0:00:32 > 0:00:35From coast to coast, we're spoilt for choice
0:00:35 > 0:00:38when it comes to breathtaking and inspiring landscapes.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46But at this time of year, there's one that enchants us more than most.
0:00:49 > 0:00:50Meadows -
0:00:50 > 0:00:53whether they're being grown to produce sweet hay for our animals...
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Go!
0:00:56 > 0:00:57- I'm behind you!- I know.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00- Can you hear me breathing down your back?- Yes.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03..or capturing the imagination, as Naomi's been discovering.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06That's it, yay!
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- Whoo!- You're a natural.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14They're entwined with our lives and memories and on today's programme,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17we're going to be celebrating everything about them,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19from their wildlife to their beauty.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Tom's investigating rural housing and asking why
0:01:23 > 0:01:26we're still struggling to provide affordable homes.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Wow, it's all going on in here.
0:01:31 > 0:01:32This is a typical evening, is it?
0:01:32 > 0:01:36- It is, it is, yeah.- All four of us in one room. As you can see,
0:01:36 > 0:01:37it's a bit cramped.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43And Adam's been exploring the meadows and grasslands on his farm.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45The action of the cattle grazing and ripping off
0:01:45 > 0:01:48all the dominant grasses means we get an array
0:01:48 > 0:01:50of these wonderful wildflowers.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20There's something about meadows that's very nostalgic.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25They remind us of long, hot summers, simpler times, a bygone era.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28But look closer and you will see a finely balanced habitat
0:02:28 > 0:02:30right before your eyes.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36I'm at Kingcombe meadow in Dorset with Dr Trevor Dines
0:02:36 > 0:02:39from the charity Plantlife.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43He's been instrumental in setting up a nationwide project to
0:02:43 > 0:02:46help preserve our wildflower meadows.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Well, Trevor, there's quite a royal entrance to this meadow here.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51There's the crown. It's obviously very important, this?
0:02:51 > 0:02:56This is one of 90 coronation meadows across the country.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59'The Coronation Meadows Project was a gift from his Royal Highness,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02'the Prince of Wales to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:05When does a grass field become a meadow?
0:03:05 > 0:03:08It's a really interesting question and this is part of the problem.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12So, in the past, around, sort of, the '40s, the '50s,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14these wildflower meadows were dominant across Britain,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16it's what every farmer had.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19And then, obviously, with that change to the need to produce
0:03:19 > 0:03:23more food during the war and after, that intensity of production,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26meant that the wildflowers don't have a chance to set their seed
0:03:26 > 0:03:29and we've reached that situation now where 7.5 million acres
0:03:29 > 0:03:32of this sort of habitat has disappeared.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35There's no doubt about it, they're wonderful to walk through.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39But if they don't fit in to that system of producing food
0:03:39 > 0:03:44for animals, then it's difficult to protect them, isn't it, for you?
0:03:44 > 0:03:45Yeah, that's our real challenge.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48How do we make these relevant and how do we make them appropriate to
0:03:48 > 0:03:50modern farming systems?
0:03:50 > 0:03:53'Hay from meadows like this can make incredibly tasty feed
0:03:53 > 0:03:54'for livestock.'
0:03:54 > 0:03:56From a hay perspective, I mean,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00when you break open a bale from a hay meadow and you just look at the
0:04:00 > 0:04:03diverse species that are in there, it's almost like a wonderful salad,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05- isn't it, for the animals?- It is.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I mean, it's absolutely stunning and we're only just beginning to realise
0:04:08 > 0:04:10what that does for the livestock themselves.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12There's all sorts of herbs and things in there
0:04:12 > 0:04:14that are passing benefits onto the livestock.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18'Well, this Coronation Meadow is really thriving
0:04:18 > 0:04:22'and that's mainly down to the work of the Dorset Wildlife Trust.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24'Their conservation officer for the region, Nick Gray,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27'knows a thing or two about meadow species.'
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Well, Nick, for somebody that loves plants,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32there's a lot to feast your eyes on in here.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34- What's this species?- This is a gloriously named
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Corky-fruited water-dropwort.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Hang on, you're going to have to say that again.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Say that again, a bit slower.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Corky-fruited water-dropwort.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45It's an absolute once encountered, never forgotten.
0:04:45 > 0:04:46- Absolutely.- Yeah.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Real Dorset, Devon favourite, actually.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51It flourishes in this area and, interestingly,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53not necessarily elsewhere in the country.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Well, let's take a wander along this meadow
0:04:55 > 0:04:58because it's so diverse, isn't it?
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Altogether, we've got upwards of 50 species in the meadow here.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06We're looking at some really iconic meadow species here, Matt.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12We've got the knapweed here, what a great species that one is.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Another name for a shaving brush or chimney sweep,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- you can see where that comes from. - Chimney sweep, yeah.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Fantastic. Cat's-ears, beautiful pollen and nectar source
0:05:19 > 0:05:22and tiny little cat's ear on the stem there.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24We've got Bird's-foot-trefoil in here.
0:05:24 > 0:05:25Yeah, the yellow rattle here.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Altogether, yeah, what a great species.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29You can literally hear it rattling as you tap it.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Just coming into maturity now.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35That's a crucial one for us when we're trying to restore our
0:05:35 > 0:05:37flower meadows, to restrict the grass growth and
0:05:37 > 0:05:38create space for wildflowers.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40- Yeah.- It's a pollen and nectar bonanza
0:05:40 > 0:05:41for the invertebrates as well.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48'Because this meadow is such a fine example,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51'its seeds are being collected so they can enhance other meadows being
0:05:51 > 0:05:53'restored in this area.'
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Right, then, Nick, let's get our hands in here and have a good look
0:06:02 > 0:06:05because there's plenty of seed in there.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Very much so. What have we got? A bit of cat's-ear there, Matt,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10some knapweeds in there and these meadow grasses,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12the crested dog's-tail and the sweet vernal grass,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14there's a lot of good seed in there.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16This isn't a process that you can do right across the country.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19It keeps this wonderful Dorset meadow
0:06:19 > 0:06:22recreating new meadows in Dorset.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Once the seeds have been harvested, they're spread onto nearby sites,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30where they can work their magic,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33helping to secure these important habitats for the future.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38This stuff is just green gold, it's just absolutely wonderful.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Affordable housing has been a big issue for our countryside for years.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52So, why are we still failing to provide enough rural homes?
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Here's Tom.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Life in the countryside - living, working
0:07:16 > 0:07:19and occasionally playing amongst all this.
0:07:19 > 0:07:20Just stunning.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36But for some time, we've known that it's not that simple.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Many villages are fast becoming the preserve of commuters
0:07:39 > 0:07:42or the wealthy retired, meaning that local working families
0:07:42 > 0:07:46are struggling to find a place to buy or rent.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53This is Christow village on the edge of Dartmoor,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56where property prices are high.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Soon, he arrived at the...
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Bakery worker, Matt, and his wife, Sophie, live and work here,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05but can't afford to buy here.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09So, their family of five share a house with the in-laws.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Four of them sleep in one bedroom.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Wow, it's all going on in here.
0:08:14 > 0:08:15HE LAUGHS
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Stories, stories, stories.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20- Yeah.- This is a typical evening, is it?
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- It is, it is, yeah.- Tell me about your life in the village,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26how long you've been here, how come you're here.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Oh, I've been here, basically, all my life.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Lived in Teignmouth for about eight years.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It didn't really work out so we moved back
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and I've been here since... For about five and a half years.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Since I've been back in Christow, I got a job at the local bakery.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Been doing that for the best part of four years now.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Been doing nights and things like that.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46It's great in some ways having your family all around you,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48but what is the toughest thing about living like this?
0:08:48 > 0:08:51- Space.- The space, yeah. Yeah, definitely.- Space.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54All four of us in one room, as you can see, it's a bit cramped.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57- Privacy.- Yeah, definitely.- For the children, more than anything.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Yeah, for the children.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02For them not being able to do what they want.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06It's estimated we need 7,500 new affordable homes a year
0:09:06 > 0:09:10in rural areas but we don't even build half that number
0:09:10 > 0:09:13and it's been like that for decades.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15So what's going wrong?
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Not a bad little spot, is it?
0:09:17 > 0:09:20'Jo Lavis is a specialist in rural affordable housing.'
0:09:21 > 0:09:24What are the particular problems when it comes
0:09:24 > 0:09:28to delivering affordable housing in rural areas like this?
0:09:28 > 0:09:29I think there are three.
0:09:29 > 0:09:35The first is the difficulty finding a site and the sites are small.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38It's a problem in terms of cost because of the building materials,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42again, because the sites tend to be small
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and just connecting up to the mains services,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46like sewerage and electricity.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49And the third is local opposition.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53There is a opinion that affordable housing is something bad.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55We don't want... And I've heard it said,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57"We don't want those sort of people here."
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Really, that level of snobbery comes into it in villages?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Yes, sometimes and sometimes total prejudice but actually when you
0:10:03 > 0:10:06explain, "Well, actually, these are people who live in your community.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09"This is the person who works in your shop,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12"the person who serves you at the pub." And it's sort of difficult to
0:10:12 > 0:10:15understand why if you've moved to a community which is attractive
0:10:15 > 0:10:19and has a house price because it's an attractive community,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22you don't then also recognise that that community to continue being an
0:10:22 > 0:10:25attractive place to live needs a shop, needs a pub,
0:10:25 > 0:10:28needs the Post Office and that comes with having people
0:10:28 > 0:10:31of different ages, backgrounds, income levels
0:10:31 > 0:10:33living in that village.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36That drawbridge mentality -
0:10:36 > 0:10:39people who have bought a beautiful village home and don't want
0:10:39 > 0:10:43social housing near them - has clearly been a hurdle in the past.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46And now, she believes government action isn't helping.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50I think some of the more recent policies have really been a problem
0:10:50 > 0:10:53and actually become a barrier, rather than actually an opportunity.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59'One key change has been that new developments of fewer than ten homes
0:10:59 > 0:11:02'no longer have to include affordable housing.'
0:11:02 > 0:11:05So, for you, the removal of the requirement to put in
0:11:05 > 0:11:08affordable homes in sites of less than ten units was a real mistake?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Absolutely, a huge mistake.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16When you realise that 85%, round about 85%, of housing development
0:11:16 > 0:11:19in rural areas is on sites of less than ten units,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22you begin to get a feel of what an impact it will have.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28So, what do builders think of the changes?
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Well, they say it'll mean more houses being built
0:11:31 > 0:11:35and that will allow market forces to bring an end to the shortage.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'Andrew Whitaker is from the Home Builders Federation.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41'His members build most of Britain's houses.'
0:11:41 > 0:11:45One of the things the government has chosen to do is
0:11:45 > 0:11:48to exempt small sites from providing affordable housing.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51That will help smaller scale house-builders
0:11:51 > 0:11:55bring forward sites for development, because it's much easier not to have
0:11:55 > 0:11:59to enter into these deals to provide affordable housing.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Some rural communities, we're talking about one for one.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06We're talking about, if you build two market houses, one of them
0:12:06 > 0:12:11you have to sell at below market value as an affordable house.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15But we've spoken to rural housing experts who say that the removal of
0:12:15 > 0:12:19that requirement has been absolutely critical in worsening the plight.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I think what people are looking at is the wrong end of the telescope.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26They're looking at the problem of how we used to
0:12:26 > 0:12:29subsidise affordable housing on the back of market housing,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32rather than addressing the fundamental issue
0:12:32 > 0:12:35of how to do we fund affordable housing in this country?
0:12:38 > 0:12:40So, the debate goes on.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Builders want to be free from regulations,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46so the market can decide. Housing campaigners want clearer,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49firmer guidelines for affordable housing.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52It seems one of the few things they all agree on is that
0:12:52 > 0:12:54we do need more homes.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58The failure to build more affordable homes is causing
0:12:58 > 0:13:03some of our villages to stagnate, with schools and hospitals closing.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05But join me later to meet communities
0:13:05 > 0:13:09who ARE succeeding in delivering more cheaper homes.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Tall grasses waving in a light breeze.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26A rhapsody in pinks and blues.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29The rich colour palette of summer wild flowers.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37This is the archetypal flower meadow,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39the kind you find on greeting cards,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43on place mats and, well, probably in your mind's eye
0:13:43 > 0:13:46when you hear the word "meadow".
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Winterbourne Downs in Wiltshire is a chalk land flower meadow,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54once commonplace, but now extremely rare.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59- Hi, Yvonne.- Hi!- Hello.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02'So, for artist Yvonne Coomber, who paints meadows,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04'it's a very special place.'
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Your paintings are just beautiful, the colours are so vibrant.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Do you think that's what it is that draws you to painting meadows?
0:14:15 > 0:14:20I think the fact that meadows contain every single colour
0:14:20 > 0:14:24in the rainbow is definitely a really important factor.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27So, as an artist, that's very inspirational.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29And do you like to stand in amongst your subject?
0:14:29 > 0:14:34Always. I never paint in an official studio, it's always plenair.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41So there is so much going on in your paintings.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43What's your process? How do you begin?
0:14:43 > 0:14:47I always begin each painting with a landscape in the background.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50As you can see, it's quite ethereal.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53My background initially was watercolour,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56so it's kind of got that dreamy feel.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00I put it on the floor and then start chucking and dribbling and throwing
0:15:00 > 0:15:03and dancing around the canvas with paint.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06- It sounds like good fun. Could I have a go?- You definitely can.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12- That's it.- Yay, whoo! - You're a natural!
0:15:14 > 0:15:19- And do you try and match the colours that you see around you?- Yes, I do.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20Oh, yeah, a great match.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25'So the colours don't mix and become muddy,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28'Yvonne normally allows each new layer of paint to dry
0:15:28 > 0:15:30'before applying the next.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33'This means each painting can take months to complete.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36'We don't have that luxury today.'
0:15:36 > 0:15:39- It's a lovely way of creating that busy effect, isn't it...?- Yes.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41..that you get in a meadow?
0:15:41 > 0:15:43I like nature. It's not that controlled.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47It's a very sensual experience.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57A work in progress, but I'm quite pleased with that.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04'But Winterbourne Downs hasn't always been quite this pretty.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09'It used to be a 750-acre arable farm, but a decade ago,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13'the RSPB began transforming it into a nature reserve.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'Patrick Cashman is the site manager.'
0:16:16 > 0:16:20So, Patrick, why did the RSPB decide to buy this particular farm?
0:16:20 > 0:16:25We bought RSPB Winterbourne Downs right next door to Porton Down,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28which is the second largest area of area of chalk grassland in the UK.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33And just four miles away is the largest area, Salisbury Plain,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35which has 40% of our chalk grassland.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And we're strategically creating a bridge, or stepping stone,
0:16:38 > 0:16:39between the two sites.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Chalk grassland as a habitat, it's fantastic.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46You can have up to 40 plant species per square metre.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49- Cor!- And loads and loads of different insects.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52So, like Yvonne, you started off
0:16:52 > 0:16:54with this blank canvas ten years ago.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57How did you go about creating this pretty picture
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- that we're standing in now? - It's just like sowing another crop,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03so we harvested seed from really flower-rich grasslands
0:17:03 > 0:17:05and then, we broadcast those seeds, rolled them in,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07and then we've just managed the grassland afterwards.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10So year by year, you keep adding to that?
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Yes, after the initial sowing,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15we're coming back, putting in missing species, trying to get
0:17:15 > 0:17:19the same sort of rich community we have on places like Salisbury Plain.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It's not all about just looking pretty, though, is it?
0:17:22 > 0:17:28Not at all. We're creating, from what was a single-species crop,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32to a flower-rich, insect-rich habitat, giving nature a home.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34It's really just about life.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43A nesting pair of rare stone curlews was the initial reason the RSPB
0:17:43 > 0:17:47bought the farm. After ten years of habitat improvement,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Winterbourne Downs is now home to
0:17:49 > 0:17:55seven pairs of this incredibly shy and brilliantly camouflaged bird.
0:17:55 > 0:17:56There have been other winners, too.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Small mammals attract barn owls and buzzards,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and there's plenty of cover for nesting skylarks.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05But it's the insect population,
0:18:05 > 0:18:10attracted by millions of nectar-rich flowers, that's really flourished.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13BUZZING
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I mean, just listen.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19This place, it's absolutely buzzing.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29'Entomologist Brian Pinchen visits the meadow several times a year
0:18:29 > 0:18:32'to perform a sort of bug audit for the RSPB,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35'and to measure the success of the site's transformation.'
0:18:37 > 0:18:40So, we've got a nice bumblebee down in here.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- Grab it.- Ah!- There you go. - How's it not stinging you?
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Well, that's a male bumblebee, and male bumblebees don't sting.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50- Don't they?- No. Bees, ants and wasps all belong to the same group,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53- and the males don't sting. - I didn't know that.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- Ooh, and it's off.- Oh!
0:18:56 > 0:19:01This meadow, ten years ago, had around about 15 or 20 species in it.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- Yeah.- And, from two visits so far this year, I'm up to 75 species.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07- In ten years?- In ten years, yes. - That's incredible.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09And, in contrast, there's a barley meadow over there,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11which has got about ten species in it.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13There aren't any flowers out there,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16so there's nothing for the things that need nectar and pollen.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Um, whereas, out here, as you see, it's so species-rich.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21That's what keeps the insects in.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- So this is doing well and working? - This is doing brilliantly, yes.- Yay!
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Some of Britain's meadowland plants and flowers
0:19:44 > 0:19:45have the most wonderful names.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50How about sneezewort, or bee's bread or nosebleed?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Even Granny's Toenails!
0:19:53 > 0:19:56But how and why did they get these amazing names?
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Britain's wild flower meadows have always been beautiful,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08but once they were also very much part of our diet, our wellbeing,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10and our language.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Here in Devon, Bridget McNeil teaches people about the history
0:20:17 > 0:20:22and medicinal properties of some of our remarkable meadow species.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26This place is absolutely jam-packed with wild flowers, isn't it?
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- It's just...- What a fantastic place to work!- I know, I'm so lucky.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32It's got so many varieties, habitats, medicinal plants,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35edible plants. It's beautiful, really beautiful.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- You know this one?- That's a nettle.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40That's a nettle, a beauty, this is my favourite plant.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43- Why's that? - It's just so good for you.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44I eat it, I use it as a medicine.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46You know, it's food as medicine, really.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49So what do you do with all the wild flowers that you collect?
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Well, I make salves, make tinctures, make oils and vinegars, so it's
0:20:53 > 0:20:57really sort of stepping between the worlds of food and medicine.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Plants growing on your doorstep
0:20:59 > 0:21:02or in these beautiful meadows are so beneficial.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'For Bridget, meadows are nature's medicine cabinet.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07'She's going to use some of what we've collected
0:21:07 > 0:21:09'to make a healing ointment.'
0:21:09 > 0:21:10This is a wound salve, um,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13which has some of the things we picked earlier.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18So really wonderful for wounds and bruises and strains and muscle ache.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- Ah! I've a touch of tennis elbow. - Here we go!- Will it work on that?
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Yes, we shall give you some salve to take away with you.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27'Many herbs and plants were often named
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'for their medicinal properties, or for the way they looked.'
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- What about a really common plant, like dandelion?- Yeah.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- Has that got more than one name? - Oh, it's got so many names.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- In this country, it has got about 90 different names.- Never?- Yes.- Really?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42So, here's a leaf dandelion.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- Um, dent de lion, in French. - Lion's tooth?- Lion's tooth.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- Can you see?- Oh, yes.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52These names were like a gateway for ordinary folk
0:21:52 > 0:21:54to be able to know what plants did what,
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- so you've got the woundwort here, staunchweed, nosebleed.- Yeah.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- Of course, you've got to be very careful with some of them.- Yeah.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04This is hemlock, one of the most poisonous plants in Britain.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09- Wow, yeah.- This plant will kill you if ingested.- So you've really got to
0:22:09 > 0:22:12- know what you're doing when it comes to herbs?- Yeah, absolutely you do.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- And how's the salve doing, then? - It's doing really well.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19So I'm going to add this beeswax, and that will melt in.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22You know, modern medicine is taken from plants.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25So aspirin originated from meadowsweet and willow.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28We all know chamomile has that lovely calming effect.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32- These ancient remedies... - Yeah.- ..have a really
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- important place in modern life. - A really important place.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- I think this is ready to pour. - Right.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42There we go.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48- So here you go, John. - Well...- One finished salve.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- Thank you, Bridget. - Use it on your elbow.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- I'll let you know what happens. - Yeah, do.- Thank you.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57For many centuries, people have had faith
0:22:57 > 0:23:00in the healing properties of plants.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03But before they can be used on an industrial scale,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06they need rigorous testing. At this laboratory in Plymouth,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Dr Jan Knight is carrying out important research.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12This is the first time, Jan,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14I've ever seen wild flowers in a laboratory.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18- What are they here for? - Well, it's probably the first time
0:23:18 > 0:23:21they've been growing in our laboratory as well, but people
0:23:21 > 0:23:24bring us materials for us to test.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27We do a lot of work for cosmetics, for the food industry,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31for the supplement industry, and to the farmer industry as well.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36'It's difficult to use wild plants and flowers in commercial medicines,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39'because their active compounds can vary a great deal.'
0:23:39 > 0:23:44- So people are now taking it seriously, scientifically?- Yes.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47The claim that some of these plants may... But you have to prove it?
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- Correct.- You have to prove it in a laboratory.- Yes.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Many anecdotal results have given you feedback
0:23:53 > 0:23:57that this seems to be good for this condition, but you daren't make
0:23:57 > 0:24:00the claim until you've actually carried out clinical trials.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04'Jan's tests aim to make sure the wild plants used
0:24:04 > 0:24:08'in medical and cosmetic products are always at the same potency.'
0:24:08 > 0:24:15There is an enormous wealth of potential material in our plants.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18You find the gems, then cultivate them,
0:24:18 > 0:24:23and then use those as your source for new ideas.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25'It's good to know that the ancient skills
0:24:25 > 0:24:29'of turning wild flowers into medicines still survive,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33'and that modern science is now helping ensure their effectiveness.'
0:24:39 > 0:24:42MATT: Now, as Tom's been finding out, there's a dire shortage
0:24:42 > 0:24:44of affordable housing in the countryside.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46But is there hope on the horizon?
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Earlier, I met Matt and Sophie and their family
0:24:54 > 0:24:59squashed into their in-laws' house in Christow village on Dartmoor.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01They're typical of people up and down the country
0:25:01 > 0:25:05who can't afford to buy or rent in the village where they work.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09- All four of us in one room. As you can see, it's a bit cramped.- Mm-hm.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13This rural housing shortage is reaching crisis point
0:25:13 > 0:25:15and, on the edge of Christow,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18it's resulted in something of a commotion.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25But this disturbance has been largely welcomed by local people.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33This development of 18 homes has been built by a housing association
0:25:33 > 0:25:35on land donated by the local council.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38It's taken four years to get this far,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42and it all happened because local people saw there was a need
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and decided to do something about it.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Christow resident Adrian Sargood chairs the community land trust
0:25:48 > 0:25:50that's driven the project.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54- Why did it work here? - The reason it worked here so well
0:25:54 > 0:25:57is because we are a community-based organisation.
0:25:57 > 0:26:03People within the village trust us, so there was virtually no nimbyism
0:26:03 > 0:26:08- for this particular development. - That really is the key, isn't it?
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- It wasn't felt that something imposed from outside.- Exactly.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- It came from within. - It was exactly that.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17It was coming from the community.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21We are a community organisation and the community trust us.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23And do you think there's anything
0:26:23 > 0:26:25that other communities could learn from this?
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Other communities who want to develop something similar
0:26:28 > 0:26:30have to do it from the community basis.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Involve people within the village right from the start.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39So, is this the way forward?
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Changing attitudes to affordable housing
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and harnessing local opinion.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47The homes here will be rented out by a housing association.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51They tend to run most of the country's social housing these days.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54David Orr heads up their national body.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Everyone believes there's a housing crisis,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59but five years ago, people would say, "But not here."
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Now they're saying there's a housing crisis and, "We need new homes
0:27:02 > 0:27:04"in our town, in our village, in our city,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07"in our neighbourhood," because I think the whole nation
0:27:07 > 0:27:10has understood that this is no longer sustainable.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13So you really are detecting a change in attitude, are you?
0:27:13 > 0:27:16In a way, we've lost the N off Nimby. People are saying,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19"In my back yard now, cos I can see the need around my village."
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Really, I do think that and I think that there is an absolute imperative
0:27:23 > 0:27:26on those of us who believe we need these new homes
0:27:26 > 0:27:28to make a positive case for us.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31For far too long, we've been deflected by the Nimbys,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34who instantly cry, "You're concreting over the countryside."
0:27:34 > 0:27:36No, we're not. We're building half a dozen
0:27:36 > 0:27:39high-quality, well-designed new homes,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42for people who need to live there to be able to do so.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46New homes very often enhance the village that they're built in.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50They do not make them worse, and we have to win that argument.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54'And he thinks there's another important aspect
0:27:54 > 0:27:56'of the Christow example.'
0:27:56 > 0:28:00Most of the houses will be for rent, not to buy,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02which flies in the face of the trend
0:28:02 > 0:28:05away from social rented housing of recent decades.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09It's a fact that, in the '50s and '60s,
0:28:09 > 0:28:13we built 138,000 council houses to rent every year.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Now, we average less than 2,000.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18In the 1950s and '60s,
0:28:18 > 0:28:22we were building council houses in villages like this.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Exactly like these homes here.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28Not a huge number of them, just a small number that helped
0:28:28 > 0:28:31to keep the village living and breathing and dynamic,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34and I'm afraid we are not doing it now.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37When I think about it, you think that is absolutely typical
0:28:37 > 0:28:40of the edges of a lot of our villages, isn't it?
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Houses like this, which were council houses in their time.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47It is, and it's very important that we still have good quality,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49affordable homes for people to rent.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53In rural economies, where wages tend to be lower than average,
0:28:53 > 0:28:57but house prices tend to be higher than average,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01if we are to ensure that the people who want to live and work here
0:29:01 > 0:29:04can do so, we need to have more rented homes.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08This is not saying that, for small villages like this,
0:29:08 > 0:29:10we need to build 200 new homes.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13It's saying that, for 200 villages,
0:29:13 > 0:29:15we need to build six, eight, ten new homes.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21'The houses here in Christow will be completed in weeks,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24'and that's great news for one local family.'
0:29:24 > 0:29:25It's that blue door.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32'Because number four will soon be the new home of Sophie and Matt,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35'who I met earlier in the programme.' So how does it feel,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38- seeing your house almost complete for the first time?- Amazing!
0:29:38 > 0:29:40- Absolutely amazing, isn't it? It really is.- Should be good.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43So do you know where the bedrooms are upstairs?
0:29:43 > 0:29:45That one there's going to be our bedroom.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49- Is that a loo?- That's the bathroom. - Yeah.- There's two bathrooms.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51There's going to be four bedrooms upstairs.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54That's all we've really ever wanted out of this,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56so, you know, four bedrooms, we've got our own space.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59- So...- That's a massive contrast to where you are at the moment.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02That is. It's going to make our lives tenfold better, absolutely.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11This success story is welcome, but all too rare.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15A recent survey showed, in Devon alone,
0:30:15 > 0:30:20there are 90 more villages each needing ten new affordable homes.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Affording a place in the country
0:30:23 > 0:30:26looks set to remain a very big challenge.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42For a short time, every year, just a couple of months or so,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Britain's meadows are a feast for the eyes.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47But they're not just beautiful to look at,
0:30:47 > 0:30:51because of a lot of hard work goes into keeping them that way.
0:30:54 > 0:30:55Well, a very good afternoon!
0:30:57 > 0:30:59I'm deep in the Dorset countryside
0:30:59 > 0:31:03to meet a man who knows more about haymaking than most.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Simon Fairlie is a scything expert.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10For him, making hay is a way of life.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15- Simon, good to see you.- Hello. - Are you all right?- Yeah, fine.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18I tell you what, this looks like quite a, well...
0:31:18 > 0:31:22- a lethal collection of scythes.- Yes. - It's amazing! Where shall we start?
0:31:22 > 0:31:25- Let's start with the traditional English one.- OK.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30- It's a beautiful thing.- Yeah. - Instantly, as soon as you hold...
0:31:30 > 0:31:33- It's incredibly well-balanced! - Yes.- As long as you grab hold of it.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36You say traditionally English. What sets it apart from the others?
0:31:36 > 0:31:39- The main difference is that they're heavier.- Right.- Um...
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Because you've got the...
0:31:42 > 0:31:47- the Continental kind here...- Yes. - ..which is significantly lighter.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- Mm-hm.- And that's really because this is hand-forged, the blade here.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54- Right.- And it's curved in each direction,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58and that puts it under tension and it means it can be much stronger
0:31:58 > 0:32:01- in relation to its weight... - Right.- ..than the English blades.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03And so, because you've got a lighter blade,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07you can also have a lighter snath, as the handle is called, and...
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Well, feel it. Feel the difference.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12- Oh, you can instantly. What shall I do with this one?- Here, let me...
0:32:12 > 0:32:14MATT LAUGHS: Here you go!
0:32:14 > 0:32:17- Yeah, instantly...- Yeah. - ..that is a lot lighter.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21- It's about 60%.- And, as far as your hay meadows are concerned, then,
0:32:21 > 0:32:24I mean, there's no mowers around here, there's no balers.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26Everything is done by hand?
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Er, yeah, almost everything on the holding is done by hand.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31I mean, we've got eight acres.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35We keep two or three dairy cows, grass-fed,
0:32:35 > 0:32:39and hay is their main feed during the winter, so the grass is
0:32:39 > 0:32:42the sort of fount of fertility for the whole holding, really.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45It's what brings in the nutrients...
0:32:45 > 0:32:48- Mm-hm.- ..that then get dispersed throughout the entire farm.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51So, as long as you've got a scythe, a fork and a barn,
0:32:51 > 0:32:53you don't even need a pair of boots, do you, Simon?
0:32:53 > 0:32:56- No. - LAUGHTER
0:32:56 > 0:32:59'One of Simon's prodigies, Andi Rickard,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01'is the UK ladies' scything champion,
0:33:01 > 0:33:05'and she's brave enough to teach me some tricks of the trade.'
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Andi, tell me when it's safe to say hello.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12- HE LAUGHS: Hi, you all right?- Hello, yes.- Nice to see you.- You too.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- This must be your favourite season. - Oh, absolutely.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19- Goodness me!- I love mowing season. - I bet! When did you start scything?
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- How did you start? - I started seven or eight years ago.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Um, I had a lesson with Simon.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26I haven't been allowed to stop since.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Well, you're the perfect person to show me around the scythe, then, and
0:33:29 > 0:33:33teach me this wonderful technique. Now, we've got one down here for me.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37- So this is, um...- Yeah.- We've put these handles in the right position
0:33:37 > 0:33:41- as well...- Yeah.- ..so everything is HOPEFULLY perfectly balanced.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43And it's more of a pulling twist, is it?
0:33:43 > 0:33:45So, the blade, it comes around in an arc,
0:33:45 > 0:33:50it's travelling along its length. And then, it comes back again.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52- I'm going to start here. - So the first thing is,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55- you need to put the blade on the ground.- Yeah.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- The right hand...- Yeah? - ..doesn't need to do any lifting.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01- If anything, it's providing downward pressure.- Oh, interesting, yeah.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04The left-hand needs to stay close to your hip,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07- and it sort of comes in a tight circle around your hip.- Mm-hm?
0:34:07 > 0:34:10The right hand pushes the blade round.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13- Am I going far enough round? - That's looking pretty good.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18I tell you what, we've cleaned that area very quickly.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Yeah, we've got a good pile of grass there.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28'Well, now I've got into the swing of it,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30'Andy and I are going head to head.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34'The person who mows the longest swathe of grass in one minute wins.'
0:34:35 > 0:34:37On your marks,
0:34:37 > 0:34:38get set...
0:34:38 > 0:34:40HE BLOWS THE HORN
0:34:46 > 0:34:48'And it's harder than it looks.'
0:34:55 > 0:34:58- This is...- I'm coming, Andy, watch out!- ..not going well.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02- I'm behind you.- I know.- Can you hear me breathing down your back?- Yes.
0:35:02 > 0:35:03Can I have my other blade?
0:35:03 > 0:35:05MATT LAUGHS
0:35:05 > 0:35:06Excuses!
0:35:09 > 0:35:10HORN BLOWS
0:35:12 > 0:35:15'Using the tried and tested pacing-out method,
0:35:15 > 0:35:16'Simon measures my efforts.'
0:35:16 > 0:35:20Three, four, five, six,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22seven, eight...
0:35:22 > 0:35:24nine paces.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26'But how has Andy done?'
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Three, four, five, six,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32seven, eight, nine.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34A dead heat. Dead heat.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36High five.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38Well done. That was good, I enjoyed it.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41'Considering the competition, I'm very happy with that.'
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Simon, I thoroughly enjoyed that. Just one question.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48How does my scything compare to that Poldark bloke's?
0:35:50 > 0:35:52No comment there, no comment.
0:35:52 > 0:35:53We'll move on. Away from scything.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56The countryside is full of wonderful wildlife for
0:35:56 > 0:35:57the keen photographer to capture.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00If you think you've got what it takes, here's a reminder of
0:36:00 > 0:36:03how to enter this year's Countryfile photographic competition.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Our theme is From Dawn Till Dusk,
0:36:10 > 0:36:11and the very best entries
0:36:11 > 0:36:14will feature in next year's Countryfile calendar.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23To enter the competition, please write your name, address
0:36:23 > 0:36:27and a daytime and evening phone number on the back of each photo,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30with a note of where it was taken, which must be in the UK.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32Then send your entries to...
0:36:43 > 0:36:46The competition isn't open to professionals,
0:36:46 > 0:36:50and your photographs mustn't have won any other national prize.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53We can only accept hard copies, not computer files,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56and I'm sorry, but we won't be able to return any of your entries.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02The full terms and conditions are on our website,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04where you will also find details
0:37:04 > 0:37:06of the BBC's code of conduct for competitions.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11And you don't have much time left
0:37:11 > 0:37:16because the competition closes at midnight this Friday, July 22nd.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19So you've got just a few days to get out into the countryside,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22capture it from dawn till dusk, and get your entries in quickly.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Now, almost three-quarters of the British countryside
0:37:28 > 0:37:30is given over to farmland,
0:37:30 > 0:37:34making it a key environment when it comes to protecting our wildlife.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38Many farmers are encouraged to set aside land for nature's benefit,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42so today Adam's exploring the wildlife on his farm in The Cotswolds.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47Farming's a real juggling act.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51We're growing lots of food, crops, animals, and here,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55this grass is for producing silage to feed the animals in the winter.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57And although we're growing all these crops,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00I think it's really important to look after the environment.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03I love to see a brown hare or a skylark on the farm,
0:38:03 > 0:38:07and that's lovely, but also, I think it's part of our responsibility
0:38:07 > 0:38:10as farmers that we are custodians of the landscape.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14So, as well as fields of crops,
0:38:14 > 0:38:18we've dedicated 225 acres to conservation.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22From beautiful flower meadows, grass and shrubland,
0:38:22 > 0:38:24to specially planted margins along the field edges.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Although we've chosen to leave this grassland unfarmed for nature,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31in some areas we don't have the option.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33This is one of my favourite parts of the farm.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37It's just so peaceful, and it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39or SSSI for short.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43It was hand-quarried for limestone up until about the 1930s,
0:38:43 > 0:38:46which is why it's all undulating and lumpy and bumpy,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48and not very practical to farm.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50So now we just manage it for nature.
0:38:53 > 0:38:58Because it's not farmed, some rare and wonderful wildlife thrives here,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01such as the elusive Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04But this land still needs managing.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Back in December, I moved some of our Gloucester cattle
0:39:07 > 0:39:08onto this site for winter grazing.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12Most people would be putting their cattle into sheds
0:39:12 > 0:39:14at this time of year, but we've got
0:39:14 > 0:39:17this part of the farm that need grazing during the winter months.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21It's full of rare plants and butterflies, and for conservation,
0:39:21 > 0:39:25the sward needs breaking open and ripping out by the cattle,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28and then that encourages the wild flowers to set seed
0:39:28 > 0:39:29and do very well,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32so these rare breed cattle do a wonderful job in here.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36Seven months later, and the Gloucester cattle
0:39:36 > 0:39:38are back on their summer grassland.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41I'm keen to see if they've done their job properly.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48The action of the cattle grazing and ripping off all the dominant grasses
0:39:48 > 0:39:52means we get an array of these wonderful wild flowers.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54But if it wasn't for the cattle in here,
0:39:54 > 0:39:57all these plants wouldn't exist. They're doing a great job.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Another good thing about having cattle in here is their dung.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06If you look at this cowpat,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09they reckon that it's a little ecosystem in its own right.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13About 250 different species can live in here.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19I think the cattle have done a great job.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23We'll definitely bring a similar number of animals in here again next winter.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30As well as these wild areas that we leave free from farming,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33we also have places we've created to farm
0:40:33 > 0:40:35specifically for the environment.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38We've just planted seven acres of
0:40:38 > 0:40:41pollen and nectar mixes along the edges of some of our fields.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46On this farm we're part of a high-level stewardship scheme
0:40:46 > 0:40:49which basically means we get financial support from
0:40:49 > 0:40:52the government to manage certain areas of the farm for wildlife.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55The money we receive is income foregone,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58so in the past we'd have grown this winter barley
0:40:58 > 0:40:59right to the edge of the field,
0:40:59 > 0:41:03so the payment we receive for this replaces that winter barley.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06If the winter barley is worth £180 a tonne,
0:41:06 > 0:41:10actually the money we get for this means we're losing on it.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12If the winter barley is worth £120 a tonne,
0:41:12 > 0:41:16then we're slightly better off by having this wildlife margin.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19But we're committed to it for ten years, and if we weren't
0:41:19 > 0:41:22getting that support it would have been a lot less
0:41:22 > 0:41:23tempting in the first place.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25That money, though, is funding which
0:41:25 > 0:41:28comes from the European Union under the Common Agricultural Policy.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And after last month's referendum decision, no-one's quite sure
0:41:33 > 0:41:36what the future of environmental stewardship schemes may be.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45These margins are a great habitat for predator insects
0:41:45 > 0:41:47that protect the crops from pests,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51and also for wild bees and insects that help with pollination.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55But, when my crops need pollinating over a very short period of time,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57that's when I need to bring in some extra help.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Chris Wells is our resident bee man.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Each year he brings nearly a million bees onto the farm.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08He's here today, checking up on them.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- Hi, Chris.- Hello, Adam.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15- Am I safe here?- Absolutely. We've got nice bees on the farm here.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17How are they looking? How are things this season?
0:42:17 > 0:42:19Pretty good so far. It was a very late start,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22but they're doing really well now. We've even got some honey
0:42:22 > 0:42:24on the hives that we'll take off fairly soon.
0:42:24 > 0:42:25What are you doing here?
0:42:25 > 0:42:29What we're doing here is actually grafting some larva.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32So you're breeding them, just like I breed sheep and cows?
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Yeah, no difference, except you've got a few hundred
0:42:35 > 0:42:37and I've got 7.5 million.
0:42:37 > 0:42:38THEY LAUGH
0:42:38 > 0:42:42A normal hive, we would have one queen,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45we'd have maybe 4 or 500 male bees,
0:42:45 > 0:42:47and 50-60,000 female bees.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51It's the female bees who do all the real work.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54They're the ones who look after the young, they bring in the nectar,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56so they're really busy.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01So how do you get an ordinary female bee and a queen?
0:43:01 > 0:43:06What we know is that if they take an egg or larva that's up to a day old,
0:43:06 > 0:43:10and it goes into a vertical cell rather than a horizontal one,
0:43:10 > 0:43:11then it will become a queen.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14What we've actually got here is a natural queen cell
0:43:14 > 0:43:16that they've started to make.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19So, when it's horizontal like this, then, they're worker bees.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22But if they're hanging down, they're queens?
0:43:22 > 0:43:26- That's right.- As a bee farmer, then, you're reproducing these queens.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28Just take me through how it works.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31I'm using a technique called grafting,
0:43:31 > 0:43:35so what I do is very, very carefully
0:43:35 > 0:43:37put my grafting tool in,
0:43:37 > 0:43:40and I can just take out the larva
0:43:40 > 0:43:45- from the bottom with some royal jelly.- Yeah.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48And then I can put that larva into the cell.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51And what I'll do is put this frame
0:43:51 > 0:43:53into a hive that doesn't have a queen,
0:43:53 > 0:43:56and they will naturally build queen cells for me.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58In a natural hive, only one would survive.
0:43:58 > 0:44:03Here, I'm maybe going to get 10-20 that I can make use of in the hives.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Once we've got a queen that we're happy with,
0:44:06 > 0:44:08we need to introduce her into a new hive.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10If we just put her in the hive straightaway,
0:44:10 > 0:44:13the bees won't accept her, so we use one of these queen cages.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16And so what we do
0:44:16 > 0:44:19is we pop the queen into here,
0:44:19 > 0:44:21and down the bottom here,
0:44:21 > 0:44:25we pop some equivalent of the icing fondant that you get on sticky buns,
0:44:25 > 0:44:27then we can pop that into the hive.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30The bees will eat through, and she will eat through,
0:44:30 > 0:44:32and very shortly she will emerge,
0:44:32 > 0:44:35but by the time she comes out, all of her pheromone, her smell,
0:44:35 > 0:44:38will have gone through the hive and they'll accept her.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40Whereas if we just popped her straight in the hive,
0:44:40 > 0:44:42they'd say, "She's not our queen" and they'd kill her,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45- even if they don't have a queen. - Incredible, isn't it?
0:44:45 > 0:44:48So you've got bees actually hatching here, haven't you?
0:44:48 > 0:44:50Yes, and they're now actually coming out,
0:44:50 > 0:44:53so we'll make sure these bees go back in the hive.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55Great to see you, and good luck with the queens.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58- I'd better get them back. - Good luck. Cheers.- Thank you, Adam.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02It's reassuring to feel like we're making a difference
0:45:02 > 0:45:05with the wildlife conservation on the farm, and seeing the results
0:45:05 > 0:45:07first-hand makes it all worthwhile.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20Meadows represent many things for us.
0:45:20 > 0:45:25Innocence, serenity, peace and tranquillity.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30Which is why some people choose meadows
0:45:30 > 0:45:32as their final resting place.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38This is the Sharpham Meadow Natural Burial Ground
0:45:38 > 0:45:41overlooking the River Dart near Totnes in Devon.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46Now, I'm in no hurry to shuffle off this mortal coil,
0:45:46 > 0:45:50but I can certainly see the attraction of spending the rest
0:45:50 > 0:45:52of eternity with that view.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06Julian Carnell is the director of the Sharpham Trust
0:46:06 > 0:46:07that own the meadow.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10Tell me what it was that made you
0:46:10 > 0:46:13decide to turn this site into a burial meadow?
0:46:13 > 0:46:16Well, it goes back to the mission of the charity, really, of the trust,
0:46:16 > 0:46:19which is that we want to try to connect people to the natural world.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22So this is one of our projects that's trying to do that.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25So what was it before, the land?
0:46:25 > 0:46:28It was a farm. It's been an organic farm for a number of years.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31Once we decided and settled this was the spot that we wanted to use,
0:46:31 > 0:46:35we had to get planning permission for change of use.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37One of the great things about it now
0:46:37 > 0:46:41is how it's started to create a sense of community around the site.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44People who have loved ones here feel a connection,
0:46:44 > 0:46:45and that's really nice.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49- It's so peaceful, isn't it?- It is. - It's just so peaceful.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58There are natural burial grounds all across the country.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01Jennifer Bronwen is from the Green Funeral Company that
0:47:01 > 0:47:05manages this meadow and conducts many of the ceremonies here.
0:47:07 > 0:47:12What do you think is the appeal to people of being buried in a meadow?
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Well, I think, especially this particular meadow,
0:47:15 > 0:47:20the potential here for a profoundly moving experience
0:47:20 > 0:47:22is so much stronger than
0:47:22 > 0:47:25being locked in a small room in a crematorium,
0:47:25 > 0:47:29confined to a 20-minute slot, and there's no time to reflect.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32Here, families will stay late into the night,
0:47:32 > 0:47:34holding a vigil around the fire.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38Talk me through a typical burial service here.
0:47:38 > 0:47:43For example, Ursula, who was buried the most recently here,
0:47:43 > 0:47:47the coffin was carried down to the graveside by her daughters.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52And when the grave-digger came to fill in the grave,
0:47:52 > 0:47:56two of her grandsons stepped forward and asked if they could help.
0:47:58 > 0:48:02It was such a moving experience for everyone involved
0:48:02 > 0:48:05- because they felt like a part of it. - I can imagine.- Yeah.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08And each one looks just so natural.
0:48:08 > 0:48:12Yes, that's a very, very strong point of ours, actually,
0:48:12 > 0:48:16and we try and avoid any kind of grave "bling".
0:48:20 > 0:48:22Part of the appeal of a natural burial
0:48:22 > 0:48:25is returning the body to the earth.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28So the graves are shallow, around a metre deep,
0:48:28 > 0:48:32the perfect depth for natural decomposition to take place
0:48:32 > 0:48:35in the oxygen and microbe-rich soil.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40Only biodegradable coffins, baskets or shrouds are allowed here.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44So, this is the cover, which is detachable.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48Like this meadow-inspired felt creation by Yuli Somme.
0:48:48 > 0:48:52She decorates each cover individually by hand.
0:48:53 > 0:48:58So, I cut out shapes out of the dyed felt,
0:48:58 > 0:49:00and this wonderful little tool
0:49:00 > 0:49:04has three very, very sharp felting needles, which are barbed.
0:49:06 > 0:49:11What they do is basically tangle the fibres together.
0:49:11 > 0:49:12Thank you.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15So, is this what you thought you might be doing when
0:49:15 > 0:49:18you were at school? You thought, "I'm going to make shrouds."
0:49:18 > 0:49:22- Absolutely not!- No?- No, it was a really taboo subject for me.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26I was really scared of the whole subject of death,
0:49:26 > 0:49:29but I did find it very cathartic, actually.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33Then I also responded to an ancient law that decreed that
0:49:33 > 0:49:35the dead must be buried in wool,
0:49:35 > 0:49:38and it just seemed like a very...
0:49:38 > 0:49:42interesting and comforting thing to be doing.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46- So you feel quite differently about it all now?- Yeah, I do. Yeah.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57The sunshine really brings out the beauty of these meadows.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00Let's hope it keeps shining in the week ahead.
0:50:00 > 0:50:02Here's the Countryfile forecast.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10Today, we've been exploring all things meadow.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13I've been learning how to cut meadow grass the traditional way
0:51:13 > 0:51:15with smallholder Simon Fairley.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19So, Simon, I've already had a go at a bit of solo scything.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Now we're going to have a go in a team formation.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24Talk us through the logistics of cutting a field like this
0:51:24 > 0:51:26with a team.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29Well, you can't start everybody off in a straight line
0:51:29 > 0:51:34next to each other because they'd be hacking each other's feet.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37So you have to have a staggered formation.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40- You know the song, One Man Went to Mow a Meadow?- Yes.
0:51:40 > 0:51:41Well, there is a theory that
0:51:41 > 0:51:45this was sung when they started mowing a field, so you'd go...
0:51:45 > 0:51:47"One man went to mow..." and off the first man would go.
0:51:47 > 0:51:51"..went to mow a meadow. One man and his dog went to mow a meadow."
0:51:51 > 0:51:54And then, "Two men went to mow..." And off the second one would go.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57Each verse gets longer and longer
0:51:57 > 0:52:00because you put the fastest mower first,
0:52:00 > 0:52:02and the slower ones at the back.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04Otherwise, if you had it the other way around,
0:52:04 > 0:52:07the fast guy would be tickling the slower person's feet.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09That makes absolute sense, then.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12'Don't worry, no singing for any of us today.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14'We're just going to follow Simon's lead.'
0:52:14 > 0:52:16OK, team? Are we all ready?
0:52:18 > 0:52:21'Before machines took over the job,
0:52:21 > 0:52:24'making hay while the sun shone was a real group activity,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27'essential to provide enough food for the animals over winter.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31'But this is just the start of the process.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33'Simon's partner Jill has also
0:52:33 > 0:52:36'been making hay by hand like this for years.'
0:52:36 > 0:52:39We've put the scythes down for a while because really, Jill,
0:52:39 > 0:52:41this is where the hard work starts.
0:52:41 > 0:52:43- As if the mowing isn't difficult enough.- It is.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46The mowing is actually effortless if you've got a sharp blade.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49- Yes, and a good technique.- And the scythe moves all the grass for you,
0:52:49 > 0:52:51and it dumps it in this row.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54- You have beautiful rows. - It is fantastically heavy.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57This is absolutely fresh grass, it's full of juice,
0:52:57 > 0:53:01so what we need to do now to start turning it into hay, is
0:53:01 > 0:53:04we've got to spread it all out, as flat as we can,
0:53:04 > 0:53:09so that we are exposing the surface to air.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11Yes, so it can start drying out.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14- Just give a nice little... - Give it a good shake.
0:53:14 > 0:53:18I always think it's a bit like making meringues or something.
0:53:18 > 0:53:19That's a good analogy.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22You want to get as much air into it as you possibly can.
0:53:22 > 0:53:23This is lovely.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29Whenever you're making hay,
0:53:29 > 0:53:31you have to be very in tune with what the weather is doing,
0:53:31 > 0:53:34and there are some grey clouds coming over here at the moment.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36Especially when you're making it by hand,
0:53:36 > 0:53:37a lot of effort is going into this
0:53:37 > 0:53:41and you've got to protect the grass that's out, in all weathers.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45So with clouds like that coming over, Simon, the plan is...?
0:53:45 > 0:53:46If we think they're going to rain,
0:53:46 > 0:53:48if we think it's going to be a little
0:53:48 > 0:53:51or there might be a shower overnight, we put it into wind rows.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53- So that's rowing it back up. - Rowing it up.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56Jill's going to work that side, I'm going to work this side,
0:53:56 > 0:53:58- and we'll just bring it in like this.- I see.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06I'll just stand here and watch you, then.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Secret to a happy marriage.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10THEY LAUGH
0:54:10 > 0:54:12I wish!
0:54:12 > 0:54:15So say that shower has passed over,
0:54:15 > 0:54:18but it looks like something a bit heavier is going to come in
0:54:18 > 0:54:20and it looks like it might be set in for the day.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23- Yes.- What is the next safety mechanism?
0:54:23 > 0:54:25The next safety mechanism is to cock it up,
0:54:25 > 0:54:28- if you'll pardon the expression.- OK!
0:54:28 > 0:54:32We always do our wind rows running down the hill,
0:54:32 > 0:54:35because it then makes it easier to row up.
0:54:35 > 0:54:37You can either do this with a rake or a pitch fork.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41- You're effectively rolling it up to protect what's inside.- Yeah.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45Rolling protects it. It makes it a bit harder to get it out afterwards.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48The other way of doing it is simply to stack it up...
0:54:50 > 0:54:51..on top.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55Suddenly, everyone has to pitch in.
0:54:57 > 0:54:59The heavens have opened and it's raining.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02So this is a lot more than a demonstration, isn't it?
0:55:02 > 0:55:05- Yes. We'd better get it on the rack as fast as we can.- OK.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09You stick it over the bottom rung.
0:55:09 > 0:55:10Do the outside first.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14'A rack works like a clothes horse.
0:55:14 > 0:55:15'It keeps the hay off the ground
0:55:15 > 0:55:18'and lets the air circulate as it dries out.'
0:55:18 > 0:55:23Each layer has got to shed the water over the one underneath it.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33Get that one right up there on the top.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37'Combing the outside of the racks like this helps the rain to run off,
0:55:37 > 0:55:40'keeping the hay inside nice and dry.'
0:55:40 > 0:55:41One last little bit.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45There you have it. All of that lovely grass that we cut earlier on
0:55:45 > 0:55:47is as protected as it can be,
0:55:47 > 0:55:49and we're ready for the rain to do its worst.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51But that's all we've got time for this week.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53Next week, we're going to be up in Cumbria,
0:55:53 > 0:55:56finding out about one of the nation's most loved authors,
0:55:56 > 0:55:58Beatrix Potter. Hope you can join us then.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02Good job, team. It looks lovely.