There's been a sort of steady flow, partly through ignorance,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13partly through changing circumstances that you get.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15And certainly with...recession,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17you are likely to get more.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22So the marginal situations get tipped very quickly,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- where they really can't cope. - Too many horses in Britain?
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Probably. Probably.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33And I think that is true in certain areas...there are too many.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39In fact, horses are now so common
0:08:39 > 0:08:42that you can pick one up for as little as a fiver.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46This glut, blamed largely on indiscriminate breeding,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49is fuelling the welfare problem.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Princess Anne made waves by suggesting a radical solution
0:08:53 > 0:08:55might help this equestrian crisis.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Princess Anne has said we should consider eating horse meat
0:09:00 > 0:09:02to improve the way horses are treated in Britain.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07Should we be considering a real market for horse meat
0:09:07 > 0:09:10and would that reduce the number of welfare cases,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12if there was a real value in the horse meat sector?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14I chuck that out, for what it's worth.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17In the light of your recent pronouncements, I have to ask,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20how do you think eating horses would help Annie here?
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Well, it's a good question. I mean, I do think...
0:09:22 > 0:09:28I threw the question out because an awful lot of the abandonments are
0:09:28 > 0:09:32because they don't perceive there to be any value in the animals.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35So...OK. Chuck them out.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37They survive or they die.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39But the meat trade has a way...
0:09:39 > 0:09:41It adds value to the animal,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44so there is some point in keeping it healthy
0:09:44 > 0:09:46if it's got an end point that it can go to.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48But you think it's something we should actively explore?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51I think it's something that is worth looking at.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Do you think our famous attachment to horses in Britain,
0:09:54 > 0:09:58almost sentimentality, is actually not helping them in a funny way?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Yes, in the sense that we are past the point
0:10:00 > 0:10:02of it being a working horse.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04For those who saw it as a working horse,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06there was always some value in it.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09And, of course, we've lost that connection.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14- Can I ask, have you ever eaten horse yourself?- Certainly.- And how was it?
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Good question. Very good actually.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19HORSE NEIGHS
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Annie isn't the only one seemingly alarmed
0:10:22 > 0:10:25by the thought of putting animals like her on the menu,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29and there are doubts about how practical a solution this is
0:10:29 > 0:10:31to the welfare crisis.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Luckily, all the horses here have a healthy future ahead of them
0:10:35 > 0:10:38as part of Gatcombe's farming enterprise.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42But this farm's more than just a one-trick pony.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48There are enough rare breeds here to make our own Adam's eyes water,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51and the Princess is equally proud of them,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54but that doesn't give any royal immunity against the disease
0:10:54 > 0:10:59which has hit cattle across much of the country - TB.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01And, as I'll be discovering later,
0:11:01 > 0:11:05the Princess has pretty strong views about who the culprit is
0:11:05 > 0:11:07and what should be done about it.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Gloucestershire is one of the richest
0:11:13 > 0:11:16and most diverse landscapes in England,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18not to mention my own home turf.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21And, as an ecologist, I love this place.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28There are signs of life all over my orchard.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31These badger runs just crisscross the entire place.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33And, down in this blackthorn thicket,
0:11:33 > 0:11:37there's openings for various mammals, I'm not sure what yet.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39There's lots of pop-holes down here,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41where badgers will sniff out juicy worms.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43There's some muntjac prints as well
0:11:43 > 0:11:45and that's what I love about living in the countryside.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49There's just so much wildlife on my doorstep.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53I've had this orchard for just under a year
0:11:53 > 0:11:56and it's very much a work in progress.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59I'm keen to encourage even more wildlife to stop by,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03so I want to do whatever I can to make it feel welcome.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07There are three main factors when it comes to attracting wildlife
0:12:07 > 0:12:10and I've only got two out of the three on my orchard.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12One is this, water.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15This is my freshwater spring, which I know is in really good shape
0:12:15 > 0:12:17cos there's freshwater shrimp in there.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19The other one is trees.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21I've got a few of those around because it's an orchard.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25But the third is big one is food and I don't have that much here.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29There's a few rotten windfall apples knocking around...
0:12:29 > 0:12:31and a couple of wild flowers.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34There's some buttercup, a little bit of sorrel
0:12:34 > 0:12:36and a tiny bit of meadow vetchling,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39but what I really need is lots more.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44And so does the rest of our countryside.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48Aside from being pretty, wild flowers are in serious decline.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50In less than a century,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54we've lost a whopping 97% of our wild-flower meadows,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57but does that really matter?
0:12:57 > 0:12:58Well, yes, it does.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00In fact, it really matters
0:13:00 > 0:13:06because these delicate little flowers are big hitters in the natural world.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Their function is twofold,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12notably their role in underpinning the entire food chain.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19wild flowers feed insects that, in turn, feed the bats,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22birds and other small mammals around.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26And, of course, these then in turn support the larger ones.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Not only that, the bees and butterflies
0:13:28 > 0:13:31that thrive on the wild-flower pollen
0:13:31 > 0:13:35then go on to pollinate our crops, resulting in food for us.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39But, after losing so many of them in the past century,
0:13:39 > 0:13:41how do we go about bringing them back?
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Well, you can start by planting one of these.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51I've come here to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew to find out why.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54This little pack is part of Kew's Grow Wild campaign,
0:13:54 > 0:13:58and inside is the power to spread native wild flowers in gardens
0:13:58 > 0:14:00and on windowsills across the country.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- This is quite a sight. - Yeah.- Wow.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07This is a sneak preview of a meadow in the summer.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10We had to perform a bit of a horticultural miracle to grow
0:14:10 > 0:14:13these plants indoors so we've got something to look at today.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17This whack of pink we've got is coming from the red campion.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21There's a tiny forget-me-not down there. A bit of sorrel...
0:14:21 > 0:14:23'Ted Chapman is from the UK Native Seed Hub,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26'and he's giving me the lowdown on the campaign.'
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Grow Wild, really, is all about communicating the beauty
0:14:30 > 0:14:32and diversity of our native plants
0:14:32 > 0:14:35and bringing them right in to where people live.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38So most of us are not fortunate enough to live right next to
0:14:38 > 0:14:41a fantastic wild flower-rich environment in the countryside,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45but we can use these species in cities, in our gardens,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47right where we live, to create beautiful places.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49And they're great for us and, of course,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- they'll be great for nature, too. - What's in this pack?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Is it going to create what's in front of us?
0:14:53 > 0:14:56It's a mixture of annuals, perennials,
0:14:56 > 0:14:57native species that are going to,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59hopefully, perform well in your garden.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03They're going to look fantastic throughout the year.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Kew's Grow Wild campaign has been running
0:15:05 > 0:15:07in community groups for nearly a year,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11but we're working with them to open it up to the masses
0:15:11 > 0:15:15by giving away 230,000 free wild-flower seed packs.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18And, to keep a natural balance, there are specific seed
0:15:18 > 0:15:22mixes for Scotland, Ireland, and England and Wales.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25These packs are full of variety.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Each and every species laid out here
0:15:27 > 0:15:30is in this little packet for England and Wales.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33So there's the lovely sunny buttercup up there,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35the gorgeous open face of the ox-eye daisy,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and, down here, the classic poppy of remembrance,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41which is particularly apt in this centenary year.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45You can find out later how you can get your hands on your pack.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47But, before I put mine in the ground,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51I want to know a little bit more about what's in here.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54The contents are not just features of our landscape.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56They're all native to this country,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59so they're also part of our heritage and have been for thousands of years.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Get a bit of shelter with these precious samples...
0:16:03 > 0:16:06'Professor Monique Simmons is based here at Kew
0:16:06 > 0:16:09'and knows all about the methods our ancestors used
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'to extract the medicinal properties of wild flowers.'
0:16:13 > 0:16:15You've got a few plants,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18one of them is meadowsweet that we've got in here,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21and it's kind of to show you that we still use some traditional
0:16:21 > 0:16:25old methods. Start the process off with a good old mortar and pestle.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28I'll have a little go at doing some grinding. Here we go.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30It's actually quite hard work.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Yeah, it is. These stalks are very fibrous, aren't they?
0:16:33 > 0:16:37And the seed mixes that we're giving away - I've got one right here -
0:16:37 > 0:16:41do any of the species in here have proven health benefits?
0:16:41 > 0:16:45Some of these species... Again, it's folklore about traditional use.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49And, yes, it does contain things like meadowsweet here.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50You've got the galiums,
0:16:50 > 0:16:55then you've got the cornflowers that we use for eye treatments, etc.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Digitalis, now used for heart conditions,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00but now used for drops in other conditions.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02There's a whole range of different plants that were used,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05but we now go to the chemist and get something in the shop,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09and often forget that you can use some of these plants.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13What we're trying to do at Kew is not only conserve them
0:17:13 > 0:17:14for use in these seed banks,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18but also understand those traditional uses.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22So with every seed that's planted from these little packs,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24we're not only preserving our food chain,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28we're also preserving an important part of our past.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31And now, to make sure they have the very best chance of growing,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34I've come to the Millennium Seed Bank in Sussex.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39This place is home to almost every species of wild flower
0:17:39 > 0:17:40found in Britain
0:17:40 > 0:17:44and almost all of them are stored here at minus 20 degrees Celsius.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52I'm meeting a familiar face. It's Ted again, back in his natural habitat.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55It's been the job of his team from the UK Native Seed Hub
0:17:55 > 0:18:00to make sure that the seeds in the packs are actually going to grow.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02So what species have you got in the mix here?
0:18:02 > 0:18:06The nice big one is the corncockle,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08so that's a lovely pink cornfield annual.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12- The seed with the little spiky Mohican...- Oh, yeah.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14That's a cornflower, so that will be really common again,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16a cornfield annual.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20You've got these little brown and black triangular-shaped seeds
0:18:20 > 0:18:22with a little beak on the top.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25- Oh, yeah, I see those. - That's meadow buttercup.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Fantastic.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29And then the very tiny ones, little black seed, is poppy seed,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32so a really small seed but familiar, obviously,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34from loaves of bread.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37But how can you guarantee that they will do well? That they will grow?
0:18:37 > 0:18:40One way we can look at the quality of the seed
0:18:40 > 0:18:42is by cutting it open and having a look to see what's inside.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Can I have a go at this? Do you think I'll be any good?
0:18:45 > 0:18:46Absolutely. Yeah, let's give it a go.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48I'm going to go for a big seed.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Right. Let's see if I can take a slice off this.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56Oops.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Oof. That grip's all-important, isn't it?
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Absolutely. Sideways...oops!
0:19:01 > 0:19:03SHE LAUGHS
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- Sorry about that.- Have another go.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08That one's done a runner somewhere... Somewhere in the room.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13- Oh, there we go.- Well, can you see?
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Yes. I've got the white there. Solid white.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20So that lovely healthy, white part is the food store for the seed,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23so that's what the germinating seedling is going to use
0:19:23 > 0:19:26before it starts photosynthesising and supporting itself.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29You may be able to see a little green crescent
0:19:29 > 0:19:30at the edge of the seed.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32I can see exactly that. What is it?
0:19:32 > 0:19:34That's the embryo of the seed.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36That's the part that's actually going to produce the shoot
0:19:36 > 0:19:38and the root, and develop into the plant.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40So, just by slicing it open, you can tell
0:19:40 > 0:19:43whether it's going to be a successful seed or not?
0:19:43 > 0:19:48It is a nice, quick way of gauging the quality of the seed.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50But there is a quicker way.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53You can X-ray them with a medical X-ray.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56This way, Ted can show me how many of my seeds are full of goodness
0:19:56 > 0:20:00that's actually going to grow when I put them in the ground.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03- They look good! - You can see, right away,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06the corncockle seed that we were dissecting earlier.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09These look fantastic. There are hardly any empty ones.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11This is a good hit rate in here.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14This is a really nice collection of seed here. Yeah, looks good.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16So the chances are good for my seeds.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I'm really excited about planting them now.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22With all the care that's gone into selecting these seeds,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26they should be pretty indestructible, tough enough to grow,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28wherever you live in the UK.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32I've brought mine home and, later on, I'll be planting them.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37In the meantime, we've got 230,000 packets of these seeds to give away,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40so log on to our website to get your hands on yours.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48Here, on the edge of the Cotswolds, is Gloucestershire in all its glory.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Honey-coloured villages pepper the lush landscape.
0:20:53 > 0:20:54This is the Slad Valley,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56immortalised in the writings
0:20:56 > 0:21:00of one of the county's best-known sons, Laurie Lee.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03The village lies deep in one of the five wooded valleys
0:21:03 > 0:21:05that runs like the spokes of a wheel to Stroud.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07When I was a boy, we seldom left it.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11We lived in that valley as snug as beans in a pod.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Laurie Lee put his beloved part of the Cotswolds
0:21:14 > 0:21:19firmly on the literary map with his most famous novel, Cider With Rosie.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24It's an almost autobiographical tale of growing up in the 1930s
0:21:24 > 0:21:27amongst the fields and woods of this isolated valley.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34As a boy and young man, Laurie would wander the hills above his home,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38and his writing vividly captured the landscape he loved so much.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Today, it remains pretty much unchanged.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44He grew up in this cottage
0:21:44 > 0:21:48with his mother and seven brothers and sisters.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51And, in later life, he was often to be found in his local,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54The Woolpack, just a stone's throw from his house.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59This year marks the centenary of Laurie Lee's birth,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02and today I'm going to be walking in his footsteps,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05experiencing for myself the landscape
0:22:05 > 0:22:10that he made so familiar to so many people through his words.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21To discover more about the local lad who became a world-renowned writer,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24but always stayed loyal to his Gloucestershire roots,
0:22:24 > 0:22:25I'm meeting his daughter, Jessie.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29That's the fancy-dress parade, which is in the book.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- And there's Rosie.- That's Rosie.- Yes.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- There really was a Rosie, wasn't there?- There was a Rosie.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38There definitely was a Rosie, yeah. Yeah.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Well, the book has never been out of print since it was first published.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Do you think that, when he wrote it,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47he had any idea of the impact it might have?
0:22:47 > 0:22:49I don't think for one minute he ever expected that.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52I think he sort of thought it would be a nice little gift
0:22:52 > 0:22:53to give to his local friends and family,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56but I think it was probably quite a big surprise for him.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00- Why do you think he wrote it? - He always said to me,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03"Whatever you do, take a notebook, wherever you go.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04"You don't want to lose anything."
0:23:04 > 0:23:08That may be another reason why he wrote Cider With Rosie -
0:23:08 > 0:23:10he didn't want to lose his childhood.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Laurie was a musician as well as a writer
0:23:14 > 0:23:16and a talented painter.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20A book of his previously unseen artwork, compiled by Jessie,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23is being published later this year.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26We've got lovely paintings of the landscape...
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- Is that Slad?- That's in Slad, yes.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31That's at the bottom of the valley.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34So these were paintings he did for himself.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36He had them all hidden away.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38In fact, they were hidden away under his bed.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40THEY LAUGH
0:23:40 > 0:23:43And, of course, on top of everything else,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46he was also a wonderful poet, wasn't he?
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Yes, he certainly was and...
0:23:48 > 0:23:53I'm a great fan of his poetry. It is deep as well as celebratory,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57and I think it really condenses his words.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59And, of course, he's a great man of words.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Not only had Laurie Lee put this valley on the literary map,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07he also helped preserve it for the future.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13With royalties from Cider With Rosie, back in the 1960s,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16he bought woodland here in the Slad Valley
0:24:16 > 0:24:18to stop it being built on.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Last year, the Laurie Lee Woods opened as a protected nature reserve
0:24:22 > 0:24:26thanks to donations from people who admire his work.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Roger Mortlock from the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
0:24:29 > 0:24:31was overwhelmed by the response.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36We put out an appeal and, within six weeks, 1,000 people had donated
0:24:36 > 0:24:39and we'd made almost twice what we'd asked for.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40And we were able, not only to buy the Wood,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43but to secure it and its maintenance going forward.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45- That's fantastic. - Yeah, it was great.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47- What kind of people gave money, then?- What was interesting...
0:24:47 > 0:24:48We got some press coverage,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51that meant that people heard about the wood from a long way away.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54We had some donations from America, from Australia...
0:24:54 > 0:24:56- So he was well-known in America? - Yeah.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Interestingly, Cider With Rosie was taught on the high-school syllabus
0:24:59 > 0:25:01for a long time, so this bucolic sense of the English landscape...
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- As it was here. - ..travelled far and wide.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Keen to emphasise the link between literature and the landscape,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11the Trust is launching the Laurie Lee Wildlife Way
0:25:11 > 0:25:14to celebrate his centenary.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17In conjunction with the family, we've have decided to construct
0:25:17 > 0:25:21a poetry trail linking our reserves and liking the Slad village,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24where Laurie had so many of his old haunts.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27And we're actually going to construct ten poetry posts
0:25:27 > 0:25:29that will actually allow you to see
0:25:29 > 0:25:31his work on the landscape this summer.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Well, I've left Laurie Lee Wood behind and I'm crossing the valley
0:25:38 > 0:25:44now to get a special preview of one of those poetry posts at Frith Wood.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49The posts will punctuate walks that will join together
0:25:49 > 0:25:52the nature reserves in a loop around the valley.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55- Hello, Emma.- Hi, John. - And Pete.- Hello, John.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58'Emma and Pete Bradshaw are in charge
0:25:58 > 0:26:00'of choosing the best spots for them.'
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- It is heavy. - It's quite a heavy beast, yeah.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04What about that?
0:26:06 > 0:26:10- Hmm... Might need to straighten up a little bit.- Right.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14This is going to happen all across the valley,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18- and each one at a place which is significant for the poetry.- Yes.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21We've tried to choose poems that blend in well
0:26:21 > 0:26:25with the countryside and Laurie's favourite places,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28so we're putting one of the posts with the poem,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Apples, in an orchard...
0:26:30 > 0:26:33We think one of the orchards that he wrote about in Cider With Rosie.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36And Wild Trees is going in Laurie Lee Wood.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38- This is April Rise.- April Rise.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42So this is a kind of perfect...
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- Perfect...- ..late spring, early summer view.- Absolutely.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49And when will everything be in place and the Way officially opened?
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Hopefully, we're going to open it on what would have been
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Laurie Lee's 100th birthday, which is June the 26th.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00HE READS THE POEM
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Quite beautiful.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25- I've just been reading a little bit of April Rise...- Ah.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27What do you think of that poem?
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Well, actually... April Rise is my...
0:27:31 > 0:27:35If I had to choose a favourite, it would be my favourite. And...
0:27:35 > 0:27:40I actually chose the first few lines to go on the back of his gravestone,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44and it was the last poem that he asked me to read to him
0:27:44 > 0:27:48before he died. So it's very special to me, April Rise.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51And obviously special to him as well.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Yes. I was surprised that he asked me to read it,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58but it left me with something very profound. Mm.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Laurie Lee died in May, 1997,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10at home in his beloved village of Slad.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13He now lies in the local churchyard...
0:28:15 > 0:28:20..overlooking the pub and the valley that he treasured so much.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28- TOM:- Just a few miles from the Slad Valley,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31I'm on a prime piece of Gloucestershire countryside...
0:28:31 > 0:28:34being run as a working farm by Princess Anne.
0:28:35 > 0:28:41200 acres of woodland fall away to a tranquil lake below,
0:28:41 > 0:28:46and grazed rolling hills form a timeless pastoral landscape.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Alongside the beauty lies plenty of hard graft,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56and the Princess has been involved in the business of livestock farming
0:28:56 > 0:28:58here for nearly 40 years.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02And, like many farmers in that time, she's had to deal with
0:29:02 > 0:29:06plenty of trials, particularly challenges from disease.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10And, like many farmers, she's also chosen to diversify.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15This is horse trials course.
0:29:15 > 0:29:20This area has got two courses, two different standards of courses.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26Gatcombe plays home to the Festival of British Eventing,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28a major date on the equestrian calendar
0:29:28 > 0:29:31and one of three horse trials held here.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34In fact, to help the land pay its way,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38everything from craft fairs to mountain biking marathons
0:29:38 > 0:29:41take place on the estate.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42They're absolutely insane.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44CHEERING
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It's quite exciting to watch.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48- CROWD:- Oh!
0:29:51 > 0:29:55But the core business is farming rare breeds.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59Gloucester Old Spot pigs rummage around the woodland,
0:29:59 > 0:30:03and White Park cattle are corralled into the shelter of the barn
0:30:03 > 0:30:05to see out the winter months.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09Why does it matter to you that they're rare breeds?
0:30:09 > 0:30:11I do think there's a responsibility
0:30:11 > 0:30:14to maintain some of the bloodlines which go back a long way,
0:30:14 > 0:30:15partly because the very fact
0:30:15 > 0:30:18that they do come from a long way back, they've got some value.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22- How do you find them to keep? Are they good to keep?- I... Yes.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25Having enough scope to keep the best is difficult,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28but we try just to improve them bit by bit,
0:30:28 > 0:30:29and fortunately, at the moment,
0:30:29 > 0:30:33they're turning out to be quite popular with the local butcher.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37With the resurgence in public appetite for local, traceable food,
0:30:37 > 0:30:41these animals can command a premium for their meat.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45But numbers can be difficult to maintain at the best of times,
0:30:45 > 0:30:49and Gatcombe has recently seen the worst of times,
0:30:49 > 0:30:55with bovine TB wiping out a third of this herd in the past two years.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58How do you feel when you do get positive results
0:30:58 > 0:31:00in the sense that your cattle do have TB
0:31:00 > 0:31:02and some of them have to be put down?
0:31:02 > 0:31:07Well, you know, when you've got a cow and a calf of that size,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10it's more than deeply frustrating, it's really upsetting.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12And, you know,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15when you're struggling to keep the numbers going anyway -
0:31:15 > 0:31:18some of these aren't the most efficient mothers -
0:31:18 > 0:31:21it's really undermining your... your process.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Now, I gather you had a TB test this morning.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29- We did, which was...good news for a change. So it was clear.- Good. Good.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32You say for a change. Give me the recent history of how that's gone.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34Recent history hasn't been too good.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36We've gone through phases, which I think, actually,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39reflects the size of the population of the badgers,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42which, in our woodlands, is quite considerable.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44So you're of the opinion
0:31:44 > 0:31:47that the badgers are basically giving the TB to the cattle?
0:31:47 > 0:31:52Well, I think they're a source because of their success, in a way.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54You think maybe the numbers are getting out of control?
0:31:54 > 0:31:55I think in some areas they are.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01Last year, part of Gloucestershire was one of the trial areas
0:32:01 > 0:32:04for culling badgers by shooting them.
0:32:04 > 0:32:05But, despite her belief
0:32:05 > 0:32:08that badgers carrying TB have blighted her cattle,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Princess Anne is sceptical about this approach
0:32:11 > 0:32:16and thinks there may be a better way to control badger populations.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Most of the people would argue, who did it in the past,
0:32:19 > 0:32:23and even those, if you're talking about humane,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26they will tell you that gas is a much nicer way of doing it,
0:32:26 > 0:32:31if that's not a silly expression, because of the way it works.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35And how it works is that you go to sleep, basically.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38You'd favour gassing as an approach to tackling badgers?
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Well, I don't believe that shooting
0:32:40 > 0:32:42was ever a particularly good way of dealing with it.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Given that the size of our woods are not that big,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48it's very easy to be in a very dangerous situation.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50Do you think we're too sentimental about badgers
0:32:50 > 0:32:53and we just need to get on with this problem and, you know...?
0:32:53 > 0:32:55I think we're too single-issue about a lot of things.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57When you look at the badger population,
0:32:57 > 0:33:01if there are a lot of badgers, you're going to have no hedgehogs,
0:33:01 > 0:33:05probably no wild bees and fewer ground-nesting birds.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09Actually, even if you took the cattle completely out of this debate,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11from a conservation issue alone,
0:33:11 > 0:33:13you'd have to say that too many badgers,
0:33:13 > 0:33:15a bigger growth of badger population,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18is not good for the balance of conservation anyway.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25The Government was considering the idea of gassing as a way forward
0:33:25 > 0:33:29after the poor results from last year's trial culls.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32They may have gone quiet on the issue,
0:33:32 > 0:33:36but it seems Princess Anne is happy to speak out
0:33:36 > 0:33:38in favour of trying gas over guns
0:33:38 > 0:33:43to cull badgers in these woods and elsewhere across Britain.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45A lot of people will find it difficult
0:33:45 > 0:33:50to square your concern with wildlife, which you claim you have,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53alongside a willingness to cull, indeed, you know, badgers,
0:33:53 > 0:33:55possibly gassing as well.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- Do you find that incompatible yourself?- No.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01But that's partly because there is no simple answer,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04and some of the answers are difficult and not necessarily comfortable.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09It's an opinion with which many staunchly disagree.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15The Badger Trust, for instance, believes that bringing back gassing,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18which has been outlawed for 30 years,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21would be inhumane and unpalatable to the public at large.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27But Princess Anne's sometimes contentious views
0:34:27 > 0:34:31aren't just confined to matters affecting her own farming.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37Later on, I'll be finding out about her concerns
0:34:37 > 0:34:39over the future of the countryside
0:34:39 > 0:34:43and what can be done to solve some of our most pressing rural problems.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52- ADAM:- Gloucestershire has a special place in my heart.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57It's where I was born and where I was brought up.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03And while farming's always been part of my life,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05it's always been part of Gloucestershire's life, too.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Gloucestershire's the only county in England
0:35:12 > 0:35:14that can boast five local breeds.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17We've got sheep, cattle, chickens, ducks
0:35:17 > 0:35:20and, of course, my favourite, the lovely Gloucestershire Old Spot pig.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Go on, then. Go on, then, little ones. Follow Mummy.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27This sow has given birth to her first litter
0:35:27 > 0:35:30in the stables back at home, and we just turn them out
0:35:30 > 0:35:32so that they can get a bit of fresh air and sunshine.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34They're much happier out here.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36And the Gloucestershire Old Spot is a lovely pig.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39In fact, it's the oldest pedigree spotted pig in the world,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42and they used to be known as the "orchard pig",
0:35:42 > 0:35:46because they grazed the apple and pear orchards of the Avon Vale.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49In fact, the old wives' tales say that these black spots were created
0:35:49 > 0:35:52as the apples fell down and gave them bruises.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54If you believe that, you believe anything.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55The Old Spots went into decline
0:35:55 > 0:35:58because they couldn't compete with the modern-day sow.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00They run to fat too quickly, don't have big enough litters
0:36:00 > 0:36:02and didn't really suit indoor pig production.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05But, now, they're coming back into their own.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08In fact, the Princess Royal is patron to the breeders' club.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14These local breeds are some of my favourites on the farm
0:36:14 > 0:36:15but, within living memory,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18they almost disappeared from our countryside.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Gloucester cattle were on the verge of extinction in the 1970s,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25but this local man wanted to save the breed.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Good old boy. Good old fella.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33'Charles Martell believes that the milk from Old Gloucesters,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35'which has a small fat globule,
0:36:35 > 0:36:36'is ideal for cheesemaking,
0:36:36 > 0:36:40'and he's trying to re-establish the breed.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41'Note them well.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43'There's only nine bulls
0:36:43 > 0:36:46'and less than 70 cows left in the whole of England.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49'Although their milk is first-class and high in solids -
0:36:49 > 0:36:50'just the thing for cheesemaking -
0:36:50 > 0:36:53'the yield isn't as high as in other breeds.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56'Dairy farmers wanting more and more output wouldn't bother with them.'
0:36:58 > 0:36:59Go on.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05'If Charles Martell succeeds, he'll be the first man for 30 years
0:37:05 > 0:37:08'to produce real farmhouse double Gloucester.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12'Can it be done? And could it really be successful on so small a scale?'
0:37:14 > 0:37:1740 years on and the proof is plain to see.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21Charles has been making single and double Gloucester cheese ever since
0:37:21 > 0:37:24and he still keeps a herd of his own.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27- Beautiful. How many have you got now?- About 17 at the moment.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- They're so calm, aren't they? Just...- Yes.- ..very relaxed.- Yes.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33I think that's a lot through handling.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35You know, I think if you go in amongst them,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38talk quietly to them, and they respond to that,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42cos cattle generally don't want a don't want a lot of hassle in life,
0:37:42 > 0:37:45and as long as you don't hassle them, they don't want hassle.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48- So, take me through the finer points of a Gloucester, then.- Here we go.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Look. Look at those horns.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54The breed standard says fine, wide and inclined to turn up.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Their black head and black legs, and the body is black-brown.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59So, very, very dark brown, but not black.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03And then you've got the white streak along the back and the white tail.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Classic, that white tail, isn't it? Beautiful.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Yeah. Most beautiful, yeah. Black teats.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09People laugh but, actually, it's quite important,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12because the teats can get sunburnt in the summer,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15so black teats will actually protect them against that.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18They've got to have a black top to their tongue.
0:38:18 > 0:38:19- She's just licking...- Oh, really?
0:38:19 > 0:38:21..these trousers, so she'll stop now.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23They've got a black top... There you are.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25I knew about the rest, but I didn't know about the tongue.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29And a black roof of the mouth, if you care to look. I never have!
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Amazing! And why particularly this breed for you?
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Well, we live in Gloucestershire. I mean, just no contest.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42Plus they needed help, and my way of helping was to make cheese.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47'The milk of Old Gloucester cows gives a rich curd,
0:38:47 > 0:38:51'and those small fat globules produce a fine, even texture.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55'After three pressings and up to six months maturing,
0:38:55 > 0:38:58'the cheese should be mellow and slightly pungent in flavour.'
0:38:58 > 0:39:01How did you know how to make the cheese?
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Well, I didn't, but it was written down.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07So, The Cheese Of Gloucestershire, by Avis Colnett,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10and she wrote it down in 1931.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11- Goodness me.- And there it all is.
0:39:11 > 0:39:16Double Gloucester, and the very rare and extinct at that time -
0:39:16 > 0:39:18I met Miss Colnett - single Gloucester.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21She went round and measured the temperature and acidities
0:39:21 > 0:39:23that the dairymaids were using.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26They didn't know what they were, because they did it by instinct.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31The farmhouse double Gloucester had the personal touch,
0:39:31 > 0:39:35the person who was dedicated to cheesemaking, in many cases,
0:39:35 > 0:39:40and therefore produced a more mellow,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44really fine type, typical double.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47And the difference between single and double Gloucester, then?
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Right, Adam. Well, here we go. Look, first of all, you can see.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53This cheese is thicker - that's a double Gloucester -
0:39:53 > 0:39:55because it has to last longer, it has to be matured longer.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58- If it was too thin, it would dry out.- Yeah.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00So double's the long-keeping cheese.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03The single was the short-keeping one.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06In fact, the single was the cheese the farmer ate himself.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10The double he never used to eat, because that was his income.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13So let's try the single first, cos it should be the milder one.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18There you are, you see? It's white in colour. Get a bit off there.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Mm. You're losing the recipe!
0:40:25 > 0:40:28There's a song about that, Adam.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30# Never have that recipe again. #
0:40:30 > 0:40:32It's 1931!
0:40:32 > 0:40:33ADAM CHUCKLES
0:40:36 > 0:40:39- Goodness me!- That's not too bad. I find that a bit bitter.
0:40:39 > 0:40:40It was made, for example,
0:40:40 > 0:40:43when the cows were in the yards in the winter.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45When they went on grass - and the best...
0:40:45 > 0:40:49best cheese is made off grass - then you'd make the double.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53- Which has a higher acidity. You see it's coloured orange.- Yeah.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56That's to give the impression that it's got a lot of fat in,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59which everybody wanted fat in the old days.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00I hope it's as good as it looks.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Mm.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09- That's really great.- That's somewhere near.- That's lovely.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11So, when they used to sell cheese, then,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14they went around with one of these, testing them and tasting them?
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Up to a point, Adam.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18But what happened, I mentioned the double Gloucester,
0:41:18 > 0:41:21the farmer didn't eat it, it was the one he sent away for his income,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23and people used to come on the farms buying the cheese,
0:41:23 > 0:41:25- and they were called factors.- Mm-hm.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27And it was such a job, going every cheese,
0:41:27 > 0:41:29you know, doing like we've just done,
0:41:29 > 0:41:31they'd never get through them all.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33So, what he'd do, he'd lay them on the ground
0:41:33 > 0:41:35and he'd walk on them,
0:41:35 > 0:41:37and if the cheese gave under his foot too much,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39that was deemed to be hoven,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41it had something wrong with it, and he'd reject it.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44And we've been here, what, 42 years now.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49We've never tried walking on the cheese.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53And as we've...a fine Gloucestershire guest with us today,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55- I wondered if you'd like to try. - Yeah, why not.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58I've never walked on a cheese either. Let's give it a go.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04- Are you sure about this?- Yes, Adam.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Now, don't forget, this has never been done in living memory.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09So this is a unique occasion.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12And, don't forget, the senses of the soles of your feet
0:42:12 > 0:42:14- will judge the quality of each cheese.- OK.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17- So, you have to be clocking that as you go along.- How quickly do I walk?
0:42:17 > 0:42:21- Well, not long enough to sink in. - OK.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Oh, God. Ooh, it's standing it. Brilliant. Oh, wow.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29- Wow!- And? Did they give?- Only a little tiny bit.- That's all right.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32- Yeah.- So they're not hoven? - No. I think they're lovely.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- I'll buy the lot. Thank you very much.- Can I just smell them now?
0:42:35 > 0:42:38They smell a bit more cheesy!
0:42:38 > 0:42:40- All right. That's improved them. - Yes!
0:42:40 > 0:42:42I'll be able to sell them for a premium.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51Agriculture is very much at the heart of Gloucestershire's history,
0:42:51 > 0:42:54with some wonderful old-fashioned breeds
0:42:54 > 0:42:57and great farmers like Charles Martell,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59who are preserving that tradition.
0:42:59 > 0:43:00Now, for me, well,
0:43:00 > 0:43:04Gloucestershire is a county that I'm very proud to call my home.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11- TOM:- I've been exploring 400 acres of land
0:43:11 > 0:43:14farmed by someone else who's proud to call Gloucestershire home.
0:43:14 > 0:43:15Princess Anne.
0:43:17 > 0:43:21She's raised rare breeds at Gatcombe Park since the 1970s,
0:43:21 > 0:43:24but her involvement in country life runs much deeper.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30Much of the rest of her time is spent working with rural groups
0:43:30 > 0:43:32to keep their concerns in the public eye,
0:43:32 > 0:43:37and also tackle some of the big issues facing British farming today.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Farming doesn't have the profile that maybe it should have,
0:43:42 > 0:43:45and I think that needs arguing.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48Farmers are not here just to entertain other people
0:43:48 > 0:43:49or, indeed, themselves.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52What you do here is to add value, and that's what I hope you see it as,
0:43:52 > 0:43:56is adding value to the land that you live on and work from.
0:43:58 > 0:44:01It's a serious business, looking after the countryside,
0:44:01 > 0:44:03and it's a much more serious business feeding people.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05It's not just farming,
0:44:05 > 0:44:09but the whole fabric of rural life she's involved with,
0:44:09 > 0:44:12everything from the Worshipful Company of Butchers
0:44:12 > 0:44:15to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.
0:44:15 > 0:44:19But before we tackle more thorny issues of the day, though,
0:44:19 > 0:44:22there are some upstarts closer to home to take on.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26- So what have you brought me down here for?- Well, these are...
0:44:26 > 0:44:29These ARE unusual. Not these, because these are willows.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31But the thing in the middle here is a black poplar.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34- We need to give them a bit more space now.- A bit more freedom.- Yes.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36You tell me what to chop, I'll do some chopping.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39Well, how much exercise do you want to take?
0:44:39 > 0:44:42Because you can try the really thick one, or you can just take the...!
0:44:42 > 0:44:46You've set me a challenge there now. I'm not going to wimp out of that.
0:44:46 > 0:44:48We're both at it now.
0:44:48 > 0:44:53'As we work in the shadow of the Princess's stately pile,
0:44:53 > 0:44:57'it seems a good time to raise the issue of affordable rural homes.'
0:44:58 > 0:45:02It's estimated our countryside needs a quarter of a million of them
0:45:02 > 0:45:05and, as patron of the English Rural Housing Association,
0:45:05 > 0:45:10Princess Anne's views on the subject recently made something of a splash,
0:45:10 > 0:45:15as she shared her thoughts on the size and location of new housing.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20What do you think's the key to getting more houses in rural Britain
0:45:20 > 0:45:23that so many people who live in the countryside say they need?
0:45:23 > 0:45:29It may pay to do it in smaller developments, not bigger ones,
0:45:29 > 0:45:34say, in groups of 10, 15 houses,
0:45:34 > 0:45:38as long as it came with space for community hub,
0:45:38 > 0:45:40proper broadband, proper mobile phone coverage,
0:45:40 > 0:45:42so people could do business there as well.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44I can see the attraction of that,
0:45:44 > 0:45:48but if you do it in lots of small pockets, do you not end up with,
0:45:48 > 0:45:52you know, 2,500 planning battles, 2,500 NIMBY rows?
0:45:52 > 0:45:55There are always some strong local voices and objection.
0:45:55 > 0:45:56- Do you think...?- Not always.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59The secret of success was to go out and explain the value,
0:45:59 > 0:46:02that for every pound you spend in affordable housing,
0:46:02 > 0:46:09through social value and local benefit, you're making £6.50.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13They can keep their school, they may keep the shop,
0:46:13 > 0:46:16they may keep the pub, all of which are in danger of disappearing
0:46:16 > 0:46:19if you don't have enough people to make them viable.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22I can hear people saying right now, you know,
0:46:22 > 0:46:24would you practice what you preach?
0:46:24 > 0:46:27Would you offer land in your patch for housing?
0:46:27 > 0:46:29I have done in the past.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33I actually offered them some land here a few years back.
0:46:33 > 0:46:34And, oddly enough,
0:46:34 > 0:46:39the local village hadn't recognised that it had a problem at that stage.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41So it seems Princess Anne's not someone
0:46:41 > 0:46:44who's afraid of putting her money where her mouth is
0:46:44 > 0:46:47when it comes to securing the future of our rural communities.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51Attracting young blood to work in our countryside
0:46:51 > 0:46:55is another hot topic the Princess is involved in.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58She recently became the first chancellor
0:46:58 > 0:47:00of Harper Adams University,
0:47:00 > 0:47:03which trains young people for a future in farming.
0:47:05 > 0:47:10And it's an issue which has recently taken on an even more personal tone.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13One young man who's recently shown an interest in agriculture
0:47:13 > 0:47:16is your nephew, who's doing a course in Cambridge.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19Did you give him any advice and encouragement on that?
0:47:19 > 0:47:20- Did I give him any?- Yeah.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23Well, I probably wouldn't have suggested Cambridge, but I mean...!
0:47:23 > 0:47:26I couldn't possibly say that, could I?
0:47:26 > 0:47:29No, I think, for the same reason...
0:47:29 > 0:47:31I mean, they too were brought up, of course,
0:47:31 > 0:47:35in very much a farming background, and...
0:47:36 > 0:47:39My brother's farming is on a rather different scale to mine,
0:47:39 > 0:47:40as you may have noticed.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44So they've had plenty of experience, again, of a range of farming
0:47:44 > 0:47:46and what it means to families,
0:47:46 > 0:47:48and I think in the long run, he's going to see that
0:47:48 > 0:47:51as a very important part of his future life,
0:47:51 > 0:47:53and he'd like to understand a bit more about it.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59The Royals may share a passion for working the land,
0:47:59 > 0:48:03but how to do it is as contentious an issue within this family
0:48:03 > 0:48:06as it is in the wider community.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10Prince Charles is famously opposed to GM.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13His sister may have other ideas.
0:48:15 > 0:48:20What role do you think there is for genetic modification of crops?
0:48:20 > 0:48:23- Well, I think it has a role to play, to be honest.- Big role?
0:48:23 > 0:48:27I think the claims are probably slightly greater
0:48:27 > 0:48:29than most of the deliverables actually are.
0:48:29 > 0:48:32They do add to our ability
0:48:32 > 0:48:36to perhaps be more efficient users of the land that is good.
0:48:36 > 0:48:38Because I think, in the long-term,
0:48:38 > 0:48:41when you've got the prospect of nine billion to feed,
0:48:41 > 0:48:46you are going to need some help in doing that, and to do it well.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49Do you have some interesting chats with your brother
0:48:49 > 0:48:51- about this subject?- Seldom.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53ADAM CHUCKLES
0:48:53 > 0:48:56- But you do take a slightly...I mean, a different view...- Yes.- ..on this.
0:48:56 > 0:48:58Yes, I think we probably do.
0:48:58 > 0:49:01- But that's all part of family life, would you say?- I think so.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03But I do think there are some things which,
0:49:03 > 0:49:06even if you don't really like the sound of it yourself,
0:49:06 > 0:49:08you know that's got to a point...
0:49:08 > 0:49:10you're not going to stop it, because you can't,
0:49:10 > 0:49:13so you really must focus on how you get the best out of it
0:49:13 > 0:49:17and how it works for humans and the globe in the long run.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23From housing, to agriculture, to energy, to wildlife.
0:49:23 > 0:49:28Ever more is demanded from the finite land of rural Britain.
0:49:28 > 0:49:32Opinions may be divided on Princess Anne's vision of how to get there,
0:49:32 > 0:49:35but one thing few could argue with
0:49:35 > 0:49:39is the value that she places on our countryside.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41At the risk of a slightly philosophical question,
0:49:41 > 0:49:44what do you think the countryside is ultimately for?
0:49:45 > 0:49:48You see, I think that's a really strange concept.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51What do you mean, what is the countryside for?
0:49:51 > 0:49:53It's for our survival, isn't it?
0:49:57 > 0:50:02The foundation of Princess Anne's beliefs do stem, to some extent,
0:50:02 > 0:50:04from privilege and birthright.
0:50:04 > 0:50:08But they've also been developed over the years by her experience here
0:50:08 > 0:50:12and her engagement with farmers across the country.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16Nonetheless, her opinions are very divisive
0:50:16 > 0:50:19and there's no doubt that some well-informed people
0:50:19 > 0:50:21would strongly disagree,
0:50:21 > 0:50:25and we'll be exploring some of those views over the coming months.
0:50:36 > 0:50:40This week, we've been exploring all things Gloucestershire,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43and I've been finding out about the importance of wild flowers.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46They underpin so much of our natural environment,
0:50:46 > 0:50:50feeding the wildlife and, in turn, feeding us by pollinating our crops.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53Yet they're in serious decline.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56But these little packets of seeds from Kew Gardens
0:50:56 > 0:50:58is going to help change all that.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00We're working with them
0:51:00 > 0:51:03to give away 230,000 of these little pods of life,
0:51:03 > 0:51:05and I'm going to kick things off
0:51:05 > 0:51:08by planting the first pack here at home.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16I've enlisted the help of Dr Kate Hardwick,
0:51:16 > 0:51:20a meadow restoration expert from Kew's Millennium Seed Bank.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24I've got a fair few birds and mammals on my land already,
0:51:24 > 0:51:25but I'm keen for Kate to have a look
0:51:25 > 0:51:28and tell me how wild flowers will encourage more.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33- Oh, yeah.- Muntjac. - That's my muntjac.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36Well, they'll help to nibble, keep the grass down a bit,
0:51:36 > 0:51:38but they might nibble your wild flowers as well.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41- Oh, OK. I'll take that downside. I like having them.- Yeah.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45- Oh, yeah, badger.- Crafty badger. - Yeah.- Birdlife.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48- There's a great tit there. - Oh, yes, OK.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50No, I think this is going to be really good
0:51:50 > 0:51:53- for increasing the birdlife on the site.- Excellent.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55Cos you'll be getting seeds from the plants,
0:51:55 > 0:51:57the plants will encourage insects,
0:51:57 > 0:52:00so you'll get the ground-feeding, insect-eating birds,
0:52:00 > 0:52:03so I think that's one thing you could really expect to see improving.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06- So it's looking good, but could do better.- Absolutely.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08There's lots of potential for improvement, I think.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12Never one to take the easy route,
0:52:12 > 0:52:15I'm planting my very first Grow Wild seed pack
0:52:15 > 0:52:17in this scrubby area of my orchard.
0:52:17 > 0:52:21Right, so the important thing here is to open up the soil,
0:52:21 > 0:52:25get rid of the grass and weeds, get rid of the big lumps,
0:52:25 > 0:52:29and rake it so that we've got a nice, smooth seedbed
0:52:29 > 0:52:31that the seeds can germinate in.
0:52:31 > 0:52:36- And how big a patch do people need to prepare for their seeds?- Well...
0:52:36 > 0:52:40One packet of seeds will cover about two square metres,
0:52:40 > 0:52:43and that's roughly the size of a single bed.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46- Good.- So, I think we're nearly there.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48'But the point of Grow Wild is to sow seeds
0:52:48 > 0:52:52'in any spare growing space you may have, rural or urban.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56'Even window boxes or buckets or paint pots.
0:52:56 > 0:52:58'Whatever you can get your hands on.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01'Just use compost or topsoil in a container.'
0:53:01 > 0:53:03These are my first seeds going in.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06This is the first active step I've taken on this land,
0:53:06 > 0:53:08- so quite excited about this.- Yeah.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Because it's got the sand in it, you can just about see where you've gone.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13'There are two ways to sow the seed.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16'Either just sprinkle it on, or mix it with sand.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20'It makes it easier to handle, plus you can see where you've sown.'
0:53:20 > 0:53:22Shake it on, and then a little bit of raking over.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24Yeah, but we don't want to cover it up too much,
0:53:24 > 0:53:26because some of the species
0:53:26 > 0:53:28need access to sunlight in order to germinate.
0:53:28 > 0:53:32'Finally, give the seeds a good drink.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34'In a few months' time, this bare patch of earth
0:53:34 > 0:53:37'should be full of flowers and buzzing with life.'
0:53:37 > 0:53:40It looks as though you've almost finished there, Ellie.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43- How about that, John? - Sorry I arrived too late to help.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46Yeah, that's perfect timing on your part. What's the wellies for?
0:53:46 > 0:53:49Well, I've heard that these wild seeds can grow anywhere,
0:53:49 > 0:53:51even in an old pair of wellies,
0:53:51 > 0:53:54so here's a pair with some compost already in them.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56All the hard work's been done for you. The compost's in there.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58- Here's your seeds, then.- Right.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00Just put a few seeds in, scatter them in like that.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04- That's it, mix them all in.- And then mix them in the sand, like that.
0:54:06 > 0:54:10OK. And just scatter a few in, like that.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12So, while John waters those seeds in, we've got
0:54:12 > 0:54:13nearly a quarter of a million
0:54:13 > 0:54:15packets of seeds to give away,
0:54:15 > 0:54:17so log on to our website
0:54:17 > 0:54:18and see how you can claim
0:54:18 > 0:54:20your free pack.
0:54:20 > 0:54:21How's it going?
0:54:21 > 0:54:24- Wellies deliberately getting wet on the inside.- Yeah!
0:54:24 > 0:54:26Love your work, John. Great.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28Well, I'll take these home and see what happens.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31Well, that's it from glorious Gloucestershire.
0:54:31 > 0:54:32Next week, we'll be in Southport,
0:54:32 > 0:54:35where Matt will be looking for shrimps
0:54:35 > 0:54:38on a newly restored horse-drawn shrimping cart.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41And I shall be looking at the history of bathing in the area
0:54:41 > 0:54:44and meeting a local group determined to clean up the waters.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48- But I won't be tempted to get in. It will be too cold.- Oh, go on!
0:54:48 > 0:54:50- Hope you can join us then. - Bye for now.- Bye.