0:00:27 > 0:00:31The days grow cold and ever shorter,
0:00:31 > 0:00:35but in the fields of Lincolnshire, winter is the busiest of seasons.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40It's when all those good, hearty winter vegetables are harvested.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Cabbages, cauliflower, kale, sprouts,
0:00:43 > 0:00:47and some stuff that you'll have never seen before.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49How they are harvested is changing too.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55It may be early days for the technology, but robots like this
0:00:55 > 0:00:58very cool contraption could become a common sight
0:00:58 > 0:01:02in the not-too-distant future on our farms. No hands!
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Tom's investigating why fish numbers are still so low
0:01:04 > 0:01:07in many of our rivers.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Perhaps surprisingly, it's become small streams like this, hundreds,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15probably thousands of them, in the heart of our farmland,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18that are becoming the new front line
0:01:18 > 0:01:20in the fight against water pollution.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24And Adam's rounding up something a little bit smaller than usual.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Don't worry, you're going for breeding, not for meat.
0:01:27 > 0:01:28Just don't panic.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Big skies and big fields.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Acres and acres of vegetables
0:01:54 > 0:01:57stretch for as far as the eye can see.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04And, in this wide Lincolnshire landscape,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06that's a very long way indeed.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14We're in the south-east of the county, between Boston and the sea,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16where the soil is at its most fertile.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24A quarter of the nation's vegetables come from Lincolnshire and if you
0:02:24 > 0:02:27thought harvest time was over, you'd be wrong.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Here at one of the UK's largest suppliers of our greens,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36they are cutting veg every day of the year, except Christmas Day.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40When it comes to Brussels sprouts,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43you'll probably, if you like them, have a few of them on your plate
0:02:43 > 0:02:45next to the turkey on Christmas Day.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47So, look at this. Six tonnes of them.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52And there are many more tonnes still to come.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Sprouts can be harvested in bulk,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56but some other crops need the personal touch.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02And that particularly goes for one of my favourite greens,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04the cauliflower.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10They've added a conveyor belt to speed things up and the tractor
0:03:10 > 0:03:12can be driven remotely.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15But essentially, cauliflowers are still picked in the traditional way,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17by hand.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23The family firm was founded by Ted Staples in the 1950s
0:03:23 > 0:03:27and now it's run by his grandsons, Vernon and George Reid.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30- George...- Hi.
0:03:30 > 0:03:36Why is it that cauliflowers need to be individually selected and picked?
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Well, cauliflowers, they each grow at their own independent rate.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44So we have to hand-pick them and it's a flower,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46it's very susceptible to weather.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47It's very delicate, it bruises easily.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51When you're harvesting with knives, you can easily cut it as well.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52It's quite a skilled job.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Right, can you show me how you do it?
0:03:54 > 0:03:57You'll need a good sharp knife to start with.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59- Wow!- And then some gloves.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01So, this is an anti-cut glove.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03It's got some steel fibre woven into the material,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06so you can still feel but it gives you protection as well.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Protection if I'm a bit too enthusiastic with this sharp knife.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11- Yeah.- Still keep my fingers.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12And a waterproof glove.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Right. Thank you.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16So, it's hunt the caulie now, then.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Yeah, it is. You have to have a check.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20There's a lot of leaf you can see,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23which is protecting the curd against the weather.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25The problem is you can't see the curd.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29So you have to pull the leaf back, feel it with your hands...
0:04:29 > 0:04:32I can feel there is a nice, solid curd, the right size.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33And then we've got to cut it.
0:04:33 > 0:04:39So, put the knife in, cut the base,
0:04:39 > 0:04:40nice flat base.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42- Trim it a bit.- Trim it.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Then we just expose a little window of curd,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49but we don't want to cut the curd.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50Right. So, see if I can find one.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54This one looks OK, George, isn't it?
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Spans my hand here.
0:04:56 > 0:04:57If the size feels right, yeah.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Yeah. Oh, it is sharp, isn't it?
0:05:01 > 0:05:03- Trim it off there a bit? - Yeah, a bit more off the base.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Like that?
0:05:05 > 0:05:06Off there, off there.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Hack it back across there. Without damaging the top.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14- Yeah.- There's a fine caulie for you!
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Only a few thousand more to go, George.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Yeah, yeah. Keep with it!
0:05:18 > 0:05:21The cauliflowers are packed right here in the fields.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26It's a big task getting them from here to the shops and supermarkets,
0:05:26 > 0:05:27and in the run-up to Christmas,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31they're delivering more than 400,000 every week.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39And it's not just sprouts and cauliflowers,
0:05:39 > 0:05:44there are Savoy cabbages, cavolo nero, spring greens, kale,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47there's even a Brussels sprout perfect for Christmas lunch.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53And this is it, the sprout with a hint of Santa about it.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56The variety is called Redarling, although to me, at the moment,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58it looks more purpley, but I'm told
0:05:58 > 0:06:00it does get redder towards Christmas.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03And, in fact, it wouldn't look amiss, would it,
0:06:03 > 0:06:04as a Christmas decoration?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12And that's not the only unusual crop coming out of these fields.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17Recently, a brand-new vegetable has hit the shops, the flower sprout,
0:06:17 > 0:06:18or kalette.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24So, this is a kalette, but what exactly is it, Nigel?
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Well, it's a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32It's got characteristics, from a flavour point of view, of kale
0:06:32 > 0:06:34but also that mixture of sprout in there as well.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36We've all got different tastes.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38For me, it's a milder taste than a Brussels sprout.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41But other people have said that it's nutty and sweeter.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43And is it easy to cook?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Yes, it is. That is the beauty of the product.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50It's convenient. So, you can steam it or conventional cooking methods,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52but stir-fry within a couple of minutes.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- So, a veg with a future? - Definitely, definitely.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05It took 15 years to get the kalette, or flower sprout,
0:07:05 > 0:07:06on to British dinner plates.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Now, the next generation of our greens are being tested.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And later, I'll be seeing for myself
0:07:15 > 0:07:17what the vegetables of the future could look like.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Now, fishing may be one of the most popular sports in the UK,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31but anglers right across the country say there is an issue with our
0:07:31 > 0:07:33rivers and it's causing real problems.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34Here's Tom.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Early morning on the River Avon in Worcestershire.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48While most are still having breakfast,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52some hardy souls are already reeling in their first catch of the day.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55So you've got just some mixed colour maggots here.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57You feed these into the river, upstream of where we're fishing.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59- Do you want a go?- Yeah.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Just sort of out towards that sort of bush area, yeah.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Fishing is a relaxing sport, enjoyed by millions,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13but under this tranquil surface,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16there's quite a bitter row bubbling away.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Anglers say they are seeing a problem
0:08:20 > 0:08:22you and I might not even notice.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Near-invisible pollution
0:08:24 > 0:08:26that is destroying breeding grounds for fish.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Mark Lloyd is from the Angling Trust, the sport's governing body.
0:08:32 > 0:08:38Anglers have a unique view of rivers because they understand the insect
0:08:38 > 0:08:40life and the fish life that are in the river,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43so they have a really clear perception of what's going on
0:08:43 > 0:08:45beneath the beautiful surface of rivers,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48so they understand the ecology, the insect life,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50the habitat where fish lay their eggs
0:08:50 > 0:08:52and a measure of the fish stocks.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53By going and catching them,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55it's a great way of biologically sampling,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58and we've seen catches of, particularly salmon,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00going down dramatically in recent decades
0:09:00 > 0:09:03and a principal cause of that problem is agricultural pollution.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07The Environment Agency says
0:09:07 > 0:09:10agriculture has taken over from sewage and
0:09:10 > 0:09:13even heavy industry as the single biggest water polluter
0:09:13 > 0:09:15from major incidents.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17But while those events are relatively rare, the problem
0:09:17 > 0:09:22of soil run-off is happening daily on a widespread scale.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24And three-quarters of it comes from farms.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30Well, soil that gets washed into rivers settles down onto the bottom
0:09:30 > 0:09:32of the river and that's where a lot of fish lay their eggs.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36So salmon and trout, grayling, chub, barbel,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39they all lay their eggs in amongst the gravel.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41And the eggs, as they are hatching out,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45need oxygenated water to flow over the eggs so that they can develop
0:09:45 > 0:09:49into young fish. And if lots of sediment is dumped on top of them,
0:09:49 > 0:09:50then they get suffocated.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54So, it's very important that we keep soil out of rivers.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59This satellite image of the Bristol Channel shows how run-off,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02much of it from farmland, pours into our rivers.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05More than two million tonnes of topsoil every year.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09And with it comes manure, chemicals like fertilisers,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12that cause rampant growth of weed and algae, and in some cases,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16pesticides that can kill the insects fish rely on for food.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20And given that most rivers run through farmland,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23it's easy to see why there's a connection.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28The National Farmers Union says it's aware of the problem and...
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Farmers, of course, are not polluting the rivers on purpose,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40but that doesn't alter the fact that the pollutants are there
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and that's not just a fisherman's tale, there is real hard science
0:10:43 > 0:10:44to back that up.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Across Europe, 100% of rivers were meant to have achieved a good health
0:10:50 > 0:10:52status by 2015.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57But so far, only 17% in England have reached that standard.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01That's less than one in five and the steady trickle of run-off from
0:11:01 > 0:11:03farmland is a major contributor.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05I notice when we walk here,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08it does kick up quite a lot of turbulence,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10quite a lot of soil and sediment.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Is this one of the problems we're talking about?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14It is, although this is relatively clean.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16But, yeah, if you kick your way in there,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19you can have a fair bit of soil and sediment washing off.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22And that is part of the problem here.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26'Dave Throup from the Environment Agency is using a spy in the sky
0:11:26 > 0:11:28'to spot potential problems.'
0:11:28 > 0:11:30If you can get an aerial view of this stuff,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32it really does paint quite a stark picture,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36so you see like a plume of different coloured water coming along.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38And we can use drones to trace that back.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42So you can see where this pollution enters the river,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44but can you see where it actually came from?
0:11:44 > 0:11:45That's one of the challenges.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47We've got satellite technology now which will allow us
0:11:47 > 0:11:49to see stuff almost in real time
0:11:49 > 0:11:52because this is about spotting vulnerable fields, if you like.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- Can I see some of it? - You can.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58You can see here the brown stuff is mainly arable fields.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02So that immediately would sort of attract our attention and then we've
0:12:02 > 0:12:06overlaid that with the yellow bits, which are steeply sloping fields.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10So, you put those together and that will start to put together a picture
0:12:10 > 0:12:12of the more vulnerable areas.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Yeah, and a lot of these yellow bits,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19which are the steeply sloping bare soil fields, are next to rivers,
0:12:19 > 0:12:20aren't they?
0:12:20 > 0:12:25This daily updated satellite imagery enables his team to target fields
0:12:25 > 0:12:26where run-off is more likely,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29contacting individual farmers and in extreme cases,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32taking enforcement action.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Generally, what kind of reception do you get when you go to farms
0:12:34 > 0:12:37and farmers and present them with this information?
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Generally speaking, I think the reception is good.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43A lot of farmers, they don't really want to be messing it up,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47so generally speaking, there is a pretty positive reaction, I'd say.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54The way we farm clearly has an impact on our rivers.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57And there's a growing feeling that it's time for change.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Though farmers are catching much of the blame for this problem,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04they could be a big part of the solution
0:13:04 > 0:13:07and even make a bit of money in the process.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10To find out how, join me later.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22- ANITA:- We're in Lincolnshire, a county cultivated
0:13:22 > 0:13:23to put food on our plates.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29But from horse and plough to man and machine,
0:13:29 > 0:13:30the way these fields are farmed
0:13:30 > 0:13:32has come a long way over the past century.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36With the new year looming on the horizon,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40I'm looking ahead to the next big thing in farming, robotics.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48We are already seeing robotic milking systems on our dairy farms.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52And with driverless tractors, automated fruit pickers,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and all sorts of helping robot hands in development,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58could farming soon be fully automated?
0:14:00 > 0:14:03When it comes to agricultural technology here in Britain,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Lincolnshire is leading the way.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06Welcome to the future.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Meet the robot weeder.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15This beast uses a state-of-the-art imaging system to spot weeds amongst
0:14:15 > 0:14:17crops and then pull them out.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23For farmers like Will Edwards, that means weed-free fields,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25without backbreaking labour.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- Morning.- Room for one more? - There certainly is.
0:14:37 > 0:14:38- Jump in.- Thank you.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43So, Will, it's had its maiden voyage. Has it worked?
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Yes, it worked very well.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46So, what made you invest in it?
0:14:46 > 0:14:50As we've been getting bigger, and we're doing more and more produce,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54it's a case of either hand weeding or mechanical weeding.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59We wanted to get something that when we want to go, we can go.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01If we have to ring up a labour provider,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03we would need probably 20 people.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07To organise 20 people just overnight is very difficult.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11If you didn't have this, how long would it take to weed this field?
0:15:11 > 0:15:15This field and what we've got here would take probably 20 people
0:15:15 > 0:15:16probably three or four days.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Being organic and not been able to use herbicides,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24the weeds are far more vigorous than any other plants and they just
0:15:24 > 0:15:25grow like mad.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Helping Will get to grips with his new toy is farmer-turned-techie
0:15:35 > 0:15:36Philip Garford.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38He's the brains behind the robot weeder.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Tinkering with technology has been his family's business
0:15:43 > 0:15:45since the 1980s.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46- Hi, Philip.- Hi.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48So, as the son of a farmer,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50did you invent this to make your own life easier?
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Yes, I certainly did.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54So, how does it work?
0:15:54 > 0:15:56- We use a video camera...- Yep.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59..to look at the crop ahead of the machine.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04The computer is then analysing those images to find out the exact
0:16:04 > 0:16:06- positions of all the plants...- Yeah.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11And then we use the information that comes out of that to control
0:16:11 > 0:16:12the machine.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16So, we're driving through the crop and hoeing inter-row with some fixed
0:16:16 > 0:16:20blades, which take all the weed out between the rows.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22The rotor is controlled to cut
0:16:22 > 0:16:24between each individual plant as well.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26What are you finding?
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Are farmers open and adaptable or are they still a bit suspicious
0:16:29 > 0:16:30of this technology?
0:16:30 > 0:16:33No, they are very open and adaptable.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Traditional farming techniques for the last 20, 30, 40 years
0:16:36 > 0:16:40have involved a lot of herbicide usage.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43But now, specifically with vegetable crops, the herbicides aren't always
0:16:43 > 0:16:47necessarily delivering the amount of control that they need,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51so we are seeing more and more take-up of this sort of technology
0:16:51 > 0:16:55because of the lack of effective use of herbicides.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Robots for weeding are already here
0:16:58 > 0:17:02but there are even more advanced machines just around the corner.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09Enter Thorvald, a prototype built by the University of Lincoln.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13This robot is designed to do most of the jobs farmers usually do.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Even harvesting.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18What is it? I mean, it looks like great fun, but what is it?
0:17:18 > 0:17:21This is one of the world's first agricultural robots.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Professor Simon Pearson is here to tell me more.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Thorvald, stop!
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Ah, very good. It pays attention, doesn't it?
0:17:28 > 0:17:30It does, yeah. It is well-behaved.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34It's the first-ever robot in a field of broccoli,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36but what is its purpose? What is it designed to do?
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Ideally, you will have an iPhone map of a field and you'll point on the
0:17:40 > 0:17:43iPhone map and the robot will wander off to the point,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46measuring things like nitrogen, soil moisture,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48all things that farmers need to know.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51And it might even be a robotic harvesting system.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Using the same camera technology as a games console,
0:17:54 > 0:17:59this robot is being developed to see in 3-D, so it can monitor,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01manage and harvest crops.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04It's being trialled on broccoli,
0:18:04 > 0:18:08harvested almost entirely by hand all over the world.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12And it's great for the farmers, it will make life more efficient,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14but what about all those people?
0:18:14 > 0:18:17There's no doubt that the industry is very worried about Brexit.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21The industry is really trying to find new ways to reduce reliance...
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- On the migrant labour force. - On the migrant labour force.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Yeah, and it's not just in Britain, is it? It's the world over.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30It's a worldwide problem but, basically, one robot
0:18:30 > 0:18:33will probably replace something in the order of between seven
0:18:33 > 0:18:34and 14 people.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36So, what's the future for farmers?
0:18:36 > 0:18:39What will a farmer's life be like in 20, 30 years' time?
0:18:39 > 0:18:40It's going to be digital.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43He's got to be an engineer, a crop scientist,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46he's got to be an ecologist, an environmentalist,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50and now he's got to be a computer scientist and a digital scientist.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Simon thinks robots like these could be roaming
0:18:56 > 0:18:59the fields of Lincolnshire within the next couple of years.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03With technology to weed and smart machines replacing human hands,
0:19:03 > 0:19:06there's an agricultural revolution under way
0:19:06 > 0:19:09and it could change the face of farming for ever.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Come by, Thorvald. Come by.
0:19:13 > 0:19:14It's not quite the same, is it?
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Good Thorvald. Good job.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35Once upon a time, before tractors and combine harvesters, alder woods,
0:19:35 > 0:19:36or carrs as they are known,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39thrived on the margins of the Fens here in Lincolnshire.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54The name "carr" comes from an Old Norse word meaning swamp,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57and these wet places have a mysterious atmosphere.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10It was even said that the dye from the alder flowers was used to colour
0:20:10 > 0:20:11the clothes of fairies.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16And you can really imagine that this would be the perfect place
0:20:16 > 0:20:19to find one, although not in a flimsy dress on a cold day.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Now, there are only a few fragments of these ancient woodlands left,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30like this one here at Tattershall.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40Ian Froggatt manages Tattershall Carrs for the Woodland Trust.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- Ian, how are you doing? - I'm not too bad, thanks.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46Good. I've seen so much fungi and this wood, lots of different types.
0:20:46 > 0:20:47It's a really great place to see it.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49I mean... The clue's in the name.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53It's a wet woodland and fungus likes dark, damp places to grow,
0:20:53 > 0:20:55so this is just ideal for it.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58The fungus itself lives on some dead wood, or whether it is in the soil,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01and it's this time of year that it pops up those fruiting bodies,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04that we think of as mushrooms, to spread its spores,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06and then it will die off for the winter.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09And as we go into winter, what will happen to the woodland?
0:21:09 > 0:21:11So, at this time of year, obviously, leaves are falling,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13the trees are shutting themselves down,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15getting ready for the cold weather and the short days,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18when it is no longer worth them keeping their leaves alive
0:21:18 > 0:21:21because there's not enough light to make it worthwhile.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24The same is true for a lot of animals that either eat those leaves
0:21:24 > 0:21:26or eat the insects that feed on those leaves.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28So, getting into the quiet time.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- Absolutely.- Yeah.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Animals like those that live in this woodland have come up with all sorts
0:21:40 > 0:21:41of ways to beat the cold.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Some of them just leave.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Some moths and butterflies will migrate to warmer weather.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53But those that stay have to adopt different strategies.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54Some will stay active.
0:21:54 > 0:22:00Mayflies and stone flies can be seen on the wing in the cold weather.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02And gnats which will eat this leaf litter,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06particularly when they're young, can be seen even out in the snow,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09which can be useful if other animals come out of hibernation
0:22:09 > 0:22:10and need to feed.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Some go into the semi-state of hibernation, a torpor, a dormancy,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16frogs and toads.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18There will be some of those here in these woods,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20in the pools and the streams.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Very few go into a true hibernation.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28Dormice, hedgehogs and perhaps the most charismatic of all, bats.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43These woods are home to 8 of the 17 bat species in Britain.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48The Lincolnshire bat group has put up boxes for them to roost.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50But when the weather gets really cold,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52the bats will hibernate in other places.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Ian Nixon from the bat group is going to show me where.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Ian, bats are one of the few mammals that truly hibernate,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03but they're not quite there yet this year, are they?
0:23:03 > 0:23:07No, not quite. At the moment, they are just feeding up
0:23:07 > 0:23:11and going into the hibernation roosts, but at the moment,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15it is just a matter of getting enough food and as much energy
0:23:15 > 0:23:17into them as possible, as much fat.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19- Build up their fat reserves. - Yeah.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29Tattershall Carrs border the disused airfield that was home to the
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Dam Busters squadron during the Second World War.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38There are still empty wartime buildings scattered about the site.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Deep in the woods,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45broken-down air raid shelters have found a new lease of life.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Cleaned out and spruced up,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52they've become the perfect winter hideout for bats.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56These bat boxes provide extra comfort
0:23:56 > 0:23:58over the long, cold winter months.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- After you. - We'll look in this one.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09'But some residents are happy to get their heads down anywhere.'
0:24:11 > 0:24:13There's a bat in there, look.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- Above the door, look.- Oh, wow!
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Do you know what species that is?
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- That's a Natterer's bat. - Can you tell just by looking?
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Yeah. You can see the curve of the ears.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Is it in a state of hibernation
0:24:24 > 0:24:26or is it just where it's roosting for tonight?
0:24:26 > 0:24:28It might just be where it is roosting tonight.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- Yeah.- But it isn't uncommon to find them in here for their hibernation.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34I suppose this is ideal, isn't it, for them?
0:24:34 > 0:24:36It's dark and few predators,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39constant sort of temperature and humidity.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40Yeah.
0:24:42 > 0:24:43It's quite spooky in here, Ian.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46- It is, isn't it?- Yes. So these are the boxes you put up, are they?
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Yes. Yes.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Shall we look inside to see if they are occupied?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Yes. See if there is anything in them.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54I can't tell you the species
0:24:54 > 0:24:57but I can definitely tell you there's one there.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Let me have a look. That's a brown long-eared bat.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Do you think this one is now in hibernation?
0:25:03 > 0:25:04- More than likely, yes.- It is!
0:25:04 > 0:25:09- Yes.- And for bats, being in a state of hibernation means true dormancy,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- isn't it?- Yes.- The heart rate slows down, the breathing slows down...
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Absolutely everything, and they drop their body temperature
0:25:15 > 0:25:17to within a degree of ambient as well.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20So, it could be zero degrees in here and it will be roughly thereabouts.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22- Yeah. - That's amazing.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24There's lots of moths in here too.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Yes. Yes, there's these Herald moths.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Gosh, aren't they beautiful?
0:25:29 > 0:25:33These moths, in particular, like the same conditions that hibernating
0:25:33 > 0:25:35- bats like. It's like an indicator species.- Yeah.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Insects like this can't allow their bodily fluids to freeze
0:25:40 > 0:25:43because that will damage all their tissues and it will kill them.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46So they'll adopt something called supercooling.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50They synthesise sugar, it's mostly glycerol, in their bodily fluids.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54That acts as an antifreeze, so even when temperatures get really,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58really low, below freezing, they themselves won't freeze.
0:25:58 > 0:25:59It's incredible.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03This is a hot spot down here, isn't it? Fantastic.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07- Or a cold spot.- Yes, a cold spot, exactly.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- Shall we leave them in peace?- Yes. - Winter is coming.
0:26:11 > 0:26:16These old industrial World War II buildings, rather than being an
0:26:16 > 0:26:18unfortunate scar of the past,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22now offer the ideal hibernating conditions
0:26:22 > 0:26:24for the wood's most enchanting inhabitants.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42- JOHN:- Earlier, Tom discovered how four out of five rivers in England
0:26:42 > 0:26:45are not meeting clean water targets.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Whilst agriculture may be largely to blame,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51farmers could also be part of the solution.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02The important thing is not to plant them too deep.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06I'm joining beef farmer Simon Rash for a spot of early-morning
0:27:06 > 0:27:08tree-planting.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Five years ago, we started doing this buffer planting.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16Behind you here, you can see the established strip and that has
0:27:16 > 0:27:20certainly proved its worth in terms of preventing run-off.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25- In normal winter, this is absolutely saturated.- Right.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30And the surface water will run all the way down the slope and would
0:27:30 > 0:27:32naturally go into the river.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35With all the stuff that comes out of the cows, or some of it?
0:27:35 > 0:27:40With some of that and also unwanted, unused nutrients in the grass,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43it would come down and could end up in the river.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45By planting these buffer strips,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47we are cutting the risk of that right down.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Run-off from farms is fast becoming one of the biggest polluters of our
0:27:52 > 0:27:57rivers. It's not just mud, there's slurry too and chemicals,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59including fertilisers and pesticides.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03How does a sort of strip of trees
0:28:03 > 0:28:05stop the pollution entering the river?
0:28:05 > 0:28:07How does it work?
0:28:07 > 0:28:09Well, it prevents animals getting nice and close to the river
0:28:09 > 0:28:12- in the summer. - So, that can act a bit like a sponge?
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Certainly, the tree roots will absorb the nutrients
0:28:15 > 0:28:19and they'll stop the movement of water. Definitely.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23So, what we are trying to create is as natural a habitat as we can.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27In recent years, the old polluters like sewage works
0:28:27 > 0:28:29and industrial plants have cleaned up their act,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32but agriculture has fallen behind.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38So, perhaps surprisingly, it's become small streams like this,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41hundreds, probably thousands of them, in the heart of our farmland,
0:28:41 > 0:28:43that are becoming the new front line in the fight
0:28:43 > 0:28:45against water pollution.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48In a corner of Simon's farm,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52the run-off from his fields is being monitored as one of four national
0:28:52 > 0:28:55studies which are examining ways to reduce pollution.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Morning, Adie.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- Good morning.- It is not often I come to a field and find something like
0:29:00 > 0:29:02this in the corner, so what is going on?
0:29:02 > 0:29:05We've got an automatic water sampler here.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Professor Adie Collins from Rothamstead Research
0:29:08 > 0:29:10is testing water not just from this farm,
0:29:10 > 0:29:13but across the whole river valley.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Every day at a set time, we take a litre sample of water,
0:29:17 > 0:29:21which then goes back to the laboratory, and at the laboratory,
0:29:21 > 0:29:25we analyse the phosphorus and nitrogen content.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27What's the source of those pollutants?
0:29:27 > 0:29:32So, key sources of pollution are the manures and the slurries that are
0:29:32 > 0:29:33applied to the land.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Obviously, they're supported
0:29:35 > 0:29:37with inputs from artificial fertilisers as well.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41We are seeing just here next to the stream there is an area where
0:29:41 > 0:29:43the cows have poached it up a bit.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45You can tell there's a bit of dung in it
0:29:45 > 0:29:46and it's pretty close to the stream.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- Is that the sort of thing that basically...?- Absolutely.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52That's the sort of thing that we need to try and prevent.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54So the kind of thing we are doing up here,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56planting these trees with Simon, really works?
0:29:56 > 0:29:58They absolutely do.
0:29:58 > 0:30:03Buffer strips can typically reduce sediment input by about 40%.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06If you strike up a good working partnership with your farmer
0:30:06 > 0:30:10and co-work with them, use their knowledge of the land,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13actually we can implement interventions
0:30:13 > 0:30:14in a more targeted manner
0:30:14 > 0:30:17and actually get us on the right path of change.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26In fields above the River Wylye in Wiltshire,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29I'm meeting another farmer who's helping that change.
0:30:29 > 0:30:35And this is an environmental choice where the motive is not only
0:30:35 > 0:30:39a love of nature, it makes good business sense, too.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41And it's all about being on the right track.
0:30:44 > 0:30:49Twice a day, these 400 cows walk from fields to dairy and back,
0:30:49 > 0:30:53churning up farmer Josh Stratton's fields.
0:30:53 > 0:30:54So, what we've got here, we've got
0:30:54 > 0:30:56cows walking up rather a muddy track.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59They've come in from the field where they've been grazing this morning.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01What is bad about the muddy track?
0:31:01 > 0:31:08There will be quite a lot of run-off of cow manure and also mud which is
0:31:08 > 0:31:11very likely to go into the local watercourses.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14But now, a scheme called Catchment Sensitive Farming
0:31:14 > 0:31:19has part-funded more than £20,000 worth of hard surface trackways,
0:31:19 > 0:31:22built from local limestone and chalk.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25This is all costing you a bit of money.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Is there any advantage in it? Do you get any return?
0:31:28 > 0:31:31There is a real advantage, apart from the environmental benefits.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34The cows walk much better, the foot health's much better.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35We are very keen on animal welfare.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38And our milk buyer is very keen on animal welfare,
0:31:38 > 0:31:40so we get a real benefit from that.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Better foot health has saved Josh a fortune in vet bills,
0:31:43 > 0:31:47and the paths mean his cows can stay outside all year,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49reducing feed costs.
0:31:49 > 0:31:50It's worked so well,
0:31:50 > 0:31:54he'll replace his remaining walkways in the near future.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57I think that you can see from the way the cows move that they're
0:31:57 > 0:32:00healthy and they're keen to walk and when they're keen to walk,
0:32:00 > 0:32:01they're also keen to graze.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04The cows really run out of the parlour to go to their next
0:32:04 > 0:32:06patch of grazing. The grass costs us very little to grow,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09so it's a great return on our investment.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Farmers are often thought of as custodians of the countryside,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15but they are working businesses too.
0:32:16 > 0:32:21Asking farmers to be responsible for river quality may seem like putting
0:32:21 > 0:32:24another burden on an already hard-pressed industry,
0:32:24 > 0:32:29but surely the fact that it can save you soil, save your fertiliser,
0:32:29 > 0:32:31and even improve the health of your livestock,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34has to make it an attractive idea.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Getting your five a day isn't a problem in Lincolnshire.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54Throughout the year, they're cutting and pulling and trimming and packing
0:32:54 > 0:32:56all the veggies you could possibly want.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00But the world doesn't stand still,
0:33:00 > 0:33:03even in the realm of vegetables.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Now, these are all veggies that you've never heard of,
0:33:06 > 0:33:08partly because they don't even have names.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15This is where brand-new varieties and vegetable crosses
0:33:15 > 0:33:20are being tested in the field, quite literally, to see how they perform.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22These are the greens of the future.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Dr Jamie Claxton is the man responsible
0:33:29 > 0:33:31for breeding these new plants.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34What on earth is going on here, Jamie?
0:33:34 > 0:33:38What I'm doing here, John, is looking at sweetness levels of kale,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41so way using this thing called a refractometer,
0:33:41 > 0:33:43which looks a bit like Doctor Who's sonic screwdriver.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46- Are you trying to make it sweeter then, the vegetable?- Yes.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Standard kales tend to be quite bitter.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50What we've done with our breeding is we've developed new lines
0:33:50 > 0:33:53that have a much sweeter flavour, removing the bitterness,
0:33:53 > 0:33:55to make them much more exciting to eat.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59So, how many new type vegetables have you got growing here?
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Well, in this trial, we've got about 50 different new varieties of kale,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04but we are also trialling other brassicas.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08We've got loads of different sprouting broccolis, new cabbages,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10other types of cauliflowers as well, so it's quite a diverse trial.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11And what do you do?
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Do you mix them together initially in the laboratory?
0:34:14 > 0:34:17All the work to develop these is done in greenhouses.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21We are basically cross pollinating different types of kales with other
0:34:21 > 0:34:24brassicas to develop new, what we call, F1 hybrids.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26We produce a small amount of seed in the greenhouses,
0:34:26 > 0:34:28which is then trialled in these sorts of trials,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32and then we choose the best three or four from all of these 50 in this
0:34:32 > 0:34:35trial and they will then move on to the next commercial trial
0:34:35 > 0:34:37to, hopefully, make it into the supermarkets,
0:34:37 > 0:34:38but it is a big rejection rate.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41It could have happened quite naturally, out in the fields.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Yeah, basically, all of these are very closely related.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46They're all Brassica oleraceas, so the same species,
0:34:46 > 0:34:48so you can actually cross-pollinate them naturally.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50And why is there the need to do that?
0:34:50 > 0:34:53We are trying to reinvent an old vegetable, basically.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Kale is renowned for being bitter.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58People know it's very healthy, but they eat it because it's healthy,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00not necessarily because it's a nice flavour.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03We're trying to modernise kale, make it very colourful,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05exciting to look at, sweet to eat,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07and so that you don't have to boil it,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09so that you can stir-fry it or steam it, retain its colour,
0:35:09 > 0:35:13and make it look really interesting, but giving those really good
0:35:13 > 0:35:14nutritional benefits.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Now, talking about looking really interesting.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19I mean, how about...? This is beautiful...
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- Yeah.- Can I have a little taste of it?
0:35:21 > 0:35:24- Yes, do.- Because this is supposed to be a little sweeter, is it?
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Yes, from our readings, it is twice as sweet as standard green kale.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31It is. It's a very nice taste.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34In fact, it is much more of a cabbage taste.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37- Yeah.- So, is it a mixture of kale and cabbage?
0:35:37 > 0:35:39If I told you that, John, I'd have to kill you.
0:35:39 > 0:35:40That top secret, is it?
0:35:40 > 0:35:43Yes. We have to protect our investment.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Bearing in mind, each one has taken getting on for eight, nine,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49ten years to develop, it's a huge investment,
0:35:49 > 0:35:52so we have to make sure we're breeding on the right lines
0:35:52 > 0:35:55and doing what the customer wants.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Later, I'll be seeing if they taste as good cooked as they do raw.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05As we've seen here in the fields of Lincolnshire,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09they gather in the vegetable harvest from dawn till dusk and that,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12coincidentally, is the theme of this,
0:36:12 > 0:36:14the Countryfile calendar for 2017,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17which we sell in aid of Children In Need
0:36:17 > 0:36:19and here is how you can get one.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23It costs £9.50, including free UK delivery.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25You can go to our website,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27where you'll find a link to the order page.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29Or you can phone the order line...
0:36:39 > 0:36:42If you prefer to order by post, then send your name,
0:36:42 > 0:36:43address and a cheque to...
0:36:52 > 0:36:56And please make your cheques payable to BBC Countryfile Calendar.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59A minimum of £4 from the sale of each calendar
0:36:59 > 0:37:02will be donated to BBC Children In Need.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Winter makes life tough on Adam's farm,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12but no matter how bad the weather,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15the animals still need tending and there are plenty
0:37:15 > 0:37:18of rare and wonderful breeds to look after.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34This is one of my Gloucestershire Old Spots sow's and her piglets.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37And, at this time of year, she's growing her winter coat
0:37:37 > 0:37:39and laying down lots of fat to keep warm.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42And at one time, they became very rare because they didn't suit
0:37:42 > 0:37:43indoor pig production.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45And my dad started keeping them
0:37:45 > 0:37:47and would get laughed out of Gloucester market
0:37:47 > 0:37:50when he took some to sell because the farmers thought
0:37:50 > 0:37:51they were a breed of the past.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Because people have bought into eating rare breed meat,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57it saved these animals from extinction,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59which at one time was a real possibility.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04I do a good trade with my pork,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08beef and lamb, but there is an animal I keep not for its value,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11but because it never fails to put a smile on my face.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17These are our Runner ducks and they come in a whole array of colours.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19I think they're really gorgeous.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22They originated from East India and were used mainly for producing eggs
0:38:22 > 0:38:24on the old sailing boats.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26And now, they are more of an ornamental animal.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28Quite funny to look at.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31If I move them along, you can see where they got their name.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33They are a completely flightless bird.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34So they have to run everywhere,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37and they run in this very upright position.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43Our Indian Runners are thriving,
0:38:43 > 0:38:46but I have other breeds of duck on the farm that are
0:38:46 > 0:38:47critically endangered.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53These are my silver Appleyard ducks and they were a breed that was
0:38:53 > 0:38:56developed in the late 1940s by crossing various breeds together,
0:38:56 > 0:38:58really for meat production.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01But now, they've been outclassed by the modern-day duck,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05which is the Peking, a very fast growing duck for meat production.
0:39:05 > 0:39:06And they've become rare.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08But these ducks have got potential.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12And what I'd really like to see is more farmers keeping them,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15selling that meat into the marketplace, and therefore,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17helping the plight of the duck.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26What we need to do now is try and make these ducks more
0:39:26 > 0:39:27commercially viable.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33So, I'm heading to Suffolk to meet a champion of poultry
0:39:33 > 0:39:35to find out more.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43This is a one-stop shop for rare breed ducks, poultry and geese.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50What Nick Willis doesn't know about ducks isn't worth knowing.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52- Nick, hi.- Hello, Adam. Welcome.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54- Good to meet you. - What an amazing set-up.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Yeah, we've got a few ducks and geese around.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59- A few? How many? - There's 4,500 birds here.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01120 species of ducks, geese and swans.
0:40:01 > 0:40:0380 breeds of domestic fowl.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05Goodness me. A lot to look after.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06It's a full-time job.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08So, tell me about the history of ducks.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11So, like modern-day pigs came from the wild boar,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13where did all these ducks come from?
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Well, most domestic ducks came from the Mallard.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20They've been modified and bred to be larger, lay more eggs.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23And they are now in 80 different breeds and colours.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25And what are these ones in here, then?
0:40:25 > 0:40:29These are your wildfowl. These are your wild birds that live naturally,
0:40:29 > 0:40:33occurring in the wild, all round the country, all around the world.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36As impressive and beautiful as these wildfowl are,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38I'm really here to see Nick's domestic birds.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43In particular, I'm looking for rare breeds that are going to be good for
0:40:43 > 0:40:45producing meat.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Goodness me, look at them all!
0:40:48 > 0:40:51So, when it comes to the duck, what are the different types for?
0:40:51 > 0:40:53There's three different sorts.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56There's the heavy breed, which is the meat bird.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Breeds we're looking at, for you particularly, are the Aylesburys
0:40:59 > 0:41:02or the Appleyards. There are the egg-laying breeds, Indian runners,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04or the Khakis. And there are the fancy breeds,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08the Call ducks and the cresteds and all sorts of pretty colours.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10I've got a few Appleyards at home.
0:41:10 > 0:41:11I really like them as a duck.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13Maybe we should look at them.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14Have you a few to take a closer look at?
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- Yeah, we'll catch a few and see if you like them.- OK.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21- If you hang on there, Adam...- OK.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25- Have you spotted one?- Yeah, I have. I've spotted a nice one here.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26Watching the master at work.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Look at that! Goodness me, that was skilful!
0:41:36 > 0:41:38LOUD QUACKING
0:41:38 > 0:41:43- There we go. - There we are. Feel the size, Adam.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46- That's some weight in that, isn't there?- She's a big, long bird, yeah.
0:41:46 > 0:41:47They are a heavy breed.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- They're a heavy breed.- I can feel the meat on the breast.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52- A lot there, isn't there? - Drakes would weigh more.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54You would eat the surplus drakes. She is a breeding duck,
0:41:54 > 0:41:56- she'll be for breeding. - Don't worry.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58You're going for breeding, not for meat, don't panic.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00Just don't panic.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01So, in a commercial world,
0:42:01 > 0:42:03the ducks mature very quickly, don't they?
0:42:03 > 0:42:06It's a numbers game, which is why these rare breeds can't keep up.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10Yes, it is financially better to have a duck on the table.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12You can do it cheaper if you do it in less time.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15I think it's a very exciting idea, isn't it?
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Breeding these lovely ducks,
0:42:17 > 0:42:19ironic as it may sound, to eat.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20Therefore, more people will keep them.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22That's right. They're rare breeds.
0:42:22 > 0:42:23They need looking after.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26OK, let's put this girl back with her friends.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29There we go, sweetheart.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33If I can make the Appleyard ducks commercially viable,
0:42:33 > 0:42:37I'll need to come back to see Nick next year to increase the gene pool
0:42:37 > 0:42:38of my own flock.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42The strange thing is, even though I've kept them for years,
0:42:42 > 0:42:43I've never tasted the meat.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47That's why I'm visiting Ed Farrell,
0:42:47 > 0:42:51whose street food vans make a feast from our feathered friends.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- Hi, Ed.- Adam, how are you?- Good to see you. This is a lovely set-up.
0:42:56 > 0:42:57It's great, isn't it?
0:42:57 > 0:43:00So, how popular is eating duck meat in this country?
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Well, we don't actually eat a lot of it compared to the French
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and also in Thailand and China, where it's their number one protein.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09We just don't eat enough of it in this country and we should
0:43:09 > 0:43:12because it's a fantastic meat, tastes so good.
0:43:12 > 0:43:13Lots of nutritional benefits.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16The fat is very similar to olive oil, so it's good fat.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18The meat itself is very high in protein
0:43:18 > 0:43:20and other vitamins and minerals.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22What have you got here?
0:43:22 > 0:43:26So, this is the Silver Appleyard, which is the rare breed duck,
0:43:26 > 0:43:27and this is the UK commercial duck,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30which you can find in any supermarket in the UK.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32Striking difference already, isn't there?
0:43:32 > 0:43:34Very dark, the Silver Appleyard.
0:43:34 > 0:43:35Amazing difference. The colour...
0:43:35 > 0:43:39Yeah, absolutely. And the texture of the muscle, it's a huge difference.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41I suppose because the Silver Appleyard
0:43:41 > 0:43:43takes much longer to mature, six to eight months, isn't it?
0:43:43 > 0:43:45- Yeah, absolutely.- Whereas a commercial duck -
0:43:45 > 0:43:48- just over a month?- Just over a month.- Yeah.- Incredible difference.
0:43:48 > 0:43:49- Yeah. - So, what's the plan then, Ed?
0:43:49 > 0:43:52So, what I've done here is I've prepared some steaks,
0:43:52 > 0:43:53which is how I prepare it in the restaurant.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56Very simple marinade of chilli, mint and olive oil
0:43:56 > 0:43:57just to enhance the flavour.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59I've never actually cooked this rare breed before,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02- so I'm really excited to give it a go.- Excellent.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04Well, my mouth is watering already. Let's get it on the barbecue.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06Fantastic.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11So, that's the Silver Appleyard.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14That's the Silver Appleyard, the rare breed, and this is
0:44:14 > 0:44:16the commercial duck.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22How long will they take on there?
0:44:22 > 0:44:24They'll literally take a couple of minutes each side.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26The suspense is killing me.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40OK. Remind me which is which.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42- This is the rare breed. - This is the rare breed.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45- This is the commercial one.- It's shrunk quite a lot, hasn't it?
0:44:45 > 0:44:47It's amazing, the difference in size.
0:44:52 > 0:44:53Perfect.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58- Which one first?- Rare breed first? - OK.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00'The moment of truth.'
0:45:02 > 0:45:03Mm!
0:45:04 > 0:45:05Great texture.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09- Lovely texture. - I'm really enjoying that.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11- It's really nice.- This is fantastic.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13- The flavour!- Nice meat.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15Really strong, meaty flavour.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17OK, let's try the commercial in comparison.
0:45:17 > 0:45:18Commercial.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22This is much softer.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25- Really soft, yeah. - Almost sort of melts in the mouth.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28- But the flavour?- Not as good flavour at all, actually.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30This is good, but this is superb.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33I love it. I honestly didn't think there would be that much
0:45:33 > 0:45:36of a difference, but it's really surprised me.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39So, do you think there's a place for it in the market?
0:45:39 > 0:45:41I think there is. I mean, duck is an expensive meat as it is,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44but if you're a top chef with a really high-end restaurant
0:45:44 > 0:45:46and you want that point of difference,
0:45:46 > 0:45:48you want your customer to have something really special,
0:45:48 > 0:45:51- I think there's definitely a market for this.- Brilliant.
0:45:51 > 0:45:52Well, it's been great to meet you.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56In fact, I'm not going to rush off, let's just eat some more, shall we?
0:45:56 > 0:45:59I'm absolutely delighted that rare breed duck meat tasted so good.
0:45:59 > 0:46:03If we can get more people talking about them and eating them, then the
0:46:03 > 0:46:06ducks won't just be kept as pets in the garden for show,
0:46:06 > 0:46:09it will give them a real purpose and more breeders will keep them and
0:46:09 > 0:46:12hopefully, that will secure their future and protect them
0:46:12 > 0:46:14from extinction forever.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34We are in Lincolnshire, where
0:46:34 > 0:46:37I've been exploring the future of farming.
0:46:37 > 0:46:38But this county has been
0:46:38 > 0:46:41forward-thinking for quite some time.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45It's well known as the veg pot of Britain.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48But did you know that Lincolnshire also lays claim to being
0:46:48 > 0:46:50the birthplace of nature conservation?
0:46:54 > 0:46:56This is Gibraltar Point.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00The name may be unfamiliar, but this place provided a blueprint for
0:47:00 > 0:47:02nature reserves all over the UK.
0:47:04 > 0:47:08It's all down to one man, founder of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust,
0:47:08 > 0:47:12Ted Smith, one of conservation's unsung heroes.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16David Attenborough called him a visionary, a diplomat and above all,
0:47:16 > 0:47:17a revolutionary.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23Ted made it his life's work to preserve Britain's wild places,
0:47:23 > 0:47:25from seashore to mountain top.
0:47:25 > 0:47:30The wildlife trusts now have more than 2,300 reserves
0:47:30 > 0:47:31and that's all thanks to Ted.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33In fact, if it wasn't for Ted Smith,
0:47:33 > 0:47:37we probably wouldn't be making programmes like Countryfile.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40Until Ted,
0:47:40 > 0:47:44conservation had been the preserve of wealthy individuals who believed
0:47:44 > 0:47:46nature should be fenced off and left alone.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50But it was Ted, the humble son of a plumber,
0:47:50 > 0:47:54who fought to open these places for people as well as wildlife.
0:47:57 > 0:48:02His campaign started here in 1949, with Gibraltar Point, near Skegness.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08Barry Wilkinson was a good friend of Ted's and a former head
0:48:08 > 0:48:10of the reserve.
0:48:10 > 0:48:12So, Barry, when did you first meet Ted?
0:48:12 > 0:48:15Well, I was only about 12, I think.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17We came down here for a family picnic
0:48:17 > 0:48:22and they were ringing birds at the Bird Observatory
0:48:22 > 0:48:24and I saw them catch a whitethroat,
0:48:24 > 0:48:28ring that and that really got me interested in the Bird Observatory.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30But just that day really set me off.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32And what was he like?
0:48:32 > 0:48:34A very quiet man.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37Always ready to guide and pass on information and
0:48:38 > 0:48:43he had a huge knowledge, really, of the countryside and wildlife.
0:48:43 > 0:48:48And what was it about this particular area that inspired Ted
0:48:48 > 0:48:51- to want to preserve it? - I think he'd always had it in mind,
0:48:51 > 0:48:55but there were lots of threats up and down the coast,
0:48:55 > 0:48:58from caravan development and other developments.
0:48:58 > 0:49:02So, had it not been for Ted, this could now be a caravan park,
0:49:02 > 0:49:04or maybe fields of broccoli?
0:49:04 > 0:49:05Or even worse, a bungalow estate,
0:49:05 > 0:49:08because that was also threatened at one time.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12Ted was determined that post-war developments
0:49:12 > 0:49:16wouldn't deprive the countryside of its natural beauty.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21The work he did in this tiny bird observatory
0:49:21 > 0:49:23made a massive difference.
0:49:26 > 0:49:31Reserve warden Kevin Wilson is the current custodian of Ted's vision.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34- Hi.- Hi, Anita.
0:49:34 > 0:49:36- Sheltered! - Yes, have to be today.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38Is that Ted Smith and his wife?
0:49:38 > 0:49:39In this very observatory?
0:49:39 > 0:49:441949 and he would have been writing bird data into this very log here.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46No! Is this the actual log?
0:49:46 > 0:49:48This is the actual log.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51And you can see that this was when the observatory was founded.
0:49:51 > 0:49:55The first entry from Ted on the 11th of April 1949,
0:49:55 > 0:49:59during which he recorded the first swallow came through at
0:49:59 > 0:50:01half past seven in the evening.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04- Hasn't he got beautiful handwriting?- A lot better than mine.
0:50:04 > 0:50:08Look at that. It worries me that it's on paper, though.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11And it worried me. When I first came to Gibraltar Point,
0:50:11 > 0:50:15someone opened a cupboard door and showed me just tens of great big
0:50:15 > 0:50:18archive boxes full of paper logs like this.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20And I felt a great weight of responsibility
0:50:20 > 0:50:23that if all this went up in smoke on my watch, there'd be trouble.
0:50:23 > 0:50:28So we've taken great lengths now to actually get it all computerised.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32Ted's enthusiasm for recording and preserving nature
0:50:32 > 0:50:37helped kick-start the wildlife trust movement right across the UK.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39Along with big names like Sir Peter Scott,
0:50:39 > 0:50:41in the centre of this picture,
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Ted was putting conservation firmly on the map.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49Ted was prepared to put in the hard work to promote his passion.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52He travelled the length and breadth of the country,
0:50:52 > 0:50:57inspiring other people to find wild places in their areas and to promote
0:50:57 > 0:50:59them as nature reserves.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01Because back then,
0:51:01 > 0:51:04these spaces were out of bounds and he wanted to make them accessible
0:51:04 > 0:51:08to the public and thank goodness he did, because this is magnificent.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14Ted's legacy lives on,
0:51:14 > 0:51:18with a new visitor centre recently opened in his honour.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22He died just before it was finished, but it does exactly what he worked
0:51:22 > 0:51:24so tirelessly to do.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Which is open up new vistas,
0:51:26 > 0:51:30so that everyone can enjoy the beauty of nature.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58We are in Lincolnshire, where Anita has been getting an insight
0:51:58 > 0:52:00into the future of modern farming.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04I've always said it, robots and technology will save us.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06- Will they save us?- I hope so.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10And I've been looking at the veggies we'll be seeing on our plates
0:52:10 > 0:52:11this winter.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15And some that could be heading there in the years to come.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18And now I'm going to see whether
0:52:18 > 0:52:20some of them taste as good as they look.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22What are you preparing here, Lucy?
0:52:22 > 0:52:25These are kalettes and they are just stir-fried with bacon.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27I'm about to add some pine nuts
0:52:27 > 0:52:30to them and some butter, salt and pepper.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33Lucy Reid is the unofficial company chef
0:52:33 > 0:52:35and often prepares their produce
0:52:35 > 0:52:37for taste testing by members of staff.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40So, do you think it's the best way to cook this kind of veg?
0:52:40 > 0:52:42To either stir-fry or steam it?
0:52:42 > 0:52:46Yes, I think they retain their texture and their taste better
0:52:46 > 0:52:49and the colour as well, when they are steamed or stir-fried.
0:52:49 > 0:52:53Yeah, boiled green vegetables remind me of my childhood, a long time ago!
0:52:54 > 0:52:56So, much nicer. Are they crispy?
0:52:56 > 0:52:59Yes, and I think the children like them with the bacon in.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02Oh, yeah. 'Which is just as well because today,
0:53:02 > 0:53:05'it's not the employees who are trying out the veggies,
0:53:05 > 0:53:10'it's those most critical of customers, the next generation.'
0:53:10 > 0:53:12Some of the staff have turned up now with their children
0:53:12 > 0:53:16to try out your kalette with pine nut.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18BOTH: And bacon.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22And also here, I think, we've got some steamed kale.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25I don't like pine nuts.
0:53:27 > 0:53:32'The families of the workers here are used to eating their greens
0:53:32 > 0:53:33'and their purples.'
0:53:39 > 0:53:41Do you like the taste?
0:53:41 > 0:53:43'So far, so good.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46'But true to form, not everyone is a fan.'
0:53:46 > 0:53:47Anybody like to try this?
0:53:49 > 0:53:50What do you think of it?
0:53:52 > 0:53:55Do you like the taste? Do you like it?
0:53:56 > 0:53:57I love my veg, John.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Hello!
0:54:00 > 0:54:02How are you? What a beautiful setting.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04You've never heard of a kalette, have you?
0:54:04 > 0:54:06- I've never heard of a kalette. - Well, that's a kalette.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Shall we try it? What do you think, boys? Good?
0:54:08 > 0:54:10Shall I have a go? Is it nice?
0:54:12 > 0:54:15You're used to giving marks out of ten with Strictly.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17- How many for this? - I'd have to give this ten.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21You can have the rest, OK?
0:54:21 > 0:54:23That's all we've got time for today, I'm afraid.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25Next week, we're going to be in Aberdeenshire,
0:54:25 > 0:54:28looking at ways of trying to save one of our rarest mammals.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31That's it from us under this beautiful, endless Lincolnshire sky.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33Join us next week.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36- I like bacon, though. - Oh, yeah.
0:54:36 > 0:54:37I think this is a hit.