0:00:27 > 0:00:31Across the country, the race is on to bring in the harvest.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Acres of crops, mountains of veg,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38abundant orchards.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44It's one of the busiest times in the farming year,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47when farmers and growers reap the rewards
0:00:47 > 0:00:48of all their hard labour.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53And all the while, keeping an eye on the weather.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55In this celebration of harvest,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Margherita meets a farmer keen to prove that no salad
0:00:58 > 0:01:01should be without the humble British radish.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05It's full of vitamin C, potassium,
0:01:05 > 0:01:07folic acid, iron.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09And one radish, one calorie.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10- Pick me a bunch! - THEY LAUGH
0:01:12 > 0:01:15I see how ancient grains are being used
0:01:15 > 0:01:18to make a thoroughly modern drink.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19Wow!
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Just look at that.
0:01:21 > 0:01:22Behold, Nautilus.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24JOHN LAUGHS
0:01:24 > 0:01:26They get a lot of bad press,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29but Tom is finding out about the wonder of wasps.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32It's proven that if you've got a wasp nest in your garden
0:01:32 > 0:01:35all those classic garden pests, all their numbers are severely reduced.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37You're beginning to talk me round here.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Come on, we've got a live nest up here.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44And with the big event just a few weeks away,
0:01:44 > 0:01:45Adam meets the first contenders
0:01:45 > 0:01:49hoping to be crowned this year's One Man and His Dog champions.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53How important is it, this One Man and His Dog competition?
0:01:53 > 0:01:56If you've got a competition between England, Scotland,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Ireland and Wales, there's always... You know, you want to win.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01ADAM LAUGHS
0:02:01 > 0:02:02It's quite a big thing.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16It's harvest time the length and breadth of Britain.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Beyond the teeming hedgerows, farmers battle with the weather
0:02:26 > 0:02:28to reap what they've so carefully sown.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Around 25 million tonnes of grain
0:02:37 > 0:02:40are being gathered in, as well as vegetable crops and fruit.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Food that will grace the plates of the nation.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48And here, just east of Oxford,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52and deep in arable country, I'm visiting a farm
0:02:52 > 0:02:55where they approach harvest time in their own very special way.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Whilst combines eat up the acres elsewhere,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07here at Sandy Lane Farm, Charles and Sue Bennett
0:03:07 > 0:03:09work on a more modest scale.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16As well as cereals, they grow smaller-scale organic crops
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and use people power to bring them in.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22How has the harvest been this year?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Well, it's been fantastic, John.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25Really, really good.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27We had a slow, cold spring,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31but things have come back and we're, instead of two weeks behind,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33I think we're two weeks ahead.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37And there is so much rain and so much sun, everything is growing...
0:03:37 > 0:03:40I mean, you see it - it's amazing.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41What made you go organic?
0:03:41 > 0:03:44It's a small farm and there was no way I could compete
0:03:44 > 0:03:46with the big guys on 100 acres growing cereal,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48which is what this farm used to be.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50So we played around just growing carrots and things,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and they did so well - we've got some lovely soil here -
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and we just went on from there, really.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59So we've been organic for a good 25 years.
0:03:59 > 0:04:00And where does all this produce go?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Well, we manage to sell it pretty much locally.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Within ten miles or so, there's so many people wanting organic stuff.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09We all seem to run out, the whole town.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10We can never have enough stuff.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13It all goes, and we eat quite well, too.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15THEY LAUGH
0:04:15 > 0:04:17A wonky bean - will that be all right?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Sure, yeah. We don't go out of our way to grow wonky beans,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22but people actually like them because it shows it's natural
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and that every bean is different, like we're all different,
0:04:25 > 0:04:26and people appreciate that.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28- So every bean counts? BOTH:- Every bean counts.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36It's all hands to the pumps if they are to keep their customers
0:04:36 > 0:04:39in Oxfordshire supplied with their organic veg.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Here, three generations get stuck in.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Alongside the traditional carrots, beans and spuds,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Sue and Charles' son, George,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52has introduced something a little bit more exotic.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54What have you got here, then?
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Well, this is the salad tunnel.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58This is where we put the real flavour into our salad bags.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01We've got lots of different colours and flavours in here.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04- There's some quite unusual things, as well.- What's this here, then?
0:05:04 > 0:05:08This is actually an Italian vegetable called barba di frate,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10or l'agretti. It's a bit like samphire.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Not quite as salty as samphire.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14But you just flash boil it in a pan
0:05:14 > 0:05:18and it's got a beautiful, crunchy, slightly salty taste.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Yeah, it has. So what else?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Well, we've got nasturtium flowers.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24Lovely and peppery.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26We put those in the salad bags, as well.
0:05:26 > 0:05:27Not just for decoration?
0:05:27 > 0:05:30No. They taste good, but also they're really colourful.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32What's this purple thing here?
0:05:32 > 0:05:35This is purple shiso - it's a Japanese herb.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38We are trying to bring sort of Japanese and Italian...
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Flavours from abroad into a British salad?
0:05:41 > 0:05:43- Exactly.- Is that the idea? - Exactly.- Mm.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I like this one.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47And how difficult is it to grow all these things?
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Uh... A bit of trial and error.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53They do require a lot more care and maintenance
0:05:53 > 0:05:55than the field-scale vegetables.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59We've gone from growing about 20 different crops to well over 300.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02And to have such variety on our plates every day is fantastic.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11There's one crop on the farm that's more tolerated than encouraged.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15But looking around your fields, Sue,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18you've got an awful lot of what many farmers don't have -
0:06:18 > 0:06:20you've got a lot of weeds.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21We do, we do.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23This time of year, it's not a problem
0:06:23 > 0:06:25because the plants are already grown.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- So the weeds are no threat, really? - So they're not a threat.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30And some weeds we can feed to the pigs.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- What's this one?- This is fat hen...
0:06:32 > 0:06:35- Fat hen?- ..which is obviously good for hens.- Yeah.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39- And it's related to the quinoa that grows...- Right.- ..in the Andes.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- Well, you've got a lot of fat hen here.- Yeah.- So...
0:06:43 > 0:06:45how many pigs have you got?
0:06:45 > 0:06:47We've got...hmm, about 40.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50So I suppose this is weeds being put to a really good use?
0:06:50 > 0:06:52That's right.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58VOICEOVER: Sue's weeds may not cut the mustard in some quarters,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00but they're packed with nutrients
0:07:00 > 0:07:03and save money on conventional pigfeed.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09- They love fat hen, don't they?- Yes.
0:07:09 > 0:07:10- It's very good for them.- Yes.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13So they get fed on weeds, and what else?
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- Vegetable waste.- Uh-huh.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Yeah, they love the leafy vegetables.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21They don't like onions or fennel.
0:07:21 > 0:07:22It's using everything.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- Making sure nothing goes to waste, basically, on the farm?- That's it.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26Closing the circle.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32And we can't forget Dad.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34The last bit of fat hen for Billy.
0:07:34 > 0:07:35There you are. Enjoy.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39Beyond the pig pens,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42the Bennetts produce a rather unusual crop -
0:07:42 > 0:07:46an ancient grain only grown in Oxfordshire.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51And later, I'll be shown how it's turned into a one-of-a-kind gin.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Yet another of the many reasons to celebrate at harvest time.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Well, farmers aren't the only ones busy out of doors
0:07:57 > 0:07:59at this time of year.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Wasps are out and about, interrupting picnics,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04buzzing around our food, stinging us -
0:08:04 > 0:08:07no wonder they're one of Britain's most unpopular insects.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09But have we got them wrong?
0:08:09 > 0:08:10Here's Tom.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21LOUD BUZZING
0:08:23 > 0:08:25We've all experienced that feeling
0:08:25 > 0:08:27of being besieged by wasps on a hot summer's day.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32For most of us, they're a little bit annoying.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35For some, they can be a serious health risk.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36But before you reach for the swat,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39perhaps you should ask yourself a question -
0:08:39 > 0:08:43how much do we really know about wasps?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Well, very little, really.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48even our scientists admit to huge gaps in our knowledge.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50So where can I find out more?
0:08:52 > 0:08:55At University College London, I've come to just one
0:08:55 > 0:08:58of a handful of labs that focuses on wasps...
0:09:00 > 0:09:03..where Dr Seirian Sumner is on a self-confessed mission
0:09:03 > 0:09:06to spread love for them around the world.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11We know so much about bees - people generally know a lot about them -
0:09:11 > 0:09:13why do we know so little about wasps?
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Well, I think it comes down to the general dislike of them.
0:09:16 > 0:09:17TOM LAUGHS
0:09:17 > 0:09:19And the dislike of wasps is unfounded,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21but it all comes down to this one type of wasp -
0:09:21 > 0:09:24these social wasps, the yellow jackets that we get.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26So here is a queen and a worker.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28So it's normally the workers that you'll see
0:09:28 > 0:09:30bothering you at your picnics.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33They are very much the underappreciated insect.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35We know a huge amount about bees.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39We don't really understand much about the role of wasps
0:09:39 > 0:09:40in the environment.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43But what we do know is that they are important predators.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46So we need to know a little bit more about that.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49There's so much that isn't known about wasps,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52from just how many there are to what they're eating.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54We do know, though,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56in the UK, there's a huge variety of species.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01The social wasps, we get around about eight species,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05but there are several thousand species of parasitic wasps.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08The parasitic wasps are the tiny little ones
0:10:08 > 0:10:10that look generally like flies.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13And I'd certainly never dreamt of this one...
0:10:13 > 0:10:15So this is a spider-hunting wasp.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17We do actually get these types in the UK.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- Sorry, I've never heard of that before...- Yeah.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21- ..I'm just liking the name.- Yeah!
0:10:21 > 0:10:22Some people maybe hate spiders
0:10:22 > 0:10:25even more than wasps, so there are wasps that kill spiders -
0:10:25 > 0:10:27- how good is that?- I don't know if I am learning to love wasps any more,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30but I'm certainly getting a fascination for them
0:10:30 > 0:10:32having seen all this, which is absolutely brilliant.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Yeah, they've got an incredible biodiversity
0:10:34 > 0:10:36which we really underappreciate.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Wasps are every bit as complex
0:10:38 > 0:10:42and fascinating as bees and face the same threats from insecticides,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45land use and climate change,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48but they don't have beekeepers trying to protect them...
0:10:48 > 0:10:50But why should WE care?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52What have wasps ever done for us?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57I really love wasps.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59I mean, what is there not to like about them?
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Someone who's been mad about bugs since he was a boy
0:11:02 > 0:11:04and is hoping to convert all of us
0:11:04 > 0:11:07is naturalist and TV presenter Nick Baker.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Well, just at the basic aesthetic level, they are stunning insects.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14They're beautiful. But if you want to look at sort of,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16you know, pragmatic reasons to like them,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19they are superb pollinators, for example.
0:11:19 > 0:11:20So early-season fruits,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23quite a lot of our wild flowers - if you like your daffodils,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26they are almost solely pollinated by wasps. That's really important.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29And there is another reason that gardeners should love them,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31which is pest control.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33They will systematically work your garden.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34So I've got an allotment
0:11:34 > 0:11:36and it's occasionally plagued by various pests -
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- I should welcome a wasp nest? - You certainly should.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41I mean, they're brilliant. It's proven that if you've
0:11:41 > 0:11:43got a wasp nest in your garden, all those classic garden pests,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45all their numbers are severely reduced.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47You're beginning to talk me round here.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Come on, we've got a live nest up here.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52So we can get quite close, as long as we don't
0:11:52 > 0:11:54get in the way of the flight paths.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56- I'm standing behind you. - I'd noticed that, yeah.
0:11:56 > 0:11:57Are we safe to be this close?
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Wasps will not go out their way to sting you,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03despite the stories, the horror stories, that we often hear.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05It's an expensive thing to do because they have to
0:12:05 > 0:12:08make the venom inside their own bodies.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09The most dangerous thing here
0:12:09 > 0:12:11- is actually the brambles and the thistles. - TOM LAUGHS
0:12:11 > 0:12:14If the brambles and thistles weren't here, I could lie right next
0:12:14 > 0:12:16to the entrance hole and the wasp would go right past.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19If I changed and stood in front of it, then I would be in trouble.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Standing to one side will avoid aggravating a nest,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25but I'd still recommend you give them a wider berth.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Most of their nests are out of sight, underground or in trees,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32so you don't normally get to see just how amazing they are.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36These wasps are recycling deadwood fibre.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39And you may be familiar with seeing wasps scraping fence posts
0:12:39 > 0:12:41or even your garden furniture.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43What they're doing is harvesting the wood fibres,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45mixing it with wasp saliva,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47then taking it back to the nest and laying it down.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49And you can see each stripe of colour there
0:12:49 > 0:12:51represents a different source of deadwood.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Inside, there's lots of layers, like a cake,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55and you've got those lovely hexagonal cells.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Inside there, the egg would be laid
0:12:57 > 0:12:59and the grub will spend its entire life
0:12:59 > 0:13:00until it emerges as an adult wasp.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04At this time of year, as nests start to die off,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06there are no more grubs to feed
0:13:06 > 0:13:08and the worker wasps have very little to do.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12What we're seeing now is all these sort of out-of-work workforce,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14effectively, and they're basically
0:13:14 > 0:13:16just going out and having a good time.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17They're going for sweet stuff,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19they're making a little bit of a pain of themselves.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22And that's when they become a little bit irritating to us?
0:13:22 > 0:13:23Yes, and that's when we tend to notice them.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Gathering data on these redundant wasps is where you come in,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30with a brand-new citizen science project.
0:13:32 > 0:13:33Love them or hate them,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37there's no doubt that wasps play a big part both in our gardens
0:13:37 > 0:13:42and beyond, so I'm surprised that so little is known about them.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45And that's why we need your help.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49This is your chance to contribute to the first-ever national wasp survey.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53The Big Wasp Survey is the brainchild
0:13:53 > 0:13:55of Dr Seirian Sumner at UCL
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and the University of Gloucestershire.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01It will take a snapshot of their populations
0:14:01 > 0:14:03across the country over the next seven days.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08You can get involved in your own back garden, and here's how.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10So what do you want people to do for The Big Wasp Survey?
0:14:10 > 0:14:13We'd like them to make a very simple wasp trap
0:14:13 > 0:14:17and hang it up in their garden, and then send us their wasps.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18OK, so how do we do that?
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Well, all you need is a bottle.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24And what we're going to do is we're going to cut the top off...
0:14:28 > 0:14:31..to make two small, little holes.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32And then we get a bit of string.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35That's just going through that crack, is it?
0:14:35 > 0:14:36Yeah, exactly -
0:14:36 > 0:14:39you just tie it through that crack.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Put your funnel back in the top.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48About half a can of lager in the bottom,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50so about 200ml.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52- That's ready to go? The wasps... - That's all you need to do.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- ..should be flooding in? - They will flood into that.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57So wasps ARE going to die in the name of science -
0:14:57 > 0:14:58does that bother you at all?
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Not really, because the wasps that we're capturing in these traps
0:15:01 > 0:15:04are the workers, and they are not going to reproduce.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07And the colonies at the beginning of September
0:15:07 > 0:15:09are very much at the end of their life.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12So the wasps are going to die in a couple of weeks anyway.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14The impact that these traps are going to have
0:15:14 > 0:15:16on wasp populations will be negligible.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18So why do you want people to actually trap wasps?
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Particularly in the UK, we know that we have eight species,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24but we have very little information on where they are in the country.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28And we hope to be able to build a map of species abundance
0:15:28 > 0:15:31across the UK for the different social wasps.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40There we go. Ours is done, it's over to you.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Now, if, like me, you've ever been stung by a wasp,
0:15:43 > 0:15:44you know it really hurts.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47But, for some people, it can actually be fatal.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50So if you're tempted to join in The Big Wasp Survey,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52here's some really important safety advice.
0:15:58 > 0:15:59The trap will attract wasps
0:15:59 > 0:16:03so make sure you hang it in a spot away from people and pets,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05and be aware of your neighbours' spaces, too.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12Make sure your funnel is not touching the liquid in the trap,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14as this would allow the wasps an escape path.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20To minimise the risk from live wasps in the trap,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24empty it later in the evening when wasps are no longer active.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27And if you see movement in your trap, leave it a further 12 hours.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Use a sieve to collect the wasps and wrap them in foil...
0:16:38 > 0:16:42..then, freeze to ensure they are dead before handling them.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Even a dead wasp's sting still contains venom,
0:16:45 > 0:16:48so wear rubber gloves to ensure safe handling.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50Now, it's very important,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53if you have any doubt or history of allergies,
0:16:53 > 0:16:55then just don't take part.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58You can find full safety details on our website,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01along with where to send your wasps.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04You've got the next seven days to do it,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07and full results will be online from next year.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10The more of you that take part, the more we can learn
0:17:10 > 0:17:12about a creature that maybe we should consider our friend,
0:17:12 > 0:17:14not our foe.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20One of the busiest areas at harvest time is East Anglia,
0:17:20 > 0:17:24where Margherita is on the hunt for a salad staple.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28The Fens of Norfolk.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36A flat landscape reclaimed from the sea, tamed and drained by man.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Endless acres of farmland so fertile
0:17:41 > 0:17:45the Fens have often been described as one giant growbag.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50And it's all down to this - peat.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53And it's helped one crop thrive in this part of the country -
0:17:53 > 0:17:55the little red radish.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00It is said that the radish was once so prized it was given as wages
0:18:00 > 0:18:03to ancient Egyptian labourers building the pyramids.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Today, though, this humble vegetable
0:18:07 > 0:18:10has been relegated to nothing more than a bit on the side.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15But believe it or not, this vegetable grows
0:18:15 > 0:18:17eight metres below sea level here.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21And it goes from this tiny seed to this
0:18:21 > 0:18:24in just 25 days.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Not only are they speedy growers,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30they're also the first of our salad vegetables to be ready to pick.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32It's what attracted Scott Watson,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36who left his Scottish sheep farm for a life of veg in Norfolk.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- So, Scott, you're thriving here... - Mm-hm.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43- ..the radish are thriving here... - Absolutely.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46..what is it about this soil they love so much?
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Its ability to hold moisture in really dry conditions,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53but it is also free-draining in really extreme weather conditions.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55So if I got that in my garden centre,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- I'd be paying a fair whack for that? - Yeah, you would.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00- That's literally black gold. - SHE LAUGHS
0:19:00 > 0:19:02It also gives radish a beautiful skin finish.
0:19:02 > 0:19:03There's no stones, very smooth.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06It's really, really, really good.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- You can see the really smooth skin. - Gorgeous.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13- It's, like, glowing with health, isn't it?- It is, absolutely.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16And, radish, it's not just for the summer season and salads?
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I would know, radish has huge health benefits.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22It's full of vitamin C, potassium,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24folic acid, iron.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26It's really, really healthy.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- So a little nugget of pure health? - Little nugget of pure health, yeah.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31And one radish, one calorie.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- Pick me a bunch! - THEY LAUGH
0:19:34 > 0:19:37And Scott tells me that the hotter the weather, the hotter the radish.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42- Is that going to be quite peppery, or...- That'll be fairly peppery,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46- I would think, yeah. - It's going to have a kick to it?
0:19:46 > 0:19:49And how much would you be harvesting in a good week?
0:19:49 > 0:19:51In a good week, in a strong week this year,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54we've harvested up to 400 tonnes... in a strong week.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57We'll average about 280 tonnes at this time of year, so...
0:19:57 > 0:20:00400 tonnes, I'm guessing you're not picking that all by hand?
0:20:00 > 0:20:04No, no, we've got a specialised big boys' toy for that.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06THEY LAUGH
0:20:06 > 0:20:09There's one bit of kit that's Scott's pride and joy...
0:20:10 > 0:20:12..a modified potato harvester...
0:20:14 > 0:20:16..and I'm getting to ride shotgun.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21- Fantastic.- I'll leave you in Sam's capable hands.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- Hi, Sam.- Hi.- Great
0:20:29 > 0:20:32As the harvest begins, I've got a front-row seat.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36From here, you can see just how the cushioned belt gently shakes
0:20:36 > 0:20:37the radishes as they move up,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40ensuring that they don't get scuffed.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50It's amazing to see how this huge machine handles
0:20:50 > 0:20:52such a tiny crop to prevent damage.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04It is incredible how these machines have been designed down to the
0:21:04 > 0:21:07tiniest detail to ensure that farmers like Scott
0:21:07 > 0:21:10can not only harvest on a gigantic scale,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13but the food that they bring us arrives on our plates
0:21:13 > 0:21:15in perfect condition.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26From washing down tonnes of freshly cut radishes...
0:21:28 > 0:21:30..to sorting and grading...
0:21:31 > 0:21:36..nearly 1.5 million packs are processed each week.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Packing manager Andrei Kostukovich is showing me how it's done.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45So how much is technology helping you on this production line?
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Yeah, the technology is key because
0:21:47 > 0:21:49the sales goes up and up on the radish.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51It's growing every year.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Without technology, we would never achieve
0:21:53 > 0:21:55what we're achieving in the moment.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00This year, by putting additional line, and improved line,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04we are actually able to achieve these volumes.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07The belt is well-designed to actually make sure
0:22:07 > 0:22:09that radish rotates.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12So you can see from all the sides. It's not a flat belt.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14So when I find a damaged radish
0:22:14 > 0:22:17and it's going in this waste shoot, where does that go?
0:22:17 > 0:22:19It goes to the... Back to the field
0:22:19 > 0:22:22as a fertiliser for the future crops.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25As well, we have got our electric EG plant,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28which we put a load there to mix with other products
0:22:28 > 0:22:30to create an energy for this place.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Technology makes sure that nothing is wasted from the radish harvest.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Once they have made the grade,
0:22:42 > 0:22:43they are packed and labelled
0:22:43 > 0:22:46before being boxed up and shipped out to the supermarket shelves.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51From seed to salad in less than a month.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00I've seen how they're harvested.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Now, it's time to sample the goods.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- We'll have a wee cup of tea, I think.- Oh, thanks for that.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11And what's this about Scott's way of eating radish?
0:23:11 > 0:23:13What's the...? What's your recipe?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Well, my preference is a little bit of oil,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17a bit of vinegar, and a bit of salt.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18I hope you like it.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- Oil, vinegar and salt? - And salt, yeah.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22That's probably the number of ingredients I can cope with
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- in any dish.- I think so, on any one day.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26THEY LAUGH
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Where shall I start? Which one?
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- Anywhere you like.- OK.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Oh.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36- Fresh.- Lovely. Fresh from the field.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- Mind if I have another? - No, help yourself.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40I'll try them all.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42I think I might eat you out of house and home here.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Please try...by all means.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55The humble radish is often considered just a bit on the side.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59But after my time here today, I think this is one little crop
0:23:59 > 0:24:01to add real sass to your salad drawer.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11In a few weeks' time, top shepherding talent
0:24:11 > 0:24:15from all our four nations will gather together for just one day,
0:24:15 > 0:24:16and they'll be battling it out
0:24:16 > 0:24:21to be crowned Countryfile One Man and His Dog champions.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24And Adam has been to meet the first of our contenders.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Over the next two weeks, I will be checking in on the shepherding teams
0:24:29 > 0:24:31preparing for one of sheepdog trialling's
0:24:31 > 0:24:35most prestigious titles - Countryfile's One Man and His Dog.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41First stop is Team England, where pride is most definitely at stake
0:24:41 > 0:24:45as the reigning champions do battle to retain their title.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48And down in Dartmoor is the singles competitor Jed Watson
0:24:48 > 0:24:50with his dog, Zac.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54HE WHISTLES
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Apart from a handful of years, I've been on Dartmoor most of my life.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05It's a place you love.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08It gets into you. It's infectious.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14Dartmoor can be hard working country for dogs.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15The terrain falls away
0:25:15 > 0:25:19and there is so much hidden ground that you can't see.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22And these sheep what run here 12 months of the year
0:25:22 > 0:25:26know every little nook and cranny that they can drop down into.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31That's why you've got to have a dog looking and thinking for itself.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Having worked with dogs from a young age,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Jed knows exactly what he's looking for.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I've been training dogs since I was a boy.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42HE WHISTLES
0:25:42 > 0:25:44I started with me father.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Seemed to get on better with dogs than anything else, to be honest.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55I have 15 dogs at the moment.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58It sounds a lot, but the work is demanding.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I'm always looking to keep a good flow of dogs through.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07It keeps me training, and I don't get lazy
0:26:07 > 0:26:10and keep using the older dog what I know can do it.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13You've got to take the youngster,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17and he gets the experience to do the work from what he's bred to do.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20With so many dogs, Jed is spoilt for choice,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24but it's champion Zac he'll be running with on the day.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Zac, what makes him different?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29He has won a tremendous lot of trials for me.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34He was the top driving nursery dog in the West Country.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Then, he went on and won the biggest accolade he could
0:26:37 > 0:26:38in the English National.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42I got left with him.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Nobody wanted him as a two-year-old dog.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47But I've worked hard with him,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50and kept polishing and polishing him,
0:26:50 > 0:26:51and he has come right.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Zac's a dog Jed believed in when no-one else would.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58- JED:- Good!
0:26:58 > 0:27:01He is convinced they could be a winning combination
0:27:01 > 0:27:02for this competition.
0:27:04 > 0:27:0815 years ago, a good farm dog could do both,
0:27:08 > 0:27:12but now you've got to have a little bit more in a tiptop trial dog
0:27:12 > 0:27:13than just a farm dog.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19When I walk to that post, I want to win.
0:27:19 > 0:27:20Come.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25But Jed and Zac are only half the story.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34300 miles north, in Lancaster, is Jed's team-mate...
0:27:34 > 0:27:36HE WHISTLES
0:27:38 > 0:27:41..and he will be showing off a skill that's a first for Countryfile's
0:27:41 > 0:27:42One Man and His Dog.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44He'll be using not just one dog, but two.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48And it's a common practice up here in the hills.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50And in competition, it's known as the brace.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57I've come to meet brace competitor Tom Huddlestone as he gathers
0:27:57 > 0:27:58sheep off the moor,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00not with one, but two dogs,
0:28:00 > 0:28:01called Ola and Nessy.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Shepherding often relies on teamwork.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07And with big jobs like this,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10a gang of shepherds often come together to help out.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12- Tom, hi.- Hi.- Goodness me,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- I've caught you at a busy time. - Just looks like it, yes, yes.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Very busy. I'm tired, the dogs are tired.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21- So what's going on here, then? - We're just bringing the sheep
0:28:21 > 0:28:24down from the fell and we're bringing them down
0:28:24 > 0:28:28into the pens around the farm to separate the lambs from the sheep.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- They're weaning them. - And who have you got here, then?
0:28:30 > 0:28:31This is Ness, that's Ola,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33and they're half brother and sister.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34And how old is Ness?
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Ness is about two-and-a-half, something like that.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39- And Ola?- He's about five.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41- So can I help? Pop down to the road and turn them the right way?- Yeah.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44If you turn them the right way down there on the road,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46make sure they head back to the farm, not towards Lancaster...
0:28:46 > 0:28:48- ADAM LAUGHS - ..that would be really useful.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Right, no pressure. Hope I get that right. OK.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52OK, thanks. I'll send my dog.
0:28:55 > 0:29:00Sheep like this have been living out on these hills for generations
0:29:00 > 0:29:02and know that this is the way home.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25Tom's got two cracking dogs in Ola and Nessy,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28but what I'm keen to see is how they'll fare on a trial field.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30So Tom's going to put them
0:29:30 > 0:29:32through their paces to demonstrate brace handling.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35TOM WHISTLES
0:29:35 > 0:29:37- So I obviously don't understand those whistles...- No.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40- ..but they're separate whistles for both dogs?- Yeah.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43- Exactly.- And so your right-hand whistle for Ola?
0:29:43 > 0:29:45WHISTLE
0:29:45 > 0:29:47- And stop. - WHISTLE
0:29:47 > 0:29:49And right for Ness?
0:29:49 > 0:29:50WHISTLE
0:29:50 > 0:29:52And stop.
0:29:52 > 0:29:53WHISTLE
0:29:53 > 0:29:55- ADAM LAUGHS - Brilliant.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58You see, I get really confused just working one dog,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00remembering my left and right.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03But you're doing two commands for two dogs.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Yeah, and it's even more complicated when the sheep are coming toward you
0:30:05 > 0:30:08cos then you have to turn it around in your head, as well.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10It's like anything else, the more you practice,
0:30:10 > 0:30:12the more, like working on the hill, it's easy.
0:30:12 > 0:30:13You don't have to think about it, you know.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16And what's different technically, then,
0:30:16 > 0:30:19when you're working a brace rather than a single dog on a trial?
0:30:19 > 0:30:22It's important that... Not just only that the sheep are moving
0:30:22 > 0:30:23in the right direction,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26but that both dogs are actually working the sheep together.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28Doesn't mean they're always perfectly
0:30:28 > 0:30:32symmetrical behind the sheep, what isn't acceptable is one dog
0:30:32 > 0:30:36doing all the work and the other one just lying back and doing nothing.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39There's a lot of pressure this year because England hold the title.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41- Yes.- Are you going to be able to retain it?
0:30:41 > 0:30:42Erm...
0:30:42 > 0:30:45I've absolutely no idea, is the honest answer.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47We'll do our best and if my little bitch runs well,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49then probably everything's going to be all right.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51The dog's very, very predictable,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54the bitch is less, less predictable.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56How do you fancy your chances?
0:30:56 > 0:30:57Uh...
0:30:57 > 0:30:59I think I'll come at least fourth.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05- Oh, well, good luck.- Thank you. - It's been great to see you.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07- Thank you, Andy. Thank you. - All the best.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11So, representing England from the north and the south west,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14two shepherds miles apart, but with one common purpose.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Hoping to retain the One Man and His Dog title for England -
0:31:19 > 0:31:22in the brace, Tom Huddleston with his dogs, Ola and Nessy.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27And 2016 England Singles Champion,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29Jed Watson, and his dog, Zac.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39I am in Oxfordshire on the Bennett family farm,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42a small-scale operation with big ambitions.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48Alongside the usual produce grows a very special crop.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52One not seen in British fields for more than a century.
0:31:54 > 0:31:59Antique strains of rye are being used to make heritage gin
0:31:59 > 0:32:04and taking it from grain to glass is distiller Tom Nicolson.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06- Tom. Hello. - Hello, John, please to meet you.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08I see the combine has beaten me to it.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10- Yeah, harvest waits for no man, I'm afraid.- No.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13All your rye has been gathered in from this field.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Yeah, this is the last field, as well, for us,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17we've got around 100 acres all around Oxford
0:32:17 > 0:32:18and this is the last one.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22And what is so special about the rye that grows in fields like this?
0:32:22 > 0:32:25All of this stuff is pre-1914, so all of those really
0:32:25 > 0:32:29interesting grains are all part of what this field is made up of.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32These grains from before the days of hybrids were
0:32:32 > 0:32:35hunted down across the globe.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38They're the remarkable survivors that predate
0:32:38 > 0:32:41the techniques of modern industrial farming.
0:32:41 > 0:32:42Here in Oxfordshire,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45up to 40 strains were thrown together
0:32:45 > 0:32:49to grow, cross pollinate and take their chances organically.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53Does it taste differently from other rye?
0:32:53 > 0:32:55Well, my feeling is that, yes, it does.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57And it's very good for making gin.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00It makes lovely gin.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02It's believed that Tom's distillery
0:33:02 > 0:33:05is the only one in the world using such ancient grains
0:33:05 > 0:33:07to create spirits.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09And I'll be seeing how it's done later on.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12But now, a quick reminder.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Don't forget that voting in this year's Countryfile
0:33:15 > 0:33:18photographic competition ends at midnight tonight,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21so if you want to choose your favourite,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23you can vote either online or by phone
0:33:23 > 0:33:26and here are the all-important numbers.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30If Winter Wanderers is your favourite, call...
0:33:35 > 0:33:38To vote for A Little Love
0:33:38 > 0:33:40dial the same number with O2 at the end.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49If Solitude gets your vote, add an 03.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57For Twin Beaks, the last digits are 04.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05To vote for Down Time, call...
0:34:12 > 0:34:14For Dandelion King, it's 06.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24To opt for First Flight, you'll need to dial 07 at the end.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34If Flutter By gets your vote, add 08.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41For Dark Horse, it's 09.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50If Caught Napping takes your fancy, add 10.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59For Highland Majesty, add 11.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09And, finally, for Leap Of Faith, add 12.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Calls cost 10p plus your network's access charge
0:35:21 > 0:35:24and you can also vote free on our website.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30The website also contains a full list of the photos and their phone
0:35:30 > 0:35:33numbers, together with the terms and conditions for the competition.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40And the vote closes at midnight tonight.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Please don't call or click after then,
0:35:45 > 0:35:48as your vote won't be counted and you may be charged.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52And if you're watching on demand then the vote may
0:35:52 > 0:35:53have already closed.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Earlier, Adam met the English team hoping to
0:36:00 > 0:36:04retain the title in this year's One Man and His Dog.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06Now, he's heading north of the border
0:36:06 > 0:36:08to meet the Scottish contenders.
0:36:12 > 0:36:18Scotland's rugged mountains, vast lochs and sheltered glens.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22It's in this ancient landscape that true grit is tested
0:36:22 > 0:36:23and champions can be made.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28This year's Scottish team hail from the southern part of the country
0:36:28 > 0:36:30and are both national champions.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33First up, I'm in Ayrshire meeting man-and-dog team
0:36:33 > 0:36:36representing Scotland in the singles competition.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42Neil Gillon and his dog, Sweep,
0:36:42 > 0:36:46were 2016's Scottish national champions,
0:36:46 > 0:36:47bringing the trophy back to Ayrshire
0:36:47 > 0:36:50for the first time in more than 30 years.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55I'm meeting Neil on one of the many farms he works
0:36:55 > 0:36:57as a contract shepherd.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- Hi.- Hi, how you doing? - Good to see you.- Good, good.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03- You've got to be fit working in these hills.- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07I'm all right, my quad's round the corner.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09So you're contract shepherding on a number of different farms.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Yes, that's right.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15On this farm, I'm looking after 650 breeding ewes
0:37:15 > 0:37:18and just up the valley here, there's about 1,800 ewes.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21So how do you have time for trialling?
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Well, I don't really train my dogs for the trials,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26they just usually come off their work Saturday morning
0:37:26 > 0:37:28away to a trial and that's it.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31I seem to get on OK doing that.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33And when you're working with lots of different flocks,
0:37:33 > 0:37:34does that help you, do you think?
0:37:34 > 0:37:36I think it does because when you're working
0:37:36 > 0:37:38with your own sheep all the time, you know them.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41So when you go away to other sheep, they react different.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44So it sharpens your mind up and sharpens the dog up, as well.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47If they're a bit difficult, then you need to have sheep senses,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49- we talk about.- Yeah. So where are you heading with these?
0:37:49 > 0:37:51We're just going to take them down to farm.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54The lambs are getting big now, so they need to be off their mothers.
0:37:54 > 0:37:55- So we'll just take them down.- Great.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58- Well, I'll walk down with you. - Good.- Good.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Down on the farm, Neil's niece and grandchildren
0:38:05 > 0:38:08are in the pens, ready to help herd the sheep.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11So, Ross, tell me, how well do you think your grandad's going to
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- get on in the One Man and His Dog competition?- Good.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15- Very good.- Yeah.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18- Do you think he might win?- Yeah.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20And do you fancy working sheepdogs one day?
0:38:20 > 0:38:23I think I might just be a footballer.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26A bit more money in football.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29- Yeah.- And do you think this One Man and His Dog competition
0:38:29 > 0:38:30is quite important to him?
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Yeah, I think it's really important to him.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34And how do you fancy his chances?
0:38:34 > 0:38:36I think his chances are high.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Sweep's a dog Neil's very proud of,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43having brought him up and trained him from a pup.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46He was a bit fiery in his early years,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48but he's starting to settle down.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50WHISTLE
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Is the clarity of that whistle very important?
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Definitely is for the like of that dog, it's so keen.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00If you try to do it too quiet and nice, you know,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02he would miss a whistle.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05You know, you've really got to be hard on your commands with him
0:39:05 > 0:39:07- to keep him talking.- Yeah.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10And how is he different to some of these trialling dogs that are,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12you know, just used for trialling, rather than farm work?
0:39:12 > 0:39:15With him, there's always a little bit of tension in the sheep.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18He wants to push, he wants to come forward and the sheep know that.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21The sheep are as good at reading dogs,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23than dogs are at reading sheep.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26Do you think the dog feels the pressure as much as you do
0:39:26 > 0:39:27when you're in a competition?
0:39:27 > 0:39:31I think maybe you put the pressure onto the dog.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32If you're nervous,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35then the dog gets a little bit uptight.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38How important is it, this One Man and His Dog competition?
0:39:38 > 0:39:40If you've got a competition
0:39:40 > 0:39:43between England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, there's always...
0:39:43 > 0:39:45You know, you want to win.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47It's quite a big thing.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50One Man and His Dog is, you know, famous the world over.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53So to do well in it is a feather in your cap.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56Yeah. And it's obviously with the England team at the moment.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58Oh, we'll soon sort them out.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Well, I think he's a magnificent-looking dog
0:40:02 > 0:40:04and you've certainly got him beautifully under control.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09- You've got every chance. - Cheers, thanks very much.- Good luck.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11With Neil's cool head and Sweep's keen eye,
0:40:11 > 0:40:15the Scots look ready to set the pace in a singles competition.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19But of course, Neil and Sweep at only half of team Scotland.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23The other half of the Scottish team is 140 miles north in Perthshire.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Glen Lyon, described by Sir Walter Scott
0:40:27 > 0:40:29as the loveliest glen in Scotland.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33It's also well-known for producing sheepdog trialling champions.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Two international winners live there.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37One of whom is this year's brace competitor.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Hoping to bring the title back this year is Peter Martin
0:40:43 > 0:40:48with his two bitches, sisters Jill and Jen.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50Peter's something of a One Man and His Dog veteran,
0:40:50 > 0:40:54appearing in 2010 when Scotland won the competition.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57But he's not the only trialling champion in the family.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Two year ago, it was my son Stephen and me.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03I won the Scottish National brace and he was second.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07So a month later, we went to Dumfries for the international
0:41:07 > 0:41:10and the places were completely changed,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13he ended up being first and I was second.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16I would say there was slight gloating out of it.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Peter works on an estate with 1,100 sheep
0:41:23 > 0:41:25in some demanding, but stunning terrain.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29It's a really lovely glen, Glen Lyon.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32It's the longest glen in Scotland.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33There's a lot of history.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37It's not been a great summer, weather-wise.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42The shearing's a bit behind schedule.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Because of the mist in the hills and the sheep being wet
0:41:45 > 0:41:48and, everybody, we're at least two weeks behind.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Sisters Jill and Jen will be trialling in this year's brace.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Jill's the better of the two.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03She loves dog trialling and she's faster and more obedient.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06But Jen, she's the better working dog.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08And that... Even though they're sisters,
0:42:08 > 0:42:11they're completely different.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Jen. Stand. Stand.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17They've got to get on with each other
0:42:17 > 0:42:18and got to be a bit compatible.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21No jealousy.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24They pair kind of work not too badly.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26I think it's maybe cos they're sisters and they're the same age.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31You've got to keep the momentum going,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34you can't have one dog doing all the work and the other doing nothing.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36The judges are going to take points off that
0:42:36 > 0:42:40cos it's a brace and they've both got to work.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42So will this sister act help Peter win a second
0:42:42 > 0:42:45One Man and His Dog title for Scotland?
0:42:45 > 0:42:49We'll just play it by ear on the day, do our best.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52I'd be very, very happy if I did win it.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56So there you have it -
0:42:56 > 0:42:57representing team Scotland,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01singles competitor Neil Gillon and his dog, Sweep.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06And in the brace, sheep dog trialling veteran Peter Martin
0:43:06 > 0:43:08with sisters Jill and Jen.
0:43:12 > 0:43:17From fertile fields to fruitful orchards.
0:43:17 > 0:43:18I'm in Kent.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21This time of year, it's a landscape bursting with colour.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27But alongside the traditional fruits,
0:43:27 > 0:43:29there's a new crop ripe for the picking.
0:43:30 > 0:43:31Here on one farm,
0:43:31 > 0:43:35a touch of the Med has found its way to these fields here in Kent.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37Where a family of traditional fruit growers
0:43:37 > 0:43:41is trying their hand at something a little bit more exotic.
0:43:41 > 0:43:42Apricots.
0:43:45 > 0:43:49The Bardsleys have been filling the UK's fruit bowls with apples,
0:43:49 > 0:43:53pears and plums for 125 years.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57But a few years ago, they planted a trial orchard of apricot trees
0:43:57 > 0:44:00that were specially developed for the UK climate.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04After a career in the forces,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07son Ben returned to work on the family farm.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12And how did you as a family decide on apricots as your next crop?
0:44:12 > 0:44:15- Is this a first? - Well, we're one of the first.
0:44:15 > 0:44:16Not THE first, but one of the first.
0:44:16 > 0:44:20My father pioneered this seven years ago.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22He conceived the idea with some partners of ours.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24We approached one of the major retailers,
0:44:24 > 0:44:26pitched them our idea and they loved it, so we then went about
0:44:26 > 0:44:29finding the right site and I think that's the most important thing.
0:44:29 > 0:44:33And were you confident that they could grow in Britain?
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Because I always think apricots, Spain, France.
0:44:35 > 0:44:36Yeah, it was a risk. It was a massive risk.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39The weather trends said that it could work, but that's data on a
0:44:39 > 0:44:42spreadsheet and not necessarily the actuals of actually growing fruit.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45Which, at the best of times, is quite variable.
0:44:45 > 0:44:46And how has it been going?
0:44:46 > 0:44:48Last year, we had horrendous weather.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51Didn't get the pollination and we had about a 10% apricot crop.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54This year, we're back up to roughly 90-100%,
0:44:54 > 0:44:56but we're really pleased with the quality and the colour this year.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58So things are looking good?
0:44:58 > 0:45:01They look good, but it's not yet done and we'll see.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03Ask me in five years' time and we'll see what the verdict is on apricots.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06But, as I say, we have a good chance of getting it right.
0:45:07 > 0:45:08For now, though,
0:45:08 > 0:45:12the apricots are making the most of this hillside location.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15Basking in the summer sunshine.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17It's like Costa Del Kent.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19A perfect site for the fruit to flourish.
0:45:23 > 0:45:27There are 6,000 apricots trees here in this orchard
0:45:27 > 0:45:31and they'll produce two million apricots,
0:45:31 > 0:45:35each of those hand-picked and checked on the spot.
0:45:36 > 0:45:40Knowing how to grow an apricot in Britain takes some skill
0:45:40 > 0:45:43and the success of this crop is very much down to the expertise
0:45:43 > 0:45:47of Ben's dad, Nigel.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49- Hi, Nigel.- Hello there, how are you? - It's great to see you.
0:45:49 > 0:45:54- Welcome to Kent.- Oh, my goodness, this crop is stunning.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56Well, I'm very pleased with them.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58Sometimes you forget you're in Kent when you see this crop.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01So beautiful, I can hardly take my eyes off it.
0:46:01 > 0:46:02It didn't start like this, though.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05No. We dreamt of having a crop like this seven years ago.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07But it took a lot of research, a lot of visits to France.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09And through all your research,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11what did you discover about the perfect conditions
0:46:11 > 0:46:13- to grow apricots in the UK? - There were three areas.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15We had to have free-draining ground,
0:46:15 > 0:46:16we had to have a warm site,
0:46:16 > 0:46:18so that's why we're on a south-facing slope
0:46:18 > 0:46:20and it had to be frost-free.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22Nigel, the colour of this harvest is amazing.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25These apricots, the red against the orange.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27- Is this a special variety?- No.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29But this is a variety that does colour up.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32But because of our weather, our difference between temperatures
0:46:32 > 0:46:34between day and night, it gives us a better red colour.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37My mouth is literally watering just looking at these.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39How do you know when they're ready to harvest?
0:46:39 > 0:46:41We're looking at the orange background,
0:46:41 > 0:46:43the redness and the size.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45And if it's got a little give with it,
0:46:45 > 0:46:48we can cut it open like this, I can give you that.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51And I can have that. And a customer does this...
0:46:51 > 0:46:53- Straight from the tree. - And enjoy it.
0:46:56 > 0:46:58- Wow.- And some people have even said,
0:46:58 > 0:47:00"I didn't know apricots actually tasted like this."
0:47:00 > 0:47:03Yeah, it's sort of memories of how they used to taste.
0:47:03 > 0:47:04That's right, that's right.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06Pure sunshine, that.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09- You'll be wanting another one, won't you?- Yeah.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16I'm doing this the wrong way round - I should earn my reward.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20So Nigel's showing me the tricks of the hand-picking trade.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22I thought you might like to have a go at picking these.
0:47:22 > 0:47:24So what you have to do is just twist them off, not pull them off,
0:47:24 > 0:47:26- like that.- Yeah.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28And you just place them into the thing.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30Then you get the occasional one
0:47:30 > 0:47:32where you can see it's been cracked by rain.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34- Rain's done that? - Rain has done that.
0:47:34 > 0:47:35So it's been cracked.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37So that's no good, so we have to put them onto the floor.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39- Just a simple twist?- Simple twist.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46When you're actually picking them, they're actually clicking off,
0:47:46 > 0:47:48so you can hear the clicking, so they're coming off easy.
0:47:48 > 0:47:50If they were really tough and pulling,
0:47:50 > 0:47:53they wouldn't be ready, so you can see that by how they're picking.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57And this crop today, Nigel, how much are you going to be harvesting?
0:47:57 > 0:47:59I hope to harvest about eight or nine tonne today.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01- Eight or nine tonnes?!- Yeah.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03And how many would I be picking of those?
0:48:03 > 0:48:05Not many, compared to what the picker is...
0:48:05 > 0:48:06Flavius, come up.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08That's nine kilos.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10In the same time that I've done that much?
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Yes. Thank you, Flavius.
0:48:13 > 0:48:14So I got to work on the technique a little bit.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17- You need to be a bit quicker.- OK!
0:48:17 > 0:48:19Shall I help you?
0:48:19 > 0:48:20I might need a lot of help.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24I need to get working on my twist and click, I think.
0:48:37 > 0:48:39And after a hand-picked harvest,
0:48:39 > 0:48:42these juicy, ripe, ready-to-eat apricots
0:48:42 > 0:48:45are heading to the farm's pack house where old meets new.
0:48:54 > 0:48:58Over the years, the grading process has changed a lot here at the farm.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02From being sorted and picked by hand,
0:49:02 > 0:49:05the Bardsleys would send 200 crates a day to market.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10But now with technology on their side,
0:49:10 > 0:49:13the business delivers 10,000 crates
0:49:13 > 0:49:16to supermarkets and wholesalers across the country.
0:49:20 > 0:49:22When a hard day's work is done,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25three generations of the Bardsley family
0:49:25 > 0:49:27like to enjoy the fruits of their labour.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35I enjoy your popping in.
0:49:35 > 0:49:36There's three sorts.
0:49:40 > 0:49:41That one!
0:49:42 > 0:49:46For the Bardsleys, it's only their third apricot harvest,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49but after a bumper year, it's looking hopeful that British
0:49:49 > 0:49:53apricots could be a feature in our fruit bowls for many years to come.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58Well, the weather's been perfect for picking apricots today,
0:49:58 > 0:50:01but what does it have in store for the week ahead?
0:50:01 > 0:50:04Here's your all-important Countryfile forecast.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13Today, we're celebrating harvest across the country.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22The culmination of our farmers' hard work, all year round.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29A vast amount of the harvest feeds the nation,
0:51:29 > 0:51:34but what about those crops that are used to make a little tipple?
0:51:34 > 0:51:36I'm looking forward to this bit.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41This distillery is one of only a handful in the UK
0:51:41 > 0:51:44to produce its own industrial-strength spirit on site.
0:51:46 > 0:51:48And it's thought to be the only one in the world
0:51:48 > 0:51:51to use grains of heritage rye to do so.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Head alchemist is Tom Nicolson.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01Well, Tom, what a wonderful old barn, isn't it?
0:52:01 > 0:52:04- In a suburb of Oxford. - Yeah, it's great.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07It's an 18th-century threshing barn and it's very likely that the
0:52:07 > 0:52:11rye that we use today was the same kind of rye they used back then.
0:52:11 > 0:52:14And you actually mill the rye here, do you?
0:52:14 > 0:52:17Yeah, we mill it in this 1950s English-made roller mill
0:52:17 > 0:52:21that we found in a barn... A dusty old barn up in Bath.
0:52:21 > 0:52:22Wow. You rescued it.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26Yeah, lovingly restored and here we do the work.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32Milling or grinding the grain on site is the first
0:52:32 > 0:52:34stage of an impressive journey.
0:52:35 > 0:52:40It creates a sort of rye porridge that distillers call mash.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43It bubbles away in this extraordinary copper
0:52:43 > 0:52:48contraction, custom made for Tom and master distiller Cory Mason.
0:52:50 > 0:52:51Wow!
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Just look at that!
0:52:53 > 0:52:54Behold, Nautilus.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57It does look like something out of Jules Verne, doesn't it?
0:52:57 > 0:53:00Yeah, absolutely. Basically it's a big boiler.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03In fact, the guy who rebuilt the Flying Scotsman's boiler,
0:53:03 > 0:53:05the steam engine, built this.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07It's British craftsmanship at its best.
0:53:07 > 0:53:08Riveting everywhere.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11There's 1,000 rivets hand riveted into this beastie.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15We heat this up, vapour rises from the mash,
0:53:15 > 0:53:18this is water coming down and alcohol going up
0:53:18 > 0:53:19and every section it goes through,
0:53:19 > 0:53:21the alcohol gets stronger and stronger.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27After passing through Nautilus four times,
0:53:27 > 0:53:31the spirit emerges as pure as it's possible to make -
0:53:31 > 0:53:34an eye-watering 96% proof.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37Very few British gin makers go to the trouble
0:53:37 > 0:53:40of making their own base spirit like this.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44Obviously, that is too strong to drink.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Well, I wouldn't recommend it, that's for sure.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49So how do you... Gin's about, what? 40%, or something like that.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51Yeah, ours is 46% and the...
0:53:51 > 0:53:54What we would do with this is we would water it down
0:53:54 > 0:53:57and re-distil with our botanicals to get the flavour into the gin.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Is rye common for making gin?
0:53:59 > 0:54:01No, as far as I know, we're the only people in the UK
0:54:01 > 0:54:04and one of the only people in the world making gin out of rye.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07But the reason we do it again is the providence of the rye we have,
0:54:07 > 0:54:10but it's also the flavour you get from it,
0:54:10 > 0:54:13the little spicy notes and how it works with our still.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15You get a really nice, golden flavour from it.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18- Does it taste like gin? - It tastes like amazing gin.
0:54:18 > 0:54:19You'll have to try a bit of it.
0:54:21 > 0:54:26Classically, all British gin is infused with an exotic bounty,
0:54:26 > 0:54:28such as citrus peel from Spain...
0:54:32 > 0:54:35..wild juniper,
0:54:35 > 0:54:36liquorice root
0:54:36 > 0:54:39and other heady flavours from across the globe.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43What have we got in here?
0:54:43 > 0:54:46You've got juniper, you've got lemon peel, you've got orris,
0:54:46 > 0:54:49you got Angelica seed. There's little bit of liquorice in there.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51We have 12 botanics in it.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53Doesn't smell like gin, though.
0:54:54 > 0:54:55It will do.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58Once you leave it in the spirit for 24 hours,
0:54:58 > 0:54:59it really begins to smell like gin.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05Well, I'll have a taste in a minute.
0:55:10 > 0:55:14Heritage rye G&T is just one of the remarkable
0:55:14 > 0:55:17products of Britain's cereal harvest.
0:55:21 > 0:55:23And from apricots in Kent,
0:55:23 > 0:55:25to radishes from Norfolk,
0:55:25 > 0:55:30our farmers' hard work will grace all our tables at the end of this
0:55:30 > 0:55:32crucial time in the rural year.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39And I'm afraid that's all we've got time for today,
0:55:39 > 0:55:42but next week, Ellie will be on the Rame Peninsula in Cornwall
0:55:42 > 0:55:45at the UK's first-ever reserve for black bees.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49And if you haven't voted yet in our photographic competition,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52well, you've got until midnight tonight to do so
0:55:52 > 0:55:54and all the details are on the website.
0:55:54 > 0:55:58But for now, goodbye, and with a glass of rye gin,
0:55:58 > 0:56:02let's say all the best to Britain's farmers at harvest time.
0:56:02 > 0:56:04Let's hope it's a good one.