:00:27. > :00:29.From pretty villages to ancient woodland, canals
:00:30. > :00:35.and fertile farmland, Hertfordshire is a Home County steeped in history.
:00:36. > :00:40.When we moved to this place 18 months ago, this
:00:41. > :00:44.orchard of 16 trees was fruitful but in need of some love.
:00:45. > :00:47.So today, with the help of these burly surgeons,
:00:48. > :00:50.this gentleman here and that lot through there,
:00:51. > :00:55.we're hoping to return this place to its former glory.
:00:56. > :00:58.With its wide-open spaces and green landscapes,
:00:59. > :01:02.Hertfordshire is a county that inspires.
:01:03. > :01:04.The world-famous sculptor Henry Moore lived here for
:01:05. > :01:11.He adored the landscape and he also had a passion for the sheep,
:01:12. > :01:14.so much so that to this day they are allowed to graze around
:01:15. > :01:21.I'll be finding out more about Moore and his inspirations.
:01:22. > :01:26.Tom's investigating the rubbish side of country life.
:01:27. > :01:29.A secluded glade, perfect for wildlife
:01:30. > :01:35.We'll be investigating the cost to you
:01:36. > :01:38.and to the environment but also revealing the people
:01:39. > :01:42.who are no longer taking this lying down,
:01:43. > :01:48.Meanwhile, Adam's facing an uphill struggle.
:01:49. > :01:51.Today I'm helping to move some rare-breed sheep onto
:01:52. > :01:54.Castle Island down in Tintagel in Cornwall.
:01:55. > :01:57.We brought them up this path, over this wooden bridge
:01:58. > :02:00.and now they've made a dash for it up the side of the cliff.
:02:01. > :02:02.I'm not quite sure how we're going to get them down
:02:03. > :02:05.because there's still the worst bit to come which zigzags up
:02:06. > :02:16.the side of this cliff, onto the top of the island.
:02:17. > :02:21.a rural county less than an hour from central London.
:02:22. > :02:25.It has the Anglo-Saxons to thank for the name Hertford which
:02:26. > :02:28.roughly translated means deer crossing water.
:02:29. > :02:31.It's a tranquil place set amongst the background of chalky
:02:32. > :02:37.Today there are still more acres of open countryside than towns
:02:38. > :02:42.Think of apples, and Hertfordshire doesn't really spring to mind.
:02:43. > :02:46.Kent, yes. Herefordshire, yes. Now there you've got some orchards.
:02:47. > :02:49.But if you rewind a few centuries money really did
:02:50. > :02:57.grow on trees around here because orchards were big business.
:02:58. > :03:01.Tim Elborn is a fifth-generation Hertfordshire fruit farmer.
:03:02. > :03:04.His family have grown plums, pears, greengages
:03:05. > :03:08.and of course apples here since 1864.
:03:09. > :03:15.So, Tim, why are British apples so great?
:03:16. > :03:19.They're great because they taste absolutely fantastic.
:03:20. > :03:22.We haven't got to ship the apples halfway around the world,
:03:23. > :03:26.so very often, especially at this time of year, the customers
:03:27. > :03:29.are eating something that has just been picked in the last few days.
:03:30. > :03:31.And we grow a lot of different varieties.
:03:32. > :03:33.And there's a fantastic range of flavours.
:03:34. > :03:37.You're eating an Ashmead's Kernel, which is a very old,
:03:38. > :03:39.traditional English variety that you don't often see these days.
:03:40. > :03:44.Exactly how important were the orchards to this area?
:03:45. > :03:49.In this village alone there were up to probably around 30 fruit growers.
:03:50. > :03:51.And it was the main industry of the village.
:03:52. > :03:55.We managed to survive by growing a lot of heritage varieties,
:03:56. > :04:00.that the supermarkets very often don't stock,
:04:01. > :04:04.But people are getting something different. They are.
:04:05. > :04:08.In this orchard alone we grow over 50 varieties of apples.
:04:09. > :04:11.So if you wanted to you could eat a different apple every
:04:12. > :04:23.Thousands of apples have to be picked by hand before
:04:24. > :04:26.they naturally fall from the tree and bruise.
:04:27. > :04:29.Since the '90s apple growers have had to diversify
:04:30. > :04:35.But there's no such thing as a bad apple round here.
:04:36. > :04:38.Everything we're picking now will be used in some way,
:04:39. > :04:49.The crucial thing is that 100% of the crop is turned into profit,
:04:50. > :04:52.makes money. In other words, nothing goes to waste.
:04:53. > :04:55.For instance, an apple like this one here tastes
:04:56. > :04:58.just as good as that apple you ate earlier. Yeah.
:04:59. > :05:01.But because of those blemishes on the skin, normally we'd either
:05:02. > :05:06.throw it away or sell it for pulp or for juice for very little money.
:05:07. > :05:10.So you can use 100% of your crop, no waste, which is perfect. Yep.
:05:11. > :05:16.Exactly. Absolutely nothing goes to waste. We like that.
:05:17. > :05:23.The race is now on to get the apples back to the farm.
:05:24. > :05:27.And it looks like I'm going to pip Tim to the post.
:05:28. > :05:33.Normally I'm upsetting the apple cart, not delivering it.
:05:34. > :05:39.Tim produces 30,000 litres of apple juice a year on this farm.
:05:40. > :05:44.So that means 60 tonnes of them have to be pulped through the grinder.
:05:45. > :05:53.We need to get through one tonne of apples to make 500 litres of juice.
:05:54. > :05:56.We've done all of this in just a few minutes
:05:57. > :05:58.but look how brown some of the apples are going already.
:05:59. > :06:01.It just turns like that. Well, we need to get on with the pressing.
:06:02. > :06:04.Because it's apple juice we want a clear juice
:06:05. > :06:06.so we need to press it as quickly as we can.
:06:07. > :06:11.Next, the pulp goes into the apple press.
:06:12. > :06:19.and then crushed to squeeze out every last drop of apply goodness.
:06:20. > :06:24.Look, you can see the juice even now seeping out of the bottom.
:06:25. > :06:28.The lovely thing is, your hands smell of apples.
:06:29. > :06:32.Yep, it's good for them. Does them the world of good.
:06:33. > :06:39.Listen, I've seen your hands. Don't try and sell that as a moisturiser.
:06:40. > :06:46.Tim adds vitamin C to keep the juice clear
:06:47. > :06:49.and pasteurises it for a longer life before selling.
:06:50. > :06:56.But I want to taste it fresh from the tree.
:06:57. > :06:58.The moment of truth. Tell me what you think.
:06:59. > :07:01.I have never, ever tasted apple juice so fresh.
:07:02. > :07:07.All of this done within half an hour. Absolutely. Cheers. Cheers.
:07:08. > :07:15.That is really, really good. I'm glad you enjoy it.
:07:16. > :07:22.This farm may be the apple of Tim's eye but sadly it's the last
:07:23. > :07:26.surviving commercial business left in Hertfordshire.
:07:27. > :07:30.Across this fruity county you can still find small
:07:31. > :07:39.And we've managed to track down a newcomer to the area with
:07:40. > :07:42.one of these rare orchards in his back garden.
:07:43. > :07:44.18 months ago, a family arrived at their new
:07:45. > :07:47.home in the Hertfordshire countryside.
:07:48. > :07:50.With three acres of land including a small orchard with
:07:51. > :07:54.16 apple trees, it's someone with a really familiar face.
:07:55. > :08:01.It's me. The trouble is... There's just a couple of problems.
:08:02. > :08:05.We fell in love with the place from the moment we saw it.
:08:06. > :08:07.And over the past year my wife, Nicola,
:08:08. > :08:10.and I have done our best to get this orchard to a manageable level.
:08:11. > :08:12.But with both of us having very little
:08:13. > :08:16.experience of caring for apple trees, we're now a bit stumped.
:08:17. > :08:18.Some of the trees have seen better days and we can only identify
:08:19. > :08:25.the apples as kids' packed lunch and Dad's favourite.
:08:26. > :08:28.We have absolutely no idea what all of these different
:08:29. > :08:31.varieties of apples are, but we do know that there's
:08:32. > :08:33.life in the old trees yet and we want to rescue them.
:08:34. > :08:38.So, we've called on the services of some local orchard experts to
:08:39. > :08:46.Mike Clarke is currently writing his second book on apple identification.
:08:47. > :08:49.Sounds like the right chap for the job.
:08:50. > :08:51.All right, Mike. Let's have a look at this one.
:08:52. > :08:53.If we're identifying it, then where do you start?
:08:54. > :08:58.The colour immediately hits you. Initially, what are the hues on it?
:08:59. > :08:59.Is there any marking? Are there stripes?
:09:00. > :09:03.The shape, it could be conical, it could be pear-shaped.
:09:04. > :09:10.But it's a flattened, green, nice, smooth apple
:09:11. > :09:15.and that immediately jumps out at me as a Bramley.
:09:16. > :09:19.If you're uncertain about several varieties which are very similar,
:09:20. > :09:22.you can cut them open and have a look at what the cavity's like.
:09:23. > :09:27.If you get it about bang in the middle, there we are.
:09:28. > :09:34.I like to look at them this way up. This is where the blossom was.
:09:35. > :09:37.I've got the blossom on that side and the stalk that side.
:09:38. > :09:40.That's interesting because everybody holds the apple up that way
:09:41. > :09:43.but actually it's meant to be that way because your blossom's here.
:09:44. > :09:45.Yep, that's how it grew. The cavity can be quite significant.
:09:46. > :09:50.And also the length of the stalk varies quite a lot.
:09:51. > :09:58.And the actual shape here, you can get different shapes.
:09:59. > :10:02.A funnel shape so you've got extra things to look at
:10:03. > :10:07.Though today man has cultivated more
:10:08. > :10:10.than 2,000 varieties of apple, they all can be traced back to
:10:11. > :10:14.wild relatives in the valleys of Kazakhstan.
:10:15. > :10:17.Leaving Mike to gather the samples for identification,
:10:18. > :10:19.it's time to look at the trees themselves.
:10:20. > :10:23.Just in time, here's local tree surgeon John Jones.
:10:24. > :10:30.John, this is one that we are very keen to rescue, as you can see.
:10:31. > :10:37.It's a very old apple tree. It's certainly seen better days.
:10:38. > :10:39.But essentially the tree is still alive,
:10:40. > :10:43.I don't think there's any reason to take it down.
:10:44. > :10:47.It's very precious to the area. We think it's one of the last
:10:48. > :10:51.When we came it had a brace around it.
:10:52. > :10:52.Or there was a brace hanging down there.
:10:53. > :10:56.So we wondered whether we should strap it up or strap it together.
:10:57. > :11:01.It's always a bit of a "do you, don't you" with bracing and strapping,
:11:02. > :11:05.because your intention is to put something heavy around this tree.
:11:06. > :11:08.Because it's still growing, even though
:11:09. > :11:11.it's not as healthy as it could be, by putting heavy strapping around
:11:12. > :11:14.it you could end up cutting into the tree and causing
:11:15. > :11:17.more of a problem. It is on its last legs.
:11:18. > :11:21.There is no denying that and I think just pruning it and trying to lessen
:11:22. > :11:25.the weight on one side of the tree will aid it in keeping
:11:26. > :11:32.OK, so the idea is to take a lot of this weight out of here.
:11:33. > :11:39.because the tree has got to shut down for the winter.
:11:40. > :11:45.So the longer you can leave it into winter the more healthy
:11:46. > :11:52.You don't want to start making wounds on the tree.
:11:53. > :11:54.Autumn is when all the funguses are out
:11:55. > :11:56.and you might end up cross-contaminating the tree.
:11:57. > :11:58.So take the weight off from around here.
:11:59. > :12:02.Bluetit might be the final nail in the coffin for this tree.
:12:03. > :12:05.We'll prune this back later in the winter
:12:06. > :12:09.but there is a project that we can tackle at this time of year.
:12:10. > :12:12.John, believe it or not, there's an apple tree in here.
:12:13. > :12:17.We got second place at the village show with the apples.
:12:18. > :12:20.That must have been some time ago. It looks a bit swamped at the moment.
:12:21. > :12:23.Let's see if we can get in and we can have a look
:12:24. > :12:29.Right, come on in. Righty-ho. Okey-dokey.
:12:30. > :12:33.So obviously we just want to give it some fresh air. It needs it.
:12:34. > :12:38.You can quite clearly see that this branch of the apple tree was
:12:39. > :12:40.once alive and functioning really well
:12:41. > :12:43.but because it's been in the dark for so long the tree has naturally
:12:44. > :12:46.shut it down and all this branch is completely dead now.
:12:47. > :12:52.Plenty to get your chain saws into later. Absolutely. Good.
:12:53. > :12:54.While the chain saws will be busy today,
:12:55. > :12:57.to help us out with the maintenance of the orchard in the long
:12:58. > :13:01.run I'm also calling on the skills of a four-legged workforce
:13:02. > :13:11.Matt's not the only enthusiastic amateur protecting these
:13:12. > :13:14.precious little orchards across the county.
:13:15. > :13:17.This bungalow and two-acre smallholding
:13:18. > :13:22.It was built in 1920 as part of a Homes Fit For Heroes scheme
:13:23. > :13:26.that helped rehouse soldiers returning from the First World War.
:13:27. > :13:30.The proud owners back then were Mr and Mrs Jeacock.
:13:31. > :13:33.Not much has changed over the last century.
:13:34. > :13:36.Current resident and apple enthusiast Martin Hicks likes
:13:37. > :13:42.So what did Mr Jeacock want with two acres? It's a lot of land.
:13:43. > :13:45.He wanted an area to grow some fruit trees.
:13:46. > :13:48.He wanted to put some pigs on the land.
:13:49. > :13:51.He used to put geese on here as well and a few goats, as well.
:13:52. > :13:53.So he wanted to be self-sufficient, really.
:13:54. > :13:58.Basically a smallholding as part of his normal occupation, as well,
:13:59. > :14:02.and making it productive, which is what the Government
:14:03. > :14:05.wanted for people coming back from the First World War.
:14:06. > :14:09.MUSIC: "How Ya Gonna Keep Em Down On The Farm" by Harry Fay
:14:10. > :14:12.Not much is known about Mr Jeacock apart from the fact that he
:14:13. > :14:17.loved his apples and he planted this orchard himself.
:14:18. > :14:19.Why is it so important to you to protect this land?
:14:20. > :14:23.Well, orchards are now considered national priority habitat and
:14:24. > :14:27.they're particularly valuable because they've got a range of old trees
:14:28. > :14:29.with lots of blossom in the spring, lots of fruit in the autumn,
:14:30. > :14:34.lots of crenulated bark... Crenulated bark, I love it!
:14:35. > :14:37.So do mosses and so do lichens and there's as many lichens
:14:38. > :14:40.here as there are in some of the best orchards in the county.
:14:41. > :14:41.There's over 50 species of lichens here.
:14:42. > :14:46.unimproved grassland with lots of wild flowers in it.
:14:47. > :14:49.So orchards are a fantastic veneer of habitat for a whole wide range
:14:50. > :14:52.of species and that's why they're considered really important habitats.
:14:53. > :14:56.I feed some of them to the sheep, I pick what I can.
:14:57. > :15:02.I squash all the apples and they all get used.
:15:03. > :15:07.The point is these habitats, these orchards were planted to be used.
:15:08. > :15:10.They were functional components of our countryside.
:15:11. > :15:13.And when that functionality disappears,
:15:14. > :15:16.so do the orchards and so does all the biodiversity associated
:15:17. > :15:20.with them and so do the landscapes and so does the culture.
:15:21. > :15:22.Martin's certainly passionate about this place.
:15:23. > :15:26.He works hard organising community projects to help spread
:15:27. > :15:33.and why we should cherish these precious Hertfordshire orchards.
:15:34. > :15:36.You can't deny the beauty of this enchanted isle,
:15:37. > :15:42.But there are people who profit by intentionally spoiling it.
:15:43. > :15:44.Tom has been investigating the growing problem of illegal
:15:45. > :16:02.The unlawful dumping of thousands of tonnes of rubbish
:16:03. > :16:09.Nails, rubble, plasterboard, wallpaper...
:16:10. > :16:13.It really is an infuriating thing to deal with.
:16:14. > :16:18.Farmer Calum Sutherland recently found this lot dumped on his land.
:16:19. > :16:22.It posed a danger to the environment and his livelihood.
:16:23. > :16:24.It made me furious and I was annoyed that people could
:16:25. > :16:33.Calum works on this sheep farm near Blandford Forum in Dorset.
:16:34. > :16:36.Not only do they have 3,500 ewes to look after,
:16:37. > :16:41.they're also fighting a costly and never-ending battle with fly-tippers.
:16:42. > :16:44.Tell me, how do you feel that you have to spend a lot of time
:16:45. > :16:46.clearing rubbish off your land? Furious.
:16:47. > :16:50.It made my blood boil that people can come out into the countryside
:16:51. > :16:55.and simply dump their waste to the expense of myself or my employer.
:16:56. > :16:59.Considerable expense and also a danger to your stock. Yeah.
:17:00. > :17:02.A fundamental danger to the stock and to machinery, as well.
:17:03. > :17:04.The stuff that was in the waste, we had nails and shrapnel
:17:05. > :17:08.If that punctures a tyre we're talking thousands of pounds.
:17:09. > :17:11.If we had stock in the field that would have been another issue
:17:12. > :17:15.with hoofs and nails and it's not a good combination.
:17:16. > :17:23.But this is just a tiny fraction of the problem.
:17:24. > :17:27.There's an ever-growing mountain of rubbish left in rural Britain.
:17:28. > :17:30.It ranges from a few bin bags of nuisance waste to criminal
:17:31. > :17:33.gangs who've made a business out of it.
:17:34. > :17:36.Fly-tippers can undercut legitimate waste businesses
:17:37. > :17:41.because they don't cough up for things like landfill tax or permits.
:17:42. > :17:43.So you pay to have your waste taken away,
:17:44. > :17:49.the criminals pocket the profit and the environment pays the price.
:17:50. > :17:52.These waste criminals are dealing in truckloads of rubbish
:17:53. > :17:59.Environment Agency knows only too well.
:18:00. > :18:03.That's quite a rogues' gallery you've got laid out, Matt. What have we got?
:18:04. > :18:06.We've got a selection of the kind of bad things people get up to
:18:07. > :18:11.This involved a case where material contaminated with lead and
:18:12. > :18:16.other things was going onto a site and being let to run into the river.
:18:17. > :18:19.We found that cos the fish were dying and we chased that upstream.
:18:20. > :18:24.Wow! Got another example here which is a construction of waste tyres.
:18:25. > :18:26.Basically they've left it abandoned on land
:18:27. > :18:28.and just cleared off and taken the money.
:18:29. > :18:32.Some are using criminal cunning to avoid paying for disposal.
:18:33. > :18:35.An example in this last year that sticks in my mind is mixed
:18:36. > :18:38.waste that's baled to make it look like bales of hay
:18:39. > :18:42.Of course, that's a natural thing to see in the countryside
:18:43. > :18:46.and it was only when those bales started to split that it was
:18:47. > :18:51.Now, we made sure that the local farmers
:18:52. > :18:55.and others were extra vigilant with that and two people were
:18:56. > :18:58.arrested earlier this year and the investigation is still ongoing
:18:59. > :19:06.Basically, if it's big, bad or nasty it's the Environment Agency's
:19:07. > :19:09.job to deal with it, whether on public or private land.
:19:10. > :19:13.Last year it shut down 1,300 illegal waste sites that were
:19:14. > :19:20.it's the local authorities who do the lion's share of the work.
:19:21. > :19:25.Last year they dealt with an astonishing 700,000 incidents.
:19:26. > :19:28.So what about the rubbish dumped on private land?
:19:29. > :19:33.Well, there it's up to farmers like Calum to sort it out for themselves.
:19:34. > :19:37.Because it's private land the farmers have to pay to clear it up
:19:38. > :19:43.They get the danger of the waste on their land and end up paying,
:19:44. > :19:47.well, can be thousands of pounds to clear up the mess.
:19:48. > :19:51.For the National Farmers Union this is putting an unfair,
:19:52. > :19:57.They think farmers should be getting more support.
:19:58. > :20:00.If they're unfortunate enough to be the victim
:20:01. > :20:09.they're left with the cost and the time it takes to clear up that mess.
:20:10. > :20:12.We'd like to see the authorities make it easier for farmers to deal
:20:13. > :20:19.If the farmer is unfortunate enough to be the victim of someone
:20:20. > :20:22.dumping some waste illegally on his land, we'd like to see them be able
:20:23. > :20:27.to see them take that waste to a local authority site free of charge.
:20:28. > :20:29.So how bad is the problem of fly-tipping?
:20:30. > :20:33.Our research suggests that the problem on farmland has increased
:20:34. > :20:39.massively in the last year or so. Up about 64%. 64% within a year? Wow.
:20:40. > :20:42.Why do you think we're seeing such a steep increase?
:20:43. > :20:48.I think the answer to that is that fly-tipping has been displaced,
:20:49. > :20:51.less on public land but happening more on farmland in particular.
:20:52. > :20:54.You're bearing the brunt of successful campaigns elsewhere.
:20:55. > :21:03.The NFU plans to make illegal waste dumping part of their next
:21:04. > :21:06.not only to make the public more aware
:21:07. > :21:11.but also to encourage the authorities to give farmers more help.
:21:12. > :21:14.Illegal waste dumping is costing farmers
:21:15. > :21:17.and taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds a day.
:21:18. > :21:21.And it's scarring some beautiful parts of our countryside.
:21:22. > :21:29.So what can we do about it? I'll be finding out later.
:21:30. > :21:32.Normally, I'm away from home exploring the best our lovely
:21:33. > :21:36.landscape has to offer. But not this week.
:21:37. > :21:39.This week I'm in my Hertfordshire garden.
:21:40. > :21:44.As well as us, it's home to an orchard that's over 100 years old,
:21:45. > :21:46.an increasingly rare sight in Hertfordshire,
:21:47. > :21:50.where 90% of all orchards have been lost.
:21:51. > :21:52.My wife and I want to get this orchard up and running as
:21:53. > :21:57.and these lads have already made a great start on getting as much
:21:58. > :22:00.sunlight into the trees as possible, but I've also got a few
:22:01. > :22:04.permanent employees in here and you can just see them through there.
:22:05. > :22:12.I've recently got hold of this flock of six ewes to graze the land.
:22:13. > :22:17.And I'm hoping to let them loose in the orchard soon.
:22:18. > :22:22.These are me grass cutters. Hebridean sheep.
:22:23. > :22:25.They're a native breed that hail from the Scottish Isles
:22:26. > :22:28.and we have a flock up on our farm in Durham
:22:29. > :22:32.so I knew the perfect breed for a plot this size.
:22:33. > :22:35.They're not big eaters and they're certainly not fussy eaters.
:22:36. > :22:37.They're brilliant for conservation grazing
:22:38. > :22:40.so all of these new brambles that are making their way up
:22:41. > :22:44.through the grass, they're going to nibble all of this and keep it down.
:22:45. > :22:50.And they're just perfect. Lovely temperament.
:22:51. > :22:53.They're also a little reminder of home.
:22:54. > :22:55.But if I'm honest the sheep aren't just for keeping the grass down,
:22:56. > :22:59.they are also a present for a new addition to the family.
:23:00. > :23:05.Last week I introduced you to our new collie pup, four-month-old Bob.
:23:06. > :23:08.I'm keen that Bob grows up familiar with sheep.
:23:09. > :23:10.He's already showing his natural instincts
:23:11. > :23:13.when he's out playing with our black Lab, Annie, and so I'm
:23:14. > :23:19.keen for him to meet who he will be working with when he grows up.
:23:20. > :23:28.and the idea is that Bob doesn't even know he's got it on, really.
:23:29. > :23:32.But if anything does happen I can just stand on that string
:23:33. > :23:34.and suddenly I've got control of him again
:23:35. > :23:38.but I really just want to see what stage he's at.
:23:39. > :23:40.We'll just see how he goes. His ears might twitch.
:23:41. > :23:43.He might just do a little bit of the old stalking, we'll see.
:23:44. > :23:55.He's definitely keen but he doesn't know how to cope at the moment.
:23:56. > :24:00.I don't want to spoil him so I've got my string here
:24:01. > :24:05.and I can just give it a little tug and say, "Bob, that'll do."
:24:06. > :24:10.What a good lad. There now. There now.
:24:11. > :24:14.Every other day we'll come out and we'll do this. OK?
:24:15. > :24:19.But we won't concentrate on any major training for a long
:24:20. > :24:28.We'll tell Annie all about it then. You want the tummy tickle, do you?
:24:29. > :24:37.Now, as we heard earlier, waste criminals are ruining
:24:38. > :24:42.beautiful parts of our environment by illegally dumping rubbish.
:24:43. > :24:47.So what's being done to clean up our countryside? Tom's been finding out.
:24:48. > :24:50.The illegal dumping of waste blights our landscape
:24:51. > :24:55.from the farmer suffering frequent fly-tipping...
:24:56. > :24:58.It made my blood boil that people can come out into the countryside
:24:59. > :25:04.and simply dump their waste to the expense of myself or my employer.
:25:05. > :25:08...to the government agency spending millions preventing and clearing up
:25:09. > :25:13.mountains of hazardous waste, much of it dumped by organised criminals.
:25:14. > :25:17.We found that cos the fish were dying and we traced it upstream.
:25:18. > :25:21.While some are making big money from this shady business,
:25:22. > :25:24.others are being left to pick up the bill.
:25:25. > :25:28.But the authorities aren't taking the problem lying down.
:25:29. > :25:31.I'm in Carmarthenshire in South Wales spending time with
:25:32. > :25:34.a group of people who are using technology to fight
:25:35. > :25:43.back against the fly-tippers and the waste criminals.
:25:44. > :25:46.It certainly is a secluded spot coming in off the hills there.
:25:47. > :25:48.Yes, this is an ideal location for fly-tippers
:25:49. > :25:55.'Mike Roberts from Carmarthenshire County Council
:25:56. > :25:56.'is on the front line against fly-tipping
:25:57. > :26:01.'and he certainly sees more than his fair share of rubbish.'
:26:02. > :26:06.There's so much different stuff here. I don't know where to start.
:26:07. > :26:12.It must have taken a lot to bring that down here, as well.
:26:13. > :26:16.Got the sofas. Everything including the kitchen sink up there.
:26:17. > :26:20.And over there, that's asbestos. That's nasty stuff.
:26:21. > :26:24.Mike works with an organisation called Fly-Tipping Action Wales,
:26:25. > :26:27.a collection of local authorities working with people like the
:26:28. > :26:32.police, the Forestry Commission and the NFU to clean up rural Wales.
:26:33. > :26:35.There's no excuse for this but this is what every local authority,
:26:36. > :26:38.every landowner is subjected to at the moment.
:26:39. > :26:42.but I guess you're dealing with this sort of stuff all the time, are you?
:26:43. > :26:45.This is what we come across on a daily basis, unfortunately.
:26:46. > :26:55.Every year 42,000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste is reported
:26:56. > :27:00.in Wales, costing the taxpayer ?2.1 million to clear up.
:27:01. > :27:04.But Mike and his team are using some pioneering technology to turn
:27:05. > :27:09.When we arrive on site put it in camera mode.
:27:10. > :27:16.This tracking device records the location of waste sites then
:27:17. > :27:19.plots a red dot on a map to show the hotspots,
:27:20. > :27:22.and South Wales appears to have a nasty rash.
:27:23. > :27:25.Larger dots indicate there's a higher frequency of
:27:26. > :27:30.So some of those big ones, that's not just one incident,
:27:31. > :27:33.It could be multiple incidences in one location.
:27:34. > :27:39.That's giving you the prime sites, isn't it? What do you do with that?
:27:40. > :27:42.The benefits of having a mapping system shows where local
:27:43. > :27:44.authorities have got to put their resources.
:27:45. > :27:48.It will indicate the level of fly-tipping,
:27:49. > :27:51.the type of waste being left and the frequencies.
:27:52. > :27:53.So rather than just fighting blind you know where to
:27:54. > :27:58.That's where we'll put our resources.
:27:59. > :28:02.Knowing where the criminals might strike is just half the battle.
:28:03. > :28:08.These cameras are ideal because they are quite small
:28:09. > :28:14.This particular location has been subject to fly-tipping in the
:28:15. > :28:18.past so as you can see around you there are various
:28:19. > :28:20.ways in which the cameras can be hidden
:28:21. > :28:23.so that the fly-tippers don't know that they're there.
:28:24. > :28:26.There's no shortage of undergrowth and brush to put them in. Exactly.
:28:27. > :28:30.I have a feeling that's definitely not getting my best side,
:28:31. > :28:38.Hidden cameras like this are used to catch offenders red-handed
:28:39. > :28:44.We don't want to give away the tricks of the trade
:28:45. > :28:47.and make it easier for the villains so we'll let Pam hide her
:28:48. > :28:51.secret camera without showing you the details.
:28:52. > :28:54.This pioneering method of mapping illegally dumped
:28:55. > :28:58.waste before catching the criminals in the act is now being rolled
:28:59. > :29:02.out in other areas. Gary Evans has been managing the project.
:29:03. > :29:06.So how are you doing in protecting the beautiful landscape of Wales?
:29:07. > :29:10.It is beautiful and it's typical of South Wales
:29:11. > :29:13.and we're passionate at Fly-Tipping Action Wales to maintain
:29:14. > :29:16.this for local communities and future generations.
:29:17. > :29:21.There were still 36,000 incidents of fly-tipping in Wales last year.
:29:22. > :29:25.That equates to about 100 every day and that's far too many,
:29:26. > :29:29.the amount of money that's spent on clearing fly-tipping
:29:30. > :29:34.That money could be better spent in other services like education
:29:35. > :29:38.And it's because our countryside is so open
:29:39. > :29:41.and relatively isolated that fly-tippers can thrive,
:29:42. > :29:43.but you're saying there is nowhere to hide any more.
:29:44. > :29:46.Very much so. With the GPS tracking system we've got
:29:47. > :29:48.and the covert surveillance techniques that local
:29:49. > :29:51.authorities can employ now that we're helping them with.
:29:52. > :29:55.there's very few places that if we believe fly-tipping is going to
:29:56. > :30:00.go on that we couldn't target with our covert surveillance techniques.
:30:01. > :30:02.The group's efforts seem to have had a real impact
:30:03. > :30:07.But what about private landowners, like farmers?
:30:08. > :30:12.We've been working with landowners, the National Farmers Union for one,
:30:13. > :30:16.We appreciate that fly-tipping is going up in some areas
:30:17. > :30:21.and we're keen to address that and we've been working with them
:30:22. > :30:24.only this month to look at alternative ways of tackling
:30:25. > :30:28.so it doesn't become such a blight for those individuals.
:30:29. > :30:32.and surveillance things on private land as well?
:30:33. > :30:37.and there's a lot of legal implications we've got to go
:30:38. > :30:39.through before that's actually put in place
:30:40. > :30:43.but we're looking at systems and methods and processes that will help
:30:44. > :30:51.those landowners tackle fly-tipping in the future.
:30:52. > :30:54.Fly-tipping takes advantage of the tranquillity
:30:55. > :30:59.But if the enthusiastic response we've seen in South Wales
:31:00. > :31:07.and fewer places for the waste criminals to hide.
:31:08. > :31:11.And we can all help by checking our own sofas and tellies
:31:12. > :31:23.are being legally disposed of, not ending up ruining the countryside.
:31:24. > :31:27.Moving livestock can be tricky at the best of times.
:31:28. > :31:31.But throw in sheer-sided cliffs, an island, and a narrow bridge,
:31:32. > :31:37.and you've got a recipe for mayhem, as Adam's about to find out.
:31:38. > :31:44.But first he's got some of his own livestock to deal with.
:31:45. > :31:47.Somewhere in this valley are my Exmoor ponies.
:31:48. > :31:49.Looks like it's going to be one of those days.
:31:50. > :31:52.There's lots of gorse bushes and thorn bushes,
:31:53. > :31:59.I need to find them and take them back up to the farm.
:32:00. > :32:01.These Exmoor ponies are really tough and hardy
:32:02. > :32:03.and they're pretty quick on their feet.
:32:04. > :32:05.Once they get going, they can certainly motor.
:32:06. > :32:08.But I should be able to keep up with them in this.
:32:09. > :32:12.Ah, here they are. They're at the top there.
:32:13. > :32:20.They're already cantering away from me.
:32:21. > :32:28.Thankfully they're being fairly well behaved at the moment.
:32:29. > :32:36.I've almost got them now. Just a bit further to go.
:32:37. > :32:45.I'm taking them closer to the farm, to a new field for the winter.
:32:46. > :32:49.On this farm I'm very lucky with the terrain.
:32:50. > :32:51.There's some land that suits grassland
:32:52. > :32:54.but also some good-quality arable land, too.
:32:55. > :32:59.But there's plenty of farmers across the world who really aren't so lucky,
:33:00. > :33:07.and over the years I've witnessed some pretty extreme farming.
:33:08. > :33:10.Last year I visited Valais in Switzerland to witness
:33:11. > :33:12.the homecoming of the Blacknose sheep
:33:13. > :33:15.as they returned from a summer spent on the Alps.
:33:16. > :33:18.I thought farming sheep in the Cotswolds was quite hard work
:33:19. > :33:23.They're bringing 1,200 sheep off the side of this mountain,
:33:24. > :33:35.Closer to home, North Devon's Valley of the Rocks is known for
:33:36. > :33:41.And it's also where a large herd of feral goats roam free.
:33:42. > :33:43.When it comes to their annual routine checkup,
:33:44. > :33:48.The billy goats have spotted them, jumped over the wall
:33:49. > :33:52.and gone straight up the mountain like mountain goats do.
:33:53. > :33:55.And it doesn't bode well for the first part of the mission -
:33:56. > :34:03.And today I'm in Cornwall at Tintagel Castle.
:34:04. > :34:08.And I've come down here to help move some sheep onto this rocky outcrop,
:34:09. > :34:10.across some pretty unforgiving terrain,
:34:11. > :34:18.Set on the rugged North Cornwall coast,
:34:19. > :34:25.Tintagel Castle is steeped in legends and mystery.
:34:26. > :34:27.It's known for the myths surrounding King Arthur
:34:28. > :34:32.But I'm here to help make some history of our own
:34:33. > :34:38.Tintagel property manager Matt Ward is on hand
:34:39. > :34:44.We've got 30 sheep that are just arriving in a few minutes' time
:34:45. > :34:46.and I'm glad you could come and help. We've just got to move them
:34:47. > :34:49.and drive them up the steps and get them onto the castle island.
:34:50. > :34:57.We've got a little photo, if you want to see.
:34:58. > :34:59.That's the last time the sheep were up here.
:35:00. > :35:03.In fact, the breed look like Cotswolds, where I'm from.
:35:04. > :35:07.Right, OK. That's your expertise and that's why you're here.
:35:08. > :35:09.And why are you putting sheep up here again?
:35:10. > :35:11.Part of our conservation maintenance plan.
:35:12. > :35:13.We've got some very rare wild flowers up there
:35:14. > :35:15.so in conjunction with Natural England,
:35:16. > :35:18.having sheep up there hopefully will improve and increase
:35:19. > :35:21.the amount of wild flowers from their hundreds to their thousands.
:35:22. > :35:24.And the great thing about sheep is they play a vital role
:35:25. > :35:28.because they'll graze on coarse grasses
:35:29. > :35:34.Now, I know you wanted me here early, so there's a bit of a rush, is there?
:35:35. > :35:37.Well, we've got to get this walkway open by ten o'clock.
:35:38. > :35:40.I've been here putting up some temporary fences and some hurdles,
:35:41. > :35:42.so fingers crossed that it should all go according to plan.
:35:43. > :35:45.Get the sheep through and then the public arrive? Yeah, hopefully.
:35:46. > :35:55.Soays. Absolutely. You're a brave man. They're pretty lively sheep.
:35:56. > :35:57.So I've heard, you know, they are a bit sketchy.
:35:58. > :36:02.And the Soay comes from the stacks off the west coast of Scotland and so
:36:03. > :36:04.they're used to living in this kind of environment
:36:05. > :36:06.but it must get pretty rough in the winter down here. Yeah.
:36:07. > :36:09.When you're getting a gale coming in from the north all winter it's
:36:10. > :36:12.pretty wild up here so that's one of the reasons we chose these Soay.
:36:13. > :36:15.So they'll survive the winter up here. Hopefully, they'll be fine.
:36:16. > :36:18.How are your running legs? Cos they're pretty quick. Right, OK.
:36:19. > :36:20.I'm quite used to doing the steps. How are yours?
:36:21. > :36:26.I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up. Shall we let them go? Yeah, let's go.
:36:27. > :36:36.They're lively! Go on, little girls. Go on.
:36:37. > :36:42.That's it, off they go. They're going up the steps well, aren't they?
:36:43. > :36:53.That's it, stay here, stay here, let's let them come back down.
:36:54. > :36:55.It looks like we've got some problems already.
:36:56. > :37:02.They've run up the grass bank. They didn't like being on this path.
:37:03. > :37:06.'As we tried to surround them, they spot a hole in our defences.'
:37:07. > :37:21.I've done some pretty crazy things in my time.
:37:22. > :37:31.Half the flock were just too quick for us
:37:32. > :37:36.We will have to retrieve that lot later.
:37:37. > :37:40.A quick re-position to prevent this from happening again,
:37:41. > :37:45.They seem frightened of the wooden walkway
:37:46. > :37:48.but we have a plan to tempt them down.
:37:49. > :38:04.What the farmer has done is tied one of the Soay to the fence down there
:38:05. > :38:07.and because sheep are flock animals they'll hopefully draw to her.
:38:08. > :38:21.Well, we might have some sheep on your island after all. I think.
:38:22. > :38:25.There's only another 150 metres of treacherous cliff road to pass
:38:26. > :38:30.They're going well now. Oh, hang on. Where are they going?
:38:31. > :38:33.'But just as we congratulate ourselves,
:38:34. > :38:35.'they scale the cliff on the other side
:38:36. > :38:37.'and it starts to get a bit dangerous.
:38:38. > :38:40.'I've no idea how we're going to get them back from there.'
:38:41. > :38:43.And it's not safe for me to get round behind them
:38:44. > :38:49.cos I might fall to my death off the cliff.
:38:50. > :38:51.As we stand around wondering what to do,
:38:52. > :39:03.He's on top of the cliff trying to persuade the sheep to move.
:39:04. > :39:09.I can't believe my eyes when he starts to climb down the cliff.
:39:10. > :39:12.Don't come any further, you're right at the edge of the cliff there.
:39:13. > :39:19.Oh, my word, I don't think I can look.
:39:20. > :39:22.That's it, that's it. They're going, they're going.
:39:23. > :39:32.Right, now you need to get yourself safely back.
:39:33. > :39:43.It's the very first time this breed have been on Tintagel.
:39:44. > :39:45.Where have they gone? We've made it. Look.
:39:46. > :39:49.There they are. Goodness me. Wow, this is an extraordinary place.
:39:50. > :39:52.We're standing in the courtyard of a medieval castle here.
:39:53. > :39:55.This was built in 1236 by Earl Richard of Cornwall
:39:56. > :39:58.and what he basically wanted to do was build a castle on what
:39:59. > :40:00.he thought was King Arthur's birthplace.
:40:01. > :40:02.At the time it had no strategic value.
:40:03. > :40:04.There was no reason for him to build a castle here
:40:05. > :40:06.other than the legend of King Arthur.
:40:07. > :40:08.So what he built was basically a holiday cottage.
:40:09. > :40:11.His main castle was at Launceston and this is his weekend retreat.
:40:12. > :40:15.So they probably would have had sheep right back then.
:40:16. > :40:17.Yeah, sheep have been up here since the 13th century
:40:18. > :40:19.but it's a great source of meat and wool.
:40:20. > :40:21.Imagine up here in the depths of winter,
:40:22. > :40:23.you'd need a pretty big woolly jumper. You would, yeah.
:40:24. > :40:25.So where have you got to get them from here?
:40:26. > :40:28.We've got to just try and get them through that little gateway there.
:40:29. > :40:36.Nice to see you've given me the easy job.
:40:37. > :40:49.Go on. You're having a nice time up here, aren't you?
:40:50. > :41:11.We finally made it, the sheep are going to be quite happy.
:41:12. > :41:13.I've got no idea how we're going to get them off in April
:41:14. > :41:15.but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
:41:16. > :41:22.'but it should make a big difference to the wild flower population.'
:41:23. > :41:25.It's wonderful that such an important breed of primitive
:41:26. > :41:30.This may have once been home to King Arthur,
:41:31. > :41:49.On the surface, Hertfordshire boasts a familiar British landscape.
:41:50. > :41:52.Nothing too out of the ordinary here.
:41:53. > :41:59.Until, perhaps, you happen upon some sculpture so monumental
:42:00. > :42:06.and extraordinary it takes your breath away.
:42:07. > :42:09.These magnificent pieces can be none other than
:42:10. > :42:23.arguably the most outstanding sculptor of the 20th century.
:42:24. > :42:29.This piece dominating the landscape is called Large Reclining Figure.
:42:30. > :42:32.It's one of the many sculptures on display in the grounds
:42:33. > :42:40.his work has been safeguarded by the Henry Moore Foundation.
:42:41. > :42:43.This is my last chance to see his work up close this year
:42:44. > :42:46.because the collection is now closed for winter.
:42:47. > :42:50.Curator Sebastiano Barassi has offered me a special tour.
:42:51. > :42:57.he was born in Castleford in 1898 and he was the son of a coal miner.
:42:58. > :43:01.His father insisted that he should train as a school teacher
:43:02. > :43:08.And then he went on to fight in World War I and when he returned
:43:09. > :43:11.he decided that he really wanted to be an artist.
:43:12. > :43:15.He came to Perry Green and he fell in love with the place.
:43:16. > :43:19.For more than 40 years. For the rest of his life, yes.
:43:20. > :43:27.He set up his studios and also created the ideal landscape to
:43:28. > :43:29.show his sculptures and to create his sculptures.
:43:30. > :43:32.He chose very simple names for many of his sculptures -
:43:33. > :43:40.He wanted people to understand that these sculptures,
:43:41. > :43:43.although they may not look like human figures, they are of human figures.
:43:44. > :43:47.He's leaving it to you to decide and form your own opinion. Yes.
:43:48. > :43:50.You've told me a little secret about this piece. That's right.
:43:51. > :43:54.At some point, someone pointed out that the torso
:43:55. > :43:59.element of the figure looks very much like a rabbit's head.
:44:00. > :44:03.And so I think it stuck. Completely unintentional.
:44:04. > :44:06.Completely unintentional, but once you see that, I think that's
:44:07. > :44:29.All right, I'm renaming this piece Three Piece Rabbit. Wonderful.
:44:30. > :44:31.Moore was so passionate about showing off his work
:44:32. > :44:34.in the landscape he often sent it round the world to be
:44:35. > :44:42.In 1972, his work was being packed up in preparation for what
:44:43. > :44:47.was set to be the most important exhibition of his life, in Florence.
:44:48. > :44:51.There were people packing and wrapping everywhere.
:44:52. > :44:53.We're not just talking about a few padded envelopes
:44:54. > :44:58.It was organised chaos and it made it impossible for him to sculpt.
:44:59. > :45:02.And so he sat right here and he sketched instead.
:45:03. > :45:05.And the view from this window was his inspiration.
:45:06. > :45:11.I think there's something about sheep. No other animal...
:45:12. > :45:21.One of the things that I found one could do is,
:45:22. > :45:27.the sheep couldn't see inside because it's darker in here
:45:28. > :45:32.but they were curious, they could hear, and they'd stand just
:45:33. > :45:38.looking in this way, trying to find out where the noise came from.
:45:39. > :45:42.And they'd stay like that for nearly five minutes.
:45:43. > :45:44.After the birth of his daughter Mary,
:45:45. > :45:49.he became fascinated with the bond between mother and young.
:45:50. > :45:54.Many of his sheep sketches were of ewes protecting their lambs.
:45:55. > :46:01.the idea of combining a larger form with a smaller form in order
:46:02. > :46:04.to create the sense of protection and closure
:46:05. > :46:06.and I think it's something that you see up here.
:46:07. > :46:14.And he didn't mind the proximity of the animals to his pieces.
:46:15. > :46:17.Not at all, not at all. In fact, he really enjoyed that.
:46:18. > :46:21.The fact that the animals that had inspired the sculpture were
:46:22. > :46:26.actually happy to go and rub against the work really appealed to him.
:46:27. > :46:32.see the marks where the sheep have brushed up against them.
:46:33. > :46:34.It's almost sort of sheep sacrilege. Absolutely.
:46:35. > :46:39.we all love that and it's a wonderful anecdote to tell visitors the
:46:40. > :46:47.idea that the sheep actually have a physical relationship with the work.
:46:48. > :46:50.Moore also loved sheep grazing around his sculpture,
:46:51. > :46:53.because he believed they gave his work scale.
:46:54. > :46:55.Farmer Robert Pryor remembers him
:46:56. > :47:04.So, Robert, this all started for you as a schoolboy. Yes, indeed.
:47:05. > :47:09.As I was leaving school, Henry Moore asked my father - they'd been
:47:10. > :47:12.friends for many years, they were in the Home Guard together -
:47:13. > :47:14.whether we'd be interested in grazing sheep
:47:15. > :47:18.on his land amongst the sculptures that were going to be here.
:47:19. > :47:20.He was a Yorkshireman, he enjoyed to see the sheep
:47:21. > :47:23.out there with the sculptures. When I speak to farmers,
:47:24. > :47:25.they all tell me they've got the best view in the world.
:47:26. > :47:28.I haven't spoken to any farmer who gets Henry Moore
:47:29. > :47:32.sculptures on a daily basis. Yeah, we're very lucky, aren't we?
:47:33. > :47:34.It's quite nice to come out in the mornings
:47:35. > :47:36.and drive round the sheep and see this fine art.
:47:37. > :47:38.I'm not sure whether I appreciate it quite as much as I should.
:47:39. > :47:41.The important question is not whether you appreciate it,
:47:42. > :47:43.it's whether the sheep appreciate it. Indeed, yeah, yeah.
:47:44. > :47:48.Oh, I'm not sure they've got a real favourite, apart from on a real
:47:49. > :48:06.hot sunny day they like to shade under the Sheep Piece.
:48:07. > :48:09.Moore was a countryman at heart and he was happiest knowing
:48:10. > :48:19.his life's work would live on in the landscape he cherished so dearly.
:48:20. > :48:25.It is the beautiful Countryfile calendar for 2014,
:48:26. > :48:31.The theme this year was our living landscape.
:48:32. > :48:36.Here's how you get your hands on one.
:48:37. > :48:40.The calendar costs ?9 including UK delivery.
:48:41. > :48:47.You can buy yours either via our website...
:48:48. > :49:10.To order by post send your name, address and cheque to...
:49:11. > :49:15.Please make cheques payable to BBC Countryfile Calendar.
:49:16. > :49:19.A minimum of ?4 from every sale will be donated to the
:49:20. > :49:24.It is a splendid autumnal day here at the Henry Moore Foundation
:49:25. > :49:26.but what has the rest of the week got in store?
:49:27. > :49:40.Well, I know someone who has all the answers to all things weathery.
:49:41. > :49:50.Thank you. It has been hard to find a decent day in the past week. The
:49:51. > :49:54.week ahead is very autumnal. There will be sunshine tomorrow, but there
:49:55. > :49:58.will be more wet and windy weather to come. Hopefully not quite as
:49:59. > :50:02.violent as it has been in the past week. We saw some stormy conditions
:50:03. > :50:06.yesterday, the low pressure system responsible for that is still
:50:07. > :50:11.affecting the far north-east of Scotland and more wet and windy
:50:12. > :50:16.weather from another low sweeping across areas currently. A wet night
:50:17. > :50:20.in the South. Blustery yet again, very gusty conditions along the
:50:21. > :50:23.south coast. The rain extending across the Midlands into parts of
:50:24. > :50:27.East Anglia. With all the wet weather in the south it will be a
:50:28. > :50:34.mild night, a very mild night in the extreme south-east. Further north,
:50:35. > :50:40.it is going to be a cold night. Temperatures in many rural areas
:50:41. > :50:48.will drop to -10 minus two degrees. A chilly start, still some rain
:50:49. > :50:51.leftover. A few showers will graze eastern areas, one too scattered
:50:52. > :50:55.showers in North Wales and perhaps later in the day we will some patchy
:50:56. > :51:00.rain returning to the Isles of Scilly and West Cornwall. For most,
:51:01. > :51:04.tomorrow promises some autumn sunshine, temperatures struggling to
:51:05. > :51:07.double figures. It will feel cold at times on the East Coast, some clouds
:51:08. > :51:14.billing in, so turning grey in Norfolk. There will be some showers
:51:15. > :51:17.across parts of Wales. Parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland, after
:51:18. > :51:21.a cold start, looking fine for the afternoon with sunny spells. It will
:51:22. > :51:27.turn chilly again on Monday night with clear skies, a blue tinge on
:51:28. > :51:30.the map suggesting some frost. More blue in western areas, that is rain
:51:31. > :51:35.spreading in and it will change things. Temperatures starting to
:51:36. > :51:39.lift through the night but in eastern areas there could be a touch
:51:40. > :51:44.of frost on Tuesday morning. The rain arriving is from a weather
:51:45. > :51:48.front attached to low pressure. This front will tend to zip across the
:51:49. > :51:52.country during Tuesday, so we start off wet in the West on Tuesday
:51:53. > :51:56.morning, brightening up across many western areas through the day, rain
:51:57. > :51:59.lingering in eastern areas through the afternoon but the rain is
:52:00. > :52:04.getting out of the way by Tuesday evening. Tuesday is November the 5th
:52:05. > :52:07.so if you are having a bonfire on Tuesday night, it is a good chance
:52:08. > :52:14.it will be dry. But it is still breezy. Midweek, we have some
:52:15. > :52:19.questions. This rippling weather front is giving us some headaches.
:52:20. > :52:22.Some questions about how far north that weather front and the rain will
:52:23. > :52:29.get on Wednesday but be prepared for some rain in southern areas. If the
:52:30. > :52:32.weather front arrives on Wednesday, it could make for a wet night on
:52:33. > :52:36.Wednesday night and it may not have completely cleared on Thursday
:52:37. > :52:39.morning. Generally on Thursday, we are between weather systems so most
:52:40. > :52:43.places dry and bright with sunny spells. Some showers in the West,
:52:44. > :52:48.the next weather system arriving in the far north-west. That is another
:52:49. > :52:52.low which drifted north of Scotland on Friday, plenty of isobars on the
:52:53. > :52:56.chart and a set of the rippling weather front in the third. Friday
:52:57. > :52:59.provides some uncertainty but we could see perhaps a more persistent
:53:00. > :53:15.rain in the South, a breezy day with showers and some spells of pressure.
:53:16. > :53:19.This week we're exploring the Home County of Hertfordshire.
:53:20. > :53:22.Julia's been spending time on the estate of legendary sculptor
:53:23. > :53:31.because it's home to this lovely old orchard.
:53:32. > :53:35.Now, I really do love these trees, but as you can see, some of them
:53:36. > :53:41.and help them produce as much fruit as possible and extend their
:53:42. > :53:48.life for as long as we can so Nicola and I have called in a bit of help.
:53:49. > :53:52.Mike Clarke's ID-ing our varieties.
:53:53. > :53:55.And a team of tree surgeons are here to help get the orchard
:53:56. > :54:00.We've been cutting back the growth that's been blocking
:54:01. > :54:04.the light to a small apple tree hidden in the middle of that lot.
:54:05. > :54:06.And with the lovely tree now revealed,
:54:07. > :54:09.it's time for it to get a little attention.
:54:10. > :54:13.What a difference. It's just incredible, isn't it?
:54:14. > :54:15.You get a feeling now for sort of the actual space
:54:16. > :54:19.and area that all that was taking up and, you know,
:54:20. > :54:22.it's giving the apple tree a lot more light.
:54:23. > :54:25.But the tree itself, it looks absolutely beautiful, doesn't it?
:54:26. > :54:28.You would never have known it was underneath there, would you?
:54:29. > :54:31.Do you know, I've always wanted a bonsai.
:54:32. > :54:34.I think maybe now I'll just put some decking down here
:54:35. > :54:42.All that really remains is for you to remove the last dead
:54:43. > :54:47.The idea being to keep this limb here that you see all
:54:48. > :54:54.So we're going to cut this back to this branch just over here.
:54:55. > :54:57.And then it's, yeah, job done. And do we do...
:54:58. > :54:59.Are we going to do this in one cut or in stages?
:55:00. > :55:03.I'm quite confident you can do this in one cut. Just straight down there?
:55:04. > :55:17.Straight down there, yeah, absolutely. All right then.
:55:18. > :55:27.When you think of the conditions that it was producing
:55:28. > :55:30.the fruit in before, and you think now, it's going to thrive, isn't it?
:55:31. > :55:33.You're not going to have enough crates.
:55:34. > :55:36.That's good. Lovely. Well, listen, thanks for your help.
:55:37. > :55:40.Good. So am I, to be perfectly honest. I'm well pleased with it.
:55:41. > :55:44.It's up there with my favourite trees now. Yeah?
:55:45. > :55:48.Time to see if Mike can put names to our apples.
:55:49. > :55:52.That's the last one off the tree you were working on over there.
:55:53. > :55:55.That's Cox's Pomona, which is quite a local type.
:55:56. > :55:59.I haven't seen these in Hertfordshire.
:56:00. > :56:03.Hang on, you've never seen that in Hertfordshire? No. Wow.
:56:04. > :56:10.Mike can also reveal that the one we've always
:56:11. > :56:14.known as Dad's favourite is actually Brownlees' Russet.
:56:15. > :56:17.Kids' packed lunch is, in fact, Cox's Orange.
:56:18. > :56:25.I think the name comes more from the colour. It has this banana...
:56:26. > :56:31.Somebody here was very keen on apples
:56:32. > :56:41.Yeah, we almost felt the need to do a drum roll before we eat
:56:42. > :56:46.I think that would probably be Keswick Codlin but it could be
:56:47. > :56:51.a West Country cider apple, which they were very keen to have here.
:56:52. > :56:53.Again, it's a sign of people who knew their apples
:56:54. > :56:59.But you've got a wonderful mixture here.
:57:00. > :57:03.We have a Hitchin Pippin here for you.
:57:04. > :57:07.Oh, Mike. So we'll make a start to your new orchard.
:57:08. > :57:11.And it's one of the rarest trees, that's just been rediscovered.
:57:12. > :57:14.Well, listen, thank you very much indeed. Thank you.
:57:15. > :57:16.Make sure you protect it from the rabbits.
:57:17. > :57:19.'Leaving Mike and Nicola to make a map of our varieties,
:57:20. > :57:22.'and Bob and Annie cleaning up the windfall,
:57:23. > :57:26.'I'm off to plant our precious Hitchin Pippin.
:57:27. > :57:29.'And just in time - the gardener's arrived.'
:57:30. > :57:34.Hiya. I can see it now - "Baker's own apple juice."
:57:35. > :57:36.You and Nicola, picture on the label,
:57:37. > :57:41.That's a good idea, actually. We should do it, we should do it.
:57:42. > :57:48.Don't be. Full of character. Take a bite of that.
:57:49. > :57:52.Lovely, isn't it? Quite sharp. Yeah. Nice, though.
:57:53. > :57:54.Good, I'm just planting this new one in.
:57:55. > :58:01.It's going in, there we are, that's good depth.
:58:02. > :58:03.Break it up a bit. Get the old roots out.
:58:04. > :58:10.Now, next week I'm afraid you are going to have to leave your home.
:58:11. > :58:12.You're kidding me. It's very inconvenient for you, isn't it?
:58:13. > :58:17.That's it from Hertfordshire. We're going to be on Cannock Chase
:58:18. > :58:19.and I'm going to be doing a little bit of mountain biking.
:58:20. > :58:22.A little bit? Yeah, just a little bit. You know me. OK, good.
:58:23. > :58:25.Well, I'm going to be celebrating 100 years of County Council Farms,
:58:26. > :58:28.a brilliant way for young people to get involved in farming.
:58:29. > :58:31.Hope you can join us then. See you then. Bye-bye.