0:00:29 > 0:00:33Hertfordshire - the treasure of the Home Counties
0:00:33 > 0:00:36boasts some of the finest farmland in the country.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46In the summer, these fields light up as the oilseed rape crop flowers.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48I'll be meeting the farming family
0:00:48 > 0:00:51who are pressing their own gold from this crop
0:00:51 > 0:00:56and the chef who's embracing rapeseed oil's healthy properties.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58This will only have a quarter of the saturated fat
0:00:58 > 0:01:00of any olive oil on the planet.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04And, here in Hertfordshire, the woodland runs thick
0:01:04 > 0:01:06and lush through the landscape.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10This is Heartwood Forest. It's a mere youngster
0:01:10 > 0:01:13compared to the ancient woodlands in the county,
0:01:13 > 0:01:17but, like its older and more established cousins,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20it's already thriving and bursting with life.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Tom's waiting for a bus that may never come.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29I'll be finding out about cuts to rural transport
0:01:29 > 0:01:33and asking if we can continue to support bus services
0:01:33 > 0:01:37in some of the remotest parts of our countryside.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39And Adam's catching up
0:01:39 > 0:01:43with one of the most inspirational farmers he's ever met.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46- Joan here doesn't know the meaning of retirement. Hi, Joan.- Hi!
0:01:46 > 0:01:48At 83, she's still running the family farm,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50coming to markets and going strong
0:01:50 > 0:01:54and, last year, her lifetime achievements were recognised
0:01:54 > 0:01:57when she won the Countryfile Farming Hero award.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59And later in the programme,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I'll be asking for your nominations for this year's awards.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04- I'll catch up with you later. - Thank you, bye.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17Hertfordshire - graceful open countryside,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20ancient woodlands
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and sweeping skies.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28Less than an hour from central London lies this rural county,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30rich in prime agricultural land.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35I'm visiting a farm in the village of Wilstone, just north of Tring
0:02:35 > 0:02:38on the western edge of the Chilterns.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Today, I'm going in search of a crop
0:02:44 > 0:02:48that sets our landscape ablaze with colour every summertime.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Rapeseed - in recent decades,
0:02:54 > 0:02:58fields of gold have become a familiar sight in our countryside.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Simon Mead's family have been growing rapeseed since the 1980s.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Eight years ago, they began transforming its tiny black grains
0:03:09 > 0:03:11into the liquid gold of rapeseed oil.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Now, obviously, Simon, when you're growing this yourself
0:03:15 > 0:03:18and you're trying to produce the finest oil you can,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21protection is the key and that's why we're carrying this stuff here.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Yes, Matt, the pigeons are starting to become a bit of a nuisance.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28They've eaten all the beech moss up in the Chiltern Hills
0:03:28 > 0:03:30and this is the next crop on the menu.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34In a hard winter, when there's not much else for the pigeons
0:03:34 > 0:03:37to eat, they can reduce even a crop like this down to ground level.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41So we're going to set some up and see if we can scare them off a bit.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42So, these are bird scarers.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Basically, you just light the end of the rope
0:03:44 > 0:03:46and, as time progresses, the bangers go off.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Yeah, every half an hour they go off and it scares them off.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Establishing this crop initially is quite a tricky process, Simon.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00Yes, it gets planted in August and it's in the ground all the way
0:04:00 > 0:04:04through to the following July, so it's in the ground for 11 months.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07There's lots of opportunity for things to go wrong,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09but once it's up and away like this crop here,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11we don't seem to have many problems.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14In the spring,
0:04:14 > 0:04:18rapeseed produces yellow flowers that turn into seed pods.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22By midsummer, the pods have dried out and the seeds turned black.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26It's these seeds which are pressed to create the oil.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We get about three and a half to four and a half tonnes a hectare,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31which is about the size of a football pitch.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35That should produce about 2,000-2,500 bottles off a hectare.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40- Right.- So, off this field, we're getting about 32,000 bottles.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44OK, right, let's get this sorted out so you can get rid of these pigeons.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48'Simon's crop has already become a buffet for the birds today
0:04:48 > 0:04:50'so it's time to light the bangers.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- Super.- That's it so we'd better get out the way.- Yes.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57There must be 300 or so up there. I saw a flock as I came in.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01WINGS BEAT
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Once harvested, the rapeseed grains are dried and stored,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14then cold-pressed and bottled on the farm.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17The result is 100% pure rapeseed oil.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Right, so it's from your fields, through the press and into here.
0:05:21 > 0:05:22It's like a science lab.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Yeah, it's all been filtered before it gets here, Matt.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27And this is Alex, your son.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30That looks like quite a tricky job, you've got to be quick, eh?
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Yeah, we're flying at the minute, yeah!
0:05:32 > 0:05:35'As well as making pure rapeseed oil,
0:05:35 > 0:05:40'Simon has recently started using the oil to create a new product.'
0:05:40 > 0:05:45Right, so the seasoning and the sugar has already gone in.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47This is a bowlful of mustard
0:05:47 > 0:05:51and we're in the process of making some mayonnaise, then, Simon.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Yes, it's a natural progression to go down, Matt.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58There's lots of oil in it. 70% of a good mayonnaise is oil.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Has it been quite a steep learning curve?
0:06:04 > 0:06:09- We split a few batches before we got it right.- Next is egg yolk.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Yes, a free-range egg yolk.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Right, so that's all the ingredients in there?
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Yes, all the main ingredients.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18All we've got to do now is introduce the oil slowly.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23WHIRRING
0:06:27 > 0:06:31Ow! That's, erm... That's mustardy at the moment!
0:06:31 > 0:06:36Let's get it all mixed up nicely before we start introducing the oil.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Oh, yeah, look at the difference.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45- You can stir the outside into the middle, Matt.- Yeah.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49- You've made a nice mayonnaise there, Matt, well done.- Happy, yeah?
0:06:55 > 0:07:01And there you have it - my very first jar of mayonnaise.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07'Even the leftover seed husks
0:07:07 > 0:07:09'are a useful by-product from the oil making.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Once the rapeseed has been through the pressing process,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15nothing goes to waste,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19as these cows and Simon's cousin Chris will now demonstrate.
0:07:19 > 0:07:20There you go, Chris.
0:07:20 > 0:07:21Thank you very much.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24So there's still a lot of goodness left
0:07:24 > 0:07:25in this waste from the oil process.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Yes, there is. It's very high in protein.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30Let me jump over the gate
0:07:30 > 0:07:32- and I'll give you a hand feeding them.- Righty-o.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38The protein builds muscle and the oiliness of the feed
0:07:38 > 0:07:41creates very little dust so it's less irritating
0:07:41 > 0:07:42to the cow's nose and throat.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44There you go, Matt, you have a go.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51'These cows certainly seem to enjoy it, and later, I'll be finding out
0:07:51 > 0:07:55'if the oil goes down as well with the customers of Simon's farm shop.'
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Now, rural buses are a lifeline for many people,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07but, as Tom's been finding out, it's claimed that more
0:08:07 > 0:08:11and more villages are being cut off by the loss of local services.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Deep in the heart of the countryside,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29you can wait a long time for a bus.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32A very, VERY long time.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35And, with councils all over the UK cutting millions
0:08:35 > 0:08:40from their transport budgets, the wait could get even longer.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44And for some rural communities, the bus might not come at all.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Indeed, the one I'm waiting for,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48after March, is going to be scrapped.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Hello, mate. Bolton Abbey, please.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03'One of the areas hardest hit is here in Yorkshire,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06'where 146 bus services have been cut,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09'altered or withdrawn in the past two years.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12'It's a similar picture across the country.'
0:09:13 > 0:09:18In total, over 1,000 supported bus services in England
0:09:18 > 0:09:21and Wales have been affected since 2014.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25And, according to the Campaign For Better Transport,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28it's hitting rural areas the hardest.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31In the past, it's had a devastating effect on the elderly,
0:09:31 > 0:09:35but now, increasingly, it's affecting the young.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Robyn Conmee is an apprentice wedding planner.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42With no bus services connecting her rural Lancashire village,
0:09:42 > 0:09:46her journey to work is harder than most.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Tell me about your struggle to actually get in to work.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Well, it's quite hard with the timings for work.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Because I live quite rurally,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54now and again, I have been late for work,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56which has got me in a bit of trouble before now, yeah.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59It's quite a journey, especially if I get the bus.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01It's about a 30-minute walk and then a six-minute bus journey,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03so, yeah, it takes a lot of time.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05It's just a shame that we haven't got a bus service
0:10:05 > 0:10:07that runs from where I live.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09It's quite frustrating.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Well, life isn't just about work. What about your social life?
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- How does transport affect that? - It really affects it.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16My friends live further out than I do.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17It's a case of getting there,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20it's just easier to say, "Oh, I'll give this one a miss."
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Robyn is not alone in being at the mercy of public transport.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28That's because nearly two thirds of job-seekers
0:10:28 > 0:10:32either have no access to a vehicle or cannot drive.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Check on. One chips, one mozzarella bonbons.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38OK, nice and quick, that's it.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41With more and more bus services being cut,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45hotel boss Carol Sleet is finding many young apprentices are being
0:10:45 > 0:10:49put off from working by the cost of finding other transport.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54OK, next things up.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Oh, look at that!
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- There we go.- Wow, looks fantastic! I get served by the boss, too.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02It's not going to happen often.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06So, tell me, how tricky is it for your business getting young staff?
0:11:06 > 0:11:08It's really tricky. Young people just can't afford it.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09It's so expensive.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The buses are really expensive, taxis are even more expensive.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16The apprenticeship wage is, I think, £132 a week,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19and, when you're asking people to spend,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22it can be nearly £100 a week in transport.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25They think to themselves, "What's the point of going in to work?"
0:11:25 > 0:11:26And you're actually finding that, are you?
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Do you have examples of places where you've got the spaces to work
0:11:29 > 0:11:31if you've got the people willing,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- but joining the two up... - I have an apprenticeship place
0:11:34 > 0:11:38in every single one of our venues that I have to practically beg
0:11:38 > 0:11:41to find somebody to come and work in them.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45For young people living in rural areas,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49buses can provide both independence and the ability to work,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51and for the elderly,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55they're a lifeline from isolation and loneliness.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57But, across the country,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01buses have been hit by a vicious cycle of falling passenger numbers,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04rising fares and cuts to services -
0:12:04 > 0:12:07a process exacerbated by severe reductions
0:12:07 > 0:12:09in local authority budgets.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12In recent years,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14getting on for £50 million has been cut
0:12:14 > 0:12:17from supported bus funding across the UK,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20although the figures from Northern Ireland do include trains.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22And, just in England,
0:12:22 > 0:12:2611 local authorities aren't spending anything at all.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31So, what is the impact on rural communities?
0:12:32 > 0:12:34- Good morning, Martin. - How are you doing?
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Taking advantage of the local produce
0:12:36 > 0:12:37- while you're here?- Absolutely.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39- What have you got there? - Some Wensleydale.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41This is Kit Calvert, this is made just up the road.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44- That's the top of the range. - That's good.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- Thanks very much. - Thanks, Steve.- Bye-bye.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52'Martin Abrams is from the Campaign For Better Transport.
0:12:52 > 0:12:53'He believes that,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55'despite commercial operators stepping in
0:12:55 > 0:12:58'to run some profitable bus services,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01'important isolated routes have disappeared completely.'
0:13:01 > 0:13:04You say local authorities have cut their budgets,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07but haven't those just been replaced by commercial operators
0:13:07 > 0:13:09- and maybe there's been no loss? - Well, no, there hasn't.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Over the past decade, supported bus services,
0:13:12 > 0:13:17those funded by local authorities, have lost about 55 million miles.
0:13:17 > 0:13:18In the same timeframe,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21commercial operators have only increased their operations
0:13:21 > 0:13:24by about 13 million miles so they haven't picked up
0:13:24 > 0:13:27the overall shortfall in the loss of supported services.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30So you think money spent in public transport is a good investment?
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Absolutely. It's a necessary investment.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34For every £1 that's invested in buses,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38they generate up to £5 in wider economic benefits.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42We're here in Leyburn on a busy, bustling market day
0:13:42 > 0:13:44and these towns really rely on bus services
0:13:44 > 0:13:46to get people to the market,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49to get people to spend their money in their local economy.
0:13:49 > 0:13:50If you take services away,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54then it's places like this that are going to be hit really hard.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58So, along with the obvious environmental benefits,
0:13:58 > 0:14:03the economic benefits of bus services appear to stack up too.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05As rural buses are cut back,
0:14:05 > 0:14:10some people risk being cut off from jobs, services and shops.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12But it's not bad news everywhere.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15As I'll be finding out later, some rural communities
0:14:15 > 0:14:19are joining together to run the service for themselves.
0:14:24 > 0:14:30Mighty and magnificent, these natural skyscrapers -
0:14:30 > 0:14:34our trees - make us feel very small.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42We're so used to looking up at the canopy that it's easy
0:14:42 > 0:14:47to think they've always been here, towering over us.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54But they were young once - small and fragile
0:14:54 > 0:14:57and barely recognisable as trees.
0:14:57 > 0:15:03This is just a baby forest, but it's destined for great things.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Each of these spindly saplings is a native British species
0:15:06 > 0:15:11and there's everything here from oak to hornbeam, birch and willow.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15It's the largest new native forest in Britain
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and it's called Heartwood.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23By the time it's finished,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25there will be more than half a million trees
0:15:25 > 0:15:29covering 850 acres of former arable land.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31I'm particularly excited to be here
0:15:31 > 0:15:34because it's not my first visit to Heartwood Forest.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38'Back in 2011, I helped plant some of these trees.'
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Here we've got an oak for you.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- These are supposed to be the hardest ones, aren't they?- They can be.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47- Some of the roots are quite big on them.- Thank you.- Mind how you go.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52'Louise Neicho from the Woodland Trust has been in charge
0:15:52 > 0:15:54'from the moment the first tree was planted.'
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Hi, Louise, it's good to see you again.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- Hi, welcome back to Heartwood.- Thank you very much. It's been a while!
0:16:01 > 0:16:04In fact, I thought I might recognise this, but it's changed so much.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06It has changed.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08We've actually planted half a million trees
0:16:08 > 0:16:10- since the last time you were here. - That's amazing.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Your aim was 600,000.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Yeah, so obviously 100,000 still to go, still a lot of work to do.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16That's remarkable.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20'I want to see how the trees I planted are coming along.'
0:16:20 > 0:16:27- Here we go.- Oh!- This was the area we planted.- Could it be this one?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- It could be!- Oh, look at that. It's still growing.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33- Louise, you're being very kind. Tell Ellie the truth.- It's not mine!
0:16:33 > 0:16:38- Mine died! I knew it!- I didn't know what to say!- Which one is mine?
0:16:38 > 0:16:41- Is it that gap?- It's the gap! - Oh, no! I can't bear it.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45There's a lovely big gap in my memory, that's nice!
0:16:45 > 0:16:49But when you're planting a forest on this scale, 350 hectares,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53when you've got little gaps like this, that is absolutely fine.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57'I do have a chance to redeem myself, though.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02'Every single tree in Heartwood Forest is planted by a volunteer.
0:17:02 > 0:17:08'34,000 people have been involved since the project began in 2009
0:17:08 > 0:17:11'and a hardcore bunch are out today in force.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16'They're creating an arboretum.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20'It will showcase 10,000 native British trees,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23'all of which are being planted this winter.'
0:17:23 > 0:17:25- How is it going, Pam?- Oh, hello! - Nice to see you again.- Yes, lovely.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- I'm just popping a nice oak tree in here.- Oh, lovely!
0:17:28 > 0:17:30- What are you going to do? - I'm going to do one, too.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32- I'm going to go right next to you here.- Good.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35And what about doing all this outdoor work in winter?
0:17:35 > 0:17:39- Do you not mind it?- Oh, no, no, no, so long as it's not TOO awful.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43No, we've got waterproof skins and we're built for outdoors
0:17:43 > 0:17:44if you wrap up warm
0:17:44 > 0:17:48and it's lovely to do something that's useful for the world.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53'Only six years into its life and people are already getting
0:17:53 > 0:17:56'so much out of Heartwood Forest.'
0:17:58 > 0:18:00And wildlife is too.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Forests, even young ones, are incredible habitats
0:18:04 > 0:18:07and, if you're up early enough, there's a good chance you'll see
0:18:07 > 0:18:11some of the animals that have made Heartwood their home.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16'It's early. The sun will soon be rising,
0:18:16 > 0:18:21'but I'm going to see what creatures the night has left behind.'
0:18:21 > 0:18:25As the land turns from arable fields to forest,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28it's really important to understand how the environment is changing
0:18:28 > 0:18:33and the small animals in that ecosystem can tell us an awful lot.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- Yes, we've got something. - The trap has dropped, has it?
0:18:39 > 0:18:43'Ian Flack and Brian Legg are volunteers who carry out
0:18:43 > 0:18:46'an annual survey of Heartwood's small mammal population.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51'Ian is licensed to handle rare and protected species,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54'but we're OK with this one - the common wood mouse.'
0:18:57 > 0:19:01- Here's the next one. - You've camouflaged it well in there.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Well, that's the aim.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05'These are humane traps containing bedding
0:19:05 > 0:19:07'and food to keep each animal comfortable.'
0:19:07 > 0:19:10- Yeah!- There he goes. - Ooh, is that a vole?
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- It is a vole.- It's a vole, yeah. Let's get a weight on this one.
0:19:13 > 0:19:1615 and a half grams.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20- So I'll just release it.- Lovely.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Even in the small amount of time we've been monitoring here,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25we've seen a bank vole and a wood mouse so what does
0:19:25 > 0:19:28that variation in small mammals tell us about the ecosystem here?
0:19:28 > 0:19:30It tells us that we're already providing all the food
0:19:30 > 0:19:32and the cover that they need so they can thrive
0:19:32 > 0:19:35and the numbers can build up and what happens then, of course,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37is that the birds of prey come in as well
0:19:37 > 0:19:40so we've got populations of barn owls, of kestrels
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and we get the short-eared owls coming in in the winter.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46'Volunteers like Brian and Ian
0:19:46 > 0:19:49'really are the beating heart of this project,
0:19:49 > 0:19:54'creating a place for all to enjoy - both big and small.'
0:19:55 > 0:19:58A field that's slowly transforming into woodland
0:19:58 > 0:20:01might look to you a bit spindly and scruffy,
0:20:01 > 0:20:05but nature is filling this place with insects, with birdlife
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and with mammals, and it's wonderful to think
0:20:08 > 0:20:11that future generations might look up into the canopy
0:20:11 > 0:20:13and wonder how it all began.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24'Now, during the summer, we asked some well-known faces,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26'from athletes...
0:20:27 > 0:20:31- '..to comedians...'- Oh, it's quite refreshing after a while!
0:20:31 > 0:20:33'..actresses...
0:20:33 > 0:20:35'to chefs...'
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Bon appetit!
0:20:37 > 0:20:41'..which area of our magnificent countryside was special to them.'
0:20:51 > 0:20:54This week, chef Tony Singh takes us to Loch Awe
0:20:54 > 0:20:56in Western Scotland
0:20:56 > 0:21:00where he found his passion for fresh produce.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Wow!
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Still beautiful, eh?
0:21:06 > 0:21:10I remember coming here 28 years ago,
0:21:10 > 0:21:14but it just feels so welcoming.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22I was a YTS chef when I was 18 and that led to working here
0:21:22 > 0:21:25at Ardanaiseig Hotel and that was the first time,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27basically, I'd left home.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33The thing I always remember that sticks in my mind
0:21:33 > 0:21:38was the loch just round the corner. It was so stunning and...
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Wow, there you go. That stayed with me forever.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53It just feels exactly the same.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58The kitchen there, which was great.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00The first kitchen I ever worked in that had windows,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02it was just phenomenal.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09I wondered why people went out camping or climbing mountains.
0:22:09 > 0:22:10"It's a mountain, yeah."
0:22:10 > 0:22:13And when you're here, you're intoxicated by it.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15I went over to the islands, I wanted to go up there,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17I wanted to go trekking and everything
0:22:17 > 0:22:20so I was champing at the bit to go out and experience everything.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26This is the old boathouse.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30This is where I first cast off on my first fishing trip
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and what an adventure that was!
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- You fancy some fishing, Tony? - Definitely!
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I came out and it was beautiful, it was like this.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47So we thought we'd go out for a couple of hours,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50hopefully catch a trout and put it on the menu.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Fishing rods out, casting off
0:22:54 > 0:22:57and then the weather changed, just like that.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Rain came in, it started getting choppy,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03panicked, water was coming in
0:23:03 > 0:23:06so we tried to head straight back to the shore through the waves
0:23:06 > 0:23:10and it just got worse and we ended up about a mile and a half away.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14We had to trudge back to the hotel with the engine,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18late for work, no fish, soaked, got into trouble,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21then we had to go back and tie off the boat. It was a nightmare.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24But it never put me off going back out or this view or anything.
0:23:24 > 0:23:25This is amazing.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29So here I am again and hopefully we'll catch something this time.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Better down the middle there if it's going to snag up.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46- Luck's out! It's not going to happen.- Well, that's fishing.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50- Shall we head back?- That's not a bad idea.- Come on, then.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Everybody talks about Scotland's larder
0:23:55 > 0:23:58being the best in the world and it is,
0:23:58 > 0:23:59but it was coming to Ardanaiseig
0:23:59 > 0:24:02that really etched it into my psyche.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04The produce on our doorstep,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06the butcher coming up with the lamb
0:24:06 > 0:24:11that he got from the farmer that he knew, catching trout,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14the guys going picking wild mushrooms or berries...
0:24:15 > 0:24:17There we go, look at that.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Hedgehog mushrooms - we've got some there.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23If you're not sure, never eat anything, eh?
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Very, very important. Oh, look at that!
0:24:26 > 0:24:29We've got a fantastic cep there.
0:24:32 > 0:24:33Look at that.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36It's been eaten a little bit.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39They used to be called penny buns or ceps, you get smaller ones,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42but this was an eye opener because, back in the city,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44we were getting produce and it was great
0:24:44 > 0:24:46and it was fresh and it was lovely, but I didn't connect.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I didn't add one and one together, but now, when we were out
0:24:49 > 0:24:53and picking it fresh and seeing it, it was just like a revelation.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54It was fantastic.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01And it was free so everybody was a winner.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07The things that you'd pick up, it had a really profound effect on me.
0:25:08 > 0:25:13I've got a recipe from a wee coffee shop in town for scones
0:25:13 > 0:25:14and I still use that.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16These things do stick with you
0:25:16 > 0:25:18cos it always takes you back to good times.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22It's gorgeous.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30Lovely.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32In the pocket!
0:25:40 > 0:25:45This is it, this is another amazing memory. This is elemental.
0:25:45 > 0:25:46We've got fire, we've got water,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48we've got some fantastic brown trout
0:25:48 > 0:25:50that we're going to do justice to
0:25:50 > 0:25:54with just a little bit of spice and cooked on the fire. This is just...
0:25:54 > 0:25:56You can't get better. Look at the view.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02So we've got a fantastic brownie here.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Look at that, beautiful!
0:26:03 > 0:26:06And we're just going to cook it on the embers of the fire
0:26:06 > 0:26:08so we'll make it a little pocket.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15Into that, we've got some fantastic thyme from the garden.
0:26:15 > 0:26:21Just a little bit of cinnamon in there, some garlic cloves,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24some white wine,
0:26:24 > 0:26:28some harissa paste, lemon.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33That lovely fish, put it in. Make sure you get right in there.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Rapeseed oil.
0:26:40 > 0:26:41The steam and the juices in there
0:26:41 > 0:26:44are going to make the sauce for the fish.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51And that's it - a Viking boat.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53A fit burial for the brown trout.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55We just want the embers there.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23This is it. This season I spent in Ardanaiseig
0:27:23 > 0:27:26away from home when I was 18...
0:27:28 > 0:27:30..in this amazing countryside...
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Ohhhh...
0:27:35 > 0:27:37This made me want to be chef.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40This was it - this fantastic raw produce that we had.
0:27:40 > 0:27:46Words can't describe it, you have to feel it and it's just brilliant.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Bon appetit!
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Earlier, we heard about the huge cuts in bus services
0:27:57 > 0:28:02which are leaving those in rural areas increasingly isolated.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04But could community-run initiatives
0:28:04 > 0:28:06be the answer to the transport crisis?
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Tom's been finding out.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19The mighty Yorkshire Dales -
0:28:19 > 0:28:23a landscape to be explored.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34It certainly is an inspiring place to walk,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37but with deep, sweeping cuts to bus services here
0:28:37 > 0:28:41and across the country, connecting our rural towns
0:28:41 > 0:28:46and villages by public transport is becoming increasingly difficult.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48- Hello!- Hello.- Can I have a day return, please?
0:28:48 > 0:28:51- You can, yes.- Thank you.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55- There you go, sir, thank you very much.- Thanks a lot.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Here in North Yorkshire, though,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01residents have started to fight back and have gone as far
0:29:01 > 0:29:05as providing and effectively running a bus service themselves.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08It's got a bit gloomy out there, John. I'm quite glad to be on a bus.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Yes, and it's almost turning into the night bus, isn't it?
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Started by ramblers,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17the DalesBus was set up to provide much needed access
0:29:17 > 0:29:21to the Yorkshire Dales National Park and surrounding communities.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24John Disney is one of the directors of the service.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28We started off with one service.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32We've now grown so that now we're running about 13 different services.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Many of them have got dedicated drivers,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38like Keith who's driving our bus today.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40And why did you feel so strongly
0:29:40 > 0:29:42that this was an important thing to do?
0:29:42 > 0:29:45We basically felt that the Dales
0:29:45 > 0:29:48should not just be accessible to car users.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51There's seven million visitors to York every year,
0:29:51 > 0:29:53many of those come from overseas,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56but actually relatively few of them venture out into the Dales
0:29:56 > 0:29:59because they just don't know how to actually get there.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07As council-operated services in the area have been cut,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10DalesBus has seen passenger numbers increase.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16The big benefit for me is if I get the bus I can go for a long walk
0:30:16 > 0:30:20and end up somewhere else and then get the bus back home again.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23It's wonderful freedom and the flexibility.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26You get off where you want and stay for the rest of the day.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28They are a lifeline.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30I live in a little village
0:30:30 > 0:30:34and without our bus we would be absolutely devastated.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37And how often do you think you take it?
0:30:37 > 0:30:41Use the buses? Oh, I use them at least three or four times a week.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44I also use it to go to hospital.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50No longer just providing a service solely for ramblers,
0:30:50 > 0:30:55the buses have become vital for many over-60s without access to a car.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58On many routes, buses are required by law
0:30:58 > 0:31:01to be free for those with a concessionary pass,
0:31:01 > 0:31:06but for the Dalesbus this has come at a price.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08The Saturday service we operate between Skipton
0:31:08 > 0:31:12and Harrogate is doing marvellously in terms of passengers.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16But the revenue still falls about £130 a day
0:31:16 > 0:31:18short of the operating costs.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19Because most of them aren't paying.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Yeah, about 75% of the passengers on that route
0:31:22 > 0:31:25are concessionary pass holders.
0:31:25 > 0:31:30Councils reimburse bus operators for passengers who use free bus passes,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33but many are now cutting the level of that reimbursement
0:31:33 > 0:31:36and community enterprises like the Dalesbus
0:31:36 > 0:31:39are now struggling to survive.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41- BELL RINGS - Next stop, please.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46It seems the unintentional cost of free public transport
0:31:46 > 0:31:50is destroying the service for those that need it most.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54So why aren't councils able to provide more money to help?
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Anything catching your eye this morning, Jonathan?
0:31:57 > 0:31:58- These leeks are good. - They look good.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01- They look fantastic. - Some nice produce here.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03'Jonathan Carr-West is the Chief Executive
0:32:03 > 0:32:05'of a local government think tank.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08'He believes councils simply don't have the money
0:32:08 > 0:32:10'to spend on subsidising buses.'
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Why is public transport, particularly buses,
0:32:13 > 0:32:15being hit so hard in rural areas?
0:32:15 > 0:32:17I think what people have to realise is what a tough time
0:32:17 > 0:32:19local governments are having financially
0:32:19 > 0:32:22and some of the difficult decisions they have to make.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25They have lost about 40% of their funding from central government
0:32:25 > 0:32:29and 70% of what is left they have to spend on legal obligations.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31We all want vulnerable children protected,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34we all want our elderly relatives to be cared for -
0:32:34 > 0:32:37most people, I think, feel that that is more important than transport.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40We have to accept there is a reality that there will be less money
0:32:40 > 0:32:42to spend on bus services because there is just less money,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45so we need to spend what we do have smarter.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51'Ultimately, what councils spend their money on is up to them
0:32:51 > 0:32:54'and there are clearly hard decisions to make.'
0:32:54 > 0:32:56So what is the solution, do you think,
0:32:56 > 0:32:57for public transport in the countryside?
0:32:57 > 0:33:00I think there are things that local government can do
0:33:00 > 0:33:02and that some councils are doing around the country to use
0:33:02 > 0:33:05the little resources they have left more creatively.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07You can concentrate on key bus services,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09you can wrap around volunteer services,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11you can have on-demand minibus services.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14And in the end, when you think about transport,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17it's not just about vehicles going from one place to another,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19it's about how you connect a whole community.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28When it comes to protecting rural bus services,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32local volunteers and business brains can achieve a lot.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36But they are always going to need some help from central government
0:33:36 > 0:33:39and we should find out what they're planning
0:33:39 > 0:33:42when the Buses Bill is published in the next few months.
0:33:46 > 0:33:51I am in West Hertfordshire meeting a farming family in the Chilterns and
0:33:51 > 0:33:55finding out more about their latest venture called pressed rapeseed oil.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Entrepreneurship runs in Simon's blood -
0:34:00 > 0:34:03the family started off selling their produce from a stall
0:34:03 > 0:34:04by the side of the road.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08These days, it's from their farm shop and tearooms.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11So, where better to put Simon's rapeseed oil to the test
0:34:11 > 0:34:15and see how it stands up against its Mediterranean cousin, olive oil?
0:34:18 > 0:34:21Simon's wife, Jenny, is helping set up our taste test.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25Jenny, I have one quite literally hot off the press here.
0:34:25 > 0:34:26Brilliant.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29So we are going to do a bit of a taste test here, aren't we,
0:34:29 > 0:34:31with the customers?
0:34:31 > 0:34:32So shall we just tip it in there?
0:34:34 > 0:34:37- I'll see how we go.- OK. - I won't be long.- Righty-ho.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40- Hello. Would you like to try a bit of this?- What is it?
0:34:40 > 0:34:43- Which is which?- Well, you tell me.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44That one.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47- Can I interrupt? - You certainly can, Matt.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Would you have a little taste and see which one you think is best?
0:34:50 > 0:34:53All we are asking you to do is dip that bit of bread into the oil
0:34:53 > 0:34:55and see which one you prefer.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Well, they are just two completely different flavours, aren't they?
0:35:00 > 0:35:01But that one is so much nicer.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07- If I was eating oil...- That's the rapeseed.- ..I'd have that.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10- I like that one best.- Do you? OK. Interesting. Olive oil.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15- I think that one. - Do you know what that is?- No.
0:35:15 > 0:35:16- That's rapeseed oil.- Oh!
0:35:16 > 0:35:18It's always good to have a little nibble.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20SHE LAUGHS
0:35:22 > 0:35:25- Mm, that one. - You prefer the lighter, do you?- I do.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Have you thought about getting hold of one of these?
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- I buy one every year.- Do you?! - I do.- Oh, that's fantastic news.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Yes, it is the Countryfile calendar sold in aid of Children In Need
0:35:33 > 0:35:37and if you haven't got yours yet, you need to get onto the website quickly.
0:35:37 > 0:35:38All the details are on there...
0:35:41 > 0:35:44And thank you for buying yours. That's very kind.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Now, last year we asked you to tell us
0:35:57 > 0:36:01about your farming heroes for a brand-new Countryfile award.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04The response was incredible and it was a tough ask for Adam
0:36:04 > 0:36:07and his fellow judges to pick a winner.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Now, we really agonised about this
0:36:10 > 0:36:14but we felt that this year's winner went above and beyond,
0:36:14 > 0:36:20both as a farmer and as a stalwart of her local community.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22The winner is Joan Bomford.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Well, later, we are going to be launching Farming Hero 2016,
0:36:27 > 0:36:31but before that, Adam has met up with last year's winner
0:36:31 > 0:36:33and if she can't inspire you, nothing will.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Last March, I met Joan Bomford for the very first time.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43She has been farming since the 1930s
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and at the age of 83 she is still going strong.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50So, tell me about your life, then. When did you start working on farms?
0:36:50 > 0:36:54When I was about eight, milking.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58The most funny thing was that father always dressed me as a lad.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02- Why did he do that? - Well, I think he wanted a lad.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06It was Joan's work in the community and her tireless charity work
0:37:06 > 0:37:10that made her a farming hero and she has still got bags of energy.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15It is such a waste of life to do nothing and sit around, isn't it?
0:37:15 > 0:37:18So make the most of it, says I.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21The winner is Joan Bomford.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24It was an honour to present Joan with Countryfile's
0:37:24 > 0:37:29Farming Hero Award at the BBC Food and Farming Awards last April.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32Since winning, Joan has attracted all sorts of attention.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35I am catching up with her again to find out more.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43As the sun rises over her farm in Worcestershire, I know there is
0:37:43 > 0:37:47only one place Joan will be - out in the field with her animals.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51There's Joan.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Up with the lark, hard at work.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58Morning, Joan.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- How are you?- All right, and you?
0:38:01 > 0:38:05- Goodness me, working hard as ever!- Yeah.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08You have been very busy since I last saw you at the Farming Awards.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11On the telly and radio and all sorts, isn't it?
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Telly, radio, we went up to London,
0:38:13 > 0:38:18- we came down to Bristol for the prize-giving.- Yeah.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22- It has been amazing, really. - And what about this, then?- Yeah.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- Your book. - I got pestered to do a book.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29They said my life was worth talking about, so that's what I did.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33- It absolutely is. This is a wonderful photograph there.- Yeah.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37It says in the book that you left school at 14. Is that right?
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Yeah, well, before, because for the last year I didn't go.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43Didn't you?
0:38:43 > 0:38:46I went one day, that was to pick up my books.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50So what would your English teacher have thought
0:38:50 > 0:38:53- about you writing a book, then? - Erm, I don't know.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56I expect she would be quite pleased because she did make us try
0:38:56 > 0:38:58and write properly, you know.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02And all these animals, how many ponies have you got now?
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Oh, about 80.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07- And how many cattle? - About the same, yeah.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10- That is a big herd of cattle. - Oh, yes. It keeps you busy.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- Are you coping?- Yeah, just about.
0:39:13 > 0:39:14Wonderful.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17And I understand you have got some jobs to do with the cattle today.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- Yeah, we are going to Worcester Market with three bulls.- OK.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- I'll give you a hand with that, shall I?- Yes, OK.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25- Let's go and get them loaded.- OK.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37With help from Joan's son Colin, we round up the cattle.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39All of her stock are raised for beef
0:39:39 > 0:39:42and at 28 months old they are ready to go to market.
0:39:45 > 0:39:4983, still driving a lorry. Wonderful!
0:39:52 > 0:39:55With Joan at the wheel, we are off to Worcester Livestock Auction.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Joan has been coming to Worcester to sell cattle for more than 75 years.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Stop!
0:40:10 > 0:40:11Spot on.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19- How do you mind driving on the roads nowadays?- I'm all right.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21I'm a bit bigger than them.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24- OK, let's get them off.- Yeah, right.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Joan is just handing over all the paperwork.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38All the cattle have their individual passports that match up
0:40:38 > 0:40:40to their ear tags.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43They go down into individual pens and then into the sale ring.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45They are being sold for beef today.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51- They look nice in there, Joan, don't they?- Yeah, yeah.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53You have got them well turned out.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Yeah, it's a shame, really, they've got to go, isn't it?
0:40:56 > 0:40:59How do you feel about the emotions of bringing cattle to market?
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Well, you know it's their last journey
0:41:02 > 0:41:09and I suppose you get so used to them and you do miss them.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Yeah, sure. But you are proud of what you are producing.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Yes, that's the main thing, isn't it?
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- Yeah, make some lovely beef, won't they?- Yeah.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21I particularly like that number 44. That'll make a good price, won't it?
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Yes, that's the best one of the two, really, the three, yeah.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28And what sort of money do you think they will make?
0:41:28 > 0:41:32Erm, well, hopefully 900 to 1,000, maybe.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Yeah.
0:41:34 > 0:41:41They might not, they might even go for 600 and it's very disappointing.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Yeah. Well, fingers crossed.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Hopefully they'll make the right price, pay for all that diesel.
0:41:46 > 0:41:47OK, then, thank you.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51Joan loves coming to the market to catch up with fellow farmers.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55To the locals she has always been a farming hero.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58You know Joan, don't you? Lovely character, isn't she?
0:41:58 > 0:42:02Oh, yeah, yeah. A real worker, a real worker.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05I don't think you could find anyone who would work as hard.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08She's a miracle lady, isn't she?
0:42:08 > 0:42:10Oh, she is a one-off.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14I think after they made her they broke the mould.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Well, I hope I am still going that strong when I am 83.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21- It's lovely to see you. - I'm closer to it than you are.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23I have got my fingers crossed that Joan's first steer
0:42:23 > 0:42:25will command a good price.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Is it a bit of a gamble, bringing the cattle?
0:42:28 > 0:42:32Yeah, it is, because you never know what you're going to get.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35The cattle need to sell for at least £600 each
0:42:35 > 0:42:38for Joan to make any money on them at all.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41This auctioneer rattles through it. I can hardly keep up with him.
0:42:41 > 0:42:42He doesn't stop, does he?
0:42:44 > 0:42:47It's a good start. The first one is sold in seconds.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54- 1.67 a kilo, live weight.- Yeah.
0:42:54 > 0:42:59- So I can't do the maths, but that's over £1,000.- Yeah.- Very good.- Mm.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02'That has more than made the trip worthwhile.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04'A very good price indeed.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07'Here comes the next one.'
0:43:07 > 0:43:10This next one, you said before it was your favourite one.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14- You reckon this one is the best one of the three.- Yeah.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18So that's just over 600 kilos as well.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21- That's nearly 1,100 quid on that one, isn't it?- Yeah.- Very good.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25'Another good price. The third one also sells for something similar.'
0:43:25 > 0:43:28- They've done well, I think, haven't they?- Yeah, they have.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30Somewhere in the region of...
0:43:30 > 0:43:33- They averaged over £1,000 apiece, I'd have thought.- Yeah.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35- Are you pleased?- It's a good average, yeah.- Well done.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38And what about you, are you going to retire soon?
0:43:38 > 0:43:40- No.- Going to stick with it.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43What's the point? What would I do?
0:43:43 > 0:43:45I don't know, write another book.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Oh, I can do that in my spare time.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51What a remarkable lady you are.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00Every time I meet Joan I feel moved by her motivation
0:44:00 > 0:44:03and enthusiasm and there's no doubt in my mind that she deserved
0:44:03 > 0:44:06to win the Countryfile Farming Hero award last year.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09And this year we are launching the awards again,
0:44:09 > 0:44:12so we want to hear from you about those special people
0:44:12 > 0:44:15in the countryside who go above and beyond.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20The award is for a farmer or farming family who have made
0:44:20 > 0:44:24a difference through their heroic actions.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27The judges want to hear about farmers who have come to the rescue
0:44:27 > 0:44:32of others, man or beast, at a time of need.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34They could have organised emergency animal housing
0:44:34 > 0:44:36for their fellow farmer,
0:44:36 > 0:44:39have helped their neighbour when times were bleak.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42We will celebrate the achievements of truly remarkable people
0:44:42 > 0:44:44who make our countryside a better place.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50Our winner will be someone who has gone above and beyond to help
0:44:50 > 0:44:54their farming friends and neighbours and of whom we can all be proud.
0:44:54 > 0:44:58If you know someone like Joan here who might be a farming hero
0:44:58 > 0:45:02then let me know so that we can thank them and recognise them.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04And for the nominations...
0:45:04 > 0:45:07You better get your skates on because there's only two weeks
0:45:07 > 0:45:09to go, starting from today.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14Nominations close at midnight on January 24th,
0:45:14 > 0:45:17so names sent in after that won't be considered.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19Remember, if you are watching us on demand,
0:45:19 > 0:45:21nominations may have already closed.
0:45:21 > 0:45:25Details, including terms and conditions, are on our website.
0:45:34 > 0:45:39I'm only 20 or so miles as the crow flies from Marble Arch.
0:45:39 > 0:45:43I could be slap-bang in the middle of London in no time.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46But the city feels far, far away.
0:45:48 > 0:45:53Rural tranquillity on the doorstep of the capital is a commuter's dream
0:45:53 > 0:45:57combination, and a farming county with prime arable land -
0:45:57 > 0:46:00Hertfordshire has a lot to recommend it.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03No wonder it's not short of a few bob.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08It's one of the richest counties
0:46:08 > 0:46:11with some of the highest house prices in the UK.
0:46:13 > 0:46:17The three most common uses of land in Hertfordshire are towns
0:46:17 > 0:46:20and cities, farming and transport.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23But what could the fourth be in such a well-off place?
0:46:25 > 0:46:27Golf.
0:46:28 > 0:46:33Hertfordshire has 70 golf courses spread all over the county.
0:46:36 > 0:46:40When you think about golf, if you picture immaculate fairways
0:46:40 > 0:46:44and perfectly-manicured grass, well, you wouldn't be far wrong.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47But here at Mid-Herts Golf Course,
0:46:47 > 0:46:50they are bringing in something a whole lot wilder.
0:46:51 > 0:46:56Heathland, a heather-clad habitat we associate with windswept moors
0:46:56 > 0:47:00and untamed uplands, not the Home Counties.
0:47:00 > 0:47:05Hertfordshire has lost 97% of its heathland since 1940.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11Tim Hill from Herts And Middlesex Wildlife Trust
0:47:11 > 0:47:13is trying to bring it back.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18So, that habitat once was here in relative abundance.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21It was widespread but due to changes in land use,
0:47:21 > 0:47:26loss of grazing, it means that a lot of trees were now coming,
0:47:26 > 0:47:28a lot of scrub, and it's shaded out the heather.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30But why golf courses?
0:47:30 > 0:47:35In Hertfordshire, there's over 8,500 acres of golf courses
0:47:35 > 0:47:40and most of the heathland that is remaining is on those golf courses.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43And there's some of this heather here. Let's have a look at this.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46It's really thriving. It's such a surprise to see it.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48This is some of the heather that has been restored
0:47:48 > 0:47:51and conserved over the last ten years or so.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53And how have you gone about getting it here?
0:47:53 > 0:47:55Well, it has been a lot of hard work,
0:47:55 > 0:47:58a lot of advice given by the Wildlife Trust to make it happen,
0:47:58 > 0:48:00but primarily it's down to the groundsman
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and his staff that have managed to make it look as good as this.
0:48:03 > 0:48:04Yeah.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11Jody Wilson is the groundsman at Mid-Herts Golf Club.
0:48:11 > 0:48:16This isn't just routine maintenance, this is a carefully planned
0:48:16 > 0:48:19operation to help reintroduce the heather.
0:48:19 > 0:48:20Jody, stop, stop.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26The storm of leaves there! Quite a noisy business, isn't it?
0:48:26 > 0:48:27Very noisy.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29I know you guys are incredibly neat and tidy but this
0:48:29 > 0:48:32seems like quite a big step, making sure every leaf is gone.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36Yeah, unfortunately with the heather, it hates organic matter
0:48:36 > 0:48:39and clearing the leaf is essential for it to grow for us.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41Otherwise it gets so smothered, and we try
0:48:41 > 0:48:44and encourage the baby heather to come through as well.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47- Do you fancy giving us a hand? - Yeah, I'll have a go.- Excellent.
0:48:47 > 0:48:49All right. Hey-hey! Backpack.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00It's mine and Jody's job to shift the leaves
0:49:00 > 0:49:03and then the tractor comes along to pick them up.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07It's really effective.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09But getting the heather here in the first place
0:49:09 > 0:49:11is a challenge in itself.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14Basically, what we've done here, we've lifted some turf because
0:49:14 > 0:49:17obviously we are trying to get down to the base of the heather seed
0:49:17 > 0:49:19that was originally there
0:49:19 > 0:49:22sort of 50, 60 years ago, and then we bring the heather brashings in,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25which has got lots of seed in, and then we sprinkle away.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28Hopefully, in a couple of years, or perhaps in a year's time,
0:49:28 > 0:49:30we will see some really good heather growth.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40But what do the club's members make of this added obstacle?
0:49:41 > 0:49:45Pippa Legg has been playing golf here for 25 years.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48Conservation aside, how is this heathland restoration
0:49:48 > 0:49:50good for the game?
0:49:50 > 0:49:53Well, the heather, particularly when it's in flower,
0:49:53 > 0:49:58is beautiful but it also presents a real hazard that golfers
0:49:58 > 0:50:01have to either manage to get out of or avoid.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05And then these fine grasses, you can find the golf ball quite easily
0:50:05 > 0:50:09but you still need a fair amount of skill to get the golf ball
0:50:09 > 0:50:11back out of the rough and onto the fairway.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14- I have never played golf but... - Right, OK.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18..I have got a club and I wouldn't mind you teaching me.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21- Right, what do I do? - Keep your eye on the ball.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24Keep your head still and just watch the ball,
0:50:24 > 0:50:26and then just take a nice swing.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30Ah, well, that was a practice swing, yeah?
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Oh, I just don't have this!
0:50:32 > 0:50:34Head still, swish the ground.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37Oh, I can't even make contact!
0:50:37 > 0:50:39There you are, you see?
0:50:50 > 0:50:52While Ellie has been searching out small mammals
0:50:52 > 0:50:55in the woodlands of Hertfordshire, I have been
0:50:55 > 0:50:58following the production of some of the county's home-grown rapeseed oil.
0:50:58 > 0:50:59Hello.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02It has already proved popular amongst the customers of the farm shop,
0:51:02 > 0:51:05but it can boast another high-profile fan.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09Michelin-starred French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli
0:51:09 > 0:51:12made Hertfordshire his home more than a decade ago
0:51:12 > 0:51:15and opened up his own cookery academy.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20You just have to press enough. You see, look. Easy.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23If you are not too sure, that is when you cut yourself.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26It is here that he shares his gastronomic know-how
0:51:26 > 0:51:28and passion for local produce.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34And I am very excited because I have been invited for dinner,
0:51:34 > 0:51:35and I haven't come empty handed.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41- Jean-Christophe, how are you? - Matt, how are you?
0:51:41 > 0:51:42- Nice to see you again. - I'm very well.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45- Listen, I brought you a bottle, OK?- Fabulous.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48It's not wine, but I think you're going to like this a little bit more.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51I will, for sure. This is absolutely fantastic.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54First on the menu are roasted winter vegetables.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56I have got beetroots, turnips, swedes.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59These things, the real food of earth, basically.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02I want to have a little bit of this oil
0:52:02 > 0:52:04coating around all my vegetables.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07Trained in traditional French cuisine, in recent years,
0:52:07 > 0:52:10Jean-Christophe has focused more on healthy eating...
0:52:11 > 0:52:14- Just roll everything around inside. - That's right.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17This will only have a quarter of the saturated fat
0:52:17 > 0:52:19of any olive oil on the planet.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22..and now uses barely any butter or salt in his dishes,
0:52:22 > 0:52:26so rapeseed oil is the ideal substitute.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28That goes in the oven.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32The only thing I am waiting now is the smell.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35Next up, cranberries left over from the festive season
0:52:35 > 0:52:37are put to good use.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40A spoonful of honey, spices and a drop of rapeseed oil
0:52:40 > 0:52:43bring out their vibrant flavour.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45Just a touch.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47Please go for it.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53Oh, my word!
0:52:53 > 0:52:55That is a burst of flavour.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58Next on the menu, scallops.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01Usually seared in butter, Jean-Christophe's healthy approach
0:53:01 > 0:53:04means he uses just a sheen of rapeseed oil.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06If you just do it like this, just nice and easy.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09- And you know what is funny? You do it on one side only.- OK.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12I will let you do that. That is quite a lovely feeling, by the way,
0:53:12 > 0:53:14because there is where you acknowledge
0:53:14 > 0:53:15how good the scallops are.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18Do you know, I love your connection to the food.
0:53:18 > 0:53:19I just like food and that's it.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23If you really want to have a bit of the sea, don't put salt on it
0:53:23 > 0:53:26because the fish, or the shellfish...
0:53:27 > 0:53:30..will speak for himself. Now, look at that.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33And those scallops should not take longer than that.
0:53:33 > 0:53:37- So they have all gone rapeseed oil side down.- That's right.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41The secret to scallops is keeping it simple.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Hot pans, bing, bang, out.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46A drizzle of oil and voila.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48And that's it, it's done.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51I see I've chosen the right moment to come in! It smells lovely.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53Bonjour, very nice to meet you.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Right, I'll just put that there and that down there.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58- And are we be ready to eat now? - Yes, forks all round?
0:53:58 > 0:53:59Monsieur, for you.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01- There we are.- Thank you, thank you, this looks amazing.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04- Would you like to tuck in? - Don't mind if I do.- Come on over.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07Shall I slide down this way so I can get close to the plate?
0:54:07 > 0:54:09You are going to love those cranberries.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13I'm going to try and get a bit of everything in there.
0:54:13 > 0:54:17- Lead beautifully.- Mmm.- Verdict?- Wow!
0:54:17 > 0:54:20What a lovely flavour. Lots of sharpness too, which is nice.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23You are very lucky, lots of people have been doing a rapeseed oil
0:54:23 > 0:54:25test today and this is the finest one of all.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27Hey, that is lovely.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30- Oh, yeah, that is good. - Isn't that a rewarding end?
0:54:30 > 0:54:34Thank you so much, honestly, for all the tips. I've had a wonderful time.
0:54:34 > 0:54:35But that is it for this week.
0:54:35 > 0:54:37Next week we're going to be in Gloucestershire.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39So until then, bye-bye.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43- You can come and do the catering, if you want.- I'd love to.
0:54:43 > 0:54:44Brilliant idea!