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00:00Come on Fletchers! We've reached our fourth year in farming and we've fallen
00:09for this way of life hook line and sinker. Can you keep this? Right Milo let's get
00:17some jobs done. Farming's a breeze compared to having four kids. We're
00:24surrounded by the spectacular peat district. As far as an office goes it's
00:29it's pretty good isn't it? With ancient woodlands and rolling hills as their
00:38playground this year we've big plans to increase our flock and herd oh you can't
00:54ride on him. Whilst continuing to diversify. What about if we created some
01:00sort of farm musical? Kevin we've got enough to do without creating a farm
01:04phantom. And we're excited about what our next chapter might hold. I can't think of
01:10something that would beat this for me. This is my version of a happy full life.
01:14Right let's get some cup of tea then.
01:24This week on our farm with the Royal Cheshire Show just around the corner I'm
01:30starting to feel a few training jitters. We're kind of up against it really we're
01:34not gonna give up yet we'll have to just see we'll have to just get the altar on
01:38them every day just do what we can and see where we end up in two weeks. With the
01:43rain in short supply Liz and the twins decide it's time to shake things up
01:47literally. Show your sheep!
01:51Go to the rain!
01:56And I find myself trying to explain the romantic escapades of sheep. This year
02:02in November when you send Viper out he's not just got three girlfriends he
02:10might have ten girlfriends. Animals are weird. Yeah. Like cringy.
02:29They're looking well aren't they? Yeah. Do you compare your lambs to mine because that's
02:35what I do. I look at your, I look at my lambs. Mine's a better. Do you think so? It's obvious.
02:40Last year Marnie bought Jacob Ram Viper and this spring his lambs have arrived on the farm.
02:47Number 17 is probably my best lamb. Yeah that is a good one. That's a good one.
02:52So that's your shearling you, that's her first lamb. Yeah. So your triplets are there.
02:58She's doing well with them isn't she? Yeah. Obviously your triplets are not going to be as big are they?
03:03Because she's having to feed three lambs as opposed to maybe feeding one or two.
03:07They do look good size. Yeah. They look like equal. How do you think they're looking?
03:12Good. Marnie's impressed with how her Jacobs are coming along and she's got big plans to grow the flock even further.
03:20So my plans are I'll sell the lambs that I've got this year because...
03:27You didn't have any new lambs did you? They're all boys your lambs this year? They're all boys yeah.
03:31So you're going to sell them all? Yeah because they're boys.
03:36So you've got three mummy sheep. Yeah. And they've given you five lambs.
03:40You're going to sell those five lambs because they're all boys. Yeah?
03:45Okay. And the money we get from those five lambs you're going to use to buy more mummy sheep.
03:52Okay. So that this year in November when you send Viper out, he's not just got three girlfriends, he might have ten girlfriends.
04:04How does he like... I don't understand like with sheep it's so different.
04:09It's different too. Like with humans you wouldn't just... a boy wouldn't go with a woman and then go with...
04:14And then got like 20 more. Animals are weird. Yeah. Like cringey.
04:19I know. I know. That's what they do. You get one boy sheep and lots of girl sheep but that's just the way it works darling.
04:27Oh my god. That's just the way it works.
04:30Sheep's polyamorous tendencies are a topic for another time.
04:35Right now we need a solid plan to turn Marnie's dream flock into reality.
04:40The Jacob Society are having a sheep sale so we could go there.
04:45You know where we bought Viper from? Yeah.
04:47We could go this time and you'd be buying some females, some breeding ewes.
04:52So timing wise, now we have to think about timing don't we?
04:56The sale is before these lambs will get fat.
04:59You might have to just borrow some money off somebody and then pay them back.
05:05I've got no... I know where to borrow some money. Where? You.
05:09So I've got to give you an advance. Yeah.
05:13And then when you sell your lambs you'll give it me back. Deal? Yeah.
05:17So let's shake on it and then you're going to pay me back?
05:20We'll see what we can do.
05:23Listen. I've shook hands with you before. The last time I shook hands with you I lost some fields.
05:30I love that Marnie is so invested in her flock of Jacobs.
05:34It's great to be able to teach her about how farming works along with managing money.
05:41These are the skills Marnie will need to become a successful Shepherdess.
05:46So you're happy with your plan? Yeah? Yeah.
05:49Jobs are good then.
05:52They're looking well though. Yeah.
05:54They are looking well. Good shot.
05:56We're just over two weeks away from the Cheshire show.
06:18And now is the time to be prepping the animals, getting them really keen on the altar.
06:26And yeah, just strengthening that bond.
06:28We'll get the altar on them again today and we'll just have ten minutes with each one just to kind of get them used to that process.
06:35Our young calves are a handful and both need to have time on the halter.
06:40With my arms still recovering from the knock I took at the rugby tournament, this isn't going to be easy.
06:47First up is Ray.
06:49Come on then. Which way this goes?
06:54Ray.
06:55It's your lucky day mate.
06:57Come on.
07:02There we go. There we go.
07:04I think last year Cherry was so good on the altar I was really, really confident going into the show that she would kind of walk well and behave.
07:19Whereas with these two, they just seem like they've got a man of their own really.
07:27He's not quite as receptive today.
07:31He's having a bit of an off day today, yeah.
07:34Come on Sonic.
07:36There we go.
07:38There we go.
07:40Come this way.
07:42Come on.
07:43Good boy.
07:45Hey.
07:46Come on.
07:47Come on.
07:48Come on.
07:49Come on.
07:50Come on.
07:51At some point as well we're going to have to possibly introduce a nose ring to Sonic.
07:57Not too sure about Ray but certainly to Sonic.
08:02A nose ring helps to control our cattle and reduces the risk for both me and them.
08:09Maybe this is the cow equivalent of terrible twos, which I know all too well.
08:18They are pretty feisty.
08:20We've not really had this before.
08:24Testosterone is certainly kicking in.
08:28And that is a bit of a worry.
08:31I mean, we've got to get to a stage where when they're on the altar they can be walked.
08:37You know, they can hold their head up and they can walk on command and stop on command really.
08:43What we can't have is them just pulling away.
08:46We're kind of up against it really.
08:48Especially if the kids are going to be in the show ring themselves, you know, in the young handlers sections.
08:53We don't want them pulling the kids around.
08:55When it's the kids, it does make me a little bit nervous.
08:58We've got our responsibilities as an adult, as a parent to work out how much you're pushing them out of the comfort zone.
09:06Last year we didn't even own cows until six weeks before the show.
09:10And we came home as rosette winners.
09:12So I'm not throwing in the towel yet.
09:16But there's no way that these young calves are ready to be led by the kids.
09:20So I'm going to keep training and experimenting with a few new tricks to get them walking well.
09:25I've left the altar on him.
09:28And what happens is when it's trailing on the floor, they stand on it and it immediately stops them.
09:34So they associate the halter stopping them.
09:37The minute it gets tight, it stops them.
09:40So they almost kind of self-train.
09:43That's what I've heard anyway.
09:45That's apparently a little trick that I've heard.
09:47So we'll give it a go.
09:52We're not going to give up yet.
09:54We'll have to just see.
09:55We'll have to just get the altar on them every day and just do what we can.
10:00To add to our worries, my rugby injury is playing up.
10:04A scan has shown that I've torn my bicep.
10:08So not only do we need to train the calves, I need to find a potential understudy.
10:14You feeling confident?
10:15Well, my arm's killing me still.
10:24My arm's really sore and I'm just thinking whether or not it's best you taking him in.
10:30You'll be fine.
10:31Oh, Kelvin.
10:32You'll be fine.
10:33Let's just see.
10:34But just on standby.
10:35How do you feel about that?
10:36Well, not great, if I'm honest.
10:37And it's when you're in that ring with other cows, it's the distraction of the other cows.
10:42We jump in at the deep end, aren't we?
10:43But we're determined, despite the adversity, despite the hiccups, we're still going to go.
10:48Where I thought I was just going to be having a lovely day at Cheshire show with the kids and, you know, no pressure, no worries, I'm now told that I'm going to have to step it up and potentially be the best friend of mine.
11:04where I thought I was just going to be having a lovely day at Cheshire show with the kids and you
11:09know no pressure no worries I'm now told that I'm gonna have to step it up and potentially be the
11:18one that's in the ring with the cow because of Kelvin's injury I feel underprepared more than
11:24more than last year although he's a beautiful and calm temperament it's just when you with
11:31other balls in the ring it's how does he respond to those other balls but uh we're in it now what
11:39can we do we're going and I can't get Marnie to cover for me because she's too small so when
11:48there's a man down we're all in the trenches together I'm gonna have to step it up aren't I
11:53it's fad to me because I've just got a paper cut oh for god's sake should we just get you a stretcher
11:58wheel you off you such I know you're a farm and you're very good at it but you're a delicate flower
12:05all I do know is that when the chips are down Liz and I always come together and pull it out of the
12:13bag so with my understudy reluctantly recruited we could spend our time getting the cast show ready
12:21to training cattle isn't our only challenge on the farm after a short settling in period I'll be
12:38our brand new cockerel is about to meet the flock listen the kids are ready but are the unruly hence
12:45we're gonna let the cockerel out today he's been in the pen for a week he's been eyeing up the hens
12:56that roost in the trees above him and uh today's the day we're gonna let him out right now I want
13:02you to shout come on chuck chuck that's it come on chuck chuck right we want him to come out here so
13:12really we want the food to be put down here come on alby so can you put a little bit of food here
13:19get a handful and just sprinkle it and say come on chuck chuck and then he'll know that's his feeding
13:24car alby's mission is simple rule the roost restore order in the hen house and fingers crossed provide us
13:35with our next generation of chickens there we go he's going he's going oh you're so close yay he's out
13:44he's out he's out it would have been ideal if the hens were here because really I would have preferred
13:51the hens eating here and he came straight out to them but they are nowhere to be seen I don't know
13:56what those hens get up to in the day so all I know is that they come back at night and roost in the
14:02trees sometimes you see them sometimes you don't so he's gonna have to find them he's gonna have to
14:06hunt them down and find them from the woods to the muck heap our hens are some of the most free-range
14:12birds in Cheshire but we've been assured that in time alby will entice them back to the coop this is
14:20alby's chance now to have a look round work out where he lives know that this is his safe place and
14:26um we'll see how he gets on with the girls I just hope it doesn't run off I'll be getting messages
14:37on the old Facebook group saying has anyone lost a cockerel you've got to do that embarrassing thing
14:43you're like oh he's mine oh there's his call that's what cockerels do it's having a good look around he
14:58seems you know he's just weighing the place up he looks royal-esque he's just so handsome I guess it's
15:06just a waiting game now to see if he does what he's supposed to and that's round the girls up
15:13and fertilize the eggs like a couple of anxious parents all Liz and I can do is wait and see how
15:20he gets on it's probably like letting your teenage kids out for the first time isn't it and you just
15:26hope that they work it out and they remember how to get home after the farmhouse fire we're left
15:46waiting for the rebuild to begin but while the house is on pause the rest of the farm certainly isn't and
15:52and today the spotlights on the barn as it moves one step closer to its debut as a wedding venue
15:59the big poor we're calling this all the messy work is done so concrete's going in now and then
16:06we'll have a level floor yeah one step closer to the wedding barn when Liz was pregnant she had this
16:18weird craving for concrete the weirdest what is it you're craving for concrete was it it was like
16:26petrol and chalk and concrete really weird oh I've still got it a little bit not to eat the actual
16:33section the noise of it and just the feel of it I could probably eat it put your hands in feel it
16:38oh no no no no it has to be dry and frungling the barn makeover has been gaining serious momentum
16:45lately and the closer we get to the end the more I see Liz totally in her creative zone now this is
16:51going in I started to feel like we're there with the transformation and I really did think that this
16:57was never gonna happen because it felt like there was so much to do and now I feel like it's that
17:03a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel this is where I work my magic when I've got an
17:07empty room that's when I put my little sprinkle of decorations to it and that's what I can't wait
17:15I'm so excited for what events can be this year and how different each one is going to be to think
17:22that this was once a stables and now it's going to become an event space a supper club a wedding a
17:28music event anything how exciting is that and just to be able to do that is an absolute privilege
17:36true to form we're not ones just to sit back and watch the action we like to get stuck in do you
17:43mind if I do a little bit and you tell me what to do and I'll just do it then so basically if you
17:51like probably like that I'll get it to go in all the gaps yeah out of it and then just trowel it
18:00just trowel it in nice and flat and just hover over the top and lift lift the side that you're going
18:08on oh it's not like that like that
18:11you're going to like shape it to find it out that's it
18:28that's good I've done it before is that good yeah that is very oh messed it up that is therapeutic
18:35should we put our initials in here shall we yeah is that good there to be honest perfect
18:45turns out Liz is a natural and there's something about watching the guys work that's got us both
18:53intrigued I've always wanted to know how they do concrete how they kind of lay it and fascinating
19:00process it's still an agricultural barn so it's got to be thick enough to allow us to have a
19:06chapter in here and trailer and farm machinery and various stuff so the depth of your concrete is
19:13quite important really this feels like real progress and something we're determined to savor but with
19:19the wedding just around the corner the to-do list is still going strong this is actually a real
19:25moment because we thought about this we've talked about this for years so the fact that we've got
19:33this far it may not seem like a big deal to people we're laying a bit of concrete but it's actually a
19:37massive moment and I feel so happy that we're here and it's it's one of those things that has been on
19:44my mind and we've thought about for so long and now it's happening
20:06we're kicking off another beautiful spring day in full sunshine and while this hot dry spell isn't
20:13perfect for our crop our livestock are enjoying basking in the warm weather especially our two
20:19pregnant cows Ruby and cherry this is cherry the vet said that she was probably due to expect the end
20:28of end of May and it's now the end of the first week of June so we're a week overdue in that instance
20:36we sent a picture to our friend Chris and a couple other people and they've all said it looks like she's
20:42a good two or three weeks away so we're a little bit out on the on the test but what it does mean
20:48is that unfortunately we're not going to be able to take her to to the Royal Cheshire show to well to
20:54defend the title she's a supreme champion she had a calf at foot last time we were hoping that this
21:01time she could arrive to defend the title with a brand new calf at foot well that's not happened the
21:07category is open for cow in calf so we could in theory take her and show her as a cow in calf but
21:14because she's so late on in her pregnancy I don't really feel comfortable taking her so late in calf
21:20really so I'm a little bit gutty because that was the plan from from last year as a family we thought
21:28let's come back next year with two more kids in tow and would it be great if all six of us are showing
21:36the animals well sadly it's not worked out such is life and when she calves is is not really in our
21:44control so not to worry so Cherry will stay at home with with Ruby who's also expecting even though I'm
21:53disappointed Cherry won't be joining us she can always return to reclaim her title next year
21:58oh there she is still full of life look at that how good does that look there's no better side than
22:08seeing animals outside just look how happy they look
22:13as the concrete begins to dry in the barn Liz is taking the opportunity to leave her mark
22:37quite literally I shouldn't do this without moving but he's gone and this is going to dry
22:44and I need to put my stamp on it so we said we were going to sign it together
22:51he's gone so I'm going to sign it for him
22:57and I'm going to do it in this little corner here that's quite discreet
23:02before it dries so I'm just going to pop oh
23:08oh
23:10he
23:11I'll do that one for him
23:16okay
23:17they know he's the boss
23:21in fact I'm going to put a little love heart
23:25so that's going to dry and we've officially stamped it it's one of those moments where it's so perfect
23:39they didn't want to ruin it but that every house here has got someone's initials on that they've done
23:45on it first time ever at this farm we've officially put our initials on something
23:50that feels good
23:53Kelvin's going to kill me
23:56it's one of the hottest springs we've had since records began
24:21and while that's been good news for some worshippers
24:24it's not been great news for farmers
24:33the hot weather is not only affecting our crop of oats
24:36it's too hot for our flock of sheep as well
24:40I'm thinking of putting the sheep in this paddock next door where there's um there's just no shelter in
24:45a sense of any shade and um I've just had a look at the forecast the next couple of days are going to be
24:51sweltering it's like a summer so with that in mind
24:56yeah I'm going to put them next door so they can get some shade
24:58a break in the sunshine would give the flock respite from the heat
25:08but they seem a little reluctant to move anywhere
25:11it's a bit of a mess this really it's uh there's certain jobs that can take two minutes and then
25:21it can be quickly two hours so I've just got to try and move these sheep in the next five minutes
25:28while our flock give me the run around
25:36well let's get these out and then we'll come back for the rest
25:39Liz and the twins are in a mission set by Ben the agronomist to conjure up some rain that'll help
25:55save our sizzling oak crop I'll get your bike oh strong boy you go on the side and I'll carry your
26:03car oh good boy we're going to call to the sky and see if it'll rain shall I play some music to see
26:11if it gets us going let me play this then I want to see serious moves okay
26:18so we've had weeks without rain now and I hate to say it because it has been glorious but we need a
26:44little bit of rain just to give the oats that little bit of extra boof and they need water
26:52a little bit of rain would just do us a big favor right now there's a nice cloud there that looks
26:57hopeful so maybe we could just encourage it a little bit more to actually rain a little bit
27:14oh they've actually got some good moves the twins they take after Kelvin when it comes to that
27:23see if their uh strictly moves come in handy and bring down the rain
27:31go for it come on rain right if that doesn't work then I don't know what will
27:37that was great dancing guys time will tell if the twins have done enough to entice the rain gods
27:47to start pouring on our crops go go go go go and I finally entice the sheep into the shaded field
28:05should have been a simple move but sheep are not the smartest just nothing ever I mean it is what it is
28:13if you've got sheep you know exactly how that feels from an animal welfare perspective they're much
28:19better somewhere where they can get a bit of shade so he was worth it
28:26right school run
28:27the holiday cottage is one of liz's passion projects and today it's getting a little leafy
28:46makeover with a helping hand or two from some green fingered fletchers so we're going to plant
28:52some beautiful plants in here so we can bring a bit of color look at them and what we're going to
28:59do is we're not going to eat them
29:07with patience of a saint liz has a way of letting the kids have fun while still getting the job done
29:13so this is the garden to the holiday cottage and the holiday cottage is gone really well for us and i
29:18am slightly obsessed with it slightly um well yeah i'm very obsessed with the holiday cottage i want
29:26it to just be perfect yeah basically i want it to be perfect one part of it is the garden the feel of
29:34the garden and i'm not a gardener by any stretch we've got these gorgeous troughs that have probably
29:40been here years and years and years like this is 18th century these troughs always look so pretty
29:48when they've got plants in them so we've just got some little plants the troughs just to grind it up
29:56that's a good one
30:00i'm going to use a hole with this pot and wiggle wiggle wiggle can you make that deeper watch watch
30:07what i'm doing if you spin around like that look there's a nice hole and then guess what i'm going
30:13to do i'm going to put that in there and then can you cover it up look at that it's very rare i get
30:22my nails done and then when i start doing a job i think oh forgot to have my nails done
30:29you see the girls in the salon when i walk in like oh no she's here
30:33so you got ready let me show you so you have to squeeze hold the bottom of the plant so you don't
30:43break it push it out right thank you there you go it looks like lizzie's little helpers feel they've
30:53done their bit leaving her to finish the job now my little secret weapon because we've got loads of
31:01it is manure now i've had my nails done so i'm not going to use my hands but this stuff i mean look
31:10at that oh fresh from the cows now i was going to let the kids get involved in this but i think it's safer
31:16for my own personal hygiene to not because this would be definitely chucked at somebody nothing goes
31:26to waste this is fresh from the muck heap and that will help them grow and give them loads of
31:34nourishment right done let them grow hope for a little bit of rain it looks really pretty i mean
31:45i've seen better but it's a start i don't think alan stitchman she needs to worry about his job
31:50i'm not going to be taking over but it looks good nice and colorful
32:09after weeks of halter training our young calves sonic and ray still aren't quite getting the hang of it
32:14and with the royal cheshire show fast approaching we've got a decision to make do we take them into
32:21the ring or call it quits but i've got one last trick up my sleeve i just hope it works
32:33we got any other sauce babe have we got any other sauce he's quite a sexy job that but i didn't realize
32:38you're wearing this shirt that we were going to put on the scarecrow i told you when i was i thought
32:44it's too good for the scarecrow i'll have it i'll cry in it though don't i it's your color that
32:56i've been told that by attaching a large piece of wood to a tractor
32:59it'll trick the cars into thinking they're being pulled by the halter when in reality it's the tractor
33:05doing all the work which also means my arm injury gets a rest too big moment really because if this
33:13doesn't work i'm just there's a genuine chance i might have to pull out the show
33:24the idea is that the tractor gently pulls the calf as we walk next to them come on oh you just
33:31glued on all the cops i got it pull in right keep pulling keep pulling that'll do wait wait yeah
33:43that that'll be doing like that that's fine and then quick release yeah you just keep a good
33:51arm's length away from him yeah and just keep reassuring him keep talking to him so first of
33:56i'm just going to start it you'll see how he is so you stand back whilst i start it come on
34:05good you all right yeah yeah goodbye are you ready yeah
34:14goodbye goodbye the rope can be released quickly if ray shows any sign of distress
34:21goodbye goodbye goodbye come on ray but so far he seems to be getting the hang of it goodbye
34:34very good with a pace set liz gets behind the wheel so i can give ray a bit of a confidence boost
34:42hey hey hey come on good boy good boy yeah it's going all right he's you know he's
34:57he's a little bit agitated i think come on ray lad come on come on good boy that's it
35:04good boy ray you've done brilliant lad well done after a loop around the field this old farming method has
35:17certainly given us both a boost in confidence you're good lad well done lad
35:23good lad and then clutching stop there good lad how good was that he's made a massive massive
35:36improvement there a massive improvement the moment of truth can me and ray walk the walk see what it's
35:44like now with me come on come on good lad good lad come on come on come on come on and stand we're going
36:04we're going to cheshire show it's as simple as that we're taking him we passed the test
36:08how good he walks for me now come on oh my god he does actually come on come on
36:19he actually does he actually does doesn't he look at him
36:24that's unbelievable that's amazing come on well done he's head up and everything well done you good lads
36:38if only you could do that with children i'd be confident in the ring with him yeah i think he's
36:48a great animal and i would like to show him off the idea was is to take the kids with newborn calves
36:54yeah and we've not got newborn calves yeah and um they're too big for the kids i feel like manny's
37:01you know capable i don't want to put her in that position when it's a bit risky
37:04so we will support you showing the bull calves how do you feel about that royal cheshire show is
37:16back on done well there i enjoyed that i enjoy what i honestly liz i like it every time i do i think
37:22yeah i do actually like this oh do you honestly i do so that's settled ray is going to the cheshire show
37:30but we still have a decision to make on sonic and whether or not it will be both our homegrown
37:37calves appearing in the show ring this year
37:50as farmers we've always kept a close eye on the weather but lately it's felt more like a full-blown
37:56obsession we're in the middle of one of the driest springs on record which isn't exactly ideal when
38:03you're trying to grow your very first oak crop
38:11thankfully it seems the twins rain dance actually worked the heavens have opened and our fields have
38:17just got the soaking they desperately needed we've had quite a bit of rain uh this week which has been
38:24great much needed and the good thing as well is that we were we were worried there was going to be
38:28a huge downpour because it had been so dry and the ground was so hard the last thing you want is a
38:34massive downpour a lot of rain in a short amount of time and there's nowhere for it to go and it just
38:39doesn't saturate and it just you know that's when you can get floods and everything so we didn't have
38:44that what we did have was just kind of moderate to light rain just consistently good old british weather
38:51there was obviously a bit of a worry because we'd had so many weeks of of no rain and then the
38:57agronomist was was getting a little bit worried about how the crop could be you know was in dire
39:01need of some rain really farming has certainly thrown up its challenges but one thing i've learned
39:07from our first foreign to growing arable crops is that there is only so much you can do and the rest
39:13is up to mother nature there's so much out of your control there's so much that can go wrong
39:18it's just like lottery it's you know you just literally put you're spending your money working
39:25hard in the hope that that it comes off as ever i'm the optimist and i thought it'll be all right
39:31it's turned out good so far but we're not there yet let's not forget we've still got to grow the crop
39:37and then harvest it as well and the machinery and how we harvest it and what is it being taken what does
39:42the crop look like when we come to harvest is it tall is it still green that's the little bit that i
39:47don't really know yet and i'm excited to see although we're not there yet the idea of being
39:53able to enjoy our very own homegrown oats appears to be creeping ever closer i actually had a bowl of
40:00porridge in the morning and as i'm eating it as i squirting my honey in it i'm thinking this winter
40:05i could be sat here eating fletcher's porridge like that could actually be a thing i mean that for me is
40:11we've had our own land before we've had our own pork that was a moment and a real pride and real
40:20genuine appreciation for for what we do to have your own porridge that'll have been grown
40:28on our little family farm yeah that would be mega
40:48the day we've been preparing for over the last few weeks is just around the corner tomorrow is the royal
40:55cheshire show it's only our second ever show as native breed farmers with both nerves and excitement
41:02running high and with limited time to hold to train we've made a last minute change to the lineup this
41:08year we were originally going to take sonic and ray but we're not taking sonic because sonic was taking
41:14a little longer to train and ray was just taking to it so while we're already short for time already
41:21under a bit of pressure just taking ray we thought you know what let's just make lives a little easier
41:26we're just going to take ray and not sonic and we were hoping to have the calves by now for the twins
41:31to lead round and they've not given birth yet so ray is the man ray is gonna hopefully win us a rosette
41:39come on good boy good boy good lad
41:51my arm is feeling much better too so i'm going ahead with ray liz and the kids will be joining us tomorrow
42:00ray and i need to get settled in the exhibitors tent where it's my job to get him fluff fed and as
42:06comfy as a bull calf can be ahead of the competition come on come on good boy
42:18the royal cheshire show attracts some of the best farmers from around the country
42:24all vying for rosettes to help boost their reputation and get their farm's name on the map
42:30last year this incredible farming community welcomed us newbies with open arms and it's great to be back
42:42and seeing some familiar faces
42:48i feel like we're actually better prepared last year than we are this year
42:52how will fair i don't know but as ever
42:57you know we'll show up we'll give it a go and what will be will be
43:02it looks quite relaxed at the minute does ray he's taking it all on his stride bless him
43:06so the plan now is get set up i might even take ray and give him a bit of a wash while it's nice and
43:12quiet and then we'll have less to do tomorrow you see tomorrow we can just focus on getting the kids ready
43:17which in itself is a bit of a task but as i start unpacking our kit a couple of fellow farmers notice
43:24ray's breathing has altered he's not right no you'll have to get you'll have to get on call there
43:32but just when everything seemed to be going perfectly fate decided to throw a spanner in the works
43:39a few observations have said that it doesn't quite look all right you know he looks he's not really
43:43settled and the way he's breathing the reason for me are not his ribs so it's something he's
43:49diaphragm up and down instead of his bed skull so yeah he's struggling with his breathing which could
43:55pneumonia could be one anything else it could be or no it's most likely just a touchy bit
44:00wrong hello it's kelvin here we're on cheshire show we just started a little bull calf here that's
44:07looking a bit uncomfortable i just wanted to see if there's an uncle vet here all right thank you
44:12bye bye bye bye oh that was a slight turn of events i've uh i was just about to go and check the
44:18water situation just to see what tap fittings i might need and uh there's a couple of chaps there who
44:24obviously very experienced and they were here last year they just politely said kelvin
44:28you your ball doesn't look look right he's uh we've been watching him and he just
44:34normally after a car journey the cows will come in and they'll just tend to settle but he just
44:37doesn't look very settled and the way he's breathing he's breathing pretty much from his
44:41from his back really as opposed from his ribs so he said he might have a touch of pneumonia so um
44:46which obviously doesn't sound doesn't sound great so i've just rang the vets let them come and take
44:51check his uh check his temperature and see how he is so we'll see see what the vet says when they get
44:56here next time on our farm it's our annual trip to the royal cheshire show right let me get a little
45:08picture of you guys are you ready one two three ice cream ice cream a farming friend gives marnie an
45:15opportunity to show his sheep you look like you show sheep all the time your position you kept
45:20looking at the judge you were smart you were smart and just trying to impress the judge weren't you
45:25and ray gives me a decision to make i can go get me kit and just see where his temperature's at yeah i'm
45:30i'm in two minds whether to show him or not
45:41so
45:43so
45:51so
45:53so
45:55so
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