0:00:02 > 0:00:05There's a bit of a bovine feel to this week's programme,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08as we feature both the dairy and beef versions
0:00:08 > 0:00:11that graze Scotland's lush summer pastures.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Hello, and a very warm welcome from Bute.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38In a moment, I'll be looking into the ongoing crisis
0:00:38 > 0:00:40in Scotland's dairy sector
0:00:40 > 0:00:43and meeting a farmer desperate to hold on to his herd.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47But first, here's what else is coming up on the programme.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51Nick visits the cattle thriving on a singular diet.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Beautiful day to be a cow out on grass.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I hope they appreciate it.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Sarah turns detective to investigate rural crime.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03You're asking farmers to perhaps change decades of practice.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07It's a funny looking thing, isn't it?
0:01:07 > 0:01:11And we taste Scotland's newest superfruit, the honeyberry.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12Quite tart, isn't it?
0:01:12 > 0:01:15It's a cross between a raspberry and a blueberry,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17but it's got that added zing as well.
0:01:22 > 0:01:23You know, I'm old enough, just,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26to remember the clink of milk bottles on the doorstep
0:01:26 > 0:01:27early in the morning,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and those not-so-nice warm cartons at school.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Nowadays, I have it every day - in my tea, I have butter on my toast,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and I like a glass of wine with a slice of cheese.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39But the dairy farmers that are supplying me
0:01:39 > 0:01:42and millions of others throughout the country are struggling,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44and some are even considering giving up.
0:01:49 > 0:01:54The beautiful island of Bute is only 15 miles long and four miles wide,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and it's easy to feel cut off from global events.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01But it's what's happening round the world
0:02:01 > 0:02:04that's affected dairy farmers here and across Scotland.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Russia has banned imports from Europe,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10China has decreased the amount of milk it's buying in,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14and EU producers are creating more milk after quotas were lifted.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18That's led to the world having too much milk.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Supply is greater than demand,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24so the price that farmers receive has fallen dramatically.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31- Is this the first time you've brought cows in?- No.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34- No?- Does it look like it?!- No!
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Alec Nairn is one of the Bute farmers
0:02:36 > 0:02:38who's seen his income slashed.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42He receives 14.6p for every litre of milk he sells,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46but it costs him 23p per litre to produce.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50His costs are lower than the UK average of around 28p
0:02:50 > 0:02:54because he's laid off staff, only takes a tiny wage,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and he's had to restructure his loans.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00What level of loss are you experiencing every month?
0:03:00 > 0:03:05Well, we produce roughly 100,000 litres a month,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07so 1p is £1,000.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Right.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14So if we are 5p, 6p, 7p a litre below the cost of production,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16that's thousands per month.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20You're sort of in excess of £7,000, £8,000 a month you're losing?
0:03:20 > 0:03:22- Yeah.- Goodness me.- Yeah.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- How sustainable is that? - It's not sustainable.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29That's why we're where we are. It is not sustainable.
0:03:29 > 0:03:30It can't be done.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Most producers sell their milk to processors,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39like Arla, First Milk, Muller and Graham's,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42who bottle it or turn it into cheese or butter.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47The farmers on Bute are paid less than most for their milk
0:03:47 > 0:03:50because the cost of moving it to processing plants on the mainland
0:03:50 > 0:03:51is factored in.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56So, do you fear for the future of milk production here on Bute?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Terribly. Terribly. It's...
0:03:59 > 0:04:01How long can you go?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03And people think you're mad -
0:04:03 > 0:04:06"You must be mad, you're never losing that much money".
0:04:06 > 0:04:10But as a farmer, you put your heart and soul into the job.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12And you're not going to give it up without a fight.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But for some, the fight is already over.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23We reckon maybe 150, 200 years
0:04:23 > 0:04:26they've had dairy cows in Drumachloy.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Duncan Lyon still has 50 cows.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32But last year, he had 220.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Soon, he'll be giving up dairy farming for good.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42It was probably the hardest decision ever to make.
0:04:42 > 0:04:48But you've got to be realistic in business and not be...
0:04:48 > 0:04:50What's the word I'm thinking of?
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Thinking about sentimentality.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Do away with sentimentality and think of your business,
0:04:56 > 0:04:57and that's what I've had to do.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02- Yeah. Tough, though. - Awful. Absolutely awful.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Making the decision was just...
0:05:05 > 0:05:06unbelievable.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10- Actually having to un-employ my employees was worse.- Yeah.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14It's pretty tough, isn't it? It's clearly in your blood...
0:05:14 > 0:05:18It's in my blood, and that's what I've lived for, is work.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22That was my drive in life, was working.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26The farm has been my hobby, my business and my life.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28It's very difficult to give it up.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Duncan and all the other farmers on Bute
0:05:34 > 0:05:37sell their milk to the processor First Milk,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40who dictate the price they receive.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44'Jim Baird from Lanarkshire is one of the directors of First Milk.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49'He believes the low prices are out of the processor's hands.'
0:05:50 > 0:05:54So, Jim, what kind of pressures are processors facing just now?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56I think...
0:05:56 > 0:05:59It's just a global market nowadays for dairy milk.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01All of us are hanging on
0:06:01 > 0:06:04on an auction based in New Zealand which happens every two weeks,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06which basically determines the tone
0:06:06 > 0:06:08for the whole dairy market right round the world.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Unfortunately, the last two years, that market has collapsed
0:06:12 > 0:06:15and for the last year, at least, it's been right on the floor.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Is there a danger that First Milk might pull out of Bute, then?
0:06:18 > 0:06:21We will pay what we get from the market,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and minus haulage or whatever else it takes to get it to the market.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26It's up to the guys to decide how that works for them.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28But, no, we won't be pulling out of Bute.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31If some dairy farmers are going to go out of business
0:06:31 > 0:06:32and maybe have to change,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36I would imagine a lot of these have been in families for generations,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38and that's going to be a tough thing to do.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Yeah, I mean, farming is a way of life. They always say that.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44But we need to be careful with this "way of life" thing,
0:06:44 > 0:06:47because at the end of the day, it's got to be a business,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50and if we don't treat it as a business,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53there's a danger that we do it, you know,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55because we don't know anything else,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57and it can become self-imposed slavery.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Jim's advice to those who are having difficulty is,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06don't bury your head in the sand.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Instead, speak to advisers and your bank.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12For many in the dairy industry,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15this is the worst crisis they've ever seen,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17and no-one knows when it's going to end.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Some are moving into producing cheese and yoghurt
0:07:20 > 0:07:22to bring in extra cash.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25But that's a competitive market and it takes time to set up.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27So in the meantime,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30our dairy farmers face some very difficult decisions.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Hang on in there, change the way they run their business,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35or get out.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Scotland's dairy cattle thrive on rich pastures.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45But it might be a surprise to many people
0:07:45 > 0:07:50that the vast majority of beef cattle are not fed on grass alone.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Much of their diet is made up of grain and other supplements.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Now a movement called Pasture For Life
0:07:56 > 0:07:59is promoting the old ways of rearing cattle.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Nick's been to Perthshire to find out the benefits for farmers,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05the livestock and the consumer.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10This is Hugh Grierson Organics in Perthshire.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14It's a 350-hectare mixed livestock farm
0:08:14 > 0:08:17that's been built up over the last 35 years,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21and it's been a certified organic farm since 2002.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27I'm here because this farm is part of a relatively new campaign
0:08:27 > 0:08:29called Pasture For Life,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32whose aims are to promote the benefits
0:08:32 > 0:08:37of livestock that's fed entirely on grass, clover and herbs.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45- Hugh, do you need a hand? - Nick, hello. Welcome to the farm.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Tell me, Hugh, what do you produce on the farm?
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Well, we're an organic farm, so we have a mix of livestock and crops,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and we have a butchery, too, so we're selling our own meats,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59particularly beef, lamb, pork and chicken.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03What I'm really interested in are your grass-fed cattle.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05- Can we go and have a look? - Absolutely.
0:09:05 > 0:09:06- Let's go and find them.- Right, OK.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13What a beautiful day up in Perthshire.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14Isn't it a lovely day?
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Yes, beautiful day to be a cow out on grass.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21I hope they appreciate it, how lucky they are to be here.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24So, Hugh, how did you get into Pasture For Life?
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Well, I suppose I was talking to my customers
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and, for years, my customers had been asking me
0:09:30 > 0:09:34how we produce our beef and where we get the food from.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37And I was always having to explain it to them, and what we did,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41and then I found Pasture For Life, and they have a very simple message,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44which helps me tell my customers how we do it
0:09:44 > 0:09:47and that we're doing it the best way we can.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Can you grow enough grass to keep the cattle fed all year round?
0:09:51 > 0:09:52Absolutely.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Grass is one thing that does grow really well in Scotland.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58It's just a case of getting the right sort in front of them
0:09:58 > 0:10:00at the right time.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03How do you manage the cycle 365 days a year with grass?
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Cos grass is at its best in the summer,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07and it's harder in the winter.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09They're grazing grass right through the summer,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11and in the middle of the summer,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13there's more grass than they can graze.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15At that point, we cut it for silage,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and we keep it and feed it back to them in the winter
0:10:18 > 0:10:20to keep them going through the winter
0:10:20 > 0:10:22when there really isn't any grass growth.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26What are the benefits of meat that is entirely grass-fed?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Well, it's better for the environment.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30It locks carbon into the soil.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32It's better for human health.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37We're eating better quality meat with higher omega-3 fatty acids.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39And it's better for animal welfare.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Their guts are designed to digest grass, and not grains,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45so it's higher for animal welfare
0:10:45 > 0:10:49and it probably means they're outside, which is better again.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51There must be a downside to this.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Well, I can't think what it is. It makes perfect sense.
0:10:54 > 0:10:55Can we go down to the butchery
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- and actually look at some meat? - Let's go and see.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02So, Nick, what can I get for you?
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Well, later in the programme, I'm going to be cooking in the food van,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and I want to do some little steaks with a peppercorn sauce.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10So I reckon fillet.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- Right. Well, we've got a piece here. - Fantastic.- How will that do?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16That will do very nicely, thank you very much.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20And you can see what Nick does with this grass-fed delight
0:11:20 > 0:11:22when I join him in the food van
0:11:22 > 0:11:25to see if the people of Stirling can taste the difference.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28That is sensational. That's melt-in-the-mouth.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35Throughout the series,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38I've been showing you some of my favourite places to visit.
0:11:38 > 0:11:39But as we crisscross Scotland
0:11:39 > 0:11:42filming sometimes in remote locations,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44there's one question that often springs to mind.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Where can I spend a penny?
0:11:47 > 0:11:50That certainly not a problem in Rothesay,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53where the Victorian toilets aren't just a public convenience,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55they're a tourist attraction.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58TOILET FLUSHES
0:11:58 > 0:12:01This impressive gents lavatory was built back in 1899
0:12:01 > 0:12:05when Rothesay really was in its heyday as a holiday destination.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07And I really love it in here.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09The quality of workmanship is incredible.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11It's pretty much all original.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14And if you wanted to buy this back in the late 1800s,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17it would set you back £530 for the lot.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Now, obviously, I love these loos.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25And so does Audrey Howard.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28She's been in the toilet for almost a quarter of a century.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29Thank you.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31I love working here.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35And the reaction that you get from the different people that come in...
0:12:35 > 0:12:38From all over the world, actually, they come.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40They love to sign the visitor book,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42they love to give us different comments.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- It's all good.- All good.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Who's the most famous person you've had through these doors?
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Our most famous one is the Duke of Rothesay, Prince Charles.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52He made an unscheduled stop.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54TOILET FLUSHES
0:12:54 > 0:12:57It'll be a busy summer now they've put it on Landward.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Oh, well, hopefully! Keep busy!
0:13:01 > 0:13:02- See you later.- Cheers, bye.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Yes, thanks, Audrey.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Although she did charge me 40 pence to spend a penny.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Now, on the other side of the country,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Euan's been to meet a pioneering farmer whose new wonder crop
0:13:16 > 0:13:20could revolutionise Scotland's fruit industry.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21The honeyberry.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Angus is the soft fruit capital of Scotland.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32So where better to launch a brand-new fruit,
0:13:32 > 0:13:36a superberry, a berry that has been hailed as the grape of the north?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38And I've come to meet the man
0:13:38 > 0:13:42who's introduced the honeyberry to Scotland for the very first time.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- Stewart...- Hello there. - How are you doing?- Nice to meet you.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- This is the magic berries, is it? - It is indeed. It is.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54- Wow.- This is the honeyberry.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'Stewart Arbuckle decided to plant honeyberry bushes
0:13:57 > 0:14:01'on the family fruit farm near Dundee three years ago.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06'His very first crop will be ready to hit the shelves next month.'
0:14:07 > 0:14:10- It's a funny-looking thing, isn't it?- It is.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13It's kind of like a... It looks like a blueberry, really.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- It's got that kind of blue waxy skin that you can see.- Right.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19But then if you bite into it, you'll see that...
0:14:19 > 0:14:21there's a deep purple juice all the way through it,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24whereas on a blueberry, it's clear all the way through.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27- It's quite tart, isn't it? - It's tart, it's tangy.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31It's a cross between a raspberry and a blueberry, taste-wise, I suppose.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33But it's got that added zing as well.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- And growing well, obviously. - Well, we like to think so.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39We're the first people to plant them in Scotland.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42We've got the first 12 acres of them here.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44And we hope other people will start replicating us
0:14:44 > 0:14:46and form a bit of an industry.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50It's very addictive. I'm almost getting...
0:14:51 > 0:14:54..a bit of gooseberry and a bit of raspberry...
0:14:56 > 0:14:57..and a bit of blueberry.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- So there's everything in there. - What's so special about it?
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Well, it's its own thing.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04It's from the edible honeysuckle family.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07It's native to Japan and Siberia and it's been treasured,
0:15:07 > 0:15:12particularly in Japan, for decades actually as a real sort of delicacy.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16- So, how easy are they to grow?- Well, let's go have a look, shall we?- Yep.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21High in antioxidants, vitamin C and potassium, the high-fibre
0:15:21 > 0:15:25honeyberry has got a lot more going for it than just taste.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30It's also ideally suited to our climate and is easy to harvest.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Stewart is confident, if consumers can be persuaded to try them,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38then the honeyberry is potentially a lucrative crop.
0:15:38 > 0:15:39So this is our honeyberry orchard.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42As you can see, it's plants in the soil,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44similar to a blackcurrant orchard,
0:15:44 > 0:15:47so it's very low-cost and that's what we're aiming for.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50There's no expensive infrastructure
0:15:50 > 0:15:52like you'll have seen in our polytunnels.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54There's no irrigation required.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58So they're pretty well adapted to be grown in Scotland, then?
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Well, we like to think Scotland is actually the perfect place for them.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04They love the cold, for starters. They survive to -40.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07The flowers survive to -7 in spring,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09which is ideal from a spring frost perspective
0:16:09 > 0:16:13and the best part of it all is that you can machine harvest them.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Labour costs are going up for picking year-on-year.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19With these, we machine harvest them, it keeps our costs down.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21So what about the future, then?
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Are more farmers getting quite excited about this?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26We've had plenty of interest anyway.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29We are looking to make the new varieties of these plants
0:16:29 > 0:16:33which are the sweeter varieties, the higher yielding ones,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36available from Dundee this autumn actually,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39for growers to get on board and join the honeyberry revolution.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Now, I've tasted them already. They're great just as a soft fruit,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46but what's the potential? Where do you see the market for this?
0:16:46 > 0:16:49So there will inevitably be a fresh and frozen market,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51but the great thing about these berries
0:16:51 > 0:16:53is they allow people to get creative.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Chefs are very excited about them from a culinary point of view.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59We've got great interest from the distilleries
0:16:59 > 0:17:02and the growing craft distillery movement in Scotland,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05because these have more tannins than the grape in them,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07so they're a fantastic opportunity from the alcohol perspective.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10You've got your first gin and liqueur arriving in today.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12We do, yeah.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13Pretty exciting stuff,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17so you'll get to taste it for the very first time today, as will I.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- Here we go.- Let's give it a taste. - Cheers.- Cheers.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Mm! That's delicious. I'm happy with that.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29You can kind of taste the berry,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31the tartness of the berry coming through...
0:17:31 > 0:17:32It's very distinctive, isn't it?
0:17:32 > 0:17:35..the tannic quality of it. It's definitely distinctive.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- I've not tasted anything like that before.- What more could you want?
0:17:38 > 0:17:42- Berries, sunshine and gin and tonic. Cheers.- Cheers.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48And if you've got any other ideas for things you'd like to see on
0:17:48 > 0:17:53the programme, you can get in touch via our Facebook page or e-mail.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03On a beautiful day in Tayside, crimes seems very far away.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05But, as Sarah has been finding out,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09lawlessness can take place any time, anywhere.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13She's further up the Tay in Perthshire to investigate
0:18:13 > 0:18:16the latest approach to tackling rural crime.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Farm manager Jamie is making the most of his new quad bike.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26His last one was stolen in the middle of the night
0:18:26 > 0:18:31and has never been found, and that's a familiar story.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35More than 120 were snatched across Scotland last year.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39The good news is that rural crime is decreasing.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44The bad news, though, is that it costs £2 million a year and victims
0:18:44 > 0:18:48in countryside areas often feel more isolated and vulnerable.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56It's left Jamie suspicious of those around him.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- Jamie, hi.- Hi, Sarah, pleased to meet you.
0:18:58 > 0:18:59- Good to meet you.- Likewise.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01So, is this the scene of the crime?
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Yep, this is the container that was broken into,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05end of November last year.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10You can see the handle there where they cut through, took the bike.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15- Gone.- Yeah.- And you're quite isolated here.- Unbelievably so.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17How they found us, you know...
0:19:17 > 0:19:19We can't get folk here when we want them here,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21so how they found it, no idea.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26- Can you show me where they came onto the farm?- No problem.- Fantastic.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Over here, Sarah, we have the fence that was cut.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32The perpetrators obviously cut it and they rode in
0:19:32 > 0:19:34when they came for the bike.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Caused us another bit of aggro, really, with stock getting mixed.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- So they were fairly brazen? - Oh, extremely brazen, yeah.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42To come in through the fields, cut the fence, yeah,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44takes a bit of neck.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47- It's quite a circuitous route to get to the bike.- Oh, yeah.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Yeah, they've done their homework.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51They knew what they were doing, yeah.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53And have you had any issues since?
0:19:53 > 0:19:56A week after the bike was taken, we were actually
0:19:56 > 0:19:58broken into again through a different route,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00but I would imagine it has to be the same folk.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01It shook us at the time,
0:20:01 > 0:20:05the fact that folk had obviously been watching us.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08To help ease the fears of farmers like Jamie,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime, or SPARC,
0:20:11 > 0:20:13has been set up.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17It's a new community initiative with a very old message.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Chief Superintendent Gavin Robertson heads the partnership.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25We have arrested people for rural crime in Lanarkshire,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29where quad bikes were particularly vulnerable,
0:20:29 > 0:20:30up into Tayside and Fife,
0:20:30 > 0:20:33across the Highlands and up into Aberdeenshire,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36where groups of criminals have been arrested,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39they've been remanded in custody and they await trial.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42I live in the countryside, in a rural community, and most
0:20:42 > 0:20:45of the people I know in that community never lock their doors.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- Should we be reviewing what we do? - Yeah.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51I think it's important for me to say,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55I don't need people to be alarmed, crime levels are low,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59however, crime does occur and it does occur in the country.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02So for me, while I absolutely understand why people
0:21:02 > 0:21:05talk about not locking their doors,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09for all the extra effort that we take and the massive increase
0:21:09 > 0:21:13in security that we deliver, I think it's effort worth spending.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18I mean, you're asking farmers to perhaps change decades of practice.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23To help farmers reduce their risks,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27SPARC has been offering security advice.
0:21:27 > 0:21:28Sadly, the majority only listen
0:21:28 > 0:21:31once they've been a victim of a crime.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35'Constable Willie Johnson is with the Specialist Crime Division
0:21:35 > 0:21:38'and he's showing me some common mistakes.'
0:21:39 > 0:21:42So, Willie, a crime prevention officer would come to a farm
0:21:42 > 0:21:44and what are they looking out for?
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Straight away you're looking for padlocks on the gates,
0:21:48 > 0:21:49things like that.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52A big thing that farmers do is they'll put a padlock on there
0:21:52 > 0:21:57sometimes, but they'll forget to turn the hinges on the other side.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59So the hinges will be left like this.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01OK, you've got the bolt there, but usually you can just lift it.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- Easy to lift off?- Yeah, you just lift it off the hinges.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Willie also has concerns about the lack of lighting on this farm
0:22:08 > 0:22:11and the amount of equipment lying around.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14We're conscious of the fact that they've got work to do,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16so the weather, it's very seasonal,
0:22:16 > 0:22:17so when the weather is there,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19they're trying to get their work done.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23So they might put off today what they can do tomorrow.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Yep, you've got it in one. "We'll get that tomorrow. Tomorrow."
0:22:26 > 0:22:29But sadly, tomorrow can be the morning after
0:22:29 > 0:22:32criminals have been in and stole their property.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36I grew up in a city where I never thought twice
0:22:36 > 0:22:38about putting on the alarm, or locking the door
0:22:38 > 0:22:41when I left the house, and when I moved to a farm,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44I pleasantly surprised about how relaxed things were -
0:22:44 > 0:22:46the door was always open.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51But things seem to be changing and the sad fact is that,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54no matter where you live, you could be the victim of crime.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Earlier in the programme, Nick visited an organic farm
0:23:01 > 0:23:06in Perthshire where the cattle are fed purely on grass.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Now, I've joined him in the Landward food van
0:23:08 > 0:23:10to give the people of Stirling
0:23:10 > 0:23:13the chance to taste some of that expensive delicacy -
0:23:13 > 0:23:17fillet steak raised on a grain-free diet.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Will they notice any difference?
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Look at that. That looks a mighty piece of beef.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26A fabulous piece of beef fillet.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Now, this has come from Grierson's Organic
0:23:29 > 0:23:32and it's part of this new scheme called Pasture for Life,
0:23:32 > 0:23:37which is promoting livestock that's been entirely fed on grass,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- no grains at all.- How does that impact on taste, do you think?
0:23:40 > 0:23:42- That's what we're going to find out. - Right. OK.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44So what I want to do is cut some little mini medallions,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47pan-fry them and I'll make a little peppercorn sauce
0:23:47 > 0:23:48that people can dip it in if they want.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51If you cut something about this size here...
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- Okie doke.- ..and no bigger.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55So what would you say are the benefits of the farmer
0:23:55 > 0:23:58to have grass-fed beef and also for us in terms of the consumer
0:23:58 > 0:23:59who's going to be eating this?
0:23:59 > 0:24:03The advantages are it's a better system, better farm system,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07and most farmers find it easier to be self-sufficient in grass
0:24:07 > 0:24:11than to grow grain and process the grain to feed them grain.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14A little bit longer to grow to maturity and that's a good thing
0:24:14 > 0:24:18as well, because that impacts on the quality of the animals.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Amazingly, I think there are only two farms in Scotland at the moment
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- that are part of this scheme. - Really?- Yeah.- My goodness.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25Season them first.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30So pepper is the key for this, I think. You're quite good at that.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31That's quite good action.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34The salt goes on at the last minute. As you know, salt is hygroscopic,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37so it's going to pull the moisture out of the beef
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and it's going to make it harder to get the colour on the outside.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42In with the beef, don't crowd the pan.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45It's important you keep the heat really high,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47so what we're looking for is this caramelisation
0:24:47 > 0:24:50on the outside of the pieces of beef.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54- Butter for colour and flavour.- I guess something like this, as well,
0:24:54 > 0:24:55it's very important not to overcook it,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57because this is real beautiful meat.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00So, we're going to get them out of there,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- otherwise, you're going to lose that beautiful moist interior.- OK.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07For the peppercorn sauce,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11Nick deglazes the pan with some whisky and a bit of chicken stock.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It's a pepper fest in here.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15He adds plenty of pepper and reduces it down.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19A bit of double cream and the sauce is complete.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24And you've let these rest for a while, have you?
0:25:24 > 0:25:25Yeah, really important.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28If you cook them for ten minutes, rest them for ten minutes.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32So what we've got is 100% grass-fed Scotch beef fillet.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- I'll take one of yours.- Oh, thanks!
0:25:36 > 0:25:39The taste is huge. The peppercorn sauce adds to it,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41but the taste of the beef is unbelievable!
0:25:41 > 0:25:46It's succulent, it's tasty and it's incredibly tender.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Unbelievably, yeah. - It's just amazing. That is...
0:25:49 > 0:25:53- That's definitely some of the best beef I've ever tasted.- It's...
0:25:53 > 0:25:56I'm delighted and overjoyed with just having a taste of that.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58You're so lucky, people of Stirling!
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Will they agree with us and taste the difference?
0:26:01 > 0:26:02It's really tender.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Melts in your mouth.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Oh, it's wonderful.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07It's fabulous, yeah!
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- Sir, you want a wee taste of this? - No, thanks, pal.- No?
0:26:10 > 0:26:11You can taste the difference.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16It's really nice. Mm-hm. Really good.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18- This is beef?- This is beef.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20- I don't eat beef.- You can't...? OK.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23That is sensational. That's melt-in-the-mouth.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25- Is that all?- That's all. You can have some more, if you want.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- Would you actively go and look for grass-fed beef after this?- I would.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I thought that they all ate grass.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35- Are you kidding me?- No. - What do beef eat?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38What do cow eat? They eat grass.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41A lot of them eat grain as well. Supplement their diet.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43- A lot of the commercially produced...- You're kidding me.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45I'm not. I'm genuinely not.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48That is perfect.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Sir, you want a wee tasty? You've been standing watching us all day.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- Aye, I'll have that, aye. - This is 100% grass-fed beef.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Just another wee taste. It's not going to kill me.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00It is quite better than the steak I usually have.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02I usually have fillet steak quite a lot.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04HE MUMBLES
0:27:05 > 0:27:07You want more?
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Have you had anybody from Mississippi here?
0:27:09 > 0:27:12No, we have not. Come and speak to us.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14It's amongst the best fillet steak I've had.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Tender, tasty...
0:27:16 > 0:27:18What other "T" can I use?
0:27:18 > 0:27:19Tremendous.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Very, very, very pleasant. Very nice.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Very nice? Excellent. Thank you very much.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26- We don't have anything in Mississippi that good.- Really?
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Well, we thought it was great. What about the people of Stirling?
0:27:32 > 0:27:35- Unanimous. They thought it was great as well.- Loved it.- Absolutely.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Not a single person said it was anything other than fantastic,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41but what was interesting was a lot of people didn't realise
0:27:41 > 0:27:43that cattle don't just eat grass,
0:27:43 > 0:27:45they eat lots of other things as well,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and I think that's a great peg to hang this on,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51that the grass-fed thing equals quality.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53It's absolutely delicious, it tastes wonderful
0:27:53 > 0:27:56and we've got much more good stuff coming up next time around.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59There will be two editions of Landward next week,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01both coming live from the highlight
0:28:01 > 0:28:03of the Scottish countryside calendar -
0:28:03 > 0:28:05the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09Over the weekend, we'll have a whopping 90 minutes of action
0:28:09 > 0:28:12from Scotland's premier outdoor event.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Join us live next Friday on BBC Two Scotland at 7pm,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19and on Sunday at 12:15pm, again on BBC Two.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23So, until then, from Nick, me and all the Landward team in Stirling,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25thank you so much for your company. Bye for now.