0:00:32 > 0:00:34The deep green is turning.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38The chill of autumn settles on the land.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43From the mountains to the coast, North Wales is marked by the season.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45And for the fishing families of Conwy,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48that means one thing - mussels.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Now, this is the start of the mussel season, so, I'm going to be going
0:00:51 > 0:00:55out with the fishermen, gathering their catch in time-honoured fashion.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57And I'm going to be saddling up for the riding lesson
0:00:57 > 0:01:01of a lifetime on one of the world's most famous breeds of horses.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03I'm so jealous, I can't tell you!
0:01:03 > 0:01:06We are also going to be returning to a school that rear their own
0:01:06 > 0:01:09chickens, to find out what the buzz is about their new venture.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Also, Tom is on the broccoli diet.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15It's claimed that if I eat it regularly,
0:01:15 > 0:01:20this specially bred broccoli should reduce my cholesterol.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24So, could this be the beginning of a new wave of superfoods?
0:01:24 > 0:01:29And down on his farm, Adam is seeing the world in a whole new way.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Dr Troscianko here has brought some hi-tech equipment to the farm.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Using this camera and some specialist software, I can get
0:01:36 > 0:01:40an insight into animal vision and see the world the way they see it.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55North Wales, a landscape steeped in heritage.
0:01:55 > 0:02:01A region rich in tradition, language and culture,
0:02:01 > 0:02:06from the peaks of Snowdonia to the island shores of Anglesey.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09We are on the Conwy Estuary, where the fresh water
0:02:09 > 0:02:13of the Snowdonia Mountains meets the salty depths of the Irish Sea.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18It is also home to an ancient tradition.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24For thousands of years, folk have fished these waters for mussels,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28originally for the pearls they contained and later for their meat.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33Well, now, just four families are responsible for the whole industry.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37'89-year-old Ken Hughes is from one of those families.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41'He started on the mussels at just 14.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44'He has lived right next to the quay all his life.'
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Well, I've been musseling from before I left school.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50I was very young, going to tide.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53My father did it and his two brothers.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57You had to go to tide, get the mussels
0:02:57 > 0:03:00and you had to carry them, carry them all up,
0:03:00 > 0:03:05tip them in the tanks, purify them and shovel them all out again.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06That was 300 bags, twice a week.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10I quite liked the job, but the trouble is, when you are going out,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14you're going on your own, and anything can happen, can't it?
0:03:14 > 0:03:19Through thick and thin, these four families have worked the water here.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23For Ken, it was a career that spanned nearly 70 years.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26How old were you when you hung up your musseling wellies?
0:03:26 > 0:03:31Well, I was 80. You were 80?! I'm 89 now, so...
0:03:31 > 0:03:36That's some career, though, 14 to 80! And do you like mussels, Ken?
0:03:36 > 0:03:41Not really! THEY LAUGH
0:03:41 > 0:03:43The fleet has dwindled since Ken first fished,
0:03:43 > 0:03:49but the remaining families still work every day of the eight-month season.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52'Tom Jones is a third-generation musseller
0:03:52 > 0:03:55'and today, he's got an extra hand on board.'
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Is this a natural bed that we are heading towards?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Yeah, they are natural beds, yes.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04So, you know, Mother Nature looks after them,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07they grow themselves, they can reseed themselves.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12Oh, this is lovely. This is... Oh! This is an absolute delight.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17'Conwy mussels are hand-raked, as opposed to dredged or rope-grown.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21'It's the only place in the country that still fish mussels this way,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'a tradition that goes back to the 13th century,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28'when the pine rakes were first designed and used by monks.'
0:04:28 > 0:04:32So, you let the weight of it take it down... Let the weight take it down
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and we'll see what we've got.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39And how do you know that what you're feeling for there is not just
0:04:39 > 0:04:40a rubbly or stony bottom...?
0:04:40 > 0:04:43When you can feel it, um, you can hear it up the rake, the noise
0:04:43 > 0:04:46travels up the rake, so when you are on hard ground, you can hear it.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50It's always been the ideal way for fishing for mussels in Conwy,
0:04:50 > 0:04:55because of the natural flat beds, so, just the way the rake is
0:04:55 > 0:04:59designed, it is softer and not so harmful on the beds, raking.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Smaller mussels can fall through.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Anything there?
0:05:06 > 0:05:07There's a...
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Oh, look at that! Yes! We've got some.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14We're going to be here a long time!
0:05:14 > 0:05:15THEY LAUGH
0:05:15 > 0:05:19So, yeah, there you go, as natural as you can get.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Natural Conwy mussels.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Because they're in the estuary, they're getting a mixture
0:05:24 > 0:05:27of saltwater and freshwater, so it gives them that distinct taste.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30How much would you expect to get in a session?
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Um, well, it depends, really.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Quite a lot, on a good tide, you know,
0:05:34 > 0:05:40you'll have about 200 or 300 kilos, maybe more. Quite a lot.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45'There is a knack to using these 20-foot rakes. Time for a go.'
0:05:45 > 0:05:47It's got quite a weight to it, hasn't it? Yeah, it's quite heavy.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50When you think, when you look at the length of it and, actually,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52that's kind of the pivot point, there. Yeah.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55So, we'll just blast it out there and... That's it, yeah.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00That's it, and you'll feel it when it gets to the bottom. There you go.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03So, now, you basically just want to keep going up and down,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05keep it on the bottom. It's a bit like...
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Yeah, it's like sweeping the chimney, backwards!
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Got a rubbly bottom there.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13The moment of truth!
0:06:13 > 0:06:16THEY LAUGH
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Hey, I tell you what... Oh, there's something there! Yes!
0:06:21 > 0:06:23That's all right.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Just think, that'll be on someone's plate next week. Yeah, it will!
0:06:26 > 0:06:30'Tom and his family are keen to keep this tradition going.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33'For them, this is the only way to fish.'
0:06:35 > 0:06:38People from outside quite often say, "Oh, you're daft.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41"You should be dredging them or growing them on ropes."
0:06:41 > 0:06:44But it's just the way we'll always do it in Conwy.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48I mean, it's part of our history now, why would we ever change?
0:06:48 > 0:06:52'With our catch safely gathered in, it's time to head back to shore.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56'Apparently, the next step is all hi-tech
0:06:56 > 0:06:58'and I'll be seeing how later.'
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Now, mussels make a naturally nutritious meal, even more so
0:07:03 > 0:07:06when they're coupled with a nice bowl of veg
0:07:06 > 0:07:09and as Tom has been finding out, scientists say that they've just
0:07:09 > 0:07:12made one of our healthiest vegetables even healthier.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20'Over the years, we've become picky
0:07:20 > 0:07:23'about what we want from our fruit and veg.'
0:07:24 > 0:07:28We've made apples crisper, sprouts sweeter, beans bigger,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31even grapes without seeds.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Science has done a lot to improve the taste,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36yield and disease resistance of our crops,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40but what about growing things which are actually better for our health?
0:07:42 > 0:07:44It's called biofortification -
0:07:44 > 0:07:48that means breeding crops to improve their nutritional value.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51It has led to the creation of one special vegetable that is
0:07:51 > 0:07:55taking the health benefits of eating your greens to a whole new level.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58Super broccoli.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Looks pretty much like the normal stuff,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04but tests are showing this could reduce your cholesterol,
0:08:04 > 0:08:08and it's on course to be the first raw vegetable with European
0:08:08 > 0:08:11approval for its claimed health benefits.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21There are strict rules to ensure any health or nutritional claim
0:08:21 > 0:08:26on a food label is clear, accurate and based on scientific evidence.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28This is to prevent consumers being misled.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35And this broccoli is really being put through its paces.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39They reckon eating around 400g a week, that's about a pound,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43could reduce your cholesterol by 6%.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Rigorous human trials are almost complete,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49so, about six weeks ago, I thought I'd give it a go.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Thomas Heap, please.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57'First job, a quick cholesterol test at my local GP surgery.'
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Now, you will feel a sharp scratch, all right?
0:08:59 > 0:09:03'High cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease or
0:09:03 > 0:09:06'having a stroke, so I'm hoping the results aren't too bad.'
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Your total cholesterol is 6.3,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12so, that is a little bit higher than we were talking about.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14We prefer it to be 5 or below.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18'Not exactly the news I wanted to hear!'
0:09:18 > 0:09:21My cholesterol level is a little higher than it should be,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24so I guess I'm a pretty good candidate for this diet.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31'A six-week super broccoli diet, to see if it makes any difference.'
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Luckily, I do quite like broccoli.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35Mm, it's good.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'More from my rather unscientific experiment later.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'First, I've come to where the real science is done.'
0:09:44 > 0:09:47I'm at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49to meet the man behind the broccoli.
0:09:49 > 0:09:55In 1984, a young PhD student called Richard Mithen was studying
0:09:55 > 0:09:57wild brassicas in Sicily.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01He brought one home and wanted to see what would happen
0:10:01 > 0:10:04when he crossed it with the broccoli we buy in the shops.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Each time you make that cross, you're taking a little bit
0:10:08 > 0:10:12of that wild plant and putting it in a broccoli background.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17Now, we just have maybe three or four genes from that wild
0:10:17 > 0:10:19plant in the broccoli.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Was this a GM process to deliver this?
0:10:22 > 0:10:24No, this is conventional breeding.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26So, those three to four genes are enough to do what?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Well, it's actually only one of those genes.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30And what that does,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33it increases a particular naturally occurring compound.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36It's called glucoraphanin, it occurs in all broccoli,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40but that gene means that instead of having the normal level,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42it has about three or four times the level.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45What is that compound doing that is good for my health
0:10:45 > 0:10:48and how does that translate, you believe, into lower cholesterol?
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Well, the bugs in the gut break that molecule down
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and we absorb another compound called sulforaphane.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00And when we absorb that, it's a bit like it retunes our body.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02It gets all our metabolic processes working better.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06And if they're working better, we use our fuel more efficiently,
0:11:06 > 0:11:07we feel healthier,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11and things like cholesterol, which may be rather high, they go down.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14So, I'm in the midst of a retune at the moment? I think you are.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Yes, it will be interesting to see how you are getting on
0:11:16 > 0:11:18and what the outcome of that is.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Professor Mithen says what makes his broccoli
0:11:23 > 0:11:26so special is that it fits easily into an ordinary diet.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Put it in the steamer...
0:11:29 > 0:11:31'I can put that theory to the test.'
0:11:31 > 0:11:33A good helping of broccoli. Again.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Today it's "broccamole". Yes, really.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Hmm. Doesn't taste too bad... and it seems to be popular.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55'My broccoli diary is really just a bit of fun,'
0:11:55 > 0:11:59but there are official human trials too, aimed at gathering
0:11:59 > 0:12:03enough evidence to apply for a European health claim next year.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05It will join foods like
0:12:05 > 0:12:08cholesterol-reducing spreads and yoghurt.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12These carry European-approved health claims,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14but they're all processed foods.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17What makes the broccoli different is that it's raw.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21With added nutrition coming straight from the ground rather than
0:12:21 > 0:12:25the factory, farmers now have the chance to grow our food
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and make it healthier at the same time.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Caroline Drummond is the chief executive of LEAF,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35an organisation which promotes sustainable agriculture.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39What do you make of this broccoli? Fantastic opportunity.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41It's sort of health by stealth really,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44because not only have you got a really healthy vegetable to
0:12:44 > 0:12:47start off with, but it's got added nutritional benefits as well.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Do you think our farmers could, in effect,
0:12:49 > 0:12:50become nutritionists for the nation?
0:12:50 > 0:12:54It's really clear with the growing challenge around obesity
0:12:54 > 0:12:57and a lot of nutrient deficiencies that, actually, farmers have
0:12:57 > 0:12:59a key role and should be around the table in the discussion,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02working with doctors, nutritionalists
0:13:02 > 0:13:05and, of course, plant breeders and livestock breeders,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09because if we don't take part of that, we're not really going
0:13:09 > 0:13:10to have the full story.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15A fusion of farming and science has set the ball
0:13:15 > 0:13:19rolling for healthier foods straight from the farmer's field.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'But has eating enhanced broccoli for six weeks had
0:13:23 > 0:13:27'any impact on my cholesterol? Time to find out.'
0:13:27 > 0:13:28You've got a little impish grin on there.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30SHE LAUGHS
0:13:30 > 0:13:32You clearly know something. Yes, well, it's better than it was.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Brilliant. It's come down.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37It's come down from 6.3 to 5.77. Quite a reasonable change then? Yes.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41It's gone down by nearly 9%. I'm not sure
0:13:41 > 0:13:46if I have only the broccoli to thank for that, but I'm pretty chuffed.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Of course, one result from one person doesn't really tell us
0:13:49 > 0:13:52anything except that it IS possible to incorporate
0:13:52 > 0:13:55a pound of broccoli into your diet every week.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00So, is enhancing the nutritional value of our crops to
0:14:00 > 0:14:03improve our health the future of food production?
0:14:03 > 0:14:05And could there be a catch? That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18The Llyn Peninsula, a crooked finger of land pointing out
0:14:18 > 0:14:21from north-west Wales into the Irish Sea.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26It's very beautiful, but it's a long way from almost everywhere.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Just to give you an idea of how remote it really is,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36the nearest train station is an hour away and I left the last
0:14:36 > 0:14:39dual carriageway more than two hours behind me.
0:14:39 > 0:14:40But the miles don't matter,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43because I've made a special journey to be here.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48And the reason is this.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53Lusitano horses, one of the most famous breeds in the world.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56Hi, Marcia. Hello. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00You found your way up here all right. Just about. Very good.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04And look at these horses. They are absolutely beautiful.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Lusitanos are prized for their skills as dressage horses.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Top specimens from the best Portuguese studs can cost
0:15:14 > 0:15:16up to ?1 million.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20So, it's a privilege to get close to them here on the Llyn Peninsula.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23The story started when Marcia Pendlebury
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and her husband decided to drop out of the rat race and move here.
0:15:28 > 0:15:29It was their daughter, Janine,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32who first developed a passion for Lusitanos.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Her father and I went to Vienna
0:15:34 > 0:15:37and took some film of the Spanish Riding School there,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39and she really fell for it.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43And she had a little white pony and she started to teach it to go
0:15:43 > 0:15:46on its hind legs, in the air and sit down.
0:15:46 > 0:15:52So, it's not surprising that she went into buying a Lusitano.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56'They now have 45 Lusitanos,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00'including a stallion from the top Portuguese stud.'
0:16:00 > 0:16:02This is Uivador.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07He is the foundation stallion. He's stunning, isn't he?
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Uivador is the only stallion of his type in the UK.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15He commands top stud fees and is a competition-winning horse
0:16:15 > 0:16:16back in Portugal.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20This is where it all happens. Where the magic happens. Here we are.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21This is the school.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Look. Very majestic, isn't he?
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Lusitanos were originally bred to be warhorses.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53They are powerful, brave and responsive.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12Hi, Janine. Hi. That was so impressive. Thank you.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Oh, wow, he's gorgeous. Kaikai, yes? Kaikai.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18A little bit different from the white pony you learned to ride on...
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Absolutely. ..that your mum was telling me about.
0:17:20 > 0:17:21Yeah. Quite different.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24What is so special about Lusitanos?
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Well, they're just totally different to ride and to handle.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Easy to teach. So, the horse is easy to train.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31How easy is it to train the rider?
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Well, it's easier if the rider hasn't picked any bad habits
0:17:35 > 0:17:37up over the years, which many people have.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39So, trying to get somebody to sit straight
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and to tone down everything they do, because you don't have to do
0:17:42 > 0:17:46quite as much with these horses as you would with the average horse.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50OK, shall we have a go? That would be amazing. Thank you so much.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54'Now, I'm no stranger to horses.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56'I ride twice a week, but I've never ridden one of these
0:17:56 > 0:17:59'magnificent beasts, or done any dressage, for that matter,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02'so I'm excited and a little bit apprehensive.'
0:18:02 > 0:18:04All I want you to do to start with is just to
0:18:04 > 0:18:06walk him around the edge of the school, OK?
0:18:06 > 0:18:07So, keep your leg on the girth,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09a little nudge with your inside leg. That's it.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12OK, shall we do a little bit of sideways? Yes.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13Just turn him with your body
0:18:13 > 0:18:16and use your outside rein a little bit against the neck.
0:18:16 > 0:18:17He's doing his Spanish Walk.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20THEY LAUGH Doesn't matter.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22He's just showing off. He is. I'm always upstaged by animals.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28That's it, now go sideways. That's it, outside rein. That's better.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32Go on. There you go. Outside rein again. Well done.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34That was much better. Yes. Spanish Walk then.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Now, just click.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37SHE CLICKS
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Yeah. Good.
0:18:39 > 0:18:40'Just a few clicks from me
0:18:40 > 0:18:42'and Napolitano knows to kick out his legs.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46'A slight body movement, or a little leg pressure,
0:18:46 > 0:18:47'and he walks on.'
0:18:49 > 0:18:50I think he'd do it without any help.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53OK, so next one we can do is the Piaffe.
0:18:53 > 0:18:54He's starting to do it.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56SHE CLICKS
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Yes. Nice. Good boy. That's it.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Keep him a bit more on the spot but sit back.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02There you go. Can you feel that? Yeah.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Now, relax a little bit. You're going to go to passage.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08You're going to trot. There. Whoo! Whoohoo!
0:19:08 > 0:19:10THEY LAUGH
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Very good. Now just relax again. Good boy.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16So, that's quite bouncy. Very bouncy.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Good boy, Napolitano. That was fantastic.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Thank you so much, Janine.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Well, I never thought I'd be doing that after half-an-hour's lesson
0:19:28 > 0:19:32of classical dressage and, if I can do it, anyone can.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I think it's safe to say, I love Lusitanos.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Good boy.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Now, meet new Countryfile face Sean Fletcher.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Brought up on a farm in Essex and married into a Welsh family,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Sean's taken North Wales to his heart.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05I love North Wales.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07I come here regularly with my family.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10My wife is Welsh, so I learned the language
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and now I feel right at home here.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16It's beautiful, isn't it? So peaceful.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19But go back 50 years and events in this quiet valley
0:20:19 > 0:20:23sparked a clash of cultures that resonates to this day.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28This is Llyn Celyn, Lake Celyn.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Beneath its tranquil surface lie the ruins of a tiny Welsh village.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39And all because, back in the '50s, a big English city needed more water.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Liverpool City Council got a bill passed in Parliament
0:20:42 > 0:20:46to build a dam across the beautiful Tryweryn valley.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51Acres of farmland would be flooded and the village of Capel Celyn lost.
0:20:53 > 0:20:54For the best part of a decade,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57people right across Wales campaigned against the dam,
0:20:57 > 0:20:58but to no avail.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03The diggers moved in,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05the people moved out.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11And, in 1965, the dam was opened.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13It was a case of the national government
0:21:13 > 0:21:16overriding the wishes of the local community.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19It was English city against rural Wales
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and it was the English city that won.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28I'm meeting Eurgain Prysor Jones,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31who was a child in Capel Celyn when the dam was built.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Eurgain was just nine when the valley was flooded,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44or drowned, as they say here.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Do you remember that last time you saw the school and your home?
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Oh, it was a very, very sad time, yes.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Tell me what Capel Celyn was like before it was drowned.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Well, it was a very rural place.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Only six houses in the village
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and we lived next door but one to the chapel.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Although there wasn't a lot of houses,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06there were quite a few heads of people that lived there
0:22:06 > 0:22:08and it was a very happy place.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12But, once this business of drowning the village started,
0:22:12 > 0:22:13everything changed.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Everything changed.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19In July '63, the school was closed.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22The next thing to go was the chapel.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26As soon as anywhere became vacant,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29the machines moved in and just demolished everything.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Demolished the walls, demolished the hedges,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36the trees were cut down, empty buildings were just bulldozed
0:22:36 > 0:22:40and it became a very, very horrible-looking place.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Horrible, horrible-looking place.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45People came to see the village before it was drowned
0:22:45 > 0:22:47and they used to say, "Oh, isn't this awful?
0:22:47 > 0:22:50"What's going to happen to you? Where are you going to live?
0:22:50 > 0:22:51"Isn't it terrible?"
0:22:51 > 0:22:56And, to us, that felt as if everything as an anchor
0:22:56 > 0:23:00you had as a child was going to be pulled away under your feet.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06It was a bitter blow.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Many here felt the flooding of the Tryweryn valley
0:23:09 > 0:23:12was an attack on Welsh culture.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17The people here used to say, "Dyma gartref yr iaith Gymraeg."
0:23:17 > 0:23:19"This is the home of the Welsh language,"
0:23:19 > 0:23:21and it had been like that for generations.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Even though Liverpool council apologised for the drowning in 2005,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31it remains a rallying cry for the people of Wales.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34HE SINGS
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Dafydd Iwan is one of Wales's leading singer-songwriters.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54The drowning of the Tryweryn valley inspired him to write this,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56his very first song.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00It remains an inspiration to Welsh people today.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12I heard the mention of Tryweryn in there.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Just how important is Tryweryn to you?
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Oh, it's crucially important.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19It was the destruction of a community,
0:24:19 > 0:24:20a Welsh-speaking community,
0:24:20 > 0:24:25and a way of life we will never see exactly it's like again.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27It's a very, very emotional thing
0:24:27 > 0:24:32and Tryweryn remains, probably, the most potent symbol
0:24:32 > 0:24:37we have of our inability to defend ourselves
0:24:37 > 0:24:39and things have changed.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44I think Tryweryn was the catalyst to change Welsh politics for ever
0:24:44 > 0:24:48and it led, eventually, to setting up the Welsh Assembly.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53Tryweryn was that point of turning the tide.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Do you think the drowning of Capel Celyn
0:25:07 > 0:25:09had a long-term impact on your life?
0:25:09 > 0:25:11I think it did.
0:25:11 > 0:25:17I think it made me value more the, you know, the basic things in life
0:25:17 > 0:25:18that we lost.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23I treasure them, the things I've kept from those schooldays
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and home life, I treasure today, yes.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37The drowning of Capel Celyn is clearly important
0:25:37 > 0:25:41to the people who lived here and the nation of Wales,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44but it's also highly relevant to rural communities
0:25:44 > 0:25:46that are under threat in an ever-changing Britain.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48No matter how small the village,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52the memories and the scars can remain for generations.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Earlier, we heard how food can be grown for increased nutrition,
0:26:05 > 0:26:06but is there a catch?
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Tom's helping out with the broccoli harvest.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Super broccoli -
0:26:17 > 0:26:20designed to be better for you than the average broccoli.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26It's a bio-fortified food bred specifically for increased nutrition
0:26:26 > 0:26:30and it's healthier from the moment it's harvested.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35It was created to reduce cholesterol,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37not through genetic modification,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40but using traditional plant-breeding techniques.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46George Reid is one of the biggest brassica growers in the country.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50He decided to grow a crop of this souped-up broccoli in Lincolnshire,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53believing health-conscious consumers will lap it up.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55But there have been some drawbacks for farmers.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59There is a trade-off. Disease resistance isn't quite as good.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01It's slightly less vigorous than a normal broccoli.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04It's less dense, so typically,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08it probably yields about 30% less than a standard broccoli.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12On top of that, George can't yet put anything
0:27:12 > 0:27:15on the packet to distinguish it from normal broccoli.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18He needs that coveted European health claim.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21It would make a huge difference to us trying to sell the product,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25because, at the moment, we really can't put anything on the packet,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28so the consumer doesn't really know the difference between this
0:27:28 > 0:27:30broccoli and a standard broccoli.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Farmers like George are well aware of the advantages,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39but they're experiencing the downsides too.
0:27:45 > 0:27:52feels problems like lower yields can be addressed.
0:27:52 > 0:28:07it might have a slight knock-on negative effect on another trait,
0:28:07 > 0:28:19which will be much better adapted to the particular farmers.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Consumers can be absolutely confident that
0:28:21 > 0:28:24if there is a health claim on the product,
0:28:24 > 0:28:31it's backed up with the very best scientific evidence.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Scientists here are looking at wheat to improve
0:28:33 > 0:28:36the nutrition of starchy foods like bread and pasta.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Outside the EU,
0:28:41 > 0:28:46around 50 countries are now growing or testing biofortified crops,
0:28:46 > 0:28:51such as beans with more iron and sweet potato with extra vitamin A.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56For scientists like Professor Mithen, there is enormous potential.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00We've got a society that's getting older,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03we have big increases in health costs.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07Breeding crops and making foods which are more nutritious
0:29:07 > 0:29:10will make a major contribution to our health in the future.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18But some believe we shouldn't pin all our hopes on a biofortified
0:29:18 > 0:29:20food revolution.
0:29:20 > 0:29:21Should we be waiting for these
0:29:21 > 0:29:24miracle cures to boost our nutrition? No.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27There's already so much that we can be doing now actually,
0:29:27 > 0:29:31both as individuals, but also in the supporting industry as well,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34but what we should be doing is looking at our diet,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38eating more vegetables, eating food that looks like food
0:29:38 > 0:29:41and, of course, in addition to that, actually eating less.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47Even with science on our side, there's no getting around the fact
0:29:47 > 0:29:49that a healthy lifestyle always
0:29:49 > 0:29:52comes down to a balanced diet and exercise.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54There's never a quick fix
0:29:54 > 0:29:56and there are trade-offs
0:29:56 > 0:29:59when you grow crops for improved nutrition -
0:29:59 > 0:30:01a frequently lower yield for starters -
0:30:01 > 0:30:06but if we can prove the health benefits of some of these foods
0:30:06 > 0:30:08and slap it on the packet,
0:30:08 > 0:30:11could it usher in a whole new era of super foods?
0:30:11 > 0:30:13Watch this space.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25The season's moving on, but there's still autumn colour about -
0:30:25 > 0:30:29a joy to behold. But as Adam's about to find out,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32it looks completely different to his animals.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38HE WHISTLES
0:30:48 > 0:30:51I'm just moving this flock of ewes now, on to some fresh grass,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54and it's amazing how the dogs can move the flocks,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57that sort of understanding between the dog and the sheep
0:30:57 > 0:31:01and as a shepherd, you really have to understand how
0:31:01 > 0:31:03the minds of the sheepdog and the sheep work.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06HE WHISTLES
0:31:06 > 0:31:09So, you can see Pearl moving round to the right and then,
0:31:09 > 0:31:13she'll run back behind them, just shifting the sheep gently on.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16And Boo here is actually quite useful as well.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Although she's a house dog, she's actually working behind
0:31:19 > 0:31:23the sheep, zigzagging backwards and forwards, being quite effective.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25And I work with these animals all the time,
0:31:25 > 0:31:29but what I can't really do is perceive how they see the world.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31That's quite alien to me.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Until now, that is.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40I've invited a top scientist from Exeter University to the farm.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43He's an expert in animal vision and knows all about how
0:31:43 > 0:31:45animals' eyes work.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Today, he's going to show me how the world looks to them.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Jolyon, good to see you. Hello, nice to meet you.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54Now, explain to me what your work's all about, then.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56I'm a sensory ecologist. I investigate the colours
0:31:56 > 0:31:59and patterns in the natural world around us.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Every animal has a very different way of seeing the world, so that's
0:32:02 > 0:32:05where this camera and the software that we've written comes in,
0:32:05 > 0:32:07because that allows us
0:32:07 > 0:32:09to simulate what the world might look like to another animal.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11So, what about the dogs here and their vision?
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Because some people think they can only see in black and white.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Yes, that's not true. They can actually see some colours.
0:32:17 > 0:32:18They can't see as many colours as us.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Our eyes, for example, are sensitive to red, green and blue
0:32:21 > 0:32:23and our brains turn those three inputs
0:32:23 > 0:32:25into the millions of colours that we can see.
0:32:25 > 0:32:26But dogs, they are only able to see
0:32:26 > 0:32:28blue and yellow as the two main colours.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30They're not colour-blind as such.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33They can still see a huge variety of colours between blue and yellow,
0:32:33 > 0:32:35but it's not nearly as sophisticated as ours
0:32:35 > 0:32:38when it comes to looking at red and green differences.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40And how about the sheep, then? Are they different to the dogs?
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Well, they actually see the world in very similar colours.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Again, just the blue and yellows,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48but their eyes are positioned on the head in a very different way.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50They're a prey animal, so the main job their eyes have to do is
0:32:50 > 0:32:52look out for predators, so the eye
0:32:52 > 0:32:55is positioned on the side of the head to give very good peripheral
0:32:55 > 0:32:58vision to try and spot any predators that might come and attack them.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Unlike the dog, which is related to the wolf, isn't it,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02with eyes on the front of its head. Exactly.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04The dog, with eyes forward-facing,
0:33:04 > 0:33:06it can sit in wait and have very good vision
0:33:06 > 0:33:07and be able to spot the sheep.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10So, can you take a photograph of the dogs to see how the sheep see them?
0:33:10 > 0:33:15Yes, we can do. Right. Let's do that. Let's have a go.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20Whilst I get the dogs into posing position, Jolyon takes the photos.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22He then runs them through a specialist software,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25which converts them into animal vision.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28But the first image is how we humans see. You can see all the colours.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31They look normal. The grass is green, the dog is slightly brown
0:33:31 > 0:33:32and the sheep are white.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34But here, if we look at what it looks like
0:33:34 > 0:33:35to dog vision and sheep vision,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38they will both see similar colours here. So, very subdued.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40Hardly any colour in that at all.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42It almost looks black and white but it's not.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44So, the way the sheep are viewing this, looking at the dogs,
0:33:44 > 0:33:48Boo, the red dog, is almost disappearing into the grass there.
0:33:48 > 0:33:49She looks camouflaged.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Yes, she looks pretty much the same colour as the grass exactly.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Perhaps it's no coincidence that sheepdogs, they're black-and-white.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57The black and white sticks out like a sore thumb here.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Once that dog is moving, the sheep really react to it. Absolutely.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03So, if dogs are seeing yellow and blue,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06can that be used in training them in any way?
0:34:06 > 0:34:09Knowledge that the dogs will be able to see the bright yellow
0:34:09 > 0:34:12and bright blue colours much more clearly than anything else
0:34:12 > 0:34:16might be useful in terms of the objects that you train them with.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20Great. So, that is a dog's eye view of the world.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24But what about my cattle? How do they see things?
0:34:24 > 0:34:28It's often said that cattle find red threatening but is this true?
0:34:29 > 0:34:31In terms of the colours that they can see,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33it's very similar to the dogs.
0:34:33 > 0:34:34So, just like the dogs,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37they will see the world in shades from blue to yellow.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41So, the idea of the matador's red cape and that cattle charge
0:34:41 > 0:34:44if you're wearing red, how true is that?
0:34:44 > 0:34:48Yes, it's a complete misconception that they will be able to see
0:34:48 > 0:34:51that red. To the cattle, the red sheet will just look like
0:34:51 > 0:34:53a dark brown or dark yellow.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56They can't see this powerful vibrant red against the green like we can.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58It's the movement, the flapping,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01the fervour of the event that gets them really riled up, I guess.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04So, are there colours that they can see more clearly,
0:35:04 > 0:35:06or get more, sort of, excited about?
0:35:06 > 0:35:08If you were walking into a field with an angry bull,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11it's probably best not to wear very bright, vibrant blues and yellows.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14But, actually, red would be fine, for example.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16They will just see that as a dark brown.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17So, while the cattle are there,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20do you want to take a photograph of them? Yes, let's have a go.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23It will be interesting to see, with all these different coloured cattle,
0:35:23 > 0:35:27how they see each other. So, if we look at the human vision first.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29This is what a normal human would see.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32But when we look across to the cattle vision image,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35you see the colours in the brown cattle there is almost
0:35:35 > 0:35:38exactly the same as the green trees behind it.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41The old adage that the grass is always greener on the other side
0:35:41 > 0:35:42with animals breaking out...
0:35:42 > 0:35:45through cow vision, the grass looks quite dull.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47You can see here that in the human visible shot,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49the dead blades of grass look much more yellow
0:35:49 > 0:35:52and the lush green bit of grass is quite clearly different to us,
0:35:52 > 0:35:54whereas, if you look at the cow vision,
0:35:54 > 0:35:57it's all pretty much the same, so the cows must be using some
0:35:57 > 0:36:01other cues to work out where the grass looks best.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04So the grass isn't greener on the other side...if you're a cow.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07There's one creature here
0:36:07 > 0:36:11on the farm for whom vision is absolutely vital - bees.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13As well as being good for my crops, they do
0:36:13 > 0:36:17an important job pollinating a third of the world's food.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Key to this is their sight. They see in ultraviolet.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23Using a specially adapted camera, I'm going to find out
0:36:23 > 0:36:26what a dandelion looks like to a bee.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28The filter wheel is turning round
0:36:28 > 0:36:30and taking pictures in different wavelengths.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33And then, we can take these photos and put them on the computer
0:36:33 > 0:36:36and see what it looks like to a bumblebee. OK. Let's take a look.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39So, there's the vibrant yellow. That's how the human sees it, is it?
0:36:39 > 0:36:40Yes, that's right.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42So, you've got the yellow dandelion
0:36:42 > 0:36:43and the green grass in the background.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45But here we can convert it to bee vision
0:36:45 > 0:36:48and you'll see the colours are completely different.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51You'll notice the middle of the dandelion is a deep red colour,
0:36:51 > 0:36:52it doesn't transmit any UV,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56whereas, the outside here is more of a pink, purple colour
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and that's because the UV light has been reflected quite powerfully.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01And so, a bee will see this colour contrast going on
0:37:01 > 0:37:03and we are completely blind to it.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06The colour change and the markings will help the bee know where
0:37:06 > 0:37:07the middle of the flower is.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09So, with that oilseed rape we grow on the farm,
0:37:09 > 0:37:13a mass of yellow attracts millions of insects
0:37:13 > 0:37:16and we need them to pollinate, so these colours are important
0:37:16 > 0:37:19for us to understand how these insects think and see.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21Yes, yes.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Impressive. But there is one creature here that has
0:37:24 > 0:37:26the best vision of them all.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Any guesses? It's the chickens.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32These are definitely the most sophisticated in terms
0:37:32 > 0:37:33of colour vision on your farm.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36Like pretty much all birds, they'll be tetrachromats,
0:37:36 > 0:37:37so that means they not only
0:37:37 > 0:37:40see the world in the same red, green and blue we do,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42but they have a whole UV channel as well, so it's like
0:37:42 > 0:37:45combining the best of bee vision and human vision in one animal.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48The colour that the chicken can see there is quite impressive
0:37:48 > 0:37:51and we can't even begin to imagine what it might be like
0:37:51 > 0:37:53to see the world in a whole fourth dimension of colour,
0:37:53 > 0:37:55rather than just the red, green and blue that we have.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58It's remarkable. They've left us behind as far as vision goes.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01Absolutely. It doesn't mean they're any less stupid, though.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Oh, don't listen!
0:38:03 > 0:38:04LAUGHTER
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Amazing! What an insight into my animals.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11I'll never look at them the same again.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21Every week on Countryfile, we see Adam and his love of farming -
0:38:21 > 0:38:25a passion which he inherited from his father, Joe Henson,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28one of the founding fathers of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
0:38:28 > 0:38:31and a gentleman who has appeared many times
0:38:31 > 0:38:33on Countryfile over the years.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36Now, sadly, earlier this month, Joe passed away
0:38:36 > 0:38:38and with Adam and his family's permission,
0:38:38 > 0:38:40we wanted to pay tribute to him.
0:38:40 > 0:38:41Here's John.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Hello, piggy. Hello, piggy. Hello.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Adam and his dad Joe have always shared their love
0:38:53 > 0:38:56of rare breed farming and the British countryside.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57Well, you know the old saying.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00"If the berries do grow, you're in for some snow."
0:39:00 > 0:39:01ADAM LAUGHS
0:39:01 > 0:39:04For Joe, it's a passion he'd had all his life.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08He grew up near a farm in Northwood, on the outskirts of London.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12We used to hunt for eggs in the rickyard
0:39:12 > 0:39:13and all that sort of thing, you know.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17And I think that probably had a great impression on me
0:39:17 > 0:39:19at the age of five or six.
0:39:19 > 0:39:20And this is what I wanted to do,
0:39:20 > 0:39:24to work closely with animals in that sort of environment.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27I think this is what set me on the road to farming.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29So, at the age of 19, Joe set off
0:39:29 > 0:39:33for Cirencester Agricultural College, as it was then,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36and trained to be a farmer.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38Joe became fascinated with livestock breeding
0:39:38 > 0:39:42and his passion for rare breeds was born.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45But he still needed to persuade the public that these animals
0:39:45 > 0:39:46were special.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51And so, in 1971, the gates of Joe's Cotswold Farm Park,
0:39:51 > 0:39:55the first of its kind in the world, opened to the public.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Just two years later,
0:39:57 > 0:40:00the Rare Breeds Survival Trust held its first official meeting.
0:40:00 > 0:40:05In the chair was Joe Henson. Go on. Your mums are leaving you behind.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08His passion for farming was soon recognised by the BBC
0:40:08 > 0:40:13and in the 1970s, he started making guest appearances on the popular
0:40:13 > 0:40:17children's show Animal Magic, filmed on location at his farm.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Hello, Joe. Hello, Johnny. They're rather special, aren't they?
0:40:22 > 0:40:25They are. How old are these now, Joe? These are ten days old.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Only ten days? Mm-hm, so they've still got their stripes
0:40:28 > 0:40:32and still reliant on the mother for their milk.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35But it wasn't just children Joe hoped to enthuse
0:40:35 > 0:40:37with his love of farming and rare breeds.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42In 1976, he appeared on a programme called Barnyard Safari.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49He shared the screen with more troublesome animals.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53Joe and his passion for farming proved an audience winner
0:40:53 > 0:40:54and he was sent round the world
0:40:54 > 0:40:56on a programme called Great Alliance,
0:40:56 > 0:41:07where farm livestock was replaced by more exotic ones.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10In the wild, it's perfectly capable of looking after itself.
0:41:10 > 0:41:45But in captivity, it needs a great deal of love
0:41:45 > 0:41:49I did, actually. You can say so now, it doesn't matter.
0:41:49 > 0:41:55..showed us the joy of lambing
0:41:55 > 0:42:14The time of year when we think of harvesting not only
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Alongside his occasional television work,
0:42:16 > 0:42:19Joe continued to build up his rare breed farm
0:42:19 > 0:42:23and campaigned tirelessly for rare breed conservation.
0:42:25 > 0:42:26In 1999, though,
0:42:26 > 0:42:31he was happy to pass the running of the farm on to his son Adam.
0:42:31 > 0:42:46But like father, like son,
0:42:46 > 0:42:50your own breed of cattle, so you're putting your own mark on the place.
0:42:50 > 0:42:56ADAM LAUGHS
0:42:56 > 0:43:00positive for Adam on the farm...
0:43:00 > 0:43:03It's an absolute travesty. Complete disaster.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05..Joe was there.
0:43:06 > 0:43:12To get two so far out of the new heifers is just awful.
0:43:12 > 0:43:17And...I just don't know, you know,
0:43:17 > 0:43:19how we're going to go on.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25It was a great pleasure for Adam when, in 2011,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27he was able to take his dad
0:43:27 > 0:43:30on a sheep-buying trip to the Orkney Islands,
0:43:30 > 0:43:34a trip they'd first made together more than 30 years before.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36It must have been a right pain having an eight-year-old
0:43:36 > 0:43:38running around with you. It was great.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42I really enjoyed having you with me, actually.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44It's particularly lovely for me being back with you.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46The two of us here, you know.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48It's a lovely trip down memory lane. It really is.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51THEY LAUGH
0:43:53 > 0:43:57Joe's work for conservation was rewarded when, in 2011,
0:43:57 > 0:44:01he was awarded an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours,
0:44:01 > 0:44:04much to the delight of all his family.
0:44:06 > 0:44:12Between the years 1900 and 1973, we had lost 26 of our native breeds.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16Since the formation of Joe's Rare Breeds Survival Trust,
0:44:16 > 0:44:20no other livestock breed has become extinct in the UK.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28Joe Henson was himself a rare breed -
0:44:28 > 0:44:31a true gentleman who believed passionately in the animals
0:44:31 > 0:44:34and breeds he preserved for the nation.
0:44:34 > 0:44:38He was a lifelong champion of farming and education and,
0:44:38 > 0:44:42through his tireless work, leaves a lasting legacy.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47It was a privilege to have had Joe on Countryfile
0:44:47 > 0:44:49and a real pleasure to have known him.
0:44:59 > 0:45:04A couple of miles from Conwy sits the seaside resort of Llandudno.
0:45:04 > 0:45:08Famous for its pier, it's also home to an award-winning school,
0:45:08 > 0:45:11inspiring environmental entrepreneurs of the future.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15When we last visited San Sior primary a year ago,
0:45:15 > 0:45:18we got to meet their brood of 140 chickens...
0:45:19 > 0:45:22COCKEREL CROWS
0:45:22 > 0:45:24..help out in their orchard...
0:45:26 > 0:45:29..as well as meet some of their more unusual animals.
0:45:32 > 0:45:33Well, it's now a year on
0:45:33 > 0:45:36and the school has a new addition to its menagerie.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38BUZZING
0:45:38 > 0:45:39Bees.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46Ian Keith Jones is the head teacher.
0:45:46 > 0:45:47Zips right to the top.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54Morning, everyone. Good morning. How are we all doing? All right?
0:45:54 > 0:45:55Now, this is a good school uniform!
0:45:55 > 0:45:58Goodness me, this is absolutely extraordinary.
0:45:58 > 0:46:00So, we're talking bees, here, Ian.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03Usually bees and children, they don't generally mix, do they?
0:46:03 > 0:46:07No, but it's such a great topic, everything fits into the bee topic.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Literacy, numeracy and not only that, it's a business,
0:46:10 > 0:46:13so, hopefully, the aim is to sell some of the honey
0:46:13 > 0:46:16in the Conwy Honey Fair, which is the oldest fair in Wales, I think.
0:46:16 > 0:46:20Every penny made from selling their own hens' eggs last year
0:46:20 > 0:46:22has been spent on the bees.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25But it hasn't been plain sailing.
0:46:26 > 0:46:28We bought two nucleus and then,
0:46:28 > 0:46:30they started swarming as soon as we got them.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32When they started swarming, did you think,
0:46:32 > 0:46:34"This is such a bad idea to have them in a school"?
0:46:34 > 0:46:36I did question the sanity of having
0:46:36 > 0:46:37bees on a school site, definitely, yeah.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39Particularly when I came back from a course
0:46:39 > 0:46:41and a teaching assistant said,
0:46:41 > 0:46:43"The sky went black and they all flew over the field."
0:46:43 > 0:46:45And I thought, "Bad idea."
0:46:45 > 0:46:47Time to see what all the buzz is about
0:46:47 > 0:46:49and help check on the hives.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51But do the children know their stuff?
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Shall we see if we can find the queen, then? Yes.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59Now, who knows what the key to spotting the queen is?
0:46:59 > 0:47:01What does she look like? Why is she different?
0:47:01 > 0:47:06She has, um... She's bigger and we've put a blue spot on her.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09These ones are workers,
0:47:09 > 0:47:11because they are much smaller.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14And how are you all feeling at the moment? Because these bees,
0:47:14 > 0:47:16they're flying around us quite closely, aren't they, now?
0:47:16 > 0:47:18You can hear them, that wonderful buzz.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20I'm fine with that. You're happy with that, yeah?
0:47:20 > 0:47:26I was terrified, then I realised that they weren't going to hurt me
0:47:26 > 0:47:28unless I annoyed them or anything.
0:47:28 > 0:47:29If we look after them,
0:47:29 > 0:47:33they'll give us honey in return and they help the environment.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36I cannot believe how much you know in just a few months!
0:47:36 > 0:47:38And this must be really interesting for you, Ian,
0:47:38 > 0:47:40because you're discovering so much.
0:47:40 > 0:47:41I mean, you're not a bee keeper, are you?
0:47:41 > 0:47:43No, no. In the olden days,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46the teacher was the lead and everybody would follow the lead.
0:47:46 > 0:47:47Now it's more of a partnership.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50Absolutely. We need to find the queen. Oh, there she is!
0:47:50 > 0:47:52That's so vibrant, that blue.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54Good job it's there, that spot. Yeah.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58As these bees are all part of the school business,
0:47:58 > 0:48:01the children are going to have to learn how to harvest the honey
0:48:01 > 0:48:03for when the time comes.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Julian Thompson is a warden of a nearby nature reserve.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09He's going to show these budding beekeepers
0:48:09 > 0:48:11how he extracts his honey.
0:48:11 > 0:48:16We're going to take the caps off the honey, there.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18You slide it in like that.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21Take a thin sliver off the top.
0:48:21 > 0:48:22Keep the lids off there.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26But we won't waste these cappings that we're taking off.
0:48:26 > 0:48:28A quick spin in the centrifuge...
0:48:29 > 0:48:32How are you feeling about the fact that next year
0:48:32 > 0:48:34you'll be doing this with your own honey?
0:48:34 > 0:48:35I'm very proud of the school
0:48:35 > 0:48:37and all the bees have been working really hard.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42Whilst the children weren't looking, I went back to the hives
0:48:42 > 0:48:45and it turns out there was just enough honey for them to get a taste.
0:48:45 > 0:48:46This'll be a surprise.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49Right, listen up, everybody, because you're all focused on that honey,
0:48:49 > 0:48:53right, but the honey we're going to be trying and tasting
0:48:53 > 0:48:55is actually your honey.
0:48:56 > 0:48:57OK?
0:49:01 > 0:49:03What's your opinion? LAUGHTER
0:49:03 > 0:49:05Is it good? Is it good? Face says it all!
0:49:05 > 0:49:07Got lots of honey there.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11Really nice. Really nice, isn't it?
0:49:11 > 0:49:14What's it taste like? Jam. Jam!
0:49:14 > 0:49:18I have tasted a lot of honey from lots of different producers
0:49:18 > 0:49:19all over Britain...
0:49:22 > 0:49:27..and THAT is one of the finest.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29Beekeepers of the future, here we go!
0:49:29 > 0:49:32'The honey business will be great fun for the pupils'
0:49:32 > 0:49:34'and it's educational, too.'
0:49:34 > 0:49:40'A creative and tasty way of teaching the importance of the natural world.'
0:49:40 > 0:49:43BUZZING
0:49:43 > 0:49:46In a moment, we'll have the weather for the week ahead,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49but before that, a big thank you to everybody
0:49:49 > 0:49:52who has bought our Countryfile calendar for 2016.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55If you haven't got yours yet, here's how you do it.
0:49:55 > 0:49:57The calendar costs ?9.50,
0:49:57 > 0:49:59including free UK delivery.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03You can buy yours either via our website at:
0:50:03 > 0:50:08Or by calling the order line on:
0:50:13 > 0:50:20To order by post, send your name, address and cheque to:
0:50:31 > 0:50:34Last year's calendar was a record breaker,
0:50:34 > 0:50:36raising over ?1.5 million.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39So, this time around, let's see if we can beat that.
0:50:47 > 0:50:49We're on the Conwy Estuary,
0:50:49 > 0:50:52where earlier I joined one of the few remaining families
0:50:52 > 0:50:54working the mussel beds here.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58That's it.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00Hey, I'll tell you what... Oh, there's something...
0:51:00 > 0:51:02Yeah, you did all right here! Yes!
0:51:03 > 0:51:06They have been harvested this way for nearly 1,000 years,
0:51:06 > 0:51:10but when they come ashore, it's much more 21st century.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14I'm joining Tom at their special purification building
0:51:14 > 0:51:16to see what happens to the mussels
0:51:16 > 0:51:18on the next step of their journey to our plates.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Right, well, they've been in the tank here now for 42 hours,
0:51:22 > 0:51:24they've been purified now.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26What's in that water? Well, it's seawater,
0:51:26 > 0:51:29it mimics the conditions that they live in. I see. And then,
0:51:29 > 0:51:32the seawater gets filtered through an ultraviolet light system.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35So, it's state-of-the-art technology to get the mussels safe to eat.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38So, they're filtering that water that's been treated.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41And the UV treats the water, zaps all the bugs out of it.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43OK. So, they're dead safe to eat now.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46What's the foam on top of here, then?
0:51:46 > 0:51:50Well, the foam is a good sign that the mussels are alive and working.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52So, it's just a by-product of the energy they're using
0:51:52 > 0:51:56in the water, really, because they're filtering all the time.
0:51:59 > 0:52:00In you go!
0:52:04 > 0:52:06They're going to go through a cleaning machine now,
0:52:06 > 0:52:09which is, basically, just a mixture with brushes inside and fresh water.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13So it just de-clumps them and makes sure they're all individual
0:52:13 > 0:52:15and any shells and that will fall out. OK.
0:52:16 > 0:52:19So, what does the future hold for this most local of industries?
0:52:20 > 0:52:22These parts, centuries ago,
0:52:22 > 0:52:25it was loaded, wasn't it, with mussel fishermen out there.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Yeah. These days there's what, four families?
0:52:27 > 0:52:30I know. It's a shame that there's not as many working on the beds now,
0:52:30 > 0:52:34but it's amazing it's still the same four families,
0:52:34 > 0:52:36their generations are still fishing today.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39Yeah. I was talking to Ken, he retired at 80. Yeah.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41I mean, are you going to be doing this,
0:52:41 > 0:52:43do you think, for your foreseeable future?
0:52:43 > 0:52:46I hope so! Hopefully, yeah!
0:52:46 > 0:52:48They always say that the proof is in the tasting, so...
0:52:48 > 0:52:49Let's give them a go!
0:52:52 > 0:52:57And what better than pan-fried Conwy mussels with local oak-cured bacon?
0:52:58 > 0:53:01How long have these been steaming in here, Tom?
0:53:01 > 0:53:03Oh, not long, about four, five minutes.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06They're so meaty, those mussels.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09Got all this wonderful local produce, local ingredients here,
0:53:09 > 0:53:11um, have we got enough butter?
0:53:11 > 0:53:13I think so, just about. Yeah, OK.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17So, we're just going to cut a little bit off.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19There you go, that's it. There you go.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23What a backdrop to be cooking in front of.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25It's quite inspiring, isn't it?
0:53:25 > 0:53:28Well, you can see it's straight from sea to plate.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30Shall we go for it? I think so, yeah!
0:53:30 > 0:53:32Why not? Let's do it.
0:53:35 > 0:53:36A sprinkling of chives...
0:53:37 > 0:53:39..some fresh bread...
0:53:39 > 0:53:45..and a rustic delight fit for this historic quayside setting is ready.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47That's looking OK, isn't it? Yeah, I think so.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50Would you like a bit of cheese? Sprinkle a little bit on.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53I'll have a bit. Something smells good! Oh, hello!
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Just in time! What do you think to this lot?
0:53:55 > 0:53:58Lovely, I am starving! May I? Yeah.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00Well, yes, if you're a fan of mussels,
0:54:00 > 0:54:02then, I think you're going to enjoy this.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04It's a completely new recipe for me, this, so...
0:54:04 > 0:54:07Mmm! Maybe it needs tweaking, I don't know.
0:54:10 > 0:54:11Mmm! Well? Lovely!
0:54:11 > 0:54:14Well, I'm happy with those. Delicious. Absolutely beautiful.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17Anyway, before we go, there's just time to remind you
0:54:17 > 0:54:19of a very special programme next week.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22Three, two, one...
0:54:22 > 0:54:24KLAXON
0:54:24 > 0:54:25Off we go!
0:54:25 > 0:54:29We're donning our walking boots along with many of you
0:54:29 > 0:54:32for the Countryfile ramble for Children In Need.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35We'll be covering all corners of the country from Windsor Great Park
0:54:35 > 0:54:39to Loch Leven, the Jurassic coast to the heights of Snowdonia,
0:54:39 > 0:54:42where I'll be taking on the challenge with Ella,
0:54:42 > 0:54:44who is part-sighted.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48I'm sure you would agree, Ella, this is probably the most challenging
0:54:48 > 0:54:49section of the walk for you so far.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52Yeah, I'm still waiting for the so-called path! Yeah!
0:55:01 > 0:55:03Hope you can join us then. Bye-bye. Bye!