0:00:24 > 0:00:28With chalky uplands and lush pastures,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Wiltshire has a rich farming heritage.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Though the horses here aren't all kept in stables.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43It's a county brimming with history, where sacred stones
0:00:43 > 0:00:47and mystical mounds share the landscape with the military.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53And here, on the edge of Salisbury Plain,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57I've been looking at a real success story in conservation.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00How the world's heaviest flying bird,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03until recently extinct around here,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07has been brought back to its native Wiltshire.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08It's the great bustard.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Left.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11Sit!
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Anita's with some more familiar feathered friends,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and she gets all her ducks in a row.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Yes!
0:01:19 > 0:01:21You're a natural!
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Charlotte's looking at why our farms
0:01:24 > 0:01:27are still such dangerous places to work.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31If I do that, that will give you an idea how much was lost.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35And Adam's meeting the farmer shaking up the dairy industry,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37with sheep's milk.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40All you have there is sheep's milk and culture.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Wow! That is delicious. I could eat that until the sheep come home!
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Summer in Wiltshire,
0:01:55 > 0:02:01where vast open skies meet the wide horizons of rolling downlands.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06It's home to some of Britain's most recognisable ancient monuments.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17And here, on the fringes of Salisbury Plain, one
0:02:17 > 0:02:21of Wiltshire's least seen historic sights is making a comeback.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26A project to reintroduce one of Britain's most curious
0:02:26 > 0:02:32creatures, a bird hunted to extinction 185 years ago.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Salisbury Plain, with all its military manoeuvres,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38might seem like an unlikely place
0:02:38 > 0:02:41to reintroduce a vulnerable species,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45but this wide open grassland is where Britain's
0:02:45 > 0:02:48biggest bird, the great bustard, once thrived.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Now, it's back again,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53and I'm here to find out how the project is coming along.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01Countryfile has been following its progress since 2004.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04And eight years ago, I had a rather close encounter with a chap
0:03:04 > 0:03:07who showed me a thing or two about defensive manoeuvres.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12So, who's this, Karen?
0:03:12 > 0:03:15This is a male great bustard and his name is Fergus.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19BIRD SQUAWKS Oh! He's just taken a peck at me!
0:03:19 > 0:03:22VOICEOVER: Well, I'm hoping that this time, I won't ruffle any feathers.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27It's a real passion project for David Waters,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30who set up the great bustard conservation group.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33For the past 20 years, he's worked tirelessly
0:03:33 > 0:03:35to bring this bird out of the history books
0:03:35 > 0:03:37and into the landscape.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- Dave, good to see you again. - John, how do?
0:03:39 > 0:03:42- Fine. Is Fergus still around? - Fergus is still around.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Very much his old self as well.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- Yes.- I'll stay well clear of him then!- I should, yes, yeah.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- So, how have things been going since I was last here?- Good.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53We've had many years of hard work,
0:03:53 > 0:03:58but the last two or three years, it has quite literally taken off.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01But if you want to jump in, we'll go up and see some bustards.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Right, you are.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12This magnificent bird was once a common sight in rural England,
0:04:12 > 0:04:17easily identified by its enormous wingspan, distinctive plumage,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20and much like David, its fine whiskers.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25But its huge size made it an easy target for hunters.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31The last great bustards vanished from our skies in 1832.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Now, the ones that are back are protected inside the military zone.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Just remind me, Dave, of what you're trying to do here.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50What we're after is a self-sustaining
0:04:50 > 0:04:53population of great bustards.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57The population will actually grow under its own steam.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Now, when I was here in 2009, I think you had 15.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04- Well, very pleased that we're now somewhere 50 or above.- Wow!
0:05:04 > 0:05:09Plus we've got 28 chicks to release later this year.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13And somewhere out here on Salisbury Plain,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16there will be wild-bred chicks.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20So, what got you interested in these birds in the first place?
0:05:20 > 0:05:22I've always had a love of nature.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24I think from whenever I learnt to walk,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27I probably had binoculars around my neck.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30But there's also something, I didn't want to be just a birdwatcher.
0:05:30 > 0:05:36I wanted to be doing something positive and they're so big,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39they're so handsome, and I still get as big a thrill out of seeing
0:05:39 > 0:05:42great bustards as I did when I first saw one.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44They are fantastic birds. They really are.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50VOICEOVER: Any wild birds out there today must be hidden well away
0:05:50 > 0:05:56with their young, but scientist Ruth Manville has plenty of chicks to show me.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58KNOCKS ON DOOR Are you there, Ruth?
0:05:58 > 0:06:01She's been raising chicks from eggs collected under licence
0:06:01 > 0:06:03in Spain, where the native population
0:06:03 > 0:06:06of great bustards is on the increase.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11But to get close to the chicks, I've got to get into character.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- You have to wear a dehumanisation suit.- What on earth is that?
0:06:15 > 0:06:19- Well, it disguises the human form. - Right.
0:06:19 > 0:06:25- So you're supposed to look a bit like a bustard, is it?- Well... Ish.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Ish!
0:06:28 > 0:06:32- And we're not the only ones who look silly.- Absolutely not.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Look at this lot! We've got a drove of great bustards!
0:06:40 > 0:06:44This outfit looks bizarre, but it helps the chicks hang on
0:06:44 > 0:06:46to their wild behaviour.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49And do you think they know that we're coming to feed them?
0:06:49 > 0:06:50Probably, yes.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53- Is that why they're making the noise.- Yes. They can hear the noise.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- In here?- Yep, in there.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Wow! Goodness me!
0:06:58 > 0:07:00- In you go.- OK.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02What handsome looking birds.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06These ones are five weeks old today.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10- They'll be about 12 weeks when they actually go out.- Right.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13VOICEOVER: Before they're released in a few weeks' time,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17the baby bustards are taken out for a daily walk.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- They're very big, aren't they?- They are.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21- For five weeks.- They are, they are.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Why do you actually need to take them for walks, Ruth?
0:07:25 > 0:07:31Well, it's trying to adapt them to A, this environment,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and B, to teach them to actually forage for wild food,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38so for the invertebrates and crickets
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and butterflies that they will actually eat in the wild.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Right. Come on, children. Come on!
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Never done this before!
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- Pied Piper to some baby bustards. - Absolutely.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Come on!
0:07:52 > 0:07:56So they will actually look around and if they see any insects,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58- they will have a peck at the insects.- Have a bit of a stretch.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Have a bit of a stretch, yep.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Wow!
0:08:02 > 0:08:06And hopefully, this is just the beginning for this species
0:08:06 > 0:08:09that's been brought back from extinction in the UK.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16And with success here, we'd like to see it in Norfolk and probably
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Cambridgeshire and Suffolk and even up as far as Yorkshire.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Everywhere else where they used to be.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Everywhere the great bustards once used to roam the landscape.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Now, we've talked about safety on farms quite a few times
0:08:37 > 0:08:38here on Countryfile.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42But the numbers of those who are injured, even killed,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44are still far too high.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Well, Charlotte has been meeting people who know all too well
0:08:47 > 0:08:50that just one mistake can change everything.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Farming's a funny old business.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59The workplace can be wonderful, the hardware could hardly be more
0:08:59 > 0:09:03hi-tech, but it's still desperately low on new recruits.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Looking for a dream career?
0:09:09 > 0:09:11How about farming?
0:09:11 > 0:09:14You get to work outside, with animals,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17in some of the most beautiful parts of our countryside.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23But there's a catch. Farming is one of the most dangerous jobs
0:09:23 > 0:09:25in Britain.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Farm safety is the blight of the industry.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31I've been covering this issue since the '90s.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34I have to admit, it feels like we're stuck in a loop.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Everyone agrees that safety standards on farms
0:09:37 > 0:09:40need to improve and yet, very little changes.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43That's why, sadly, the latest figures on farm deaths
0:09:43 > 0:09:47from the Health And Safety Executive come as no surprise.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53These figures show that last year another 27 agricultural
0:09:53 > 0:09:56workers died as a result of an accident at work.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59That's two deaths every month.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00Now, what's even more shocking is
0:10:00 > 0:10:03when you consider that people working in agriculture
0:10:03 > 0:10:08make up just 1% of the UK's national workforce
0:10:08 > 0:10:11and yet account for 20% of deaths at work.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16And it's not just the number of deaths that's a worry.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20At least 15,000 more people have been injured at work.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23It's a problem which has touched many people,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25including some you might not expect.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Al Murray is the stand-up comedian we know best as the Pub Landlord.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36- Good lad! - LAUGHTER
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Names are important.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42What something's called is the clue to what it's like, right?
0:10:42 > 0:10:45And if the name doesn't match the thing it's given to, yeah,
0:10:45 > 0:10:47chaos will abound.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50He's used to playing life for laughs,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53but farm safety's no joke and this story isn't part of his act.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Al, how come you know this farm?
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Well, we used to come here for summer holidays.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01My cousins own the farm
0:11:01 > 0:11:05and we would come here for four or five summers when I was a kid.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Let's go and have a look round.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14What are your memories of that particular day?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18My main memory is I went to the farmhouse to go to the loo
0:11:18 > 0:11:22and as I cycled back along the lane from the farmhouse,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24I heard someone crying for help.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27And looked over and there was this baler
0:11:27 > 0:11:31and I could see some welly boots sticking out from what looked
0:11:31 > 0:11:34like inside the baler, in the gap between the baler and the tractor.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36And on the end of the welly boots...?
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Was Chris here, who was the farm manager's son.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41He was 18, he was one of the big boys.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Because I was 11, and there he was, caught in this thing.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49VOICEOVER: Chris Brown had been operating the baler on his own
0:11:49 > 0:11:51when it jammed with hay.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54He left the engine running and jumped out to take a look.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58I ran round the side of the machine. I was wearing a pair of wellies.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03And I slipped on the straw and I got picked up by the pick-up reel,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07which then pulled me in to the machine.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10I ended up with my arm right up
0:12:10 > 0:12:13inside there, with my,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16if you like, my body out here.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21With the machine still running. And I think panic set in.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25I remember grabbing him by his boots and trying to pull him
0:12:25 > 0:12:26out of the machine.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I didn't realise quite how firmly lodged he was,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32or how much it had him in its grip, you know.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37And then he said to me that I should possibly turn the tractor off!
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Which he did, and then ran to get his dad,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45who called the emergency services.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Chris spent the next 18 months in and out of hospital,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52having skin, muscle and tendon grafts.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54That's the indentation of one roller
0:12:54 > 0:12:58and that's the indentation of the other roller in there.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01- It's that clear!- It took quite a bite out of you, didn't it, Chris?
0:13:01 > 0:13:02Yeah. Yeah.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08If I do that, it gives you an idea of how much was lost.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12Chris is now using his experience to educate other farmers
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and try and prevent what happened to him ever happening again.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18If there's nothing else that I can teach people,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22it's just to stop and think for one second.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26If you're tired, if you're under pressure, if you're in a rush,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30you could end up doing things that in a split second change everything.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33That's obviously what happened that day.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- Good job you were here. Good timing.- Yeah.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Well, that's the secret of all great comedy.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Who knows? Was that the beginning of the career?
0:13:43 > 0:13:47There are as many different types of farm accidents
0:13:47 > 0:13:50as there are farmers, but the cause is often the same -
0:13:50 > 0:13:52trying to do things in a rush.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Mark Mather was at the end of a long day at work
0:13:55 > 0:13:58when his life changed forever.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08I remember ploughing and watching these crows eating my barley
0:14:08 > 0:14:12and getting frustrated and - that's my crop, that's my living,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15that's my livelihood getting eaten.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19So I decided to go home and get the shotgun and see if I could
0:14:19 > 0:14:22shoot some of the crows to try and stop them eating the barley.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Mark was travelling on his quad bike with his gun on his lap
0:14:27 > 0:14:30when he hit a bump and lurched forward.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34As the quad overturned, the butt of the gun hit the ground...
0:14:34 > 0:14:35GUNSHOT
0:14:35 > 0:14:38..and fired both barrels directly into his right leg.
0:14:38 > 0:14:44When I came off the bike, I was lying on the track here,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46losing a lot of blood.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Two cartridges had taken out quite a lump of my right leg.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54I'd been lying there 5-10 minutes, it felt like a lifetime.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57But just lying there, couldn't do anything about it.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01You know, I had no phone battery, no way of contacting help.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06Luckily, Mark's dad found him by chance and called the ambulance.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Doctors managed to save his life but not his leg.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12After my accident, once they explained it all,
0:15:12 > 0:15:16what had happened, I didn't think I would be able to farm again.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19You almost feel your life's over, that's it.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Nine years on and Mark is back at work on the farm
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and his attitude to safety has changed.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31We are under huge pressure in the agricultural industry.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Financial pressure, time pressure, weather pressure.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36And I think every job we're doing,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38we need to stop and think about what we're doing.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Looking back, would I move again with a loaded shotgun? I wouldn't.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49What happened to Mark and to Chris was obviously tragic for them,
0:15:49 > 0:15:54but it also had an impact on their family and their businesses.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57So, what can be done to prevent farm accidents?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Well, that's what I'll be finding out later.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10- ANITA:- Now, we all know important bees are.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Up to half of our food relies on their hard work.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17And yet, bees are vanishing from our countryside at an alarming rate
0:16:17 > 0:16:20and so too are their keepers,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24with the typical British beekeeper being around 66 years old.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33So, as you can imagine, there's quite a buzz around Marlborough,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37as teenagers who are crazy about keeping bees
0:16:37 > 0:16:39have swarmed here from all over the world.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Venerable Marlborough College in Wiltshire has taught
0:16:46 > 0:16:48generations of youngsters.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53But for the first time ever in Britain, it's hosting a global
0:16:53 > 0:16:59competition for expert beekeepers and no-one is a day older than 16.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Teenagers from 19 countries have made, yes,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07a bee-line to Marlborough to compete and polish their skills
0:17:07 > 0:17:09in a lifetime of learning how to keep bees.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Hello, Team England.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17- ALL:- Hello! - How are you?- We're good, thank you.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20What's this? Team tactics being discussed?
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- Absolutely.- So, give me...
0:17:22 > 0:17:24VOICEOVER: Team manager Serena Watts is overseeing
0:17:24 > 0:17:30the team of 14-year-olds, Younis, Sarah and May, with Luke in reserve.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32This lot are the A team of bees.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34So, why take beekeeping up as a hobby?
0:17:34 > 0:17:37- Because they're so fascinating. - I love learning about them.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39I just love them as a creature.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42But Younis has a rather surprising confession.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- I hate honey. - You hate honey?!
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Serena, you're team captain. You're overseeing all of this.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Why do we have such a love for bees here?
0:17:51 > 0:17:53The best thing about bees is you open a hive
0:17:53 > 0:17:57and you can't have read a book about it in preparation totally.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59You have to look at the bees
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and then work out what you do as a result of what you see.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03For many of the foreign students,
0:18:03 > 0:18:08today will be their first encounter with the British honey gatherer.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Wearing a bee suit like we're wearing is very normal in England.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14And in the European countries, it isn't that way at all.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Is that because we have very aggressive bees?
0:18:16 > 0:18:19We have different temperament to our bees.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21I wouldn't say they were aggressive,
0:18:21 > 0:18:22they're just a different temperament.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24English bees are just nutters.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27The hardest bees in the world.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30THEY CHUCKLE
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Task one is to split an existing hive to create a second colony.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36It's the best way to boost bee numbers.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39So what will the judges be looking for?
0:18:39 > 0:18:44Confidence in picking up the frames, certainly, and inspection.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46How much discussion they're having
0:18:46 > 0:18:50cos it's a collaborative activity, it's about a team effort.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56- Maybe you should just check the middle frame.- Mm.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Because the queen is probably laying cos she's probably up here.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Yeah, look, there she is.
0:19:01 > 0:19:07May is taking quite a lead here and she's very aware that the
0:19:07 > 0:19:12queen tends to often be in the middle frames of the brood box.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15We haven't seen the queen yet.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17But we're just looking through the bottom box now.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19- And on this side.- OK.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23OK, now, you can lever it from this edge, yeah?
0:19:23 > 0:19:25It's a hive of activity!
0:19:30 > 0:19:32With the queen in the new hive,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34the lid goes on and the team's first task is done.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40So we've just taken all the young larvae, the young brood,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and we've put that into a new box
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and so we shook in loads of nurse bees,
0:19:45 > 0:19:49so they can draw out and produce a new queen cell and there'll
0:19:49 > 0:19:52be a new colony starting in that new nucleus that we've just taken away.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58The next task is the most nerve-racking of the whole event.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Grafting involves moving the tiny newborn larvae
0:20:02 > 0:20:04into a special chamber.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Once there, the adult bees feed it with nutrition-rich royal jelly,
0:20:07 > 0:20:12- which transforms the larvae into a queen.- So, can you see this here?
0:20:12 > 0:20:14This here's an egg, in here.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- It's like a tiny, miniature grain of rice standing up.- Mm-hmm.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19OK, yeah.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I'm saying I can see it but I can't see a thing.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25That's it. That's experience.
0:20:25 > 0:20:26Well done.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Amongst the dozen other tasks sprung on these youngsters is
0:20:32 > 0:20:35weaving traditional British straw hives, skeps...
0:20:36 > 0:20:40..and, really important for the future, identifying diseased hives.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46And you are looking for...
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Anything you see that looks wrong, you tell me.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53With our bee population in serious decline, this is one
0:20:53 > 0:20:56of the most crucial skills these young apiarists will need.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58- You've got eggs?- Yes.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02- This sounds really difficult. - It is really difficult
0:21:02 > 0:21:04and it's far deeper than just basic beekeeping
0:21:04 > 0:21:07but it's something that all beekeepers need to be aware of.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09These young people are remarkably passionate, aren't they?
0:21:09 > 0:21:12- They're incredible.- And very vocal about their knowledge
0:21:12 > 0:21:15and, yes, you see them handling the hives and the colonies
0:21:15 > 0:21:17and the frames and they're very capable.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19- Yeah, I have been inspired today. - Great.
0:21:21 > 0:21:22After the team's hard work,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25it's time to sample the fruits of the bees' labour.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- Shall we?- Yes.- Come on then, here we go. Come on, everyone dive in.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I'm going to try this one at the end.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Mm!
0:21:38 > 0:21:40It's delicious.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Excuse me a moment.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44I'm going to just work my way through all these honeys...
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- THEY LAUGH - ..and then run around
0:21:46 > 0:21:48cos I'll have a massive sugar rush.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Sorry, guys, as you were.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51I'm just going to carry on here.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57These talented youngsters are keen to learn, share knowledge
0:21:57 > 0:22:01and ensure bees and beekeeping have a healthy future worldwide.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06It's fair to say life amongst the hives can be truly sweet.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Later I'll be back in the grounds of Marlborough
0:22:10 > 0:22:12for a health check on one of Wiltshire's most important
0:22:12 > 0:22:13chalk streams.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I'm in the foothills of the Marlborough Downs.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Historically, this was a vegetable-growing area
0:22:24 > 0:22:28but now some fields are producing not food but flowers.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32These days it's become almost second nature to champion
0:22:32 > 0:22:34seasonal food and local produce,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38and now the same thing is happening to British-grown flowers.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47Our cut-flower industry started to bloom in the 1960s.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53A decade or so later there were 120 chrysanthemum growers alone,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56producing 60 million stems every year.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02But by 2013, that number had faded to just three,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05yet the demand for cut flowers continued to rise,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08spurred on by relatively cheap imports.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15But I'm meeting one of a growing number of flower farmers
0:23:15 > 0:23:17championing unusual British blooms.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Polly Nicholson specialises in traditional
0:23:23 > 0:23:27and heirloom varieties here on her small farm.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- Hello, Polly.- Hello, John. - What a wonderful place you've got.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Oh, thank you. - So what got you into flower growing?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Well, I was always passionate about flowers
0:23:38 > 0:23:43and then about 15 years ago I retrained as a horticulturalist.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46I was looking for something different. I wanted something
0:23:46 > 0:23:48I couldn't find in a flower market
0:23:48 > 0:23:49or in a local florist
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and something that just felt more traditionally British to me,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54something that took us back to our roots.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56And here's a bit of a showcase, isn't it,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- of the kind of things you are growing now.- Exactly.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00This is a small selection. So this, which is
0:24:00 > 0:24:02called a Phlox creme brulee,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05it's got a sort of vintage, soft feel to it.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08It has these beautiful mosaic-type flowers,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11which go from this dusty purple through to creams.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14- It's scented, it's delicate. - Lovely.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17And then this one, which is a little bit more out there, which is
0:24:17 > 0:24:18called Hot Lips.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22But as you can see, what we try and do is we grow a variety of things
0:24:22 > 0:24:23and this is just a tiny example.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Polly has a small team to keep this place blossoming
0:24:29 > 0:24:32and black bees on site help with pollination.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34They're doing a very good job.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40This walled garden was derelict until a few years ago.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Now it's brimming with scented blooms...
0:24:45 > 0:24:48..and a couple of interesting ones, who have caught my eye.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54- And what have we got here, what's this?- Well, this is asparagus fern.
0:24:54 > 0:24:55- It's...- Asparagus?!
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Yes, we grow about eight different types of heritage
0:24:57 > 0:25:00asparagus and we eat a little of it
0:25:00 > 0:25:03and then we let the spears turn into this.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05You can get fantastic arrangements out of it.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Fantastic sweet peas here.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Yes, these are three of our sweet peas.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14We grow about 40 different varieties but we've got
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Earl Grey, which is this one here with the mottled leaves,
0:25:18 > 0:25:19- and then we've got... - A pea, not a tea.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Exactly, a pea, not a tea.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26And do you have any really local varieties?
0:25:26 > 0:25:27We have Wiltshire ripple.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28It's similar to Earl Grey.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31In fact, it's a burgundy version of Earl Grey.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Polly and British growers like her only account for a small
0:25:35 > 0:25:37proportion of our flower market.
0:25:39 > 0:25:45We spend an incredible £2.2 billion every year on cut flowers in the UK,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49but 90% of those come from overseas,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52with subsidised Dutch imports dominating the market.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57But hopefully that will change as consumers are becoming more
0:25:57 > 0:26:00aware of the value of seasonal local produce.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07Every available space here is earning its keep,
0:26:07 > 0:26:11as Polly's flowers spill out into the fields beyond the walled garden.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15So this is the workshop, then.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18This is, this is the flower field and this is where it all happens.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Wow. It must be one of the prettiest fields in the whole of the country.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- Thank you.- How many different species of flower have you got here?
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Well, I think, I mean, many hundreds,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30but I think we must have going on about 500 different
0:26:30 > 0:26:32varieties of flower throughout the year.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36This is all organic, so what do you do about bugs?
0:26:36 > 0:26:37They must be the bane of your life.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Do you know, they're really not, and I think it's mostly cos we grow
0:26:40 > 0:26:43outdoors, so the weather actually keeps things pretty clean and fresh,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47but if we do have bugs, we spray with soft soap or we sacrifice that
0:26:47 > 0:26:51individual flower, stem or whatever, just to try and keep it down.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53So you're prepared to do that, to give up some of your crop?
0:26:53 > 0:26:54- Absolutely.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58And we do get insect spoilage and that's just part of it,
0:26:58 > 0:26:59it's the nature of it.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14- Well, it's all coming together beautifully, I think.- Thank you.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Interesting mixture of quite exotic flowers
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- and some pretty ordinary ones as well.- Yup, no, you're quite right.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21I mean, we've got something like this, which is a yarrow,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24or Achillea, which you'll see along the side of the road,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27but not in that really, really deep claret colour.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31And I'm putting in a Wiltshire ripple, the local flower.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34And is this your favourite moment, putting it all together like this?
0:27:34 > 0:27:37It's incredibly rewarding. Yeah, it is.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Don't share this part of the job with anybody.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- Because you like it too much? - Because I like it too much.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43I'm not going to give it away.
0:27:45 > 0:27:46There you go, John, a present.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48- What, for me?- For you.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Well, Polly, thank you very much indeed.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53How about that? My wife will love this.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58This whole place is like a floral tapestry,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Local, lovingly grown blooms that can maybe help
0:28:02 > 0:28:04the British flower industry blossom again.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Now, earlier we heard how agricultural jobs topped
0:28:14 > 0:28:17the tables as the most risky careers in the UK,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20so what can be done to protect workers?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Here's Charlotte again.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Farms are dangerous places to work.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Latest figures show that 27 people
0:28:32 > 0:28:36died in agricultural work accidents last year.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39That makes farming one of the most risky jobs in the UK.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Everyone agrees that reducing the number of accidents
0:28:43 > 0:28:46on farms should be a priority.
0:28:46 > 0:28:47But in a recent survey,
0:28:47 > 0:28:5350% of farmers admitted to taking a risk on their farm in the last year.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57So how do you change attitudes from safety last to safety first?
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Devon Young Farmers' Club think they have one solution.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06The tragic loss of one of their members earlier this year
0:29:06 > 0:29:08sent shock waves through the group.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Lauren Scott was killed in a work accident
0:29:11 > 0:29:14involving farm machinery in Dawlish in March.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17She was just 20 years old.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Matt Holmes was her friend.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25- What was she like?- She was very bubbly, very caring, very smiley.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27A great friend to everyone in the club.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Loved animals, loved the outdoors and, yeah, a very cherished friend
0:29:30 > 0:29:32and never forgotten.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36- So it must have had quite an impact. - Yeah, it hit everyone hard.
0:29:36 > 0:29:37It hit everyone really hard.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40In her memory, the club has launched a safety campaign.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43It's called Growing Safer Farmers.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46There's more machinery than ever in farming but this campaign
0:29:46 > 0:29:51focuses on just one part of it, the power takeoff, or PTO shaft.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54It links the tractor to anything it's towing.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56James Trout is one of the engineers involved.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01James, it doesn't look that scary, does it?
0:30:01 > 0:30:04No, the issue is, when this shaft is turning at working speed,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06which is at 1,000 revs a minute,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09that's the equivalent to 16 and a half turns a second,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12all of the sudden then it becomes a lot more lively
0:30:12 > 0:30:14and a lot more dangerous.
0:30:14 > 0:30:19Only takes a loose overall, a bit of hair, anything, to catch you.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21- That could be your leg, your arm, couldn't it?- Exactly.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23It is that simple, unfortunately.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28This is why we've set up the campaign.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31We want them to be guarded, we want them to be safe,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33we want the farms to be safe working places.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37The idea behind the scheme is that
0:30:37 > 0:30:40whenever a farm vehicle's brought in for repair or MOT,
0:30:40 > 0:30:45the engineer will check the PTO shaft as a matter of course.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47If it doesn't have a safety guard or the guard's broken,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50the owner will get a written advisory
0:30:50 > 0:30:51that they need to take action.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54So how many are you hoping to make safer?
0:30:54 > 0:30:59We're looking to take out 1,000 broken, damaged, missing PTO shafts
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- in the first year.- It's going to cost money, though, isn't it?
0:31:02 > 0:31:04A guard to fit this shaft, for argument's sake,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06is probably going to be about 70 quid.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Like, it's... It's...
0:31:08 > 0:31:11That or a leg or a life, it's not even worth contemplating.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15Devon Young Farmers' approach to tackling the risks around PTO
0:31:15 > 0:31:19shafts looks likely to be rolled out across the country.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22But PTOs aren't the only repeat offender
0:31:22 > 0:31:23when it comes to accidents on farms.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Quad bikes are the workhorses of the farming business.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33Almost every farm has one.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36John Bond trains people to ride them safely.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Hello. Hi. You made that look ever so easy.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43You are wearing a helmet and I've got to admit I see a lot
0:31:43 > 0:31:46of quad bikes on farms, I don't see a lot of people in helmets.
0:31:46 > 0:31:47No, you're absolutely right.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51At a rough guess, I would say 75-80% of farm staff don't wear
0:31:51 > 0:31:53a helmet, don't see a need for it.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55If they realise the dangers of it, maybe they would more.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57- So let's have a go at putting the helmet on.- OK.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59- Pop your glasses down. - Yeah.- I'll put him on,
0:31:59 > 0:32:00make sure he fits for you.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04- And he does up reasonably tight without stopping blood flow.- OK.- OK.
0:32:04 > 0:32:05Now, the rules around quad bikes
0:32:05 > 0:32:07and helmets are a little bit confusing
0:32:07 > 0:32:10because strictly speaking, it depends where you are
0:32:10 > 0:32:12and what you're doing on the quad.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Now, lots of people say that's a bit silly
0:32:14 > 0:32:17and what we should actually do is have one simple rule -
0:32:17 > 0:32:19you're on a quad bike, you're wearing a helmet.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Do let us know what you think.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23You can contact us via Twitter or e-mail.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Right, so, John, now what?
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Let's sit you on, get you comfy.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- OK, so just a reminder... - You might want to stand back.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34- So, we've got the brakes here.- Yeah. - Throttle there. Gear change here.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37If you squeeze the throttle gently, you'll go forward.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40- Do you want to mind your toes? - My toes are out of the way.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42Nice and gently. Nice and gently. SHE LAUGHS
0:32:44 > 0:32:46VOICEOVER: To safely turn a corner on a quad,
0:32:46 > 0:32:47you have to elegantly shift
0:32:47 > 0:32:51your body weight in the opposite way to the direction you're turning.
0:32:51 > 0:32:52Well done, that's good.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Back off on your throttle. That's it. Good. Good, good, good.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58I'm starting to get the hang of it and it is fun,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00but there's a challenge ahead...
0:33:01 > 0:33:02There we go.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04..riding up a hill.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07When you're going up the hill, you sit forwards,
0:33:07 > 0:33:10when you're coming back down the hill, you slide back.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14If you lean the wrong way, the quad can tip over and crush you.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16This is a common accident on farms.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20That's good, well done.
0:33:20 > 0:33:21I'll run, don't you worry.
0:33:21 > 0:33:22Go on, you're on!
0:33:24 > 0:33:27According to health and safety law, everyone riding quads for work
0:33:27 > 0:33:31must take a safety course like this and wear a helmet.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35But without that being enforced, how many farmers actually do?
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Sitting in the right place, getting your throttle right,
0:33:38 > 0:33:40wearing your helmet, they should really be second nature
0:33:40 > 0:33:41to anybody using these things.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Exactly the same way as it's second nature that they know
0:33:44 > 0:33:45whether their cow's calving or not.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49How far away from that change do you think we are in agriculture?
0:33:49 > 0:33:55Quite some way. Unless it becomes totally law, without any question.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04We're never going to be able to take all the risks
0:34:04 > 0:34:07out of a job like farming but we can make small changes, like the
0:34:07 > 0:34:11ones we've seen here in Devon, which really do make a difference.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Now, Farm Safety Week starts tomorrow,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15so that's a really good chance, isn't it,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18for everyone to think about what they do
0:34:18 > 0:34:22and perhaps do it differently and help save lives.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25As for me, well, I know just what I want for Christmas.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28There you go, you're going. What's wrong with that?
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Erm, nothing actually. No, that's fine. As long as I...
0:34:31 > 0:34:32I feel I'm in charge!
0:34:37 > 0:34:40They've been a mainstay of British agriculture for centuries.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43The wool trade transformed rural areas
0:34:43 > 0:34:46and what would a Sunday roast be without lamb?
0:34:46 > 0:34:49But there's one aspect of sheep farming that even innovative
0:34:49 > 0:34:52farmers like Adam have trouble embracing -
0:34:52 > 0:34:53sheep's milk.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Feta, Roquefort, Manchego,
0:35:00 > 0:35:04they're all continental cheeses made from the milk of sheep
0:35:04 > 0:35:06but it's an idea that's never really caught on here.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08But things are changing.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15Simon Stott has been at the forefront of efforts to put British
0:35:15 > 0:35:18sheep's milk produce on the kitchen table for more than a decade.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23And Matt met him when his new venture was still in its infancy.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25How much milk do they produce, then, Simon?
0:35:25 > 0:35:28We're averaging two and a half litres a day.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31We're putting at full peak time, 400 through
0:35:31 > 0:35:34in about two and a half hours.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Now it's my turn to visit Simon's farm in the glorious
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Forest of Bowland, Lancashire.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42I want to find out if Simon
0:35:42 > 0:35:45and his father, John, think their gamble on sheep's milk has paid off.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- Hello, gents. - Hiya, Adam, you all right?
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Hello, Adam, pleased to meet you.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54So, you're still milking sheep then?
0:35:54 > 0:35:57- Yes, we are. Yeah, we've got up to 600 in the flock now.- Goodness me.
0:35:57 > 0:35:58That's quite a jump.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03Yeah, we were 350 and got up to 600. It's going quite well.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05They do look in really good order. They're lovely, aren't they?
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- Mm. Yeah.- And these are mainly Frieslands, are they, John?
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Yeah, most of these now are Friesland and Lacaune cross.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13From France, aren't they, Simon?
0:36:13 > 0:36:15- Yeah.- And what made you choose the Lacaune, then?
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Well, I travelled over to France and over to Spain
0:36:18 > 0:36:19to have a look at the Lacaune
0:36:19 > 0:36:24and every year when we go to a dairy and ask for a milk price increase,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27they always say we need a better butter fat and protein.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29The Lacaune has a better protein and butter fat
0:36:29 > 0:36:33but the Friesland milks better, so the cross has given us
0:36:33 > 0:36:35a bit of both and it seems to be working well.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38And what did your neighbours think when you started milking sheep?
0:36:38 > 0:36:41Oh, quite a shock when we started, yes. It was. Big shock.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45- Yeah, we had a view laughs at the beginning.- Yeah.
0:36:45 > 0:36:46And now?
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Well, there's nine other farmers milking in our area
0:36:49 > 0:36:51so, you know, they must have agreed in something.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Yeah. And when are this lot ready to be milked?
0:36:53 > 0:36:55About 15 minutes.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57- Can I give you a hand to get them in?- Yeah, let's go.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05Simon's innovations go beyond just crossbreeding his sheep.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07He's set up a farmers' co-operative in the valley
0:37:07 > 0:37:11making sure there's a year-round supply of sheep's milk.
0:37:11 > 0:37:12And since we were last here,
0:37:12 > 0:37:14he's invested in a hi-tech milking parlour
0:37:14 > 0:37:16that's transforming his business.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23The key to it is the electronic identity tags the sheep carry.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28My word, look at this, Simon.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Really smart, isn't it? How new is it?
0:37:31 > 0:37:33- About two months old, that's all.- Is it?
0:37:33 > 0:37:36- Yeah.- Incredible. And so tell me the system, then.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40Well, how it works is you've got the EID reader at the end,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43which reads the electronic identification tag,
0:37:43 > 0:37:48and then as the sheep come down, it puts the ear tag number
0:37:48 > 0:37:52on the display and then, as you can see now, its yield.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56- They're measuring how much milk it's producing.- How much it's producing.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01So, cluster goes on pretty quick?
0:38:01 > 0:38:02Yeah, pretty quick.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06These are now milked out now, so we just press the arrow,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09it gives it a pause and then it takes the unit off
0:38:09 > 0:38:12and then it has an automatic suck-back
0:38:12 > 0:38:14so we don't get any spillage of milk.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17It's quite expensive, so we don't want it dripping.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Brilliant. Amazing.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23And worth the investment, do you think?
0:38:23 > 0:38:25Yeah. Yeah. I think so.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- I hope so.- You'll find out!- Yeah.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39The data generated by the new computerised parlour
0:38:39 > 0:38:42helps Simon identify which are his highest producing ewes.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48Knowing this, he can select them for his breeding programme,
0:38:48 > 0:38:50helping him to increase his yields even more.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56But increasing yields isn't just down to a numbers game or modern
0:38:56 > 0:39:00technology. Simon's made use of some old-fashioned farming know-how.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05Simon, cattle give birth all year round,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07so there's a milk supply all year round,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09whereas sheep are seasonal, aren't they -
0:39:09 > 0:39:10they give birth in the spring.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13So presumably there's a period when those sheep are pregnant
0:39:13 > 0:39:15and they're not producing milk,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17so you haven't got a supply for the supermarket shelves.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21Well, yes. Like 10 years ago, we did have a dry period from September to
0:39:21 > 0:39:26December, which is what you'd expect from a natural sheep.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29But what we've done is we've extended our lactation
0:39:29 > 0:39:33by lambing a batch in January and lambing a batch end of April/May,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36so we can get production right through to Christmas.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40We've also got another member in the sheep milk co-operative that
0:39:40 > 0:39:44lambs in February, December and July,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47and now, you know, we can produce right through.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49So that's why you've got these different size lambs.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Yeah, these are January, February born.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54And then obviously these are April/May born.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56And what do you do with all of the lambs?
0:39:56 > 0:39:59The best females are selected and turned outside.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02And then the males, they'll go to the butcher's market.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Right, so they go for the table.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07- Yeah, we rear them all.- So you've got a home for everything.- Yup.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13Ensuring a year-round supply has been a crucial
0:40:13 > 0:40:14step in allowing Simon
0:40:14 > 0:40:18and the other producers to think about new customers and products.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Sheep's milk was traditionally used to make hard cheese that had
0:40:25 > 0:40:29a longer shelf life, but now there's no dry period, in other words,
0:40:29 > 0:40:31milk's available all year round,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33all sorts of products have become commercially viable.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Simon's milk is now used for soft and hard cheeses,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44as well as being sold direct as sheep's milk.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47The smaller fat globules can make it easier to digest,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51so it's been a hit with people who struggle with cow's milk.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53And at the nearby Alston Dairy,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Ann Forshaws has been using it to make sheep's milk yoghurt.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Is it proving popular?
0:41:00 > 0:41:02Yes. Yes, it is.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06We've been packing now just over a year.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08It goes into our local food stores
0:41:08 > 0:41:10but it's also going over to the Middle East as well.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- To the Middle East?- Yes, it is. - Wow.- Unbelievable, isn't it?
0:41:13 > 0:41:14- Incredible.- Yes. Yes.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17And how come you got into producing it in the first place?
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Well, Simon Stott is really a member of the family, he's a relation,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24and he asked if I would make this sheep's yoghurt for him
0:41:24 > 0:41:26and I said yes, I would, and that's how it started.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28So what's next then, Ann?
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Well, the next thing is, well, we've got to taste it.
0:41:31 > 0:41:32So shall we go over to the house?
0:41:32 > 0:41:33Yeah, lovely.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40I have to admit I find goat's milk products always taste a bit,
0:41:40 > 0:41:42well, goaty.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46I wonder if sheep's milk yoghurt will be as easy to spot.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49We've got Greek style, our own natural yoghurt and,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51of course, the sheep's yoghurt.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53OK. Have I got to tell the difference?
0:41:53 > 0:41:54Yes, you have.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56OK. So...
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Mm.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04SHE CHUCKLES
0:42:04 > 0:42:05That's quite...
0:42:05 > 0:42:06I think that might be Greek.
0:42:09 > 0:42:10Oh.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16That is like normal yoghurt, cow yoghurt.
0:42:20 > 0:42:26Mm! Well, that tastes like cow's as well. Crikey. So...
0:42:27 > 0:42:30I think that's the Greek. Am I right?
0:42:30 > 0:42:31I don't know.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Because I've written it on the bottom of the pots,
0:42:34 > 0:42:36so I don't know. I don't know any more than what you know.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- Greek yoghurt. Got it right.- Well done.
0:42:41 > 0:42:42That's one. Now, these two...
0:42:43 > 0:42:45They're so difficult to tell the difference.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I think this is sheep's.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Have a look. I don't know.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- Yes, it is.- Well done.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- Amazing.- Yes.- But there's hardly anything in it at all, is there?
0:42:56 > 0:42:57No. No.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59So the reason I thought this was sheep,
0:42:59 > 0:43:00I thought it was not quite so thick.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03- No.- I don't know whether the consistency is any different.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Well, because there's nothing in there.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07All you have there is sheep's milk and culture.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Wow, that is delicious.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13- I could eat that till the sheep come home.- Good.
0:43:17 > 0:43:21Simon originally just supplied hard cheeses to the local market
0:43:21 > 0:43:24but now a variety of British sheep's milk products can be found
0:43:24 > 0:43:29across the UK and as far afield as North America and the Middle East.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36It's still a niche market, but with soft cheese,
0:43:36 > 0:43:41hard cheese, yoghurt and even the milk itself growing in popularity,
0:43:41 > 0:43:45Simon and his dad's punt on sheep's milk is certainly paying off.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59Summer is here and it's not just our landscape that's putting on a show.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04Countryfile Live is just around the corner,
0:44:04 > 0:44:08where we'll be celebrating rural life in all its glory.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13I love my job.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16Every week I'm in the great British countryside learning
0:44:16 > 0:44:19something new about the rural way of life.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21However, the great and the good in the Countryfile
0:44:21 > 0:44:25office think my learning curve isn't quite steep enough.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28They said I need to up my countryside credentials
0:44:28 > 0:44:30and improve my animal handling skills in time
0:44:30 > 0:44:32for Countryfile Live.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34And I said... What did I say, ladies?
0:44:34 > 0:44:36I said bring it on.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41So I've come to Norfolk to meet a man
0:44:41 > 0:44:44who knows a thing or two about animal training.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47Meet Stuart Barnes.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50He has an uncanny knack with rescue sheepdogs...
0:44:51 > 0:44:55..and Indian Runner ducks that are also rescue animals.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01Stuart's duck-herding display combines showmanship with education.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06- Pleased to meet you. How are you? - I'm really well.
0:45:06 > 0:45:07I wasn't expecting this.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09A Kiwi, sheepdogs and ducks.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11So why ducks?
0:45:11 > 0:45:13Well, ducks are brilliant because they're like sheep,
0:45:13 > 0:45:14they stick together really well,
0:45:14 > 0:45:17they move around perfectly for the dogs and then they go off
0:45:17 > 0:45:20and do a couple of shows a week with us to earn their keep.
0:45:20 > 0:45:21Perfect.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24Stuart has 10 collies of varying ages and experience.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29He's confident he can hone one woman and her dog,
0:45:29 > 0:45:32not forgetting her ducks, into a winning team
0:45:32 > 0:45:34in front of an expectant crowd.
0:45:34 > 0:45:35Good luck with that!
0:45:37 > 0:45:39Now, if we've got a dog opposite us with the ducks in between,
0:45:39 > 0:45:42if we walk left, cos it wants to stay at 12 o'clock,
0:45:42 > 0:45:45- it's going to naturally walk left. - Mm-hm.- Without any commands.- Mm-hm.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47You walk right, it's going to walk right.
0:45:47 > 0:45:48So you can put the commands on it.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51To get this dog to gel with you, it's got to start working for you.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53OK.
0:45:53 > 0:45:57For my first ever duck-herding session, I've picked Stripe,
0:45:57 > 0:46:00though deep down I know Stripe has chosen me.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02Right.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04Left.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06Sit. Sit.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Good dog.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13- Looking good!- Left! Right.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15Sit! Sit!
0:46:15 > 0:46:19I've never had a dog obey me before. It's a great feeling.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23Sit. Sit. Sit.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25Indian Runner ducks, though flightless,
0:46:25 > 0:46:29are among the fastest running of all our domestic breeds.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31And Stuart's are unflappable.
0:46:33 > 0:46:37The ducks are nice and calm, the dog is listening to me.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39- Was it good?- Perfect. Looking great.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42She's really gelled with you now, so that's ticked the box there.
0:46:42 > 0:46:46Waving a crook about is all very well, but now I've got to drive
0:46:46 > 0:46:48these ducks around an obstacle course.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52Think It's A Knockout.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55I'm thinking it's Mission: Impossible.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58- Follow me.- I will.- We've got a very exciting obstacle first.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00- It's called the tunnel of doom. - The tunnel of doom.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03Yeah, so we're going to try and get the ducks funnelled through
0:47:03 > 0:47:04- this tunnel of doom...- OK.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07..and popping out the other side with you and your dog.
0:47:07 > 0:47:10- OK, let's do it.- OK, shall I take the...?- The magic stick.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12- All right, here we go.- Off you go.
0:47:14 > 0:47:15Right.
0:47:19 > 0:47:20Right.
0:47:25 > 0:47:26Sit.
0:47:27 > 0:47:28Right.
0:47:32 > 0:47:33Sit. Sit.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41Where are you going, duckies?
0:47:41 > 0:47:43HE GRUNTS
0:47:43 > 0:47:45- In you get. - SHE LAUGHS
0:47:49 > 0:47:51- Yes!- You're a natural.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53My goodness! I didn't know it was going to be that easy.
0:47:53 > 0:47:54I think beginner's luck.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57I think the dog and the ducks know exactly what they're doing,
0:47:57 > 0:47:59I'm just here to hold the stick.
0:48:00 > 0:48:01Now to get serious.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04Well, as serious as you can get herding ducks.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08Everything hangs on this next obstacle.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10So this is what we're going to be doing at Countryfile Live.
0:48:10 > 0:48:12- Live in front of all the crowds. - Hello, ducks!
0:48:12 > 0:48:15Oh, we've got the ducks with us as well. This is one of the ducks'
0:48:15 > 0:48:17favourite obstacle cos they get to have a quick swim.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20And we've got to try and get them up in there and landing into that
0:48:20 > 0:48:21lovely pool of water.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24- All right, let's try this. - OK, bring it on.
0:48:24 > 0:48:28Right. Right. Sit, sit, sit, sit.
0:48:28 > 0:48:31Sit. Sit. Right. Right. St...
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Oh, missed it. Missed it. Sit.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35Sit. Sit, sit, sit.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37- Sit!- Sit!- Sit.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40Sit. Sit!
0:48:40 > 0:48:41Good work.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44Right. Right. Stop. Sit. Sit.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46Oh!
0:48:46 > 0:48:48Just keep missing it. Where are you going?
0:48:48 > 0:48:51Right. Sit.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53- SHE SIGHS - Missed it. Sit. Sit.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57Sit. OK, we're going to do this, me and you, Stripe. In the zone.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59The ducks in the pool.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04Right!
0:49:04 > 0:49:06Oh, he went left. OK. Sit. Sit.
0:49:09 > 0:49:11Well, we've got them through the tunnel again.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14Wrong obstacle, but we made it!
0:49:14 > 0:49:17CLOCK TICKS I'm going to quickly show you
0:49:17 > 0:49:19- how I would get them... - 30 minutes later
0:49:19 > 0:49:23and with almost that many attempts to get my ducks in a row,
0:49:23 > 0:49:25Stuart steps in for a pep talk.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28- So you can watch me what I'm doing. OK, go now.- Left.
0:49:29 > 0:49:31Left. Left. Left.
0:49:31 > 0:49:33- Sit.- Sit.- Sit.- Sit.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35SHE LAUGHS
0:49:39 > 0:49:41One escaped!
0:49:41 > 0:49:42Yes!
0:49:45 > 0:49:47- I... I mean, they went in. - HE CLAPS
0:49:47 > 0:49:49Perfect. Perfect.
0:49:49 > 0:49:50I don't know how it happened.
0:49:54 > 0:49:56Well, it's been a glorious day today
0:49:56 > 0:49:58but what will the weather be doing for the week ahead?
0:49:58 > 0:50:01More sunshine or nice weather for ducks?
0:50:01 > 0:50:03Here's the Countryfile five-day forecast.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09We're in Wiltshire, just a flint's throw from the Downs.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14I'm in the grounds of Marlborough College,
0:51:14 > 0:51:17which are bordered by one of Britain's finest chalk streams.
0:51:21 > 0:51:26Rising to the west and draining into the Thames 45 miles later,
0:51:26 > 0:51:30the River Kennet is a crystalline gem that inspired
0:51:30 > 0:51:31one of our best-loved poets.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38The smell of trodden leaves beside the Kennet
0:51:38 > 0:51:44When trout waved lazy in the clear chalk streams
0:51:44 > 0:51:47Glory was in me.
0:51:47 > 0:51:51But the 21st-century River Kennet is very fragile.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Overextraction of water
0:51:54 > 0:51:57and drought has seen it dry up completely in recent summers.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00But now help is at hand.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04For some reason, the pupils here at Marlborough College know this
0:52:04 > 0:52:08stretch of the Kennet as Treacle Bolly. I've no idea why
0:52:08 > 0:52:11but I'm running with it cos it sounds nice and a little bit tasty.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15And today Treacle Bolly is getting a makeover by some superfans.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17So I'd better get my waders on.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21- Too heavy, that's it. Well done. - Don Harris and Rodney Owen Jones
0:52:21 > 0:52:24are from Action for the River Kennet.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27They host weekly working parties to restore the river.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32These bundles of hazel create artificial banks
0:52:32 > 0:52:35that narrow the river and speed up water flow.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43And the idea is the river then, it'll hit the deflector
0:52:43 > 0:52:45and bounce on down.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48We can't make more water appear but we can make what water is
0:52:48 > 0:52:51here and the habitat that's here as good as it can be.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56The beauty of this artificial banking is it works in harmony
0:52:56 > 0:52:58with the river.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00- As you can see, the water gets through them.- Mm-hm.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03So that means the little bugs can get through, the little tiny
0:53:03 > 0:53:07fish, the water voles and things such as that can get through.
0:53:07 > 0:53:09And because of that we're not forming a wall,
0:53:09 > 0:53:12we're just forming a deflection.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Look, I've got my waders on, I'm ready to go, another volunteer.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18- Are we ready to save the River Kennet?- Yes.- Yes.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21Who's going to leap up on the top of that?
0:53:21 > 0:53:22I'll go.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24I'm on the wrong side.
0:53:24 > 0:53:25That end down there first.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30- Push this.- Slide it through. - That's it.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34- There we go.- That's it. - Give it a good...- That's fine.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37Someone else should have a go at this, this is quite good fun.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39That way and this, too.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41Break bits off and stick them in like that.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45As a final flourish, Rodney and Don use living willow stems,
0:53:45 > 0:53:48which take root in a matter of days,
0:53:48 > 0:53:52hold it all together and provide additional wildlife habitat.
0:53:57 > 0:54:02The Kennet is so loved by the locals it attracts helpers of all ages...
0:54:02 > 0:54:06including budding 14-year-old ecologist Dominic.
0:54:07 > 0:54:11Chalk streams are a very valuable and rare habitat in this country.
0:54:11 > 0:54:16I mean, there are about, I think, 200 chalk streams worldwide,
0:54:16 > 0:54:21so I think that to have a habitat like this is really important
0:54:21 > 0:54:23to preserve.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25And also, it's quite beautiful to walk through,
0:54:25 > 0:54:28- especially on a day like today, isn't it?- Yes.
0:54:28 > 0:54:33Downstream is another working party led by Anna Forbes. Hello, Anna.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36- Hello.- How are you doing?- I'm fine, thank you.- Lovely to see you.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38So what what's happening at this bit of the river?
0:54:38 > 0:54:42We're busy planting a native aquatic plant called stream water-crowfoot,
0:54:42 > 0:54:45- or ranunculus. - And that's this stuff, is it?
0:54:45 > 0:54:46- Yeah.- Can I see what it is?
0:54:46 > 0:54:48What's this? What does it do?
0:54:48 > 0:54:52So it's a really good plant and it's associated with chalk streams.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54It's a great home for all the little invertebrates
0:54:54 > 0:54:56and the little fish fry.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58And in times of low flow it's really good at holding
0:54:58 > 0:55:00the volume of water up.
0:55:00 > 0:55:02In the past when the river's dried up,
0:55:02 > 0:55:04the Kennet's water plants died back.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07But this lot aim to re-green the river.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11Right. Let's get planting.
0:55:11 > 0:55:12OK, so, with the fork this way round,
0:55:12 > 0:55:16you just need to start making a depression into
0:55:16 > 0:55:18the chalk stream riverbed.
0:55:18 > 0:55:19And then you can just put it in with your hand.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22And then with your fork you bring all the gravels and stones
0:55:22 > 0:55:24so that its roots are really covered.
0:55:26 > 0:55:28- As simple as that.- Yup.- Perfect.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30Right. Excellent.
0:55:30 > 0:55:32With this level of love and attention,
0:55:32 > 0:55:35it looks like the River Kennet's future is clear.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38- Anita.- Hiya, John. How you doing?
0:55:38 > 0:55:40Fine. A ranunculus planter, eh?
0:55:40 > 0:55:43- Yup. It sounds like a Harry Potter spell, doesn't it?- It does, yeah!
0:55:43 > 0:55:46Well, that's all we've got time for for this week, I'm afraid.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48- What are you up to next week? - Next week, Sean and I
0:55:48 > 0:55:50will be exploring the green hearts of our cities.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53Yes, there's more going on where you'd least expect it.
0:55:53 > 0:55:54Really? Wow.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56- Well, hope to see you then. Bye for now.- Bye.