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00:00And we've fallen for this way of life, hook, line and sinker.
00:08Oh, can you keep this?
00:11Right, Milo, let's get some jobs done.
00:14Farming's a breeze, compared to having four kids.
00:19We're surrounded by the spectacular peat district.
00:23As far as an office goes, it's pretty good, isn't it?
00:27With ancient woodlands and rolling hills as their playground.
00:38This year, we've big plans to increase our flock and herd.
00:47Can I ride on him?
00:49Oh, you can't ride on him, no.
00:51Whilst continuing to diversify.
00:53What about if we created some sort of farm musical?
00:57Kevin, we've got enough to do, we're not creating a farm fan song.
01:00And we're excited about what our next chapter might hold.
01:04I can't think of something that would beat this for me.
01:07This is my version of a happy, full life.
01:09Right, let's get some cup of tea then.
01:11This week on our farm, our nerves are on edge as vet Hugo checks our herd.
01:28Big day today, TB results day, so naturally this is where the nerves kick in.
01:34Because, you know, it can be devastating.
01:37And we also keep everything crossed for the pitter-patter of tiny hooves.
01:41This is the next test.
01:42We've got to get Ruby in and find out, one, if she's back in calf and two, when she's due.
01:47Mateus gets stuck into some farm jobs.
01:50It's quite heavy. Heavy, isn't it?
01:52I'm stronger.
01:53You are stronger.
01:54Because I eat my dinner.
01:57Yes.
01:58All of it.
01:59And I have grand plans to become the greatest showman in Cheshire.
02:04I could create a farm musical.
02:07It could almost be our story.
02:10Two actors.
02:12What?
02:14Kelvin, we've got enough to do.
02:16We're not creating a farm banto.
02:29A new day means more newborns.
02:34And our twins, Maximus and Mateus, are helping to protect the lambs against infection by spraying them with iodine.
02:41Good lad.
02:42Are we going?
02:43Good lad.
02:44Put it down.
02:45And what's that?
02:47That's a little girl.
02:49That's a ewe lamb.
02:50And that's yours, Maximus.
02:52So you can name her.
02:53Good boy.
02:54Hiya, mami.
02:55Hiya, mami.
02:56Hiya.
02:57Hiya.
02:58Hiya.
02:59Right, Mateus.
03:00You spray that one, darling.
03:01Good lad.
03:03And this one is a little girl too.
03:07What do you want to call her?
03:08Dired.
03:09Dired.
03:10OK, then.
03:12And while Milo is on cleaning duties, Marnie is heading to the paddock to check on her young Jacobs.
03:19Goal!
03:20Goal!
03:21Goal, sheep.
03:22Goal!
03:23Goal, sheep.
03:24Goal!
03:25Goal!
03:26Goal!
03:28Goal!
03:29Goal!
03:30Goal!
03:31So the Jacobs are running towards me.
03:34The sheep walks in great shape already.
03:37All of her lambs arrived without a hitch,
03:40and they've been turned out to enjoy the fresh spring grass in the sunshine.
03:44There's this one sheep, and I meant to have another two, double,
03:48but I don't know where the second one is.
03:50One, two, three, four, I need one more.
03:54Where's my other one?
03:56This year, Marnie is flying solo with her flock,
03:59and we couldn't be prouder of the work she's putting in to rear them.
04:03My lambing season was quite good.
04:06I think the lambs came out very good.
04:08Just one little lamb's a bit slim, but we can get that.
04:12The first time when I was lambing, it felt like a bit nerve-wracking.
04:17I was just, like, really worried, really scared.
04:20But I feel very proud. I think they've lambed very well.
04:23I think they've done a great job.
04:26Marnie's ewes have produced five healthy boys.
04:29All Marnie needs to do now is make sure they're all present and correct,
04:32and growing well.
04:34The plan is to get some more sheep.
04:37So then when I've got enough sheep, I can then make lamb boxes,
04:41my lamb boxes, Marnie's lamb boxes.
04:44Or I can give them to market.
04:47Want to make some more?
04:49Right, I've got to look for that last one.
04:51Right.
04:56Think like children's lecture.
04:58While Marnie channels my sheep wrangling skills,
05:01the twins are helping to settle the next set of newborns.
05:04What we're going to do now, we've set the pen up ready,
05:08so we're going to take the two lambs and the mummy will hopefully follow.
05:11So I want you boys to get a lamb eat.
05:13Show me your muscles before you pick...
05:15Big muscles, yeah?
05:16Big muscles, right.
05:17You can have that one.
05:22A bit strong.
05:23Two hands.
05:24Two hands.
05:25You'll have to help Max, babe, because you cannot help two.
05:27And a baby.
05:28Strong.
05:29Be strong, mate.
05:30Come on.
05:31There we go.
05:32Come on, say come on.
05:33Come on.
05:34There you go.
05:35In you go.
05:36Shut.
05:37Yay!
05:38Well done.
05:39Well done, kids.
05:41Well done.
05:42High five.
05:44Right.
05:45All my Jacobs are over there.
05:47So that's three.
05:49One, two, five.
05:52So I've got five.
05:54To be fair with you, they all, all the sheep, my dad and mine,
05:58they all look pretty healthy.
06:01Who's the cutest out of you two?
06:15With the animals all fed and watered,
06:19we can turn our attention to the next big task on our to-do list.
06:23Good lad.
06:24While Marnie and Milo are at school, they get a bit of them time with us.
06:28They get to get all the attention.
06:30We need one more little piece of wood.
06:34Hey, that was good.
06:37The work on renovating the farmhouse has been delayed
06:40while the insurance claim gets sorted.
06:42But that hasn't stopped us exploring other renovation work
06:45that we can do in the meantime.
06:47So it should be warm, dry, practical.
06:51But still have that rustic farm feel.
06:54Yeah, yeah.
06:56We're always exploring new ways to generate revenue.
06:59With that in mind, we're turning our focus to the barn
07:03and we have some exciting plans in the works.
07:06But we need to get cracking.
07:08So this was our old stable block and we've decided to kind of convert it
07:13into a bit of an event space, all-encompassing space
07:17that we can have our little farm events here.
07:21But the biggest thing is, we've actually agreed to have a wedding here
07:26in September, four months away.
07:28I know, when we agreed to it, it felt like it was years away
07:32and now it's come round quickly, hasn't it?
07:35They asked us 12 months ago and we were like, oh, it'll be done by April.
07:39We have had a house fire.
07:41We have had a house fire.
07:42Let's not forget that.
07:43The plan this year was to build this barn, was to do this barn.
07:46What we're doing this year is not only farming,
07:48but doing this barn and rebuilding our own house.
07:51True.
07:52Having had a fire, so we've had...
07:54There's been a lot.
07:55There's been a few curveballs.
07:56There's a lot on the list.
07:57With a big day fast approaching,
08:00Liz is letting her creative juices run wild,
08:03working her magic to turn this tired old barn
08:06into a glamorous wedding venue.
08:08I just want everything to be, like, wood inside.
08:12So, basically how it looks outside, but on the inside.
08:15So you don't see any of the brick.
08:18A nice concrete floor.
08:20And then I want some really old, antique, if I can find any,
08:24barn doors on both sides.
08:28So we'll have two nice, antiquey barn doors on there.
08:31Three doors, all right, OK.
08:32So this needs ripping out?
08:33Yeah, we're going to get rid of all that.
08:35So it's just a full, empty space.
08:37We've always said there's so much potential.
08:39So this is phase one.
08:41Getting it ready for September for the wedding.
08:44And hopefully, you know, who knows, it might be...
08:47We might have more weddings in the future.
08:49We just need to have a clear plan.
08:51I mean, they were excited about it looking like this.
08:53They were like, this is fine.
08:55We got married in an old decommissioned church,
08:58which was, again, not a barn, but an empty space
09:01that we decorated the way we wanted.
09:04And I think that's the vision that we have here,
09:06that this is an empty space and whatever we do here,
09:09we can decorate the way we want.
09:11I mean, we've been married ten years this year.
09:14We could get remarried here.
09:15Ten years this year, isn't it?
09:16We could have a party here for our anniversary.
09:19Couldn't we have a ten-year anniversary in here?
09:21Oh, we could, yeah.
09:22We could have...
09:23Why don't we do that?
09:24..a ten-year anniversary party in the barn.
09:26Yeah.
09:2728th of November.
09:30We should do it.
09:31That's a good idea.
09:32Oh, my God, shall I wear my wedding dress?
09:35Don't even know where he is.
09:36But first things first is someone else's wedding.
09:39After talking through the plan,
09:41it's become clear we've got a massive job ahead of us.
09:45Think less.
09:46Weekend project.
09:47More.
09:48Epic transformation.
09:50First things first, empty the barn.
09:53So, over the next few days,
09:55this barn's got to be completely cleared out.
09:57Yeah.
09:59Operation barn, that's what I like.
10:02The countdown starts.
10:03Right, let's go.
10:04Today I've got my farming apprentice, Matthias,
10:27helping me with a few odd jobs on the farm.
10:30Matthias is a proper farmer.
10:33I'm not a betting man, but if I was to place a bet
10:37as to which one of the four children
10:39would be the first in line to take over the Fletcher farm,
10:44he'd be this lad.
10:49He's not shy of a bit of hard work,
10:51and he just loves being outside.
10:53What I used to do is go to my dad's work with him.
10:55He used to work with trucks as a diesel fitter.
10:58And I'd just be there passing in spanners and passes a 12 mil,
11:02and I'd have, you know, that was just my...
11:04And I loved it.
11:05I was his little apprentice.
11:07And I kind of sensed that, you know,
11:10Matthias is like that with me, really.
11:12Anything with an engine.
11:14And, of course, he's already got his own tractor
11:17that we're doing up at the minute.
11:19Do you remember that tractor we bought?
11:20Yeah.
11:21Yeah.
11:22That'll be ready soon, hopefully.
11:23And then you can drive it.
11:25Am I out?
11:26Yeah, you can...
11:27You don't need daddy.
11:28That'd be good, wouldn't it?
11:31Matthias might have to wait a little while
11:33before getting behind the wheel of a vintage tractor
11:35we bought the twins last year.
11:39But right now, there's a few more jobs to do
11:41before I get to that.
11:45After collecting the old fencing from the paddock,
11:47it's now ready for sorting.
11:51It's a bit of a long-winded job, this one.
11:53Some of the waste wood is going to be used
11:59in our bonfire at the end of the year.
12:02And all the good bits, we're going to...
12:05Should I say Liz is going to design
12:08kind of like a bench table,
12:11which will hopefully go in our events barn
12:14and provide the seating.
12:16This has to be done because
12:18we've obviously got some events happening at the farm
12:20in our event space very soon,
12:22starting with a wedding in September.
12:25And then hopefully a few more after that, so...
12:27People are going to need somewhere to sit
12:28and have their dinner, aren't they?
12:30So all this stuff,
12:31we need to pull the nails out,
12:33give them a good sanding down.
12:35And I've got a nice little job
12:37that Matthias can help me with.
12:39Just like the jobs my dad used to give me.
12:42See this nail?
12:43How it's all crooked?
12:44I need to take that out.
12:46How?
12:47Well, I'm going to show you.
12:48This is called a crowbar.
12:50To get the nail out.
12:51Yeah.
12:52Feel it.
12:53It's quite heavy.
12:55It's heavy, isn't it?
12:56I'm stronger.
12:57You are stronger.
12:59Because I eat my dinner.
13:01Yes.
13:02All of it.
13:03All of it, yeah.
13:04So what's that called?
13:05A crowbar.
13:07So we get it like this.
13:08Yeah.
13:10And then, we pull up.
13:17See?
13:19It's the big one.
13:21It's the big nail.
13:22We just got it out.
13:23What we do now with that big nail,
13:24we go and put it in that blue box.
13:26So nobody stands in it.
13:27Why?
13:28Because that's what we do with all the old nails.
13:30And the cows will stand in it.
13:32Then the cows won't stand in it.
13:34So go on.
13:35Go and put that in that blue box.
13:43Another one.
13:46That's it.
13:47One.
13:50Two.
13:54All the nails are out.
13:58Yeah.
14:00My little handyman is soaking up skills
14:02that I'm hoping will prepare him
14:04for his own farming journey.
14:06Alongside his brothers and big sister
14:08who are currently on their own adventure
14:10with their mum.
14:17Liz is taking Marnie, Maximus and Milo
14:29for a spot of fishing.
14:31Come on, Maximus.
14:34Right, let's go over here.
14:36Over there, please.
14:38Come on, let's see if we can see any tadpoles.
14:42First, what do we need to collect tadpoles?
14:44With a bucket.
14:46We need some water in this bucket.
14:47And then when you scoop them up,
14:49you can pour them in here.
14:50So let me down first.
14:52Put all that big black blob over there.
14:53There's loads over there.
14:56Now, don't ever do this without me around, OK?
14:59Come and jump in.
15:00Or Daddy.
15:01So I'm going to hold you so.
15:03Is that the longest it'll go?
15:05Wait, I think I can do it.
15:06That's it.
15:09Oh!
15:10Right, put them in the water.
15:11I think I've got some.
15:12Oh!
15:13Wow!
15:14Wow!
15:15I've got a whole family!
15:18Whee!
15:19Oh, my gosh!
15:20There's so many!
15:22With each season comes new life,
15:26and with an abundance of natural habitats on our doorstep,
15:29we're lucky to have the opportunity to witness the life cycle
15:33of so many different creatures.
15:35It changes throughout the year.
15:38It's, you know, the flowers die off in the winter,
15:42and then at spring they just come alive again,
15:44and there's so much life here.
15:47Our lake is home to many birds, insects and impressive mirror carp,
15:52although there is some disagreement on what this particular body of water actually is.
15:58So I call this a pond, but Kelvin tells me that officially, because of the size of it, it's a lake,
16:04but I just can't bring myself to call this lake, so it's a pond.
16:08But one thing is, it is full of life, it's full of fish, it's full of tadpoles every year.
16:13We have birds and ducks and chicks and a heron.
16:17We have so much going on here, and it's not too deep,
16:21but it's just deep enough where we can kind of see through
16:26and just get a glimpse of the fish and what is going on under there,
16:29and it's so interesting to watch.
16:31I could sit here for hours and watch what goes on in here.
16:36And the kids are getting a live nature lesson to boot.
16:39Not a bad way to pass the time.
16:43Several weeks ago, we got the sad news that our much-loved cow Ruby miscarried her calf.
17:03Thankfully, she was soon well enough to run with our young bull again,
17:06and today we will find out if he's done his job.
17:10Busy day today, we've got Hugo the vet here, and we've got all our cows in the shed,
17:17and then we'll get Ruby in, and all being well, she's back in calf,
17:20and she'll be calving not too long after her charity,
17:24because the plan is, obviously, Royal Cheshire Show 2025,
17:29four children and the young handlers.
17:31That's my dream from last year.
17:34So, fingers crossed, we'll see.
17:38The Royal Cheshire Show is one of the biggest events in the agricultural calendar,
17:42and after winning a handful of rosettes last year,
17:45we're keen for our herd of cows and kids to get in the ring again.
17:50So, before Hugo does the pregnancy test on Ruby,
17:54he's checking the herd for TB,
17:56which they will need to be clear of if we're thinking of entering the show.
18:00Hi, Hugo. Hi, morning. Are we clean?
18:03Clean, clean, yeah.
18:05So you've got the first patient in.
18:07Probably TB test them first, then do the dirty job after.
18:11Right, OK.
18:12TB is a chronic infectious disease
18:15that is still an issue in parts of England and Wales.
18:19As I've done before, just clip some hair off in two patches.
18:23Anybody who keeps cattle has to go through this.
18:27We're every six months with the area where we are
18:29and as a new established herd.
18:32If you do get a reaction and they deem it, you know,
18:36conclusive that that animal needs to be cold,
18:39then, yeah, it's devastating on your herd, really.
18:45We don't like finding any,
18:48but it's important that it's done properly
18:50and it's important that it's done, isn't it?
18:52Yeah.
18:53But, yeah.
18:55So I'll just take some measurements off her now.
18:59Hugo will inject a small amount of a derivative
19:02of the bacteria into the cows.
19:04He'll return in a few days to check any reactions.
19:09Friday's the nervous day and...
19:12But, like my dad always tells me,
19:15if it's not in your control,
19:18don't be worrying about it.
19:20Next up is Cherry.
19:24She's a...
19:25This is an award-winning cow, isn't it?
19:27This, Cherry.
19:28Do you realise that you're a champion?
19:30You're a...
19:31You're a Cheshire champion, you, you know.
19:33You've never been in a ring before and I took you in.
19:36After her health check,
19:38Hugo scans Cherry again
19:39to see how her pregnancy is progressing.
19:42Six and a half months, yeah,
19:43judging by the size of the calf's head
19:45that I'm holding now.
19:47So that means, erm,
19:49she's going to be
19:51sort of an end of May carver, doesn't it?
19:54Yeah.
19:55Then that could potentially mean
19:57we're taking a two- or three-week-old calf
19:59to, er,
20:00to Cheshire's show.
20:01Yeah, perfect.
20:02In June, yeah.
20:03Yeah, yeah.
20:04I would love to take her to defend the title,
20:06but I don't think I'll be showing her.
20:08I don't really intend on showing this year, me and Liz.
20:11I think we're going to try and take a back seat
20:13and try and get like the kids.
20:15And if we've got four kids,
20:16showing four calves, then.
20:18Our young calves, Sonic and Ray,
20:20would hopefully be joined by Cherry's expectant calf
20:23and Ruby's
20:24if we get a positive result today.
20:26We don't know actually
20:27because this is the next test.
20:29We've got to get Ruby in
20:30and find out one,
20:31if she's back in calf
20:32and two, when she's due.
20:33The last time I was this nervous
20:35about a pregnancy scan
20:37was when we found out
20:38that we were having twins.
20:42Right.
20:43Okay, so we've got a pregnancy.
20:45Good.
20:48So, she is three months in calf.
20:51Three months?
20:52Twelve weeks.
20:53Possibly a bit more actually,
20:54looking at the size of the legs.
20:56But it was 14 weeks.
20:58So a bit late for show season,
21:00but I think we were expecting that, weren't we?
21:03Yeah, we were.
21:04That's good news, yeah.
21:05She's back in calf.
21:06That's the main thing.
21:07And it's healthy.
21:08So unfortunately,
21:09she's going to miss the Cheshire show.
21:11So one of the twins,
21:12I'm not too sure who yet,
21:14will be without a calf.
21:15They might have to share a calf.
21:17The most important thing
21:18is that she's held this calf.
21:19You know, last time she did get in calf
21:20and she miscarried.
21:21So, yeah, I'm very happy.
21:23She's done well there.
21:25Well done, Ruby.
21:27I'm so thrilled for Ruby.
21:29She produced such a cracking calf last year.
21:31I just hope this one is a simpler birth.
21:36This is little Ray.
21:37So he was born in July.
21:38He was about 50 kilos.
21:40He was quite a big calf.
21:41And he wouldn't come out.
21:43He'd been stuck.
21:44And me and Liz pulled him out.
21:46And look at him now.
21:47I mean, they are modo-coddled a little bit here,
21:51but if you keep them tame and keep them friendly and calm,
21:54then days like this hopefully go a little bit smoother,
21:57he says.
21:58Let's hope the TB testing runs smoothly too.
22:01Wait three days and then we'll come and check the skin
22:05and fingers crossed none of them have any reactions on the skin
22:10and then we're TB clear.
22:12A nervous wait now until three days.
22:14You go, come back on Friday.
22:16Exam them again.
22:18Then...
22:19See you Friday.
22:20Yes, thank you for today.
22:21Keep your fingers crossed till then.
22:22Yeah, we'll be all right.
22:24Bar the odd grey day, this spring has been the best we've ever experienced on the farm.
22:43And I'm hoping all this spring sunshine will be helping our new addition thrive.
22:48Our first crop of oats.
22:51As with most of our other endeavours, we're learning as we go.
22:55But we're lucky enough to have some expert help at hand in the form of Ben, our agronomist.
23:00And he's back today to check on the crop and make sure it's growing as it should be.
23:09How are the oats looking? Are they looking good?
23:11They are looking good to be fair, yeah.
23:13In comparison to last week, it was quite a dark green.
23:17Now it's sort of gone a lighter green.
23:19I mean, I'm going to do a tissue sample to double check,
23:22but my suspicion is it's manganese deficiency throughout the day.
23:26The plant is meant to open and close its tomato,
23:28which is a thing that sort of allows things in.
23:31Allows nutrients.
23:32Allows nutrients and water in.
23:33The problem is what happens is if you've got manganese deficiency,
23:36that process can't happen.
23:38So they remain open all the time.
23:41And then all the moisture is being let go.
23:43And that's why, in part, it looks kind of floppy.
23:46If you feel it, it doesn't feel very...
23:48It's not very... Sturdy.
23:49Sturdy.
23:50That's manganese deficiency.
23:51Oh, right.
23:52Actually, you just...
23:53You spray it with, like, foliar manganese,
23:55and that just goes away in about a week.
23:57You don't want a floppy one, do you?
23:59You don't want a floppy one, do you?
24:00You don't want a floppy one, do you?
24:02Yeah.
24:04Moving on from flaccid crops to more solid issues,
24:07arable farming has been a real eye-opener.
24:10It's taught me just how sensitive plants can be
24:13and how critical it is to get the environment and nutrients
24:16just right if you want your crop to thrive.
24:19And you said the crop's looking good,
24:22as you said, but it's got a deficiency.
24:23So a deficiency's a bad thing, surely?
24:25Well, deficiencies, they're not good, but they're...
24:28You know, every single crop is going to get a nutrient deficiency, really.
24:31The soil won't provide it with everything that it requires to grow,
24:35so you have to apply it as a foliar feed, basically.
24:39And what about the lack of rain? Is that an issue?
24:43Well, yeah, so the lack of rain, for one,
24:45it will create this hormone in the plant.
24:48The plant's response is to produce a thing called ethylene.
24:51And ethylene is effectively the ripening hormone of all plants.
24:55So you want a bit of ethylene to make it mature at the end
24:58or else it would never actually mature.
25:01But if you have a build-up of ethylene,
25:02what effectively the plant does is goes,
25:04we're under pressure, we need to race to the end
25:08because all the plant wants to do is survive.
25:10But that's not good if you've grown a crop.
25:12These side shoots will start to die
25:15and it will only keep what it really needs.
25:18Absolutely. Wow.
25:19So it'll kind of self-sabotage...
25:20Effectively, yeah. ...just to survive?
25:22Just to get through to the end, yeah.
25:24Another thing that I have seen is when in these big fields
25:28you just see kind of massive, fancy garden,
25:31essentially like a garden jet on a bigger scale,
25:33just spraying water.
25:35So if it's not raining, then can we just...
25:38Like, you'd water the grass in the garden.
25:40Well, you know, it's actually not a stupid thing to say
25:42because in certain parts of the country,
25:44in Europe and in America, they do irrigate their crops.
25:48Right, right, wow.
25:49But the amount of water that you'd need
25:51to sort of simulate the rain would be thousands of litres.
25:54Oh, really?
25:55You'd have to be doing it with a sprayer, like, I don't know,
25:58you'd have to do, like, a hundred passes in a day
26:02just to get close to, like, two mil of rain.
26:05I could keep my watching car in the chair.
26:06I wouldn't bother. You'll be there.
26:08Visions of me and Liz walking up with kids.
26:11I'll come next week and you'll be exhausted.
26:13You'll still be going.
26:15Well, that option's definitely off the table.
26:18So it's back to watching the weather forecast
26:20and crossing our fingers for some rain.
26:23And who would have thought that oak crops
26:25would earn a spot on my ever-growing worry list?
26:28So I'll wait for these lab results...
26:30Yeah.
26:31..a leaf test, a tissue test,
26:33and in the meantime I'll do a rain dance.
26:35Yeah, exactly.
26:36Right.
26:38Thanks, Ben.
26:39Yeah.
26:40See you next week, mate.
26:41See you next week.
26:43It feels like at every stage, every week,
26:46there's something new to consider.
26:49It's so dependent on the weather
26:51and things out of your control, really.
26:53But the whole point for me of having a low-input farm
26:57is that nature kind of does all the hard work, really.
27:00You've got great animals that are thriving
27:02in the conditions we've got.
27:04Those native breeds we know will do so well.
27:07And we want to establish a crop that will do well.
27:10900 feet above sea level in the north of England.
27:13I want the kind of land to provide itself in that sense,
27:18you know, sustain itself.
27:20But there's a lot to growing crop.
27:22Nothing is ever straightforward.
27:24I'm not deterred by that.
27:26This was an experiment this year, let's not forget that.
27:28You know, we've never done this before.
27:30This farm has not done anything like this
27:32for the last 20 or so years.
27:35It was always going to be a bit of a gamble.
27:37It was always going to be a bit of an unknown.
27:39So I just think we've tried it.
27:42That's enough.
27:43You know, that's a big step.
27:45It's looking all right so far.
27:47That's an even bigger step.
27:49And what will be, will be.
27:51So keep our fingers crossed.
27:58Who's your favourite cow?
28:07Which one is it?
28:08Erm...
28:10Erm...
28:11The little cow.
28:13The little cow. Is that Ray?
28:14Yeah.
28:15Do you like Ray? Yeah.
28:16Is he your favourite?
28:17Aww.
28:18Not a big cow.
28:19Not the big cow.
28:20Do you not like the big ones?
28:21I like a little one.
28:23You like the little one?
28:24Yeah.
28:25Okay.
28:26Big day today.
28:27Um...
28:28TB results day.
28:29So...
28:30Naturally, this is where the nerves kick in.
28:32Yeah, we just want a clear result today.
28:34Erm...
28:35Because, you know, it can be devastating.
28:36If you've got five cows or 500 cows,
28:38it's...
28:39It can have the same sort of impact, so...
28:41Fingers crossed.
28:42Let's think positive.
28:43Although TB cases in Cheshire are in decline,
28:46our farm sits in what's called an edge area,
28:49bordering counties where the infection rate remains higher.
28:53Max, what do you reckon?
28:54Is it going to be good today?
28:56We've got you smiling, so...
28:59That'll be a final.
29:00Right, Hugo.
29:01I'll go.
29:02We've got an apprentice here today.
29:03I can see.
29:04Little Max is, er...
29:06This could be determined whether he becomes a vet or a farmer.
29:10Do you think?
29:11Might, maybe, yeah.
29:12What do you think, Max?
29:13Would you like to be a vet like Hugo or a farmer like Daddy?
29:16A farmer like Daddy.
29:17A farmer like Daddy.
29:18Yeah, I'll do that.
29:19I'll do that.
29:20I'll do that.
29:21I'll do that.
29:22Let's get you sat down, then.
29:24Mr. Cute.
29:25There we go.
29:26Like that.
29:27Perfect.
29:28How's that?
29:29Is that a good little seat?
29:30Yeah?
29:31Right, you sit there, and Daddy's going to climb over here,
29:33and we'll just get them through, yeah?
29:40Hugo will inspect and measure the site where he injected a form of the bacteria.
29:45If any reactions are detected, then the cows will have to be cold.
29:50Yeah, no reactions, no lumps, so she's clear.
29:54No TB in her.
29:56Good, good.
29:57Just cross her off the list.
29:58Yeah, that's a good start.
30:00We'll get them through.
30:05So again, no lumps, no reaction, so that one's clear.
30:11Right, cool.
30:12Next one.
30:13Two down, three to go.
30:15Max, you okay, mate?
30:17Guess who this is?
30:20This is Ray, your favourite.
30:22Give him a wave.
30:25Ray's okay, Max.
30:27He's good.
30:28No TB.
30:29Not poorly.
30:30All but one done, yeah.
30:31We've got the last one now.
30:33Crowd of the bull.
30:36Come on, lad.
30:43Yeah, so no lumps, no reactions, so that means there's no reactions on any of them,
30:48which is a clear TB test.
30:50All right.
30:51You can relax now.
30:52Good, good.
30:53Cross him off, and I'll put that through to the ministry later.
30:58Yeah.
30:59All right.
31:00Yeah, big relief.
31:02It's only five, but still it's pretty nerve-wracking.
31:06Can't imagine what it'll be like if you've got scores and scores.
31:10But yeah, good news.
31:11Clear result, and start looking forward now.
31:17Hugo will update the government site that is tracking the disease, and hopefully, many
31:23other farmers will be receiving the same good news this spring, and TB rates continue
31:27to fall.
31:28Are you going to say well done to all the cows now?
31:32Yeah.
31:33Come here.
31:34I want you to say, say well done cows.
31:36Yeah, good cows.
31:37So what do we say to Hugo?
31:40Yeah, thanks Hugo for today, mate.
31:41No problem.
31:42Good result.
31:43Yeah, yeah.
31:44All right.
31:45Growing up on the farm means that when we're not roping the kids in to help with the
32:03farm jobs, they're off finding their own fun.
32:06And sometimes, they find natural treasures.
32:09Guys, look what I found!
32:13What have you got?
32:14Look what Milo's got!
32:16What is it?
32:17What is it?
32:18I think it's a bird nest.
32:20I just found that on the floor.
32:22Oh really?
32:23The kids all know not to disturb nesting birds.
32:27But this abandoned nest is great for the kids to see up close.
32:31Hey, look what they've used!
32:33What's that?
32:34Sheep's wool!
32:35Sheep's wool?
32:36I've never known a bird's nest to use sheep's wool before.
32:40Wow, that must have been a cosy.
32:42Who would like to sleep in there?
32:43Me!
32:44Me!
32:45I'd love to snuggle up in there.
32:48That looks so cosy.
32:49This is like a little bird's nest, isn't it?
32:51Is this like a little bird's nest?
32:53I'm the baby bird.
32:54You're the baby bird.
32:55Awwww!
32:56We're the lovebirds!
32:57We're the lovebirds!
32:58I'm the baby!
32:59We're the lovebirds!
33:00We're the lovebirds!
33:01One project that's seriously testing our mettle is the barn.
33:18We had the bright idea to host a wedding here for some friends.
33:22Very romantic.
33:23Very ambitious.
33:24But with the big day fast approaching, we really need to get moving.
33:29Especially since it's currently looking more like an agricultural storage unit than a wedding
33:34venue.
33:35The wedding is the tester.
33:36So we're emptying it.
33:37So there's a blank canvas.
33:38And from then on, we need Kelvin to get our thinking caps on and see what else we could
33:42do in here.
33:43We're getting the concrete poured in a couple of days.
33:46It's got to be emptied for that.
33:48And if there's one thing we're good at working to, it's a deadline.
33:52It takes a special set of wheels to handle a job of this importance.
33:57My jingle van.
33:59This van has been with us for a very long time, before we ever lived on a farm.
34:03And my dad borrowed it once and he didn't give it back for two years.
34:07And then when we finally moved to the farm, we were like, Dad, can we have that van back?
34:14It's rusty, it's old, but it just does the job.
34:17The only thing is wrong with it, the only thing, it's only two-wheel drive.
34:22And we've been stuck a few times, haven't we?
34:26Today, though, it'll be used as originally intended to help us haul some of this rubbish away.
34:32Well, I say rubbish.
34:36The birds will be loving life, isn't they?
34:39Don't they?
34:40Yeah.
34:42It's like a ready-made hedge, isn't it?
34:44We don't waste anything on the farm if we don't have to.
34:47Some birds will be really happy in there next season.
34:52Between the birds, a bonfire and Liz's creations, every twig will find a new purpose.
34:59Oh, I hope we don't get stuck.
35:01Yes, keep going.
35:07Slow down, not too, Matt.
35:10If you spin a little bit, there's no point in thinking.
35:14Keep going.
35:15Do you hear that I'll do?
35:16Get that on.
35:17This is our first crack at renovating a space like this.
35:29Nail it, and it could pave the way for plenty more events to come.
35:33It'll be nice to have a bit of love and romance on the farm and someone else's memory of...
35:42You know, it's quite an honour to host someone's wedding here.
35:47It's something really special.
35:49See, I'll do all this and then Kelvin will get his favourite...
35:54Favourite machine out.
36:00It's quite impressive.
36:06You know, it's something that when I met him, if he'd have picked me up in it,
36:11I'd have never met him again.
36:12HE LAUGHS
36:13But...
36:14It's really handy round the farm.
36:19Here he is!
36:25That's how you sweep the farm!
36:33All this talk of weddings has me feeling romantic.
36:37You know there's going to be a wedding here?
36:38Yeah.
36:39Or a first ever wedding?
36:40I've got an idea.
36:42But...
36:43We can renew our house.
36:44Aww!
36:45Who do you come with?
36:47Why not?
36:50No, it doesn't matter.
36:53I just thought about all the work I'd have to do to make this a wedding space for us.
36:57It'd be fine, it is.
36:59Just a few fairy lights.
37:00I'll be in my wedding dress putting fairy lights up.
37:02Be romantic.
37:03We're bringing a bit of romance to the farm.
37:06I might need to let the idea sink in a little with Liz,
37:09but this space certainly has potential.
37:11The barn is empty.
37:12The barn is empty.
37:13The barn is empty.
37:14It is going to be good, isn't it?
37:15It's going to be really good.
37:16This could be so many things.
37:17I know.
37:19Interior shop.
37:21Stage.
37:22A show.
37:23A theatre show.
37:24Can we just...
37:25Pantomite.
37:26It could be anything.
37:27Might well get myself a job.
37:29I could actually cast myself in my own production.
37:34You know what we could actually do?
37:36We could create a farm musical.
37:38I'm serious.
37:39Can you sing?
37:40No.
37:41No.
37:42No.
37:43No.
37:44No, that bit I won't be in.
37:46It could almost be our story.
37:48Two actors.
37:50What?
37:51Have you just spat your tea out?
37:55Babe, it could be our story.
37:57Two actors decide to get a farm.
38:00We have kids.
38:01We have kids.
38:02We've got enough to do.
38:03We're not creating a farm panto.
38:05No, it's not a pantomite.
38:06It's a musical.
38:09We could get someone into it.
38:10Oh, God.
38:12Babe, do you not think that could be a good idea?
38:14It is, but just one step at a time, okay?
38:16Let's get through the wedding.
38:18The farm musical.
38:21Is that the scent of a Tony Award or just manure?
38:25Either way, the barn refurb just took a major leap towards showtime.
38:30This year's lambing season is almost done.
38:44We currently have over 60 strong, healthy lambs bounding around our fields.
38:49And the last of our expectant mums is finally showing signs of going into labour.
38:54She's doing good.
38:56She'll be alright for a minute, let's do this.
38:59Three, four years ago.
39:00Oh, oh, babe.
39:01That would have been a big, not panic, but we'd have been like,
39:04that's lambing, we've got to move them.
39:06Whereas now we're a bit like, oh yeah, that's having a lamb and we're going to move these cows.
39:12We know what we're doing a tiny bit more now.
39:18Most of the ewes have managed to birth naturally, but it's always good to keep an eye on them just in case they need a helping hand.
39:25What's it like to have a contraction?
39:27What does it feel like?
39:28Oh, it's, it's like, it's so hard.
39:31So it's like, do you know, if you ever be like, it's one of them feelings.
39:34And what tense is, just like your stomach?
39:36It's like pins and needles, but like, all tensing, yeah.
39:39What, and then it's on, then it goes off.
39:41It goes and you're like, oh, and then, and then it comes again and you're like, it's, it's hard.
39:48The hardest thing that you'll ever do.
39:50I sometimes forget that you've actually had kids, aren't you?
39:54Well, I don't forget that, but I mean, you've, thinking back to you having contractions and that.
39:58You were really strong.
40:0030 hours I was having contractions for.
40:02You step in after half an hour with the sheep, 30 hours I was having contractions for.
40:07The things I've done.
40:10As this ewe is clearly struggling, with only the lamb's head and one of the legs out,
40:15it's time to jump in and give her a hand.
40:18You push her in and I'll just pull the lamb out.
40:21Oh, God.
40:23Oh, yeah, the foot's stuck.
40:25She's dead tight.
40:27I can't find the foot.
40:38Oh, she's coming, she's coming.
40:44Pick it up, pick it up.
40:45It's a big lamb.
40:46Yeah.
40:47Yeah, but I just...
40:48We've had a couple of lambs like that, though, eh?
41:02Just one leg is out and the other one is stuck.
41:04It's almost like you go over to help and the mums tighten up.
41:09You just have to get in there and pull them out because you think it would push them out a bit tricky.
41:14But she did it.
41:16Yeah.
41:17With the lamb born safely and the cows clear of TB, we can get them all out of the barn to enjoy the fresh grass and spring sunshine.
41:25Managing the animals has definitely become a lot easier over the past year, which is more than I can say for our other herd.
41:44They make more mess than any other animal on this farm.
41:51Our kids are actual animals.
41:54The biggest animals of the farm are our kids, without a doubt.
41:57They're the hardest to control.
41:59They're the hardest to keep clean.
42:01They're the hardest to move.
42:03Farming's a breeze compared to having four kids.
42:07There's a reason I look so disheveled all the time.
42:12It's because I've got four kids and a farm.
42:14Somehow, we are still managing to run the farm and raise kids, whilst dealing with the upheaval of still not living in the farmhouse after the fire.
42:27Look.
42:28It's open to you, Daddy.
42:31And while Marnie and Milo are now old enough to understand we'll be back on the farm in time, I can't help but think how this situation is affecting Maximus and Mateus.
42:42For the last six months of their lives it's been, you know, they've been living in hotels and Airbnbs and it's all been, you know, a lot of disruption.
42:53Yeah, they just see it as the places where we come and do jobs and for them, just have fun.
43:00It's like a day out.
43:01They are still quite confused because they don't really see this as their home at the minute.
43:10They don't actually realise that this is where we live and our house, their bedroom, is not their bedroom because we've had a fire.
43:19But it will be hopefully again soon.
43:22I wonder if they remember this when they get older.
43:25Kids just take it in their stride but you can see it's a pretty confused blessing.
43:32Although we're still not living in the farmhouse, we bring the kids up to the farm every single day.
43:38As Liz and I have always known that since moving here, this is where our family is meant to be.
43:44When I say green light, we're going to run as fast as we can.
43:47We play early start at school.
43:49It's not just about farming, it's not just about that. It's such a lifestyle and a lifestyle that has suited us, having four kids.
43:59It's been a real blessing because I think it's given them so much purpose and so much adventure to their life that I just, I can't imagine them any other way.
44:12Put your head down that way for five seconds.
44:16Like they're filthy, they mess, they cause absolute destruction wherever they go.
44:23And I think, you're only fit for a farm really.
44:28I don't know if we'd be welcome on the street anymore.
44:41Next time on Our Farm.
44:43Training for the Royal Cheshire Show gets underway.
44:46And it's no walk in the park for me and Sonic.
44:49Next up is the Lincoln Reds.
44:53Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
44:55Hey, is that, are you OK?
44:56The twins lend a hand with our newborn lambs.
45:00Did you like that?
45:01Yes.
45:02Did she say a yes?
45:04A friendly game of rugby throws a spanner in the works.
45:07Feels like I've torn my bicep.
45:12And our sheep give us the runaround.
45:16Just as a thought, sheep just do whatever they want.
45:19Yay, Mum!
45:21Yay, Mum!
45:22Yay, Mum!
45:24We love you.
45:25We are all here to do.
45:27We love it.
45:28So, you're here to be a69 mode.
45:29We love the world from our�ah.
45:30We all have the wives.
45:31We love it.
45:32You just love it.
45:33We love it.
45:34We love it.
45:35You are here to be a king.
45:36We love it.
45:37We love it.
45:38We love it.
45:39We love it.
45:40We love it.
45:41You are here to be a king's house.
45:42We love it.
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