0:00:25 > 0:00:30Sea breezes warm the land, the air is mild, the climate gentle.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33You'd be forgiven for thinking this is the Med.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Definitely not today.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39This is the Isle of Wight and I've joined these volunteers
0:00:39 > 0:00:43to try and track down a very particular kind of animal.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46In we go.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Well, Anita's not the only one with a job to do this week.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Top of my list, spot of gardening.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Thing is, if you're going to do some gardening,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56you might as well go to the shed, get all the kit out
0:00:56 > 0:00:58and make it as extreme as possible.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Tom's investigating if the end of caged eggs is really
0:01:03 > 0:01:05a victory for animal welfare.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10It's not quite as straightforward as saying "cage bad, free-range good".
0:01:10 > 0:01:14It's more a question of saying what can we learn from the cages now
0:01:14 > 0:01:19about just how... low mortality can be?
0:01:20 > 0:01:24And Adam's got his work cut out with a different kind of round-up.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch! Hup!
0:01:29 > 0:01:31That's it. Quick...
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Well, I'm well used to working with sheep and cattle, but never deer.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38But it's all about learning how to work with these animals, isn't it?
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Oh, absolutely. Nice and calm. As long as you're calm, the animals are calm.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44I don't feel very calm, I feel quite wound up!
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Goodness me! That was great.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54The Isle of Wight.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56A jewel in the Solent.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01Here the sun shines, mild winds blow and, all around,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04the rich green landscape bursts with life.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Sometimes, surprising life.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10They're fast, they're wild, it's going to take all of us
0:02:10 > 0:02:13to round them up, and they're very smelly.
0:02:13 > 0:02:14I am talking goats.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20I'm at Ventnor on the south side of the Isle of Wight,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22where the island's feral goats are about to be rounded up
0:02:22 > 0:02:24for their annual health check.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33There's been a herd of Old English goats on the island since 1993.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36They were brought here from Devon to help deal with the spread of
0:02:36 > 0:02:37invasive holm oak trees.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42But - oh, boy - could we have picked a better day.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45There's driving rain and thick mist,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47which is going to make the task all the harder.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53National Trust ranger Ian Ridett is in charge.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54Hello, good morning.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58So, this is our 21st, I think, goat round-up.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02It is very steep, it is very slippery and is very dangerous,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04so please be careful and stay in a line.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Undeterred by the weather,
0:03:07 > 0:03:11these hardy volunteers are going to spread out across the down.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14The plan is to form a human chain which will push the goats
0:03:14 > 0:03:17towards the pen a few hundred yards away.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19OK, Sean, moving off.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Off we go, everybody!
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Right.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Well, you have to start at the back of the down because, of course,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29we don't know where the goats are.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31We can't see all of the down, top to bottom.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34As you can see, this is somewhere you can't get a tractor...
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- It's so steep.- They are very much better on this ground than we are...
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- Goodness me. - ..as you can tell already.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43So, we're here to track these goats.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48We're on the steepest hill I've ever had to try and navigate
0:03:48 > 0:03:50- well, to try and find goats -
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and the goats, so far, are nowhere to be seen.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00There are 30-40 goats and their kids somewhere out there,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03but there's more than 200 acres of gorse,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05bramble and dense woodlands they could be hiding in.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Don't know where these goats are, but I hope they turn up soon.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14SHE LAUGHS
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Right, OK.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'The sun's finally pushing through the grey clouds,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27'making it easier to spot signs of goaty life.'
0:04:28 > 0:04:30You can see here there's one of their nests, actually.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32- That's their beds. - This? How do you know?
0:04:32 > 0:04:35They scrape the leaves off and you've got this sort of
0:04:35 > 0:04:38slightly shiny bit of ground, and a little bit of poo there, as well.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Ah, goat tracking.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Right, to find the elusive...
0:04:43 > 0:04:46OK on top, Robin! We'll carry on.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48'Read you. Out.'
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I'm stepping away from the round-up for a few minutes
0:04:53 > 0:04:56to find out precisely why these holm oaks are such a problem.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00So, Tony, the holm oak seems rather nice to me,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02being in this lovely shady forest.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Yes, and that's what the Victorians thought.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08They filled their gardens up with them after they'd been on
0:05:08 > 0:05:09Mediterranean holidays
0:05:09 > 0:05:11and they spread like fury.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14They like the chalk, they like the climate, and so we ended up
0:05:14 > 0:05:18with all our lovely chalk grassland being covered in this holm oak.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20And why is that a problem?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Because the grassland is very rich in lots of species.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27Adonis blue butterflies, chalkhill blues and, floristically,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29the wonderful flowers.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30And it was disappearing.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34And so that's why the goat cavalry have been brought in, is it?
0:05:34 > 0:05:37It is. They actually eat the bark of the tree, and eventually
0:05:37 > 0:05:38the smaller trees they'll kill.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40So, the goats are doing their job. It's working.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Is it bringing back the lovely chalk that you want to see?
0:05:44 > 0:05:45It's wonderful.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48You can look across the landscape, it's completely different.
0:05:48 > 0:05:49So, it's working.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55This uneven ground might be easy climbing for goats,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58but the steep slopes and wet leaves are making it slightly harder
0:05:58 > 0:06:00for us humans.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06There they are. Spotted.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Fantastic.
0:06:08 > 0:06:09They exist.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12If you can get in line with my arm, straight up, that would be great.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- Anita...- Yes?
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'Good - the goats are bunched together.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21'Now we just need to hold the line for one big final push.'
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Push across towards Sean.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26On the far side.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27Quick as you can.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Don't get excited just cos they're in front of us.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Keep together as a line.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Hold it together.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Wow! Look at these fellows.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09Aren't they fantastic?
0:07:11 > 0:07:12Oh, yeah.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Phew! They smell amazing.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Now, Ian, what's happening next? So, we've got them in the pen...
0:07:18 > 0:07:20We'll check their ear tags.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23We'll look at their feet, look at their teeth, look at their general
0:07:23 > 0:07:26condition, if they're healthy enough to last through the winter.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32OK. Where do you want them? Do you want them sprayed or out?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Yeah, that causes problems.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41'This isn't the most glamorous task I've had to do.'
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- So, it's quite tough. - Ugh, that's horrible.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45There you go.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Well, I've never cut any other creature's toenails before.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52A goat pedicure is a first.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Cor, this one's got really long nails. Crikey!
0:08:01 > 0:08:06'32 billies, nannies and kids have been trimmed, tagged and recorded.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10'I'd say a successful day's wrangling.'
0:08:10 > 0:08:12This is it. The goats are about to be released for another year.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16Here they come.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24There they go.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Taking that very distinct smell along with them.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36For British consumers,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39animal welfare is one of our top concerns when it comes to
0:08:39 > 0:08:40buying meat and eggs,
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and now it seems that supermarkets are ditching caged hens for good.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45So, is it all good news?
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Here's Tom.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54Eggs...
0:08:56 > 0:08:57..nature's convenience food.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Packed with nutrition and one of our staples.
0:09:06 > 0:09:12Here in the UK, we consume 33 million of them every day,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and not just poached, scrambled or fried for your breakfast.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Eggs are also to be found in a number of products you'd see
0:09:19 > 0:09:20on the supermarket shelf.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25It'd be nice to imagine that our eggs come from an idyllic
0:09:25 > 0:09:30farmyard setting, but to cater for this much demand,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33most come from farms on a much larger scale.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37Almost half of those are free-range, but the majority of eggs
0:09:37 > 0:09:41come from enriched colony cages, simply known as caged eggs.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49Four years ago, battery farms were banned and these enriched cages
0:09:49 > 0:09:50were designed to replace them.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56But now nearly all of Britain's supermarkets have vowed to
0:09:56 > 0:09:59stop selling caged eggs by 2025.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06It's great news for those campaigning for animal welfare,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09but what does it mean for egg producers?
0:10:09 > 0:10:14Farmers across the UK have invested £400 million in recent years
0:10:14 > 0:10:17in the transition from battery to caged production.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Duncan Priestner is a sixth-generation egg farmer.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27In 2009, he spent £3.5 million converting this farm from
0:10:27 > 0:10:31battery cages to enriched cages.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33There's 60 birds in these colonies.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37We have a nest box area here, where all the eggs are laid.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39We have a curtain to keep it nice and dark.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Inside we have perches and then we have a scratch area in the corner,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46feed along the front and water along the middle.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49'There are five barns like this here on Duncan's farm
0:10:49 > 0:10:52'and between them they yield 80,000 eggs a day.'
0:10:53 > 0:10:56When you look at these overall, you've still got, as you say,
0:10:56 > 0:10:5960 birds in an area about the size of a large single bed.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03How do you actually know they're happy? They're still quite squashed.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06These systems have been developed by animal-welfare experts.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08If you actually look at the hens in these systems,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11they've got great feather cover, they've got very bright eyes,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14very nice bright combs, but they lay very, very well.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16We get a lot of eggs out of here
0:11:16 > 0:11:18and very, very few hens that die in these systems.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21So, a productive hen is a happy hen in your view?
0:11:21 > 0:11:23A productive hen is a happy hen.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24But they are, nevertheless,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27birds behind bars and people don't like that.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29What we try and do is get people in here,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32we show them the systems, we explain to them how it all works, and
0:11:32 > 0:11:35when people see that, people usually are very, very impressed.
0:11:37 > 0:11:4065 million people in this country eat a billion eggs a month,
0:11:40 > 0:11:45so we need very big farms to produce those eggs for the retailers.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48'So, what will happen when these cages are scrapped
0:11:48 > 0:11:50'in just under a decade?'
0:11:50 > 0:11:55We have invested, in the country, £400 million into these systems
0:11:55 > 0:11:58to give the hens a really good level of animal welfare and then,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02possibly in a few years' time, may have to take it all out again.
0:12:02 > 0:12:03And what do you think about that?
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I think, er...well, really, despair, really.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08I mean, this shed is four years old.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11It's going to take us another ten years to pay it off,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13and just by the time it's going to be paid off,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15it's possibly going to have to all be ripped out and something
0:12:15 > 0:12:18different and something new - we're not too sure what - put in instead.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Caged-egg production is still relatively new and farmers believe
0:12:26 > 0:12:28it's better for hens than battery.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32So, why are many supermarkets stopping selling caged eggs?
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Well, it's largely thanks to one person.
0:12:39 > 0:12:4215-year-old Lucy Gavaghan hit the headlines this summer
0:12:42 > 0:12:46when her online petition convinced Tesco to stop selling
0:12:46 > 0:12:48caged eggs by 2025.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53When was the moment that you knew that you'd won?
0:12:53 > 0:12:57I received a phone call at school from Tesco to hear that
0:12:57 > 0:13:00they would stop selling caged hens' eggs by 2025.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03They released a press statement later that day and
0:13:03 > 0:13:04it's all rolled from there.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07And the fact that they came and rang you up at school does credit
0:13:07 > 0:13:10your campaign for quite a lot of that success, doesn't it?
0:13:10 > 0:13:14I hope so, and I think that was really key for me,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17that they'd actually called me before the press statement,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20because that really recognised that the campaign had
0:13:20 > 0:13:23a part in the change and that was what I was hoping for.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Tell me, how did this all start?
0:13:25 > 0:13:29When was the moment that you thought, "Wow, I really care about what's happening to chickens"?
0:13:29 > 0:13:31It was after meeting a flock of hens on a livery yard and
0:13:31 > 0:13:34I became really attached to one of them in particular.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37She was so friendly and I became really aware of what
0:13:37 > 0:13:39intelligent animals they are.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43So many hens are kept in cages - it didn't make sense to me,
0:13:43 > 0:13:44so I wanted to do something about it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47How do you know that a free-range hen is happier than one from
0:13:47 > 0:13:49an enriched cage?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51It's clear to see, really.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53All these hens are rescue.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Hazel, at the front, she's actually rescued from a cage.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00So, I've watched her as she's developed from a rescue hen,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03pale and weak and generally quite withdrawn.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06She, now, is just as confident as all the other hens.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09She's fully feathered, she's got a bright red comb, and that
0:14:09 > 0:14:12shows that she's got access to the outdoor world.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14And I think that, as consumers,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17we have to ensure that they're given the respect and the compassion
0:14:17 > 0:14:21that they deserve, because they're not just inanimate objects,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23they're not just egg-laying machines.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25They're so much more than that.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29And Lucy's success hasn't stopped there.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34Two of the world's biggest contract caterers, Sodexo and Compass,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37have pledged to go cage-free as well, and, in the States,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40McDonald's and Walmart have promised to do the same.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45It looks like a victory for animal welfare,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48but is this success all it's cracked up to be?
0:14:48 > 0:14:50That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Carisbrooke Castle looms large...
0:15:02 > 0:15:04..a dominating presence on the Isle of Wight.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09For a thousand years, it's braved the elements,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11weathered countless storms
0:15:11 > 0:15:13and the withering assault of freeze and thaw.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18But there's one foe that takes some beating...
0:15:18 > 0:15:20and it's scaling the castle walls.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27The Isle of Wight's balmy climate makes it
0:15:27 > 0:15:29a good place for plants to grow.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32But when they start making themselves at home
0:15:32 > 0:15:35on the castle's stonework, it's a problem.
0:15:36 > 0:15:37The ivy has to go.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Sam Stone is overseeing its removal.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45So, what's the reason, then, to remove all of this ivy?
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Because obviously it's been a big part of this castle's history.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49That's right.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53At Carisbrooke Castle, we've taken the decision to remove all of
0:15:53 > 0:15:55the ivy and actually all of the vegetation, to ensure that we
0:15:55 > 0:15:59are conserving the walls to the best of our ability.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02While the ivy's on the walls, we can't tell what condition
0:16:02 > 0:16:05the walls are in and we can't do any maintenance to the walls, either.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09The ivy itself doesn't actually harm the walls,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12unless the roots are growing directly from the wall.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14This is part of the biggest conservation programme that
0:16:14 > 0:16:17English Heritage has ever undertaken, but at Carisbrooke
0:16:17 > 0:16:21we've decided that is the best approach, because we want to be able
0:16:21 > 0:16:23to see how the castle walls look without it.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Here, particularly on the 14th-century tower,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I think we're going to uncover some really interesting
0:16:30 > 0:16:32architectural details, which tells us a lot more about
0:16:32 > 0:16:35the castle and how it was built and the different phases.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Getting to those hard-to-reach places requires specialist
0:16:43 > 0:16:45knowledge and equipment.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47We'll just tuck all these away.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49James Preston and his team of historic-building
0:16:49 > 0:16:53conservationists use climbing gear to do the job safely.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08OK, now, what sort of technique are we using here?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Obviously so that we don't harm the stone below,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12but get as much of the ivy off as possible?
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Well, we need to be very aware of the condition of the wall
0:17:15 > 0:17:17behind the ivy.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19If we were just to start yanking,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22potentially bits of stone and bits of mortar can be pulled out
0:17:22 > 0:17:25with the ivy. So we're removing the ivy very carefully,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29just making sure we don't damage any parts of the building.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32But essentially, we're just carefully pulling it off.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38If it's a bit stubborn, we'll prise it off with some small tools.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- Yeah, OK.- Use one of these. - Oh, right, good.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45And just being really careful about what's underneath, really.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47This wall looks in quite good condition.
0:17:47 > 0:17:48I was going to say exactly that,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I'm quite surprised at the condition under here.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54So you can see how, in parts,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56it does offer great protection.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Yes, absolutely. This has clearly protected this wall quite well.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03- Yeah.- But we need to remove it to be sure,
0:18:03 > 0:18:08and make sure the condition of the wall is in a good state of repair.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09Yeah.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13'Gardeners at the castle cut through the roots of this ivy a year ago,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15'but it's still going strong.'
0:18:16 > 0:18:20We don't tend to advise cutting the roots at the bottom, because
0:18:20 > 0:18:25when you do that, the ivy, in trying to survive,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28roots into the wall, so this is a good example.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30This ivy is very much alive, but it's not
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- connected to the ground.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35So it's living off the wall.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38'And to illustrate just how invasive ivy can be...'
0:18:38 > 0:18:40This is a great example.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41What we tend to do,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44we record these bits of stone and we carefully remove them.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- And you can see the root's actually grown behind it, see?- Ah, look!
0:18:47 > 0:18:51'An ivy shoot has found its way behind the face of the stone.'
0:18:51 > 0:18:54That's incredible, when you think of the process of how that must
0:18:54 > 0:18:56have grown, because there just must have been
0:18:56 > 0:18:59a slight little shard and it just got it in there.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03- Forced its way through.- And just gently just...prise, yeah?- Yeah.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06And with this technique, because you're not cutting it, it's
0:19:06 > 0:19:11coming off in these beautiful kind of...just blankets, quilts of ivy.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16It can be very satisfying. This bit is coming off in one big sheet.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20It's always really exciting when you reveal certain parts of
0:19:20 > 0:19:23architectural detail that have been lost over the last however long.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Yeah, talk about being able to see where you've been.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- You must get some great before-and-after photos.- Yeah.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32It is quite satisfying to look at it once you've finished,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35what a difference it makes to the overall impression of the building.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Right, are we ready to descend a little bit now?
0:19:38 > 0:19:40We can go down a little bit and we'll just carry on
0:19:40 > 0:19:42removing this blanket.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45'You'll be able to see the results of our handiwork later.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49'Before then, something a little more...tropical.'
0:19:58 > 0:20:02'I could be in a parched South American desert...
0:20:05 > 0:20:07'..a distant, exotic jungle...
0:20:10 > 0:20:13'..or could I be exploring the Australian wilderness?'
0:20:16 > 0:20:20No, this is Ventnor, on the south side of the Isle of Wight,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23and there's all sorts that grows here that really shouldn't.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36'The botanical gardens at Ventnor enjoy a
0:20:36 > 0:20:39'particularly warm microclimate.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43'They face south, so they soak up the best of the sun.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47'And they're sheltered from the chilly northerly blasts by
0:20:47 > 0:20:50'the high ridge of St Boniface Down.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53'Chris Kidd is the curator.'
0:20:53 > 0:20:56It feels really quite natural here, I don't feel like I'm in
0:20:56 > 0:21:00a plant museum with specimens laid out for me.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03We're trying to replicate the wild here.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Everything you can see from this position is all from Australia,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08there's nothing here which didn't originate on the other side
0:21:08 > 0:21:12- of the world.- So you just let the plants self-seed and things, do you?
0:21:12 > 0:21:13Absolutely.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16One of the true measures of success here is when our plants do
0:21:16 > 0:21:19sow themselves into places we couldn't possibly grow them.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22And have you had plants just arriving on their own?
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Yes, we are growing on the trunks of the tree fern
0:21:25 > 0:21:29a very rare ally to a fern itself called a tmesipteris.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32It's almost impossible to cultivate,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34but where we've got such a wild garden here,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37it's arrived on its own way and is growing very happily.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42'Not everything in the garden is natural.'
0:21:44 > 0:21:49- So we're walking down now between two coaches.- Coaches?!
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'Yeah, coaches.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'These rocks are fake, 'specially made to look ancient
0:21:55 > 0:21:59'and built on top of two old scrap buses.'
0:21:59 > 0:22:02The principle is that the larger the waste product that's underneath,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05the larger the rock is that you can have at the end of it.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06So with a coach body,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09you can actually have a rock which is truly huge.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11- So it works as a frame.- Exactly.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Over the top, there's a series of meshes and mortars that go on,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18which is shaped up and then coloured to make it look authentic.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- How long ago was there nothing here? - This was only ten years.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24That's staggering. Everything here has grown in that time?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Yeah, all of the trees you can see, they went in when they were
0:22:27 > 0:22:30saplings, 15 centimetres tall, and they've grown in ten years.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48'The gardens contain many plants which have medicinal uses.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51'And the site has a longer association with wellbeing.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56'The Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest stood here,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00'founded by Dr Arthur Hill Hassall in 1868.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03'Jonyth Hill is the garden's historian.'
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Tuberculosis was a real plague to everybody. Millions died from it.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12Dr Hassall came down here and he found that this would be an ideal
0:23:12 > 0:23:15place for him to have a hospital, but a different hospital.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19He wanted to have individual rooms for all the patients.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21All facing south, so they got plenty of fresh air,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24which is one of the best things to actually have for TB.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26And, believe it or not, all the French doors,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30all the windows were left open all the time, even in the winter.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32They really thought fresh air was good for them.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34- I'm not sure the patients would agree!- They didn't.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37I've had patients come round and say it was freezing.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38LAUGHTER
0:23:38 > 0:23:40And you've got another one.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Well, this is quite amazing. What happened with the patients here,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46if they were getting better, they had graded exercise.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49- These are the patients? - These are actually the patients.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51And, believe it or not, the doctor is watching them work.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53This is rather a lovely one.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55This is up in the garden above,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58which is now a general herbal and medicinal garden.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01This is literally where the ladies would be able to sit out
0:24:01 > 0:24:03and have afternoon tea.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Antibiotics eventually replaced fresh air for treating TB
0:24:08 > 0:24:10and the hospital closed.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13By 1970, it had been demolished
0:24:13 > 0:24:16and the 22 acres of parkland began its transformation
0:24:16 > 0:24:19into the botanical gardens.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21There's one special group of trees
0:24:21 > 0:24:25that have lived through the entire story.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27The palms here, these are unusual,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29because they're the oldest palms in Britain.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- Oh!- Nowadays, you can see palm trees throughout the United Kingdom.- Yeah.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35But at the time that these were brought over as seeds from China,
0:24:35 > 0:24:37palms were unknown to the British landscape.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Some were sent over to the Isle of Wight
0:24:40 > 0:24:42and given to Prince Albert at Osborne House,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45who kept one there and decided that the remaining six
0:24:45 > 0:24:47would be brought over to this garden,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50because it was so warm, and planted here, where we have them today.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52So how long have they been here?
0:24:52 > 0:24:55They've been in the ground here for over 150 years.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59The hospital may be long gone,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02but there's still a nod to its medical past.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08In the medicinal garden, John Curtis is planting eucalyptus trees
0:25:08 > 0:25:11that will form the basis for a very unusual cordial.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15So, why eucalyptus?
0:25:15 > 0:25:16Well, it's easy.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19If you rub your fingers on one of the leaves
0:25:19 > 0:25:23- and then smell the aromatic qualities come off the leaf...- Oh!
0:25:23 > 0:25:26- That's lovely.- Most people have had eucalyptus drops or something.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28- Yeah, clear your tubes.- Same source.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31The Aborigines used it as an antiseptic.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Are you expecting these specimens to grow as big as the monsters
0:25:34 > 0:25:36- you've got down there?- No.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40These we coppice. We let them grow to about four feet
0:25:40 > 0:25:44and then cut them back and let them regrow, so it's more sustainable.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48We take the leaves and effectively create an essence,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51by reducing them down in water.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53And that creates the base.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57Add sugar, add citric acid and we have our cordial.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And then you sell that here?
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Here and with local retailers.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06The reason we do that is to so-called feed the garden.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10So, it's a more modern way to run a botanic garden -
0:26:10 > 0:26:12to try to get the plants to earn their keep.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14SHE LAUGHS
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Now back to Tom, who's looking at the pledge to end
0:26:25 > 0:26:26caged eggs here in the UK.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37We consume 12 billion eggs every year in the UK.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40And the majority of those come from caged hens.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44But earlier I found out
0:26:44 > 0:26:47that nearly all of the major British supermarkets
0:26:47 > 0:26:51have pledged to stop selling these caged eggs by 2025.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57Currently, caged eggs, like these, account for 51% of UK production.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00So, what could happen to the British egg industry
0:27:00 > 0:27:04in just nine years' time, if eggs are no longer farmed this way?
0:27:04 > 0:27:06SQUAWKING
0:27:06 > 0:27:09The rest of our eggs pretty much all come from free-range farms
0:27:09 > 0:27:13and it's this type of farming that's likely to expand.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20SQUAWKING
0:27:20 > 0:27:24'I've come to meet free-range egg farmer Martin Ford.'
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Oh, look. There are some eggs.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29These are some of the bravest chickens I've ever met.
0:27:29 > 0:27:34'His hens, here in Somerset, produce 7,000 eggs every day.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38'So, you'd think he'd support this move away from caged eggs.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39'But he doesn't.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43'Instead, he's worried it'll drive down the price of his eggs.'
0:27:44 > 0:27:48Up till now - because we've been a niche market,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and it's been seen as a speciality egg, if you like -
0:27:51 > 0:27:53we can get a small premium.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55We're then going to be the bottom of the ladder.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58We're going to be the bottom rung. We're going to be the commodity.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00You think that's kind of inevitable, do you?
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Cos in the past it was seen as something special, you know,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05"I'm getting free-range, I'm prepared to pay a little bit more."
0:28:05 > 0:28:08But when it becomes the norm, that vanishes?
0:28:08 > 0:28:09That is our worry.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I'm a small free-range producer now.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16This is an 8,000-bird single-deck system, as they call it.
0:28:16 > 0:28:22There are systems being used already in the industry that are large.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26The big units may have 64,000 birds in one unit.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29And can produce eggs a lot cheaper than I can.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31So, from my personal point of view,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34it's going to be very difficult for me to compete.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Some people might say, "Well, you've had it good for a while,
0:28:37 > 0:28:40"now the realities of competition are going to bite,
0:28:40 > 0:28:42"just like they do for a lot of other businessmen."
0:28:42 > 0:28:44That's right, that's what they say.
0:28:44 > 0:28:45And I was hoping to have something
0:28:45 > 0:28:48to pass on to my children, if they want it.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50But...the way I'm looking at it now,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54the next four to six years could be crucial.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56So you see this as a real threat
0:28:56 > 0:28:58- to the survival of your business, do you?- Absolutely.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00SQUAWKING
0:29:01 > 0:29:06Martin is concerned that an end to caged eggs will be bad for him
0:29:06 > 0:29:08and other free-range farmers.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11But surely it's got to be good for hens,
0:29:11 > 0:29:12in terms of animal welfare?
0:29:12 > 0:29:13SQUAWKING
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Professor Christine Nicol is one of the UK's
0:29:17 > 0:29:20leading animal-welfare experts.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23She's studied both the caged and the free-range systems
0:29:23 > 0:29:26and, surprisingly, it turns out
0:29:26 > 0:29:28you could be better off as a caged hen.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34- So, the cage system keeps the birds very safe.- Mm-hm.
0:29:34 > 0:29:39The risk of predation is very low, the risk of disease is lower
0:29:39 > 0:29:42and the risk of accidents is also lower, so the birds are very safe,
0:29:42 > 0:29:45but they can't do quite the same range of behaviours.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49When you look at the free-range system, the birds can do
0:29:49 > 0:29:52all sorts of behaviours, whatever they want, really,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54but some of the risks are higher.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56So it's not quite as straightforward as saying
0:29:56 > 0:29:59"cage bad, free-range good".
0:29:59 > 0:30:04It's more a question of saying what can we learn from the cages now
0:30:04 > 0:30:08about just how...low mortality can be?
0:30:08 > 0:30:12And then make sure we apply that to the free-range farms and say,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15"This is the standard that we're aiming for."
0:30:15 > 0:30:17So is it the case that free-range definitely can be
0:30:17 > 0:30:20higher welfare, but you've got to work harder to deliver it?
0:30:20 > 0:30:22Yeah, I think that's exactly right.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25So, free-range has the greatest potential to give the birds
0:30:25 > 0:30:28very, very good welfare. And it's not straightforward.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32It's a really skilled job to run a free-range system very well.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36There are other options, though.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39In the Netherlands, some farmers are experimenting with
0:30:39 > 0:30:43an indoor system that gives chickens verandas and conservatories,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45to protect them from the cold.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49So, much as we love going outdoors on a nice sunny day,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52we don't want the doors of our house to be open all day long
0:30:52 > 0:30:53in the middle of January.
0:30:53 > 0:30:58And that is a problem for free-range systems in a British climate.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01What concerns the industry is, if free-range becomes even more
0:31:01 > 0:31:03of a bulk business than it is now,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05it's going to drive down the margins.
0:31:05 > 0:31:10And therefore we might see poorer free-range conditions.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Is that a concern that you share?
0:31:12 > 0:31:15I don't think you can run a free-range business
0:31:15 > 0:31:18by cutting too many corners. It just won't work.
0:31:18 > 0:31:24So, no. I see more divergence and innovation
0:31:24 > 0:31:27and branding of different types of free-range,
0:31:27 > 0:31:28but not a drive to the bottom.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33The change will, inevitably,
0:31:33 > 0:31:38lead to yet another expensive revamp of UK egg farming.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42And some fear it might also push up the average price of eggs.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49This move away from caged eggs could well be good for hen welfare
0:31:49 > 0:31:52if the management is right.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55But that may come at a cost to the industry and to us.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07Sheltered from blustery winds and warmed by good old autumn sunshine,
0:32:07 > 0:32:11today the Isle of Wight feels more like the south of France
0:32:11 > 0:32:12than the south of Britain.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Perfect conditions, then, for growing these -
0:32:18 > 0:32:19black grapes.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26Black grapes take much more sunlight to grow than the white varieties.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28But at one of Britain's oldest vineyards,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30wine grower Russ Broughton has cracked it.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36So, Russ, how unusual is it to be able to grow black grapes in the UK?
0:32:36 > 0:32:39It's very unusual to grow black grapes to make red wine.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41You can grow black grapes and make rose wines.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44But to try and get the sugar level and the taste high enough to make
0:32:44 > 0:32:47a good-quality red wine, very unusual.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49So why are you doing it here?
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Because this is the Isle of Wight.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54And we are lucky enough to have such a great climate that we can grow
0:32:54 > 0:32:58a lot of things that, perhaps, even in Hampshire you can't,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00which is only just across the water.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02This is our Rondo.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04- Oh.- There we go.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Beautiful. I'm going to try one.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- That's delicious.- Mm.- Sweet. - Yep, they're very sweet.- Mm!
0:33:09 > 0:33:11It does sugar up quite early,
0:33:11 > 0:33:14so we tend to pick this one before we harvest the white grapes.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16OK, well, I'm going to help you harvest the grapes but...
0:33:16 > 0:33:18I'll probably eat half of them whilst I'm doing it.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20I'm not going to eat your profits, though.
0:33:20 > 0:33:21I might do.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23- OK.- OK, let's do it. - So...- What do I do?
0:33:23 > 0:33:25- Here's some secateurs.- Thank you.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33This is Russ's main vineyard.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35But further down the hill,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38he's planted some young Rondo vines
0:33:38 > 0:33:41in ground with a very special heritage.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Now, the Romans may have had a vineyard on this very site
0:33:47 > 0:33:49nearly 2,000 years ago.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53What I'm walking on right now is said to be part of an ancient farm
0:33:53 > 0:33:55with a very important villa attached.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03Brading Roman Villa is one of the finest examples
0:34:03 > 0:34:05of its type in Britain.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Discovered by accident, and excavated in the 1880s,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11it became famous amongst the Victorians
0:34:11 > 0:34:13for the quality of its mosaics.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Jasmine Wroath is the villa's curator.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19So, this is impressive, Jasmine.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- It is, it is.- What is it?
0:34:21 > 0:34:25This is a fourth-century winged-corridor villa.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28The owners were probably quite wealthy.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30We think that from the artefacts that have been found
0:34:30 > 0:34:32and from the mosaics that we've got here.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35So, why this bit of the Isle of Wight?
0:34:35 > 0:34:36Why would they have built it here?
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Well, originally, back in the Roman times,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40there was an estuary just out to the east.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43And it would have probably come up about 300 metres
0:34:43 > 0:34:45to the entrance of the villa itself.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49So it's likely that there was a... trade coming in and out of the port.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52And also we obviously have really fertile lands.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55The chalk ridge, which runs just behind us,
0:34:55 > 0:34:57led to really great lands,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00so you could have raised sheep on there, grown great crops as well.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01Wow, it still looks great
0:35:01 > 0:35:03- 2,000 years later, doesn't it? - It does look good.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05- Shall we get down there and have a closer look?- Yeah, let's.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10'From the fragments that remain,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'you can see how impressive the mosaics must have been.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17'Twice a year, the centuries-old stones are sponged clean
0:35:17 > 0:35:19'with water to remove dust.'
0:35:23 > 0:35:26Jasmine, this feels like a real honour. What am I cleaning?
0:35:26 > 0:35:28We call this our Gallus mosaic.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33So far as we know, he is the only cockerel-headed man in Britain.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35- So, yeah, he is quite... - LAUGHTER
0:35:35 > 0:35:38- ..quite unique.- So, what about the rest of the mosaics? Who's this?
0:35:38 > 0:35:39This is Bacchus, and he is the god
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- of wine and winemaking. - WATER DRIPS
0:35:42 > 0:35:44- Ah! So, that's very appropriate. - It is.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Do we think that maybe they were making their own wine here?
0:35:47 > 0:35:51- If they've got Bacchus as a mosaic. - Yes, quite possibly.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53If you've got the god of wine in one of your central pieces
0:35:53 > 0:35:56in one of your mosaics, it is possible they were growing
0:35:56 > 0:35:58their own grapes here for winemaking.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00There we go. I can see him now.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Old Bacchus, our god of wine.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06I think I might start worshipping Bacchus.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10Back up the hill,
0:36:10 > 0:36:14the gods have clearly been smiling on all Russ's vines.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17So, this is the Bacchus grape?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20- This is the famous one, yes. - Named after the god.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22- Yes, yeah.- Let's taste it. - The Roman god of wine.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24- Mm! Delicious! - They are. They're beautiful.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26Yep, they're a couple of weeks away from harvest,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28but still tasting nice now.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31'The climate here has made it possible to grow all sorts.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33'And pride of place is something
0:36:33 > 0:36:36'you'd usually find in Asian countries.'
0:36:36 > 0:36:37- This is it.- Ah!
0:36:37 > 0:36:40- So this is ginger?- This is. This is ginger and it's growing right here
0:36:40 > 0:36:42- on the Isle of Wight. - And it's growing!- Yeah.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44How is it growing on the Isle of Wight?
0:36:44 > 0:36:47We planted it as rhizomes that we bought straight from the shop.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49- Wow.- Snapped them all into pieces, buried them.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51And what did people say when you said you were growing ginger here?
0:36:51 > 0:36:55"You cannot grow ginger in the UK. It's not possible."
0:36:55 > 0:36:57It would appear that they're wrong
0:36:57 > 0:36:59and the Isle of Wight, yet again, succeeds.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Well, I'll have to see it to believe it.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03- OK. Well, let's get you a piece out. - I'd love to see this.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- There it is.- There it is. - Real ginger.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10- That's it, yeah.- That's incredible. SHE LAUGHS
0:37:10 > 0:37:14Mmm! I love this stuff so much. So, what are you going to do with that?
0:37:14 > 0:37:17- Well, this is the first year of growth. - COCKEREL CROWS, LAUGHTER
0:37:17 > 0:37:19And so this year it's grown its roots
0:37:19 > 0:37:20and it's started to come out at the side.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22We're going to winter that down now.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Next year, when it grows up, it will start increasing the rhizomes.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Then we'll be chopping it up and turning it into a made ginger wine.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30- Course you are.- There we go.
0:37:30 > 0:37:31- All this talk of wine, Russ.- Absolutely.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34- I think it's time, don't you? - Let's go and try some.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37- I'll just pop this one back. - Wine o'clock. All right.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40'Back into the ground with the ginger for one more year.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44'Meanwhile, there's a glass of Rondo red with my name on it.'
0:37:44 > 0:37:45Let's try this, then. Cheers.
0:37:45 > 0:37:46- Yeah, cheers.- To your good health.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53'The sun, the shelter, the rich, fertile soils make this
0:37:53 > 0:37:55'a very special landscape for growing -
0:37:55 > 0:37:59'something known to winemakers since Roman times.'
0:38:09 > 0:38:11As venison has been gaining in popularity,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14deer farmers and estate owners have been looking at ways
0:38:14 > 0:38:16to get more bang for their buck.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Adam's travelled to East Anglia to find out more.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24In deer parks like this, up and down the country,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27this is a very important time of year,
0:38:27 > 0:38:28because it's the beginning of the rut.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32It's when dominant males jostle for position and fight for the right
0:38:32 > 0:38:35to pass on their genes to the next generation.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Gavin Wiggins-Davies' family have been farming the Revesby Estate
0:38:40 > 0:38:42in Lincolnshire for more than 300 years.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46How long have you had deer on the estate?
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Since 1717, when the park was enclosed.
0:38:50 > 0:38:51Always fallow?
0:38:51 > 0:38:53As far as I'm aware it's always been fallow.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57And are they a self-sustaining herd, or have you introduced new stock?
0:38:57 > 0:39:00They are very, by and large, self-sustaining,
0:39:00 > 0:39:04but in the 1860s a new herd was brought in from Syston Park
0:39:04 > 0:39:07in Leicestershire by men on horseback,
0:39:07 > 0:39:11with herding dogs, on what passed for the roads in those days,
0:39:11 > 0:39:13which was a hell of a thing.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16But since then we haven't had any more brought in.
0:39:16 > 0:39:17That's amazing.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20And why do you have them on the estate? Is it purely aesthetics?
0:39:20 > 0:39:23Aesthetics do come into it, but also for meat production.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26The family were, you know, big deer eaters,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29or venison eaters, should I say. And still are.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31And do you sell it off the estate as well?
0:39:31 > 0:39:33We sell it off the estate, both to local butchers,
0:39:33 > 0:39:37restaurants, and we have contacts, which we have a small number of.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40We're building up in London and further afield.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42So, it pops up all over the place.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44'The demand for venison is on the up.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48'Some organisations say by as much as 20%.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51'So the Revesby Estate is looking to improve its productivity.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54'And that means bringing fresh bucks into their herd.'
0:39:56 > 0:39:59So I've travelled to Houghton Hall in nearby Norfolk,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02famed for its herd of white fallow deer.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Being a keen deer conservationist,
0:40:04 > 0:40:06estate owner Lord Cholmondeley
0:40:06 > 0:40:09keeps several endangered deer species on his parkland.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Julian Stoyel manages the deer.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19He's also one of the country's leading experts in deer genetics.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Conservation work, just like rare breeds, that I'm into,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28can be quite expensive and not commercially viable.
0:40:28 > 0:40:29How do you make it work?
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Yeah, it is a passion, obviously, of Lord Cholmondeley's
0:40:32 > 0:40:35and obviously myself, being a manager here, to make it work.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38I have to make sure we sustain the population of deer here,
0:40:38 > 0:40:40the fallow in particular.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43And by producing good venison, basically.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45And part of that finance can go into conservation.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48So, through your conservation work and animal breeding,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50can you improve the quality of the deer?
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Yes, absolutely. That's where the genetics comes in, really.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54So, when we're doing DNA,
0:40:54 > 0:40:56to look at the good and bad in the different species,
0:40:56 > 0:41:00we're trying to improve genetics for the UK market, really.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02And what are you looking at, carcass size?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Everything. Carcass for the venison industry
0:41:04 > 0:41:07and also antlers for people that want pretty stags
0:41:07 > 0:41:09or fallow bucks in front of their stately home, really.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11So, for parks and deer farms,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14you can help them improve the quality of their stock?
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Yeah, a lot of deer parks, in particular,
0:41:16 > 0:41:18have been here for 200 or 300 years.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20One new animal or two new animals in that herd
0:41:20 > 0:41:21can make a big difference.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Alongside his conservation work,
0:41:27 > 0:41:31Julian also manages a commercial herd of red and fallow deer.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34He cleverly combines the best genetic traits from herds
0:41:34 > 0:41:35all over the world.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Sam Thompson is the deer-park manager
0:41:39 > 0:41:42from the Revesby Estate I visited earlier.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45He's travelled to Houghton to hand-pick some of Julian's bucks
0:41:45 > 0:41:47for his herd back in Lincolnshire.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52- Hi, Sam.- Hello, Adam.- Have you spotted any you like?
0:41:52 > 0:41:54Yeah. Far left-hand side, there's a nice young buck and I think
0:41:54 > 0:41:57it's what we're looking for. It's got a nice long back on it,
0:41:57 > 0:41:59nice palmation on the antlers, lovely spellers.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02It's going to make some nice meat.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04It's actually a Hungarian-cross Swedish bloodline,
0:42:04 > 0:42:07so Sam'll get... The Swedish will give you the venison side
0:42:07 > 0:42:10and then the Hungarian will be the wide antlers and good palmation.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11So, yeah, a bit of everything really.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15That's part of the genetic diversity we're trying to do here.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19And then the females you keep from him will improve the herd overall.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23Yeah, yeah, of course. And when our females get to a certain age,
0:42:23 > 0:42:24they'll be culled out.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26Then we'll have completely fresh females, as well.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Then we're looking at every couple of years getting another couple
0:42:29 > 0:42:31off Julian, keep that fresh blood moving in.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33And you're doing this all over the country?
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's great Sam's come here
0:42:35 > 0:42:39and asked me how he can improve the size of his bodies.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42I've given him different options and ideas and what he's doing's perfect.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44So, you're looking at the quality of the animal, but,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47if I was buying a new bull, I'd want to know about temperament, too.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48Is that important in the deer?
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Yeah, it is important in the farming situations for a red-deer herd.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55When you're going into farming, you want a stag that's not aggressive at all.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57But, in Sam's situation, it's going to a deer park,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59so I wouldn't imagine it's quite so important, is it, Sam?
0:42:59 > 0:43:02One of the main differences between me and Julian is Julian's got a
0:43:02 > 0:43:05proper handling system here. We haven't. We don't handle the deer,
0:43:05 > 0:43:06so we haven't got that need.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09But it will make it easier today to get them loaded up.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11- Well, let's go and give that a go, shall we?- Yeah.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19When you're rounding up animals as agile as deer,
0:43:19 > 0:43:21a quad bike is a very useful tool.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30With both of us behind them, we manage to steer Sam's chosen bucks
0:43:30 > 0:43:33into the race and down to the handling system.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40Rounding up deer this way might look chaotic, but it's the safest way
0:43:40 > 0:43:42to manage animals that are essentially wild.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49In the handling pen, Sam's poised, ready to shut the gates
0:43:49 > 0:43:51before the bucks can escape.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05These handling pens are just extraordinary. So high!
0:44:05 > 0:44:08Yeah, the height's important, you know, because you want to have
0:44:08 > 0:44:11the high wall so they don't think about jumping, obviously.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13We've come from the fences to sealed walls,
0:44:13 > 0:44:15so all they want to do is tunnel them into the shed,
0:44:15 > 0:44:18which is the idea, to get them into here, into the red lighting.
0:44:18 > 0:44:20We have them on dimmer switches,
0:44:20 > 0:44:22so as soon as they came in you saw how they calmed down.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24It's cos they can't really see us very well at all.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Obviously, we talk to them, but it just gives a calming effect.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29- Brilliant. Shall we get them loaded into the trailer?- Let's go.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33OK.
0:44:33 > 0:44:34In you go.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37Go on, up. And shut.
0:44:37 > 0:44:38Lovely.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44- Well, that's one in.- Yeah.- Another one to go.- One more to go!
0:44:49 > 0:44:52Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch! Hup!
0:44:52 > 0:44:54That's it. Just pull the pin down, Adam.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57That's it, nice and quietly.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02And then the bottom one. Nice and quiet. There we go.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05- Quick.- Well, I'm well used to working with sheep and cattle,
0:45:05 > 0:45:08but never deer, and I can really see that the experience
0:45:08 > 0:45:11that Julian and Sam have got helps beyond belief.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14It's all about learning how to work with these animals, isn't it?
0:45:14 > 0:45:16Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. Nice and calm. As long as you're calm,
0:45:16 > 0:45:17the animals are calm.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20I don't feel very calm, I feel quite wound up!
0:45:20 > 0:45:23- Goodness me! That was great. Perfect.- Good, no problems.
0:45:23 > 0:45:25- Very good.- Right. - Let's get them going.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Deer have been a feature of the British landscape
0:45:33 > 0:45:35for hundreds of years.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38With the passion of Julian and Sam, the future of deer herds
0:45:38 > 0:45:40up and down the country looks secure.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51- All good. Everyone clear.- OK.
0:45:52 > 0:45:54Come on, then. Come on, fella.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58There's a good boy. Not quite sure what to make of it at the minute.
0:46:00 > 0:46:01Come on, then, fella.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03Come on, then. There's a good boy.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05Come on, then.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11LAUGHTER
0:46:11 > 0:46:13What a magnificent-looking beast!
0:46:13 > 0:46:14He looks at home already.
0:46:19 > 0:46:20That's it. Good boy.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27- There we go.- They're really lovely, aren't they?
0:46:27 > 0:46:28Yeah, beautiful.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32So, those are the first deer that have been introduced to
0:46:32 > 0:46:34Revesby for, what, 200 years?
0:46:34 > 0:46:38Yeah, 200 years. So, it's about time we had some fresh blood.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40And when will their fawns be born on the estate?
0:46:40 > 0:46:43Late June. Late June, early July time.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45We had 123 last fawning season,
0:46:45 > 0:46:48so, yeah, I'm hoping these boys will contribute well towards that.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51- Wonderful. Well, best of luck with them.- Thank you very much.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53Thank you so much for welcoming me along. It's been fascinating to see.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Here on the Isle of Wight, we're still at it -
0:47:01 > 0:47:04pulling the ivy from Carisbrooke Castle's walls.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06And we are turning up all sorts.
0:47:08 > 0:47:10If you enjoy a spot of snail-spotting,
0:47:10 > 0:47:13this is the perfect activity, isn't it, James?
0:47:13 > 0:47:16Because, I mean, that's absolutely beautiful, that one there.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18Yeah, we get lots and lots of snails huddled together under here
0:47:18 > 0:47:22and various other creepy-crawlies.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25I mean, obviously, with wildlife in mind, there's only a certain time
0:47:25 > 0:47:26you can do this in the year.
0:47:26 > 0:47:31Well, we have to be mindful, in a place like this, for nesting birds,
0:47:31 > 0:47:34so this is a great time of year to be doing this.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37Do you ever encounter any wasps' nests or anything like that?
0:47:37 > 0:47:42We have done, yeah. We have done. We tend to avoid them,
0:47:42 > 0:47:43but when you come across them,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46we just have to leave those areas and let them be.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50Yeah. I mean, the stuff you can see here! I mean, there's a...
0:47:50 > 0:47:52Is that a water vole?
0:47:53 > 0:47:54Just down there...
0:47:54 > 0:47:56It is a water vole!
0:47:56 > 0:48:00Yeah, it is. It's definitely a water vole, and it's the front cover
0:48:00 > 0:48:03of the Countryfile calendar, sold in aid of Children In Need.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06This is perfect for you, lads, seriously, because obviously
0:48:06 > 0:48:09you need to mark your jobs in, so you could just nip through the
0:48:09 > 0:48:12seasons there, look. You've got March, you've got July, it's ideal.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16And, really, this is nature's way of reminding all of you watching
0:48:16 > 0:48:20that if you haven't got your hands on one yet, or maybe two or three or four -
0:48:20 > 0:48:24think about all the relatives, Christmas is coming, endless options
0:48:24 > 0:48:26- you need to get one, right now.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29And here's John with all the details of how you can do it.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33It costs £9.50, including free UK delivery.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36You can go to our website, where you'll find a link
0:48:36 > 0:48:38to the order page.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40Or you can phone the order line on...
0:48:49 > 0:48:51If you'd prefer to order by post,
0:48:51 > 0:48:55send your name, address and a cheque to...
0:49:06 > 0:49:11A minimum of £4 from the sale of each calendar will be donated
0:49:11 > 0:49:13to BBC Children In Need.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15Well, a very big thank-you to everybody who bought last
0:49:15 > 0:49:19year's calendar. It raised over £2 million for
0:49:19 > 0:49:21Children in Need. At the very least, you all deserve a week of
0:49:21 > 0:49:24good weather, so let's cross live to the BBC Weather Centre
0:49:24 > 0:49:26for the five-day forecast.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11We've been exploring the Isle of Wight, where, earlier,
0:50:11 > 0:50:13I was doing a bit of high-rise gardening.
0:50:15 > 0:50:16THEY CHEER
0:50:17 > 0:50:19And here is the end result.
0:50:21 > 0:50:25Now my feet are firmly back on the ground, I'm with Jack,
0:50:25 > 0:50:29one of Carisbrooke Castle's famous donkeys, and his handler, Hannah.
0:50:29 > 0:50:30MATT CLICKS TONGUE
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Oh, he's a steady one.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34Oh, he certainly is. He doesn't go anywhere fast.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37Oh, yeah, don't worry yourself. No rush, plenty of time.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39THEY CHUCKLE
0:50:39 > 0:50:41'Jack has a very important job.'
0:50:43 > 0:50:47Oh, here we are. Oh, my word! I wasn't expecting that.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50'Donkeys have been hauling water from the castle's well
0:50:50 > 0:50:52'for over 300 years.
0:50:55 > 0:50:59'Turning this impressive oak wheel was extremely arduous work.'
0:51:00 > 0:51:04When you think that this would have been the only water supply of
0:51:04 > 0:51:07the castle and, I'm guessing, quite a lot of the surrounding
0:51:07 > 0:51:10- area...- Oh, absolutely. This had to not only feed the residents
0:51:10 > 0:51:12here at the castle, their prisoners, their workers,
0:51:12 > 0:51:15their livestock, it was used for gardening, it had to feed
0:51:15 > 0:51:19the workers' families that were scattered all around the village.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21This one bucket and just one poor donkey, constantly.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27'Jack, though, is one of four donkeys that do short demonstrations
0:51:27 > 0:51:29'for the public.'
0:51:29 > 0:51:32He's only contractually obliged to work for six minutes a day.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35- Per demonst...- Is he?- Yeah.- Good contract that, Jack.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38Eh? Get the old donkey union involved!
0:51:38 > 0:51:42Erm, he only does about 30 seconds per demo, and that's it.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45Well, Jack, listen. I'm sure everybody would like to see
0:51:45 > 0:51:47this wheel working, so if you wouldn't mind giving us your
0:51:47 > 0:51:5030 seconds of the day, that would be much appreciated.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55Whenever you're ready, release the brake.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59'Jack, I should add, is notoriously lazy.'
0:52:01 > 0:52:03- Come on, Jack.- Come on.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06- Come on then, Jack.- Come on, baby.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11And there we go.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13And it's off and running.
0:52:13 > 0:52:14There you go, right.
0:52:16 > 0:52:17Good boy. Come on.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20Good boy. That's it, come on, baby.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24How many revolutions do you have to do to pull up the bucket?
0:52:24 > 0:52:27He would have to do 17 to pull it up,
0:52:27 > 0:52:29- but we're only going to make him do two.- OK.
0:52:32 > 0:52:33Gosh, it is...
0:52:33 > 0:52:36He knows exactly how many revolutions, look,
0:52:36 > 0:52:38and he's off. That's perfect!
0:52:38 > 0:52:40Well done, that was lovely.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43What a good boy. What a good boy.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47'King Stephen, William the Conqueror's grandson,
0:52:47 > 0:52:51'had two prisoners dig the well way back in the 12th century.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54'It took them a year to reach the island's groundwater.'
0:52:56 > 0:52:59Right, so I guess you're wondering how deep this well is.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02Just have a listen to this.
0:53:07 > 0:53:08WATER SPLASHES
0:53:08 > 0:53:11HE LAUGHS
0:53:11 > 0:53:14That is a long, long way down.
0:53:14 > 0:53:17'It's 161 feet, to be exact.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20'The Environment Agency use sophisticated equipment
0:53:20 > 0:53:21'to measure the water level.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24'That tells them just how much water the island has stored
0:53:24 > 0:53:26'as groundwater.'
0:53:29 > 0:53:32How vital is groundwater to the Isle of Wight, Richard?
0:53:32 > 0:53:33It's absolutely key.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35It's where most of the water on the island is stored.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38We have a sensor going all the way down into the well,
0:53:38 > 0:53:42which measures the level, and that comes back to us, centrally,
0:53:42 > 0:53:44in our office, and gives an indicator as to whether or not
0:53:44 > 0:53:46we're approaching drought conditions.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48I see. Now, you've got a very
0:53:48 > 0:53:50impressive-looking tape measure down here.
0:53:50 > 0:53:52Erm, what are you going to use this for?
0:53:52 > 0:53:55Er, well, this is a dipper, and all it is, effectively,
0:53:55 > 0:53:59is a long tape measure with a couple of electrodes on the end.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02We lower this down the well, when it hits the water it'll beep,
0:54:02 > 0:54:04and then we can see what the water level is and whether or not
0:54:04 > 0:54:07it matches up to what's on our measure.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20Still going.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24- Well, that's all we've got time for this week. - HE LAUGHS
0:54:24 > 0:54:27- BEEPING - Oh, there you go!
0:54:27 > 0:54:30So, if you raise that up slowly and when it stops beeping...
0:54:30 > 0:54:33- BEEPING STOPS - 38.4 metres.
0:54:33 > 0:54:34Is it really?
0:54:34 > 0:54:37That's broadly where we'd expect it to be for this time of year.
0:54:39 > 0:54:41So, there'll be no hosepipe ban for the Isle of Wight this autumn.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46- Hello!- Ha-ha, like a hamster!
0:54:46 > 0:54:48- Well, isn't this totally mad? - What fun!
0:54:48 > 0:54:51- This is incredible.- You can get on if you want.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53- Have you been doing this all afternoon?- Yeah, yeah.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56Well, since first thing this morning, actually.
0:54:56 > 0:54:57What an amazing thing!
0:54:57 > 0:55:00Yeah, yeah, good. I've got to try and slow it down.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03Slow down, slow down, slow down... It's the perfect time to say
0:55:03 > 0:55:05that, really, that's all we've got time for this week.
0:55:05 > 0:55:07Next week, we're going to have a special programme
0:55:07 > 0:55:09where we're talking about all things autumn.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12And, just a quick reminder, if you want to get your hands
0:55:12 > 0:55:15on the 2017 Countryfile calendar, go to the website for all the details.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18- Right, now I have to get on. - Are you going to jump on?
0:55:18 > 0:55:20- Yeah, which way? Which way do we go? - So, just keep running that way.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23- OK, running up the hill. - That's it, go on.- OK.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26- Oh, isn't that weird?- That's it. It's perfect. Keep going.- Yeah?
0:55:26 > 0:55:28We'll see you next week...unless we're still here.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30Bye!