Somerset

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0:00:30 > 0:00:33The Somerset landscape is still in the grip of winter.

0:00:35 > 0:00:39The famous Cheddar Gorge is cold and quiet...

0:00:39 > 0:00:41but not entirely.

0:00:42 > 0:00:45When I was asked if I wanted to help out with some important

0:00:45 > 0:00:49conservation work, this wasn't quite what I had in mind.

0:00:49 > 0:00:53Matt's meeting some Channel Island dwellers far from home...

0:00:53 > 0:00:56How beautiful the Guernsey herd are as well.

0:00:56 > 0:00:58Just as a temperament, they are so agreeable

0:00:58 > 0:01:01and they've got such a wonderful way about them.

0:01:01 > 0:01:05..Tom's flooding a house to find out if we could all make our homes

0:01:05 > 0:01:06a little bit safer...

0:01:07 > 0:01:11If you're living in an isolated community and you are living

0:01:11 > 0:01:12at flood risk,

0:01:12 > 0:01:16I think it's really important that you take some responsibility.

0:01:16 > 0:01:19..and Adam's on call with the emergency vet.

0:01:19 > 0:01:20Calves should be born

0:01:20 > 0:01:23two front feet, nose first, diving out forwards.

0:01:23 > 0:01:25That's the most streamlined position for a calf to be born.

0:01:25 > 0:01:27But this one is backwards.

0:01:37 > 0:01:38Somerset...

0:01:38 > 0:01:42Named in earlier times as the place people dwelled in the summer.

0:01:46 > 0:01:48But this is winter...

0:01:48 > 0:01:52and across the tors and open plains, little stirs.

0:01:55 > 0:01:59I'm in Cheddar, home to the breathtaking Cheddar Gorge.

0:02:01 > 0:02:04At 400 feet high and three miles long,

0:02:04 > 0:02:06it's one of the natural wonders of Britain.

0:02:09 > 0:02:12Oh, yeah! Wow.

0:02:21 > 0:02:25It's hard to get your head around the scale and the beauty

0:02:25 > 0:02:26of this place.

0:02:26 > 0:02:31Towards the end of the last ice age, as the ice melted from up on

0:02:31 > 0:02:35the Mendips, huge torrents of water and rock carved through this

0:02:35 > 0:02:38limestone and, over a period of tens of thousands of years,

0:02:38 > 0:02:40created the gorge.

0:02:40 > 0:02:43And I must say, it's absolutely magnificent.

0:02:48 > 0:02:52It may look wild and unruly, but, like much of our countryside,

0:02:52 > 0:02:53it's very carefully managed.

0:02:59 > 0:03:02Ian Clemmett is the head ranger for the National Trust here,

0:03:02 > 0:03:06who own and manage this half of the gorge.

0:03:06 > 0:03:08What are we taking down here, Ian?

0:03:08 > 0:03:10Well, we're just getting down

0:03:10 > 0:03:12some growth that we don't want to see here.

0:03:12 > 0:03:16What we're trying to do is open out the area and allow light to get

0:03:16 > 0:03:20back in, allow the grassland that's already here to flourish.

0:03:20 > 0:03:21What are your star species here?

0:03:21 > 0:03:23The star species, I suppose,

0:03:23 > 0:03:26probably most people know about is the Cheddar pink.

0:03:26 > 0:03:31It's a very, very small carnation. It is pretty much local to here.

0:03:31 > 0:03:33If it gets too much shade, it will die out, you would lose it.

0:03:33 > 0:03:37It's a challenging site, this, isn't it? And in the middle of winter.

0:03:37 > 0:03:41It is, yes, we need to come out here at this time of year.

0:03:41 > 0:03:44Obviously, through the summer, there will be sap in the trees,

0:03:44 > 0:03:48it will be physically harder for us to cut and also, of course, we'll

0:03:48 > 0:03:50have birds nesting, we'll have the plants growing,

0:03:50 > 0:03:52we don't want to be scrunching everything up and causing damage.

0:03:54 > 0:03:58There's plenty of help in the fight against the ever-encroaching scrub.

0:03:58 > 0:04:00From the traditional two-legged volunteer

0:04:00 > 0:04:03to the four-legged wild variety.

0:04:05 > 0:04:08We've got some feral sheep and we've got some feral goats.

0:04:08 > 0:04:12The goats were introduced in about mid-2000s by Longleat,

0:04:12 > 0:04:15on the other side of the Gorge here,

0:04:15 > 0:04:17to keep the scrub under control.

0:04:17 > 0:04:21And the feral Soay sheep, back in 1991,

0:04:21 > 0:04:24left on a roadside, there were just eight of them

0:04:24 > 0:04:26back in those days, but they have done remarkably well.

0:04:26 > 0:04:30We know they do take off the bark of some of the trees, but,

0:04:30 > 0:04:35to be honest, all added up, on balance, it is the best thing.

0:04:35 > 0:04:39Everything is going in exactly the right direction, in fact.

0:04:42 > 0:04:46The next job is beyond the reach of even four legs...

0:04:46 > 0:04:48but we've hit a snag.

0:04:49 > 0:04:53Now, the director had the idea of dangling me 400 feet off

0:04:53 > 0:04:57the top of the gorge, but this morning an enormous storm blew in

0:04:57 > 0:05:00with 50mph gusts of wind and torrential rain,

0:05:00 > 0:05:02so that put paid to that idea.

0:05:02 > 0:05:05But undeterred, for you, the Countryfile viewer, we're carrying

0:05:05 > 0:05:10on regardless and I'm now being sent just 100 foot up the gorge.

0:05:10 > 0:05:12Still not a walk in the park.

0:05:13 > 0:05:15'I'm off to join Rob Tucker,

0:05:15 > 0:05:19'the man in charge of this part of the operation.' Hey, Rob.

0:05:19 > 0:05:21- Hi, Ellie, how are you?- What are you doing, just hanging around here?

0:05:21 > 0:05:25So this doesn't look like there's much vegetation to clear on

0:05:25 > 0:05:27that sheer rock face. What is the aim of the game?

0:05:27 > 0:05:30Well, primarily here, we're looking at any vegetation that's pushing

0:05:30 > 0:05:33off any rocks, so looking for vegetation,

0:05:33 > 0:05:36looking for gaps in the rocks, and anything loose, we'll take it off.

0:05:36 > 0:05:38So this isn't so much about conservation,

0:05:38 > 0:05:39it's more about safety.

0:05:39 > 0:05:40More about safety, exactly.

0:05:42 > 0:05:46Falling rocks are a real hazard to the general public, so Rob and

0:05:46 > 0:05:50his team do this work in winter when there are far fewer tourists around.

0:05:50 > 0:05:53'Seems to me the weather is more of a problem today.'

0:05:53 > 0:05:57- I'm going to be quite slow, is that all right?- That's fine.

0:05:57 > 0:06:00- Slow is good.- Fine by me. Slow and steady wins the race.

0:06:00 > 0:06:02Safety doesn't take a holiday.

0:06:02 > 0:06:04That's a good one, good one.

0:06:05 > 0:06:08- I feel like I'm sort of holding on for dear life.- Yeah, yeah.

0:06:08 > 0:06:12- Yeah, good.- I can't really do this. - Yeah, you can.- I can't, I can't.

0:06:12 > 0:06:15- I can't, I can't, I can't.- Let go.

0:06:15 > 0:06:18- Let go. I want to give you some confidence, let go.- Yeah.

0:06:18 > 0:06:19Hand on your head, hands on your head!

0:06:19 > 0:06:22- Ah!- Thank you very much.

0:06:23 > 0:06:24It's perilously wet.

0:06:24 > 0:06:27The rain is belting down. Easy to lose your grip.

0:06:31 > 0:06:33But after catching my breath, it's on with the work.

0:06:33 > 0:06:36Here goes.

0:06:36 > 0:06:37ROCKS SMACK

0:06:39 > 0:06:42Wow! It sounded like a gunshot as it went down there.

0:06:42 > 0:06:45You can see how important it is to get these things off.

0:06:45 > 0:06:48There's loads of them going! So what are you looking for?

0:06:48 > 0:06:52You're kind of looking for natural break lines, areas of erosion,

0:06:52 > 0:06:54areas of plant invasion,

0:06:54 > 0:06:58liquid in the sap in the roots just getting bigger and growing

0:06:58 > 0:07:00that has made the rock loose.

0:07:00 > 0:07:02Here's a perfect example of that.

0:07:02 > 0:07:04Look, it's only a little piece there,

0:07:04 > 0:07:07it's got that soil behind it and then there's the responsible plant,

0:07:07 > 0:07:10little, tiny, tiny thing, look, just as small as that.

0:07:10 > 0:07:13Soil all behind it and it's prized that piece loose.

0:07:15 > 0:07:19Enough of the small stones, I'm after the big stuff.

0:07:19 > 0:07:21What's the biggest rock you've ever taken off?

0:07:21 > 0:07:24I did one in a quarry quite near here and it was probably

0:07:24 > 0:07:26- the size of a Mini.- What?!

0:07:26 > 0:07:29We had to use a big bar to do it but it was just teetering right

0:07:29 > 0:07:31on the edge.

0:07:31 > 0:07:34- There's one, Ellie, one for you.- This one?

0:07:34 > 0:07:36Oh, it's big, that's quite big.

0:07:36 > 0:07:38Just make sure no-one's down below us and off it goes.

0:07:38 > 0:07:40See the size of that? See you later.

0:07:42 > 0:07:46Nice. Here's a biggie. Look out below.

0:07:46 > 0:07:48Oh, it's heavy, too.

0:07:49 > 0:07:55- You've got some, Ellie.- Get it out. - You're an expert.- It's gone.- Gone.

0:07:55 > 0:07:58- It's gone.- It's been there one-and-a-half million years.

0:08:00 > 0:08:03And I come along with my crowbar and it's all over.

0:08:06 > 0:08:08Ha-ha!

0:08:08 > 0:08:09Got it!

0:08:12 > 0:08:17Cheddar Gorge may have been shaped by Mother Nature, but it's

0:08:17 > 0:08:22a team effort to keep it a safe and special place to visit.

0:08:22 > 0:08:28From sky-high specialists, dedicated volunteers,

0:08:28 > 0:08:30even an army of four-legged helpers,

0:08:30 > 0:08:33Cheddar Gorge is in good hands...

0:08:33 > 0:08:34and hooves.

0:08:37 > 0:08:41Now, few people understand the devastation of rural flooding

0:08:41 > 0:08:43quite like those here in Somerset.

0:08:43 > 0:08:47But now that we're all paying to protect the homes at risk,

0:08:47 > 0:08:49could the money be better spent? Here's Tom.

0:08:55 > 0:08:58Britain faces a recurring battle.

0:08:58 > 0:09:01Pictures like this seem ever more common.

0:09:01 > 0:09:06Roads turned into rivers, homes destroyed,

0:09:06 > 0:09:08land lost to the floodwaters.

0:09:10 > 0:09:15'Each time the waters recede, thoughts turn to solutions.

0:09:15 > 0:09:18'Countryfile has looked at plenty of ways to prevent it, from

0:09:18 > 0:09:22holding back water in the uplands...'

0:09:22 > 0:09:26- I'm actually helping if I throw this in, am I?- Yeah. Be my guest.

0:09:26 > 0:09:31'..to flood defences and dredging rivers downstream.'

0:09:31 > 0:09:34But here at the Building Research Establishment in Hertfordshire,

0:09:34 > 0:09:37there's a solution I haven't seen before...

0:09:38 > 0:09:42Fighting floods on your own doorstep.

0:09:42 > 0:09:44Guess what? Heavy rain's forecast.

0:09:47 > 0:09:52This house is designed from the ground up to take a battering and

0:09:52 > 0:09:57it could benefit you whether you live in a flood-risk area or not.

0:09:57 > 0:10:01Since last year, the insurance industry has been paying a levy to

0:10:01 > 0:10:05make insurance more affordable for those who live in high-risk areas.

0:10:05 > 0:10:08The levy is the equivalent of everyone who

0:10:08 > 0:10:11has homes and contents insurance paying around £10.50.

0:10:13 > 0:10:17That £10.50 means dry houses are subsidising wet ones.

0:10:17 > 0:10:21So it's down to the reason it could save us all money if

0:10:21 > 0:10:23flood-prone houses are better protected.

0:10:23 > 0:10:26So what's special about this house?

0:10:26 > 0:10:30It's a normal, mid-terraced Victorian house

0:10:30 > 0:10:33but it can resist two foot of water

0:10:33 > 0:10:37on the outside and also deal with flooding on the inside.

0:10:37 > 0:10:41The idea is that you can clean it up and dry it out and be back in

0:10:41 > 0:10:45in a matter of days, rather than months.

0:10:45 > 0:10:47And all at a much lower cost.

0:10:49 > 0:10:53Waiting for me inside are two champions of this brand-new concept.

0:10:53 > 0:10:57Dr Peter Bonfield is a top engineer and Emma Howard Boyd is

0:10:57 > 0:10:59head of the Environment Agency.

0:10:59 > 0:11:02They're part of a team that has developed

0:11:02 > 0:11:06a flood-resilience action plan and delivered it to the Government.

0:11:06 > 0:11:09Peter, why are you so keen on this kind of work?

0:11:09 > 0:11:12Well, I found, Tom, that one in six buildings now across our country is

0:11:12 > 0:11:14at risk of flooding. That's homes,

0:11:14 > 0:11:16businesses, schools and other properties.

0:11:16 > 0:11:18What's the current state of our homes at the moment?

0:11:18 > 0:11:21Well, some are in good shape but nowhere near enough, and we've

0:11:21 > 0:11:25got to really make resistance to water coming through the wall

0:11:25 > 0:11:28and through the doors during flooding much more commonplace and

0:11:28 > 0:11:30if water does get in, we've got to

0:11:30 > 0:11:32make it much simpler and much quicker for

0:11:32 > 0:11:35people to get back on their feet and back in their homes and businesses.

0:11:35 > 0:11:38Emma, you're from the Environment Agency and people associate

0:11:38 > 0:11:40your organisation with the big stuff, the sea walls and

0:11:40 > 0:11:43the flood barriers. Why are you interested in people's homes?

0:11:43 > 0:11:46There are going to be times where there is some flooding that

0:11:46 > 0:11:49will take place in communities and everybody has to look at

0:11:49 > 0:11:53taking some responsibility for living in a flood-risk area.

0:11:53 > 0:11:58Is this of particular relevance to people who live in rural areas?

0:11:58 > 0:12:01Our funding for flood defences is based on the number of houses

0:12:01 > 0:12:02that we can protect.

0:12:02 > 0:12:06So if you're living in an isolated community and you are living at

0:12:06 > 0:12:09flood risk, I think it's really important that you take some

0:12:09 > 0:12:12responsibility for making sure that your house is resilient.

0:12:13 > 0:12:17Seeing is believing, so time for a tour.

0:12:17 > 0:12:18The flooring actually is a wood effect,

0:12:18 > 0:12:20it's ceramic tile, and what's important is,

0:12:20 > 0:12:23underneath the floor, and if you go down, right at the bottom,

0:12:23 > 0:12:26there's this material and that's actually a membrane that goes

0:12:26 > 0:12:29right at the bottom and that stops water coming up through the floor.

0:12:29 > 0:12:32Then we wrap a membrane around the wall here, up to about

0:12:32 > 0:12:37this level, and again that stops water coming into the home.

0:12:37 > 0:12:40'The kitchen units are waterproof and the oven and fridge are

0:12:40 > 0:12:42'high up out of harm's way.

0:12:42 > 0:12:44'So are all the plug sockets.'

0:12:44 > 0:12:46Now, I have to ask about the elephant in the room,

0:12:46 > 0:12:49or in this case a little bit of sanitary ware in the room.

0:12:49 > 0:12:52- I take it this is for demonstration purposes.- This is.

0:12:52 > 0:12:54So what's cunning about this loo?

0:12:54 > 0:12:57The valve acts like a one-way cat flap.

0:12:57 > 0:12:59Material can go out of it but it can't come back in.

0:12:59 > 0:13:03One of the nasty things in flooding is horrible things from the sewers

0:13:03 > 0:13:06- come up from your toilet, but they wouldn't with that in place.- No.

0:13:06 > 0:13:08Does all this cost a lot of money?

0:13:08 > 0:13:12To assume that all this costs more is not correct.

0:13:12 > 0:13:16And, anyway, if you look at the overall costs of having to

0:13:16 > 0:13:19re-repair buildings again and again and again,

0:13:19 > 0:13:22then taking this seriously and making this more commonplace

0:13:22 > 0:13:25ultimately is going to reduce costs.

0:13:27 > 0:13:32Much of what I've seen in there seems like common sense, so how come

0:13:32 > 0:13:38only 25,000 homes nationwide have these kind of measures in place?

0:13:38 > 0:13:42Especially when you consider there are 400,000 homes at

0:13:42 > 0:13:45the highest risk of flooding.

0:13:45 > 0:13:48To find out what barriers there might be to Peter's ideas,

0:13:48 > 0:13:50I've come to the Somerset Levels.

0:13:50 > 0:13:54This rural area hit the headlines during the floods of 2014.

0:13:54 > 0:13:58Hundreds of homes flooded and many had to be evacuated.

0:14:00 > 0:14:02- RADIO:- ...helicopter.

0:14:02 > 0:14:05The flood danger is imminent. Evacuate to north of the coast.

0:14:08 > 0:14:12Bryony Sadler is no stranger to television cameras.

0:14:12 > 0:14:14Her heartbreak conveyed the despair of

0:14:14 > 0:14:17a community to an entire nation.

0:14:17 > 0:14:21- Thank you.- 'OK, bye.'- Bye.

0:14:21 > 0:14:24That's it, we've officially lost it all.

0:14:26 > 0:14:28Three years on,

0:14:28 > 0:14:35life is back to normal after an insurance claim of almost £300,000.

0:14:35 > 0:14:37It looks absolutely beautiful now but what was this room like

0:14:37 > 0:14:41- shortly after the flood? - Absolutely devastated.

0:14:41 > 0:14:44Every room in the house was completely stripped back.

0:14:44 > 0:14:48It was nine months before Bryony and her family could come home.

0:14:48 > 0:14:52The house was repaired and restored, along with wooden floors and

0:14:52 > 0:14:56carpets, things which are not resilient to flooding.

0:14:56 > 0:14:58I'm quite surprised by that, because, you know,

0:14:58 > 0:15:00you're in the Somerset Levels,

0:15:00 > 0:15:03it flooded badly then and I think it has flooded before, hasn't it?

0:15:03 > 0:15:05- Not to the extent.- Right.

0:15:05 > 0:15:08This house was built in 1892 and it's never had

0:15:08 > 0:15:10a drop of water in it in all those years.

0:15:10 > 0:15:13We could have put loads of resilient measures in, but you just

0:15:13 > 0:15:17don't need it on the Somerset Levels because it shouldn't happen again.

0:15:17 > 0:15:21- It shouldn't, but it might. - No, never! Not in my lifetime.

0:15:21 > 0:15:25Bryony is confident because she decided to tackle flooding

0:15:25 > 0:15:26on a much bigger scale -

0:15:26 > 0:15:29fighting a determined and successful

0:15:29 > 0:15:32campaign to get the local rivers dredged.

0:15:32 > 0:15:36There's now a long-term plan for managing Somerset's rivers

0:15:36 > 0:15:38but even if she did think her home was at risk,

0:15:38 > 0:15:41making it flood resilient isn't that simple.

0:15:41 > 0:15:43We could have had a plastic kitchen, you know,

0:15:43 > 0:15:46you could have gone to those kind of measures,

0:15:46 > 0:15:48we could have put a stone floor down, but that's not what we had.

0:15:48 > 0:15:52You know, the insurance company would only pay for the things

0:15:52 > 0:15:55that we had, so you have to have like-for-like.

0:15:55 > 0:15:59I can see why flood resilience is not a quick fix.

0:15:59 > 0:16:02Flood victims face financial and emotional obstacles.

0:16:04 > 0:16:07The uncomfortable truth is that we're likely to see more

0:16:07 > 0:16:12extreme weather and, though Bryony is confident, it could happen again.

0:16:12 > 0:16:16And if people won't defend their property and insurance

0:16:16 > 0:16:19companies keep paying out for the resulting damage,

0:16:19 > 0:16:21all our premiums could go up.

0:16:23 > 0:16:27So should we be doing more to encourage people to defend

0:16:27 > 0:16:28their own homes?

0:16:28 > 0:16:31That's what I'll be finding out later.

0:16:40 > 0:16:47The verdant dells and pastures, carpeted with lush grasses.

0:16:47 > 0:16:53These Somerset fields are at the heart of something very special.

0:16:53 > 0:16:57And it's all to do with these beauties - Guernsey cattle.

0:16:57 > 0:17:01Now, you don't often see huge herds of brown and white Guernseys

0:17:01 > 0:17:05in the UK. In fact, there's only 80 herds on the mainland

0:17:05 > 0:17:08but they have been the heart of this particular farm for decades.

0:17:13 > 0:17:18And Perridge Farm near the Somerset village of Pilton is doubly special.

0:17:18 > 0:17:22It's run by Judith Freane and her husband, Clive, and is home to

0:17:22 > 0:17:26an organic Guernsey herd, one of only a handful in the whole country.

0:17:26 > 0:17:29And even though Judith grew up on a farm,

0:17:29 > 0:17:33she never planned on becoming a farmer.

0:17:33 > 0:17:36I went off at 18 to become a nurse in London and then I

0:17:36 > 0:17:38travelled across to Australia

0:17:38 > 0:17:41because my mother was Australian, so I went to see all the family.

0:17:41 > 0:17:45Then a few months later, I went to Magnetic Island off the coast

0:17:45 > 0:17:46of Townsville and I met Clive.

0:17:46 > 0:17:49- Who is now your husband. - Who is now my husband.

0:17:49 > 0:17:51And was he into farming then?

0:17:51 > 0:17:54He'd gone to agricultural college and trained to be

0:17:54 > 0:17:56a farmer and then my parents rang

0:17:56 > 0:17:58to say they were potentially going to sell

0:17:58 > 0:18:02the dairy herd and I thought, "Oh, I wonder if they'll give me a go."

0:18:02 > 0:18:04So nursing, then, was put on the back burner completely?

0:18:04 > 0:18:06It was put on the back burner.

0:18:06 > 0:18:08Did they run Guernsey cows at the time?

0:18:08 > 0:18:12They did, they had a lovely herd of 40 at the time.

0:18:12 > 0:18:15You're continuing the line, then, of those early Guernseys.

0:18:15 > 0:18:19Yes, and we breed cows that are quite small because we want

0:18:19 > 0:18:23them to live for a long time. That's our basis.

0:18:23 > 0:18:26So they don't produce as much milk as most cows, but they're

0:18:26 > 0:18:29a low yielding but low input system.

0:18:29 > 0:18:33And as far as the organic idea, I guess back in the day, your

0:18:33 > 0:18:36parents ran it in quite an organic system, without even realising it.

0:18:36 > 0:18:37They did, yeah!

0:18:37 > 0:18:40Do you know what my dad said when we started our conversion?

0:18:40 > 0:18:43- He said, "Farming always goes full circle."- Yeah.

0:18:43 > 0:18:45And he's absolutely right.

0:18:45 > 0:18:47And how beautiful the Guernsey herd are as well.

0:18:47 > 0:18:49Just as a temperament as well,

0:18:49 > 0:18:52they're so agreeable and they've got such a wonderful way about them.

0:18:52 > 0:18:55- They're very relaxed, very laid-back.- Yeah.- Happy cows.

0:19:00 > 0:19:04'Milk is the mainstay of Judith and Clive's business and I'll be

0:19:04 > 0:19:07'sampling some of their prize-winning yoghurts later on.

0:19:07 > 0:19:11'These Guernseys are shaking things up in other ways.'

0:19:11 > 0:19:14Now, as part of the dairy system, in order for the cows to be

0:19:14 > 0:19:17providing milk, they need to give birth.

0:19:17 > 0:19:20Now, the female calves are reared and would go back into

0:19:20 > 0:19:24the milking herd but, in making the most of the male calves,

0:19:24 > 0:19:27Judith and Clive made an interesting discovery.

0:19:27 > 0:19:30In the dairy industry, male calves often have little value,

0:19:30 > 0:19:32their meat deemed less suitable for beef production,

0:19:32 > 0:19:36but Clive found this wasn't the case with Guernseys.

0:19:36 > 0:19:39We had a Guernsey steer that was three years old,

0:19:39 > 0:19:41so quite a large animal.

0:19:41 > 0:19:46We were offered £200 for it, not a lot of money, and we decided

0:19:46 > 0:19:49that we would have the animal killed and butchered ourselves.

0:19:49 > 0:19:53We gave away or sold to friends and neighbours and, within weeks,

0:19:53 > 0:19:57people were ringing up asking for more meat.

0:19:57 > 0:20:02And we entered the Organic Food Awards in 2001 with

0:20:02 > 0:20:06a joint of beef and, lo and behold, we won.

0:20:06 > 0:20:10This is a piece of meat that's up against other beef breeds,

0:20:10 > 0:20:13we're not talking about dairy breeds here?

0:20:13 > 0:20:16No, this is any organic beef from the UK.

0:20:16 > 0:20:18One of the judges was absolutely staggered that we could

0:20:18 > 0:20:22produce such good-quality beef from a dairy breed.

0:20:22 > 0:20:25It must give you so much pleasure to know that you've kind of struck

0:20:25 > 0:20:28gold with the system that you run now.

0:20:28 > 0:20:31- It was a tremendous feather in our cap.- Sure.

0:20:31 > 0:20:34And bearing in mind that the whole point of this was never to

0:20:34 > 0:20:36try and produce beef.

0:20:36 > 0:20:38No, it's a by-product of the dairy industry.

0:20:42 > 0:20:45So just what is it that makes this beef taste so special?

0:20:45 > 0:20:48The farm's on-site butcher, Jason Morgan, is going to tell me.

0:20:48 > 0:20:53The colour, it's just absolutely beautiful.

0:20:53 > 0:20:56Vibrant red and interestingly, the fat is quite creamy, isn't it?

0:20:56 > 0:20:59- Quite yellow.- Yeah, yeah, very creamy, nice and yellow colour.

0:20:59 > 0:21:02And the marbling on there. I guess, from your perspective,

0:21:02 > 0:21:04that's what giving it the flavour, yeah?

0:21:04 > 0:21:08Yeah, yeah, it's sweeter, just got a stronger flavour.

0:21:08 > 0:21:10And it's all happening on site as well,

0:21:10 > 0:21:12so you're very aware of what these cows are eating,

0:21:12 > 0:21:15- the environment that they're coming from.- Yeah. The animal welfare,

0:21:15 > 0:21:17which is a big factor.

0:21:17 > 0:21:21Organic, grass-fed, it all makes a massive difference.

0:21:21 > 0:21:24Well, I've seen how the beef is reared, I've seen it cut up,

0:21:24 > 0:21:26but obviously the only way to really sample it is to taste this,

0:21:26 > 0:21:30and I think Judith is here with some beautifully cut burger.

0:21:30 > 0:21:33Oh, it's lovely. That is beautiful.

0:21:33 > 0:21:37And it's a very deep flavour but it's really light at the same time.

0:21:37 > 0:21:41- Give us a bit, then.- Here you are, try a little bit, yeah.

0:21:41 > 0:21:43- Happy?- Beautiful. - Mm, good day's work.

0:21:43 > 0:21:47'And the quality doesn't end here because later I'll get to

0:21:47 > 0:21:51'sample the prize-winning yoghurts and I'm told I'm in for a surprise.'

0:21:58 > 0:22:01Now, it's time for our winter warmer.

0:22:01 > 0:22:06Late last summer, we asked some well-known faces, from DJs to

0:22:06 > 0:22:10- comedians...- It's a seal. False alarm, everyone, it was a seal.

0:22:10 > 0:22:12..chefs to singers...

0:22:12 > 0:22:16# My old man said follow the van. #

0:22:16 > 0:22:20..which part of our magnificent countryside was special to them.

0:22:24 > 0:22:28This week, comedian and former teacher Romesh Ranganathan

0:22:28 > 0:22:32shares his discovery of the joys of an active country life.

0:22:40 > 0:22:41To be honest, I had very minimal

0:22:41 > 0:22:43experience of the countryside growing up.

0:22:43 > 0:22:46It wasn't something that my family were particularly interested in.

0:22:46 > 0:22:48I mean, I grew up in Crawley.

0:22:50 > 0:22:53The first time I came to Devon was about ten years ago.

0:22:53 > 0:22:57I just thought it was sort of really picturesque and beautiful in

0:22:57 > 0:23:00a way that I hadn't sort of seen before.

0:23:00 > 0:23:02You're sort of stood up here,

0:23:02 > 0:23:05you're looking around, you're seeing sort of outstanding

0:23:05 > 0:23:07natural beauty and you're thinking,

0:23:07 > 0:23:11"This is really peaceful and lovely...

0:23:11 > 0:23:15"except for the fact that I'm here with a massive group of teenagers."

0:23:18 > 0:23:20I was a maths teacher at Hazelwick School,

0:23:20 > 0:23:23but I also ended up becoming the head of sixth form

0:23:23 > 0:23:26and part of the programme of events for the sixth formers was,

0:23:26 > 0:23:28at the end of the their first year of A-level,

0:23:28 > 0:23:31getting involved in activities they wouldn't normally get involved in.

0:23:31 > 0:23:37Anything from mountain biking to rock climbing

0:23:37 > 0:23:38to walking across the Moors.

0:23:42 > 0:23:46We're at Dartmoor National Park.

0:23:46 > 0:23:49This is where we used to bring the sixth formers.

0:23:49 > 0:23:54And we'd do, like, a big circuit, basically, we'd come here,

0:23:54 > 0:24:01look out, the kids would have been moaning almost incessantly

0:24:01 > 0:24:04the whole way up here and then what was really nice here is,

0:24:04 > 0:24:07you'd sit here and you'd look out and you'd say to the kids,

0:24:07 > 0:24:10"Look at that, it's amazing, isn't it? Isn't it beautiful?

0:24:10 > 0:24:13"You don't see that very often," and then they'd say,

0:24:13 > 0:24:16"Do you mean to tell me that we're only halfway through the walk?"

0:24:16 > 0:24:19So I had to pretend that this was the sort of thing I was

0:24:19 > 0:24:22into doing on the school trip because I don't want them to

0:24:22 > 0:24:24think that I'm being cynical as well. So I was like,

0:24:24 > 0:24:25"Yeah, come on!"

0:24:25 > 0:24:27But I didn't know if I was going to like it or not.

0:24:27 > 0:24:30When, actually, I'm thinking, "Oh, this is actually really nice,"

0:24:30 > 0:24:33but I can't go through that journey in front of them because then

0:24:33 > 0:24:35they think, "I thought you said this is something you do all the time."

0:24:35 > 0:24:38So I just had to pretend. I was like, "Yeah."

0:24:38 > 0:24:42So it is quite nice to actually be able to come back and just

0:24:42 > 0:24:44take it all in again.

0:24:50 > 0:24:54I want to have a go at kayaking...

0:24:54 > 0:24:56without a bunch of students laughing and pointing.

0:24:56 > 0:24:59I don't think that's too much to ask.

0:24:59 > 0:25:01So I'm going to Ansteys Cove

0:25:01 > 0:25:04to meet Ash Hone, who is an outdoor adventure specialist.

0:25:05 > 0:25:08- Hey, Romesh, how are you, mate? - Hi, man, how are you doing?

0:25:08 > 0:25:10- You all right?- Good to see you. - Nice to meet you.

0:25:10 > 0:25:12I mean, I'm getting memories now because this is exactly

0:25:12 > 0:25:15the spot where I used to come with the sixth formers.

0:25:15 > 0:25:17OK. Fond memories?

0:25:17 > 0:25:21Erm... Yeah, I mean, the kids were quite harsh because of my...

0:25:21 > 0:25:23coordination issues.

0:25:23 > 0:25:28You know, a member of staff making a mistake is hilarious to a student.

0:25:28 > 0:25:31The problem I faced was, I didn't realise how difficult

0:25:31 > 0:25:36I'd find it to get into the kayak. I stumbled and I fell into the water.

0:25:36 > 0:25:38And then it became very difficult for the children to focus on

0:25:38 > 0:25:41the experience because Rangas had fallen into the sea.

0:25:43 > 0:25:44How easy is it to fall in?

0:25:44 > 0:25:49If you stay in the central line of the boat and just sit still,

0:25:49 > 0:25:50you'll be fine.

0:25:50 > 0:25:55- Legs in. Make sure you get right back in that seat.- OK, I'm in.- OK.

0:25:55 > 0:25:58- Let me just come this side. - Yes, I'm in, mate!

0:26:02 > 0:26:05I think I'm doing good. You know, I got in the boat.

0:26:05 > 0:26:11- Really excited about that.- I think you've got a lot of potential.

0:26:11 > 0:26:14- Thanks, mate.- It's untapped. - Untapped potential.- Yup.

0:26:16 > 0:26:19But I still am contending with my lack of ability, though.

0:26:22 > 0:26:25Last time I came here, I didn't actually look at this,

0:26:25 > 0:26:27cos I was so busy being in charge of a trip.

0:26:27 > 0:26:31But, you know, this is amazing, right? What are we looking at here?

0:26:31 > 0:26:33This is a big chunk of Devonian limestone.

0:26:33 > 0:26:36From the period of history, prehistory,

0:26:36 > 0:26:39called the Devonian period. So it's 350 million years old.

0:26:39 > 0:26:42It was once a warm coral reef somewhere down near the equator.

0:26:42 > 0:26:47- That was?- Yeah, yeah.- So Devon's got a period named after it?- Yeah, yeah.

0:26:47 > 0:26:49Is there a Cornwallian?

0:26:49 > 0:26:52No, there isn't, that's one thing we've got over the...

0:26:52 > 0:26:55- Yeah, you should rub that in their faces.- Yeah, we should do.

0:26:55 > 0:26:57Whoa! What's this through here?

0:26:57 > 0:27:01The sea created this little natural gully.

0:27:01 > 0:27:05- How far can we go in here, then? - Let's have a practice, shall we?- OK.

0:27:05 > 0:27:07Seems like a good way to find out.

0:27:08 > 0:27:10Whoa, man.

0:27:13 > 0:27:15- That's it.- Yes, mate!

0:27:15 > 0:27:17- Yeah?- Yeah!

0:27:17 > 0:27:22- Nice. And join me as we paddle out.- OK.

0:27:22 > 0:27:28- What would you give that out of ten? - Eight.- Eight?- Yeah.- Really?

0:27:28 > 0:27:30- Oh, God.- Take your paddle with you. - Take it with me?

0:27:34 > 0:27:37- OK, well done, mate. - Sorry, yeah, thank you.- Well done.

0:27:37 > 0:27:39- Thanks very much. - Congratulations, made it.

0:27:39 > 0:27:42- Yeah, I feel good.- Now on to the next part of our journey.

0:27:42 > 0:27:44What is that? Just have a beer or something?

0:27:44 > 0:27:45ASH SIGHS

0:27:46 > 0:27:50One of the sort of more extreme activities that we got

0:27:50 > 0:27:52involved in on the trip was coasteering.

0:27:53 > 0:27:55Go.

0:27:56 > 0:28:00You have to sort of jump into the water and then come up

0:28:00 > 0:28:03through this sort of gap in the rocks.

0:28:03 > 0:28:07And all the kids made it through and then I jumped into the water,

0:28:07 > 0:28:11went through the gap and I became stuck.

0:28:11 > 0:28:14So make your way up here and we're going to do a deep-water entry.

0:28:14 > 0:28:17All right? Let's give it a go.

0:28:17 > 0:28:20You're sort of negotiating tricky terrain.

0:28:20 > 0:28:22You're making your way through.

0:28:22 > 0:28:24Three, two, one, go.

0:28:27 > 0:28:31OK, thumbs up, Rom. Nice one, mate.

0:28:31 > 0:28:34You sort of feel like a bit of an action hero, really.

0:28:34 > 0:28:37It's about exploring, really.

0:28:37 > 0:28:41We're going to head into an old sea cave that's had the roof blown off.

0:28:42 > 0:28:45Now what I'm hoping is, without the pressure of being a teacher on

0:28:45 > 0:28:48a school trip, I'm going to do this, I'm going to step up to

0:28:48 > 0:28:51the challenge and I'm really going to show what I can do.

0:28:56 > 0:29:00So we're going to step across the top of these boulders here, OK?

0:29:00 > 0:29:01I'm going to go first.

0:29:04 > 0:29:05Take your time, mate.

0:29:08 > 0:29:09And a big step over.

0:29:13 > 0:29:15All right, well done, buddy. Cool.

0:29:15 > 0:29:17Oh, now, this is coasteering, mate.

0:29:21 > 0:29:22Oh, come on. Like...

0:29:25 > 0:29:26Oh, my God, dude.

0:29:28 > 0:29:31When we did this with the kids, they did a jump but nowhere near

0:29:31 > 0:29:34as high as this, and I lied and said that I couldn't do it because

0:29:34 > 0:29:36of insurance and that I was one of the supervisors.

0:29:36 > 0:29:40- Right, OK. You'll be absolutely fine.- OK.

0:29:40 > 0:29:42- Let's do it.- OK, fine.- All right?

0:29:46 > 0:29:49- Put your hand on my shoulder. - OK. It looks like...

0:29:49 > 0:29:51Am I not going to hit that rock there?

0:29:51 > 0:29:53No, you're going to be super fine.

0:29:56 > 0:29:58- Is it normal to be scared?- Yup.- OK.

0:29:59 > 0:30:02Three, two, one, go.

0:30:14 > 0:30:18- Yes, mate!- Nice one, mate. - Yes, mate!

0:30:18 > 0:30:20I actually really... I did properly get into it.

0:30:20 > 0:30:23You know, doing the jumps and everything like that,

0:30:23 > 0:30:25I properly enjoyed it, it was really nice.

0:30:26 > 0:30:30You know, as much as I sort of complain about the kids and

0:30:30 > 0:30:33stuff, I look back on my last time here with fondness,

0:30:33 > 0:30:37it was enjoyable to run the trip, it was enjoyable to see those

0:30:37 > 0:30:40students going through that and it was actually enjoyable as

0:30:40 > 0:30:43well, for me, doing those things for the first time myself.

0:30:43 > 0:30:46So I do have really warm memories from my time here.

0:30:52 > 0:30:55MATT: Earlier, Tom was given a sneak preview inside an

0:30:55 > 0:30:58ordinary-looking house with special powers.

0:30:59 > 0:31:01It can defend itself against a flood.

0:31:04 > 0:31:09TOM: A flooded house normally means a ruined house. Not this one.

0:31:09 > 0:31:10It's built to take a torrent.

0:31:15 > 0:31:17And even if the water does get in,

0:31:17 > 0:31:21it's not a disaster because it can drain away easily.

0:31:21 > 0:31:28It's the difference between a minor inconvenience and a serious trauma.

0:31:28 > 0:31:32But take-up around the country of these so-called

0:31:32 > 0:31:34flood-resistance and resilience measures is slow.

0:31:34 > 0:31:38Most flood victims claim on the insurance and put their house

0:31:38 > 0:31:40back exactly how it was before.

0:31:40 > 0:31:41But should that change?

0:31:43 > 0:31:46'Angus Stevens is a loss adjuster who works on the front line

0:31:46 > 0:31:50'in rural areas, like here on the Somerset Levels.'

0:31:50 > 0:31:53Given that we are on the Levels, maybe it would be good to get

0:31:53 > 0:31:55some height to look down on what's happening at the moment.

0:31:55 > 0:31:58- It could be even gustier up there. - I think it will be.

0:31:58 > 0:32:03In his 20-year career, he's seen the effect of floods, fire and storms.

0:32:03 > 0:32:07His job is to evaluate the damage to a property on behalf of

0:32:07 > 0:32:08insurance companies.

0:32:09 > 0:32:12After a flood, wouldn't it make sense for the insurers to

0:32:12 > 0:32:15incentivise the property to be rebuilt in a flood-resilient

0:32:15 > 0:32:18and resistant way rather than just putting it back to how it was?

0:32:18 > 0:32:20That's what the Government would like to see and insurers

0:32:20 > 0:32:22would like to see because that would assist in speeding people

0:32:22 > 0:32:24getting back into their house.

0:32:24 > 0:32:27I think the challenge that you will get and that we tend to see

0:32:27 > 0:32:31out in the field is that people's houses are their homes and

0:32:31 > 0:32:34they do not necessarily want to see plastic architraves,

0:32:34 > 0:32:37cables hanging down the walls from sockets.

0:32:37 > 0:32:38It's what people want to live in,

0:32:38 > 0:32:41it's their daily environment and it's very easy for other people to

0:32:41 > 0:32:44look at that and think, "Well, that's what we'd like to do,"

0:32:44 > 0:32:47but until you're actually in that position, it's hard to face that.

0:32:47 > 0:32:49If people won't do it for themselves,

0:32:49 > 0:32:52then should insurers make sure the repair work is flood proof?

0:32:52 > 0:32:57The main principle behind insurance is to ensure that you put

0:32:57 > 0:32:59the policyholder back into the same position they were in

0:32:59 > 0:33:01prior to the claim.

0:33:01 > 0:33:03The policy isn't there to pay for improvements,

0:33:03 > 0:33:06general maintenance or undamaged areas.

0:33:06 > 0:33:09Of course, we're all paying now because, under the recent scheme,

0:33:09 > 0:33:12all householders help to subsidise the insurers of those at flood risk.

0:33:12 > 0:33:15Certainly, and I think different parts of the country are

0:33:15 > 0:33:18always going to be affected by different sorts of perils,

0:33:18 > 0:33:21whether it's sort of storm surges on the East Coast,

0:33:21 > 0:33:25whether it's gales and storms in Scotland and the North West,

0:33:25 > 0:33:27so I think to say, "Well, because you live in

0:33:27 > 0:33:30"a flood prevalent area and therefore, you know, you're not

0:33:30 > 0:33:33"going to have insurance or you're going to have a higher premium,"

0:33:33 > 0:33:34is unfair.

0:33:34 > 0:33:38Flood resilience is such a new idea, your insurance policy doesn't really

0:33:38 > 0:33:42recognise it yet, so you won't get a discount on your premium.

0:33:42 > 0:33:45It needs to prove what it can do first.

0:33:45 > 0:33:48And that's something our demonstration house in Hertfordshire

0:33:48 > 0:33:50could help with.

0:33:50 > 0:33:53It's an unusual job for the local fire service - they've

0:33:53 > 0:33:56agreed to help us flood a terraced house.

0:33:56 > 0:33:58I've invited Bryony Saddler along,

0:33:58 > 0:34:02who understands more than most the misery caused by flooding.

0:34:02 > 0:34:06Her home on the Somerset Levels was destroyed in 2014,

0:34:06 > 0:34:08so asking her to deliberately let water into

0:34:08 > 0:34:13a perfectly good home goes against her every instinct.

0:34:13 > 0:34:15Doesn't sound good, does it?

0:34:15 > 0:34:17Spent all this time trying to keep the water out.

0:34:17 > 0:34:20Well, there's a wall of water behind that door and I'm going

0:34:20 > 0:34:22to get you to open it any minute.

0:34:22 > 0:34:25'The door is holding up pretty well.

0:34:25 > 0:34:29'That's a lot of weight bearing down on it.'

0:34:29 > 0:34:31Go on. Whoa!

0:34:34 > 0:34:36It's really scary having to let water in,

0:34:36 > 0:34:40it's just completely not what you're meant to do - is it? - in a home.

0:34:40 > 0:34:41Absolutely not.

0:34:41 > 0:34:44Really interesting to see how it all kind of spreads out and goes

0:34:44 > 0:34:47down the right channels that it's meant to do.

0:34:47 > 0:34:50- What do you think about these kind of measures?- They're great.

0:34:50 > 0:34:53For the right houses that have flash flooding, those kind of floods.

0:34:53 > 0:34:56But it's a really great example to see what actually can be done

0:34:56 > 0:34:58to prevent this in the future.

0:34:58 > 0:35:02Because normally this would be a disaster, whereas here it's

0:35:02 > 0:35:03an inconvenience, isn't it?

0:35:03 > 0:35:05Yeah, clean it and a couple of days,

0:35:05 > 0:35:08not the nine months that we were out.

0:35:08 > 0:35:11And this house can still take a lot more water yet.

0:35:11 > 0:35:14Let's see if we can get the firefighters

0:35:14 > 0:35:15to squirt a bit more in.

0:35:15 > 0:35:18Oh, fancy seeing you here! Bring a bit more in.

0:35:25 > 0:35:28Most of us love our homes the way they are and are reluctant to

0:35:28 > 0:35:33change them, but surely if you live in an area of high flood risk,

0:35:33 > 0:35:35these alterations are a win-win.

0:35:35 > 0:35:39More peace of mind for you and hopefully lower insurance bills

0:35:39 > 0:35:41for all of us.

0:35:50 > 0:35:52'Farming is big business.

0:35:52 > 0:35:56'Across the UK last year, we farmed a staggering 10 million cattle.

0:35:56 > 0:35:59'That's a lot of beasts to look after.

0:35:59 > 0:36:02'Farmers couldn't do their jobs without the vets who work to

0:36:02 > 0:36:04'keep their animals healthy.

0:36:04 > 0:36:07'Sadly, though, things don't always go to plan,

0:36:07 > 0:36:12'and there are some scenes in Adam's film that you might find upsetting.'

0:36:12 > 0:36:15I have a huge amount of respect for our farm vets.

0:36:15 > 0:36:19It takes at least five years to train and qualify and then

0:36:19 > 0:36:22they can be on call all day and night and have to turn out in some

0:36:22 > 0:36:26horrible weather conditions, often to some very stressful situations.

0:36:29 > 0:36:32I'm following vets from a large veterinary practice in

0:36:32 > 0:36:34Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

0:36:34 > 0:36:3715 out of the 39 vets work on farms,

0:36:37 > 0:36:41supporting farmers with animal welfare day in, day out.

0:36:48 > 0:36:51And I'm heading to a farm where two vets are busy trimming the feet

0:36:51 > 0:36:56of cattle, a routine procedure which means getting their hands dirty.

0:36:56 > 0:37:02Something vets Beatrice Yates and Sarah Metcalfe know only too well.

0:37:02 > 0:37:05So, is this an important part of looking after dairy cows?

0:37:05 > 0:37:07Yeah, really important.

0:37:07 > 0:37:09So obviously, lame cows is a welfare issue,

0:37:09 > 0:37:11so just for the welfare of the animals, you want them to be sound.

0:37:11 > 0:37:13And what are you looking for in the foot, then,

0:37:13 > 0:37:15that might cause the lameness?

0:37:15 > 0:37:19So, you can tell, this foot is quite overgrown and also these

0:37:19 > 0:37:22heels have obviously got sort of overgrown tissue on them,

0:37:22 > 0:37:27which can harbour bacteria and dirt, which then can set up infection.

0:37:27 > 0:37:29So what's Sarah doing there, then, Bea?

0:37:29 > 0:37:34So, she's modelling out the outside claw and then she'll do

0:37:34 > 0:37:37the same on the inside claw, so you can see a before and after here.

0:37:37 > 0:37:42And this is one of the points where cows are very likely to go lame.

0:37:42 > 0:37:45They have a lot of pressure coming down through that point and it's

0:37:45 > 0:37:49a very common place for bruising and it can lead to an ulcer in

0:37:49 > 0:37:52the sensitive part of the foot, which is really, really painful.

0:37:52 > 0:37:54And then what she'll do is she'll clear up all the bits that are

0:37:54 > 0:37:57dirty and have got bits of mud and things stuck in them and then

0:37:57 > 0:38:00we'll look for, like, tracks of infection or abscesses or

0:38:00 > 0:38:03anything like that, which are the common things that we would find.

0:38:03 > 0:38:06We both do a lot of foot trimming now within the practice and

0:38:06 > 0:38:08really enjoy it. Satisfying work.

0:38:08 > 0:38:11Yeah, it's really rewarding if you get them right,

0:38:11 > 0:38:13when they've been lame.

0:38:13 > 0:38:16Another happy patient that's ready to return to the herd.

0:38:16 > 0:38:21She looks like she's walking better already.

0:38:21 > 0:38:23Before I get to see the next cow treated,

0:38:23 > 0:38:27an emergency is called in, a calving, which is far from routine.

0:38:27 > 0:38:29It's a short drive to the farm.

0:38:31 > 0:38:35Hi, gents. All looks pretty intense.

0:38:35 > 0:38:39Yes. We just had a breached calving, so the calf is coming backwards.

0:38:39 > 0:38:42Vet Will Somerville from the Malmesbury practice is already hard

0:38:42 > 0:38:43at work.

0:38:43 > 0:38:46Calves should be born two front feet and nose first, diving out forwards.

0:38:46 > 0:38:49That's the most streamlined position for a calf to be born,

0:38:49 > 0:38:50but this one is backwards.

0:38:50 > 0:38:54So the vet could feel its tail and its back legs were tucked under

0:38:54 > 0:38:56itself and he's managed to get his hands in front of those and

0:38:56 > 0:39:00pull the back legs, so now it's lying in a position that it can

0:39:00 > 0:39:04come out backwards and then they put on what's called a calving jack.

0:39:04 > 0:39:07It's this mechanism that just slowly eases the calf out.

0:39:07 > 0:39:11It looks a little bit brutal but, actually, it's a very good way

0:39:11 > 0:39:15of pulling the calf out so that it doesn't get stuck at any time.

0:39:18 > 0:39:19The calf won't budge.

0:39:19 > 0:39:23There could be complications, so Will has to think on his feet.

0:39:24 > 0:39:26So what's the plan, then, Will?

0:39:26 > 0:39:28We're going to have to do

0:39:28 > 0:39:30a Caesarean because if we carry on pulling...

0:39:30 > 0:39:32The cervix is not opening as we are

0:39:32 > 0:39:35doing it and we're going to tear her.

0:39:35 > 0:39:38And can you give her some drugs to dilate the cervix?

0:39:38 > 0:39:42You can put some tablets in there but I have never found them

0:39:42 > 0:39:45to work that well, so actually it is generally, if the cervix isn't

0:39:45 > 0:39:48opening, we're going to have to do a Caesarean.

0:39:48 > 0:39:52Caesareans aren't common practice across the industry.

0:39:52 > 0:39:55Most calves are delivered without complication.

0:39:55 > 0:39:56I've only ever seen one before.

0:39:59 > 0:40:02Obviously a vet on call needs to be totally prepared,

0:40:02 > 0:40:05so Will here has got all this gear in the back of his car.

0:40:05 > 0:40:08He came out for what could have been a reasonably simple calving,

0:40:08 > 0:40:11it's now turned into a Caesarean, so it's a major operation,

0:40:11 > 0:40:15so he's got all the kit with him, this is now a surgery procedure

0:40:15 > 0:40:18and this is where his expertise really comes into play.

0:40:18 > 0:40:23A farmer wouldn't be able to do a Caesarean on a cow.

0:40:23 > 0:40:27Will injects the cow with some pain relief and antibiotics.

0:40:27 > 0:40:32Incredibly, the procedure will be done while the cow is standing up.

0:40:32 > 0:40:35So the calf will come out of the side of the cow here and

0:40:35 > 0:40:37the room in the gut is on one side,

0:40:37 > 0:40:40the womb is on the left-hand side here,

0:40:40 > 0:40:44so the vet will shave the hair and then make an incision through

0:40:44 > 0:40:47the skin and then into the womb and then pull the calf out.

0:40:47 > 0:40:49I make it sound easy.

0:40:50 > 0:40:54Next, the site of the incision needs to be prepared.

0:40:54 > 0:40:58Will starts by washing her with antiseptic and then gives

0:40:58 > 0:41:01the area a shave for a clean surface.

0:41:02 > 0:41:06He then injects her with a local anaesthetic.

0:41:06 > 0:41:09I've got the shakes but I'll say it's because I'm cold.

0:41:09 > 0:41:10Do you feel the pressure?

0:41:10 > 0:41:15- I am now as someone's got a camera on me, yes.- She's being very good.

0:41:15 > 0:41:17She's being very good.

0:41:17 > 0:41:21Tricky things about this one will be that the calf isn't coming

0:41:21 > 0:41:23in the normal direction forwards,

0:41:23 > 0:41:27so it might be that we have to cut the uterus inside the cow as I

0:41:27 > 0:41:31haven't got the back legs to help me lever the uterus out of the abdomen.

0:41:31 > 0:41:32Yeah.

0:41:34 > 0:41:39It may be a cold winter's day but Will's stripping off to put on

0:41:39 > 0:41:42a surgical gown as he also needs to be as sterile as possible.

0:41:44 > 0:41:49The vet is now cutting with a scalpel through the skin of the cow.

0:41:50 > 0:41:51And through the muscle.

0:41:54 > 0:41:57She's obviously still having contractions,

0:41:57 > 0:42:00so heaving her belly out, which is making it more difficult.

0:42:00 > 0:42:02You have to be very careful as well

0:42:02 > 0:42:06because you've got three muscle layers.

0:42:06 > 0:42:08And then the rumen is very close to where we're going here,

0:42:08 > 0:42:12so if you go too far, the surface of the rumen can sometimes seem like

0:42:12 > 0:42:16an extra muscle layer and if you cut into the rumen that is bad news.

0:42:16 > 0:42:18- GAS RELEASES - That ingress of gas is good.

0:42:18 > 0:42:22That means we're into the peritoneum, into the abdomen.

0:42:22 > 0:42:26The peritoneum is the gap between the muscle wall and the womb.

0:42:26 > 0:42:29SQUELCHING So that's the air coming out now.

0:42:36 > 0:42:37Oh, good girl.

0:42:42 > 0:42:44So it's coming upside down.

0:42:44 > 0:42:46They've got to try and get the head out at the same time but

0:42:46 > 0:42:49the head keeps flopping back and then getting stuck, so Will's just

0:42:49 > 0:42:54grabbing the head to put it up and then, with a bit of assistance...

0:42:58 > 0:43:00It's a huge effort.

0:43:00 > 0:43:02SQUELCHING

0:43:02 > 0:43:04That's it.

0:43:06 > 0:43:10Any signs of life? Nothing there.

0:43:10 > 0:43:11- Any sign of life?- No, dead cow.

0:43:14 > 0:43:16So the calf, unfortunately,

0:43:16 > 0:43:19it is dead and you can see why it couldn't come out.

0:43:19 > 0:43:21It's got a massive great backend.

0:43:21 > 0:43:23It was sitting with his legs under itself and managed to get

0:43:23 > 0:43:26the legs back, they just wouldn't come, which is why

0:43:26 > 0:43:30he had to go for a Caesarean but unfortunately we've lost the calf.

0:43:30 > 0:43:33The important thing now is to save the cow and get this cow

0:43:33 > 0:43:36stitched up and safe and comfortable.

0:43:42 > 0:43:44It's quite important at this stage that we want to try and get

0:43:44 > 0:43:47an airtight seal in the muscle layers because when we opened

0:43:47 > 0:43:51her up and there was that ingress of gas into the peritoneum,

0:43:51 > 0:43:53there is still a lot of gas in there

0:43:53 > 0:43:56and that needs to be absorbed and what we don't want

0:43:56 > 0:43:59is it to start coming through the muscle layers and

0:43:59 > 0:44:01coming under the skin because then we can get

0:44:01 > 0:44:03a lot of emphysema under the skin in this area,

0:44:03 > 0:44:07which can predispose them to a bit of infection there.

0:44:07 > 0:44:10- Do you enjoy this?- Yeah. No, it's...

0:44:10 > 0:44:13It's a shame when it's a dead calf but I do find that emergency

0:44:13 > 0:44:17work like this is very rewarding.

0:44:17 > 0:44:20You do feel at the end of it that you've done something...

0:44:20 > 0:44:22- Yeah, you can make a difference. - Yeah.

0:44:22 > 0:44:24Is your adrenaline slowing down a bit now?

0:44:24 > 0:44:28Yeah, a little bit, the shaking is now less due to

0:44:28 > 0:44:32the adrenaline and more due to the cold, I have to say.

0:44:32 > 0:44:33The cow will now be kept in

0:44:33 > 0:44:36isolation where she will be constantly monitored

0:44:36 > 0:44:39and hopefully make a full recovery.

0:44:44 > 0:44:48In modern-day agriculture, the health and welfare of our

0:44:48 > 0:44:52animals is absolutely essential and, as farmers, we rely on vets

0:44:52 > 0:44:57for advice and consultancy but it's also very reassuring to know

0:44:57 > 0:45:01that they're there day or night in the event of a crisis.

0:45:23 > 0:45:27Many a childhood memory harks back to long days playing outdoors.

0:45:28 > 0:45:30Adventures at every turn.

0:45:33 > 0:45:36Running through woodland and scrambling up trees without

0:45:36 > 0:45:38a care in the world.

0:45:40 > 0:45:44And just maybe you were lucky enough to have a treehouse.

0:45:47 > 0:45:52The treehouses I remember were pretty basic affairs.

0:45:52 > 0:45:54Tucked away out of sight in the woods,

0:45:54 > 0:45:56a place with a rope swing and somewhere to make

0:45:56 > 0:46:01a mean mud pie but this model is anything but child's play.

0:46:01 > 0:46:06There's cosy heating, a fully fitted kitchen,

0:46:06 > 0:46:10electricity at the flick of a switch. 'And not forgetting...'

0:46:10 > 0:46:12It's 20 feet off the ground!

0:46:14 > 0:46:19It's a novelty, for sure, but could you really live here?

0:46:19 > 0:46:21Simon Parfitt thinks so.

0:46:21 > 0:46:24He's a man on a mission to get us living in trees.

0:46:24 > 0:46:27- Hi, Ellie.- How you doing? You all right? Good to meet you.

0:46:27 > 0:46:30'Simon is an architect who specialises in eco builds.'

0:46:30 > 0:46:33What's the appeal of treehouses for adults?

0:46:33 > 0:46:38Oh, my goodness. It's the sense of wonderment, the sense of adventure,

0:46:38 > 0:46:39being a little boy again. I mean,

0:46:39 > 0:46:42I was lucky enough to grow up in the Peak District,

0:46:42 > 0:46:43- I'm a real country boy...- Uh-huh.

0:46:43 > 0:46:47Basically I spent my entire time building dens, building treehouses.

0:46:47 > 0:46:50It's an incredible spot here, lots and lots of trees around and this

0:46:50 > 0:46:53is sort of the main tree with the house. Does it damage the tree?

0:46:53 > 0:46:55No, no, I mean, it's really important to us,

0:46:55 > 0:46:57this is what it's all about.

0:46:57 > 0:47:02A lot of thought and design goes into making sure these trees

0:47:02 > 0:47:03are not damaged in any way.

0:47:03 > 0:47:06The principal thing for us is we don't attach to the tree,

0:47:06 > 0:47:08we stilt the building around the tree.

0:47:08 > 0:47:10I've had a little look round your treehouse already

0:47:10 > 0:47:13but I feel like I could do with a guided tour and you can

0:47:13 > 0:47:15convince me of treehouses for adults.

0:47:15 > 0:47:17Come on, then, let's go on to look.

0:47:20 > 0:47:22Simon's big on recycling.

0:47:26 > 0:47:32He uses reclaimed materials to create these bespoke features.

0:47:32 > 0:47:35Even, for example, the doors and windows in here are bought

0:47:35 > 0:47:38second-hand off the internet from a house that was going to be

0:47:38 > 0:47:39crushed up and I was like,

0:47:39 > 0:47:41"Well, they're great windows, let's put them in something."

0:47:41 > 0:47:44The ultimate in recycling, that, isn't it?

0:47:44 > 0:47:47'Even so, these treehouses aren't cheap.

0:47:47 > 0:47:51'Prices start at a cool 150 grand and you've got to provide the land.'

0:47:51 > 0:47:54This place is absolutely incredible but isn't it just

0:47:54 > 0:47:57a plaything for rich people?

0:47:57 > 0:47:59Well, it is a plaything, that's the whole point.

0:47:59 > 0:48:05To bring people here, to get them experiencing, living closer to

0:48:05 > 0:48:08nature, high up in the canopy where you get a different experience.

0:48:08 > 0:48:12And to get them engaged with this kind of small space,

0:48:12 > 0:48:16how you can live differently, how you can use materials differently.

0:48:16 > 0:48:20It takes around four months to build one of these treehouses for

0:48:20 > 0:48:21grown-ups.

0:48:21 > 0:48:24I'm heading to Simon's workshop in the little town of Bruton

0:48:24 > 0:48:26where the adventure begins.

0:48:32 > 0:48:34Whilst it's hands-on in the yard,

0:48:34 > 0:48:41inside Simon uses the very latest hi-tech software to finish the job.

0:48:41 > 0:48:43This is a good way to show you because I've got

0:48:43 > 0:48:45a physical model of it on the computer.

0:48:45 > 0:48:48So we're standing in the main compartment, we have the main

0:48:48 > 0:48:50way up, through tri-folding doors,

0:48:50 > 0:48:53we've just come off the deck behind us.

0:48:53 > 0:48:56Behind the kitchen is a little bathroom and the stairs climbing up

0:48:56 > 0:49:00to a separate, again, piece of the treehouse which goes up and

0:49:00 > 0:49:03under a branch, which has got a bedroom and a bath in it.

0:49:06 > 0:49:09What's your ambition for the treehouses in the future?

0:49:09 > 0:49:13Do you hope that more people will be living in treehouses?

0:49:13 > 0:49:16I think it's nice to give people the chance to experience this

0:49:16 > 0:49:17kind of space.

0:49:17 > 0:49:20It's not just simply about living in a treehouse,

0:49:20 > 0:49:22it's about living in a small space, using space differently,

0:49:22 > 0:49:27utilising natural materials. That's where my realistic ambition is.

0:49:27 > 0:49:30And do you ever reflect on the fact that you were a child making dens,

0:49:30 > 0:49:32making treehouses,

0:49:32 > 0:49:35and here you are all these years on making professional treehouses?

0:49:35 > 0:49:37Yeah, yeah, no, I mean, it does make a lot of sense.

0:49:37 > 0:49:39It's like the university of life.

0:49:39 > 0:49:43- Perhaps could have dispensed with a few years at...- Actual university.

0:49:43 > 0:49:44Prepared you well.

0:49:51 > 0:49:56If you think about it, we all have a connection to the trees.

0:49:56 > 0:49:59It goes way back to our ancestors.

0:49:59 > 0:50:01Maybe Simon is unlocking our

0:50:01 > 0:50:04deep-rooted connection to the canopy.

0:50:04 > 0:50:07And maybe the children were onto something all along.

0:50:27 > 0:50:30I'm in Somerset, visiting Perridge Farm near Pilton.

0:50:30 > 0:50:33They do things a bit differently here.

0:50:35 > 0:50:38For farmers Judith and Clive Freane,

0:50:38 > 0:50:42home is where the herd is and their herd of 100 Guernsey cattle

0:50:42 > 0:50:47have been winning praise and prizes for the past 16 years.

0:50:47 > 0:50:50Well, we've already heard how their Guernsey beef has been a surprise

0:50:50 > 0:50:55hit but it's their yoghurt that has really put this place on the map.

0:50:55 > 0:51:02And they tell me that I will never have tasted anything quite like it.

0:51:02 > 0:51:04What started out on the kitchen range has become a full-blown

0:51:04 > 0:51:07hi-tech operation but the yoghurt is still made to

0:51:07 > 0:51:10exactly the same recipe.

0:51:10 > 0:51:13When did yoghurt become such a big part of the business?

0:51:13 > 0:51:17Is this something that your mum and dad did back in the day?

0:51:17 > 0:51:21- No.- No? OK.- No.- So whose idea was it?- It was my idea.

0:51:21 > 0:51:26The milk price collapsed, there was an awful lot of farmers who

0:51:26 > 0:51:29decided to convert to organic and there was a surplus of organic

0:51:29 > 0:51:34milk, so as a small herd of only 100 cows, I knew that we had to

0:51:34 > 0:51:38do something with the milk to make it a profitable enterprise again.

0:51:38 > 0:51:41I thought, "I'll try yoghurt."

0:51:41 > 0:51:46We started doing 48 litres a week and we are now doing 4,000.

0:51:46 > 0:51:47Wow.

0:51:49 > 0:51:53To produce all this yoghurt takes a lot of milk and work starts

0:51:53 > 0:51:56early, 365 days a year.

0:52:02 > 0:52:05The Guernseys produce a total of 700 litres every day and there's

0:52:05 > 0:52:07no hanging about.

0:52:09 > 0:52:12Every morning, the still-warm milk is pumped straight from

0:52:12 > 0:52:17the parlour to the production line through a series of polythene pipes.

0:52:20 > 0:52:23First, the raw milk is pasteurised.

0:52:23 > 0:52:24Once in these big vats,

0:52:24 > 0:52:29it's then heat treated to kill off any potentially harmful bacteria.

0:52:29 > 0:52:31When the milk is cool enough,

0:52:31 > 0:52:34good bacteria is added and fermentation begins.

0:52:34 > 0:52:36It's this process that turns the milk into yoghurt.

0:52:38 > 0:52:40'So far, so familiar.'

0:52:41 > 0:52:43The consistency is beautiful.

0:52:43 > 0:52:46How many pots of yoghurt are you making a week now?

0:52:46 > 0:52:48About 15,000 units a week.

0:52:49 > 0:52:51At who's in charge of the different flavours, then?

0:52:51 > 0:52:54- Whose ideas are those?- I'm afraid they're mine.

0:52:54 > 0:52:56They're yours, are they?

0:52:56 > 0:52:59Wonderful. And where do you get your inspiration from?

0:52:59 > 0:53:03I just have to think up new things that we can use and then see if

0:53:03 > 0:53:05there's actually a viable product.

0:53:09 > 0:53:12And here's where it gets a bit unconventional.

0:53:12 > 0:53:14For, alongside regulars like butterscotch,

0:53:14 > 0:53:16strawberry and vanilla,

0:53:16 > 0:53:18Judith's been experimenting with

0:53:18 > 0:53:21some - shall we say "unusual"? - flavours.

0:53:21 > 0:53:23OK, we're going to play a game.

0:53:23 > 0:53:27Ellie and I have agreed to be guinea pigs for a taste test like no other.

0:53:27 > 0:53:29Blindfolded.

0:53:29 > 0:53:34- OK.- Thank you.- One, two, three. - Down the hatch.

0:53:36 > 0:53:38- Parsnip.- Beetroot.

0:53:38 > 0:53:41- Beetroot! Of course it is, beetroot! - Is it beetroot?- Beetroot.

0:53:41 > 0:53:44- Well done, that's one to you.- Well done.- I'm a big fan of beetroot.

0:53:44 > 0:53:46- I knew it was a root vegetable. - That's lovely.

0:53:46 > 0:53:50- OK, random number two. - Down the hatch.- OK, one, two, three.

0:53:54 > 0:53:56- Root ginger.- OK.

0:53:56 > 0:53:58I thought I could get carrot but I'm going to go with parsnip.

0:53:58 > 0:54:02- Carrot and turmeric. - Oh!- Oh, you're good, you're good!

0:54:02 > 0:54:06- OK, the really, truly random one.- Great.

0:54:08 > 0:54:09Oh, wow.

0:54:11 > 0:54:13Sunflower seed.

0:54:13 > 0:54:16I thought it had a tang to it, almost like a lemon and garlicky.

0:54:16 > 0:54:22- Nut, is it nutty? It's nut, isn't it?- Grows in the sea.- Seaweed?- Yeah.

0:54:22 > 0:54:24- Yeah.- Yeah, no, I'm getting that.

0:54:24 > 0:54:26Seaweed flavour! Good for your health.

0:54:26 > 0:54:28Oh, my word, that is a great game.

0:54:28 > 0:54:33- You've got to supply a blindfold with every jar.- I'll try, I'll try.

0:54:33 > 0:54:34That's all we've got time for this week.

0:54:34 > 0:54:36Next week we're going to be on the Isle of Man,

0:54:36 > 0:54:40- where I'll be trying out the oldest horse-drawn tram.- Wow.

0:54:40 > 0:54:43And I'll be exploring a part of the island's enchanting history,

0:54:43 > 0:54:46- so we'll see you there.- Right, what are you going to go in for?

0:54:46 > 0:54:47Beetroot for me.

0:54:47 > 0:54:49Yeah, I need to nail this seaweed and work out why I didn't

0:54:49 > 0:54:52quite grasp it. There we go.