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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, mami.
02:59Right, mateus.
03:00You spray that one, darling.
03:02Good lad.
03:03And this one is a little girl too.
03:07What would you want to call her?
03:08Gaiad.
03:09Gaiad?
03:10Gaiad?
03:11Okay, mate.
03:12And while Milo is on cleaning duties, Marna is heading to the paddock to check on her young Jacobs.
03:19So the jacobs are running towards me. The sheep walks in great shape already.
03:37All of her lambs arrived without a hitch and they've been turned out to enjoy the fresh
03:42spring grass in the sunshine.
03:44There's this one sheep and I meant to have another two, double, but I don't know where
03:49the second one is. One, two, three, four, I need one more. Where's my other one?
03:56This year Marnie is flying solo with her flock and we couldn't be prouder of the work she's
04:01putting in to rear them.
04:03My lambing season was quite good. I think the lambs came out very good. Just one little
04:09lamb's a bit slim, but we can get that. The first time when I was lambing, it felt like
04:16a bit nerve-wracking. I was just like really worried, really scared. But I feel very proud.
04:21I think they've lambed very well. I think they've done a great job.
04:26Marnie's ewes have produced five healthy boys. All Marnie needs to do now is make sure they're
04:31all present and correct and growing well.
04:33The plan is to get some more sheep. So then when I've got enough sheep, I can then make
04:40lamb boxes, my lamb boxes, Marnie's lamb boxes. Or I can give them to market.
04:47Want to make some more? Right, I've got to look for that last one. Right. Think like Kelvin's lecture.
04:58While Marnie channels my sheep wrangling skills, the twins are helping to settle the next set
05:03of newborns.
05:05What we're going to do now, we've set the pen up ready. So we're going to take the two
05:09lambs and the mummy will hopefully follow. So I want you boys to get a lamb eat. Show me
05:14your muscles before you pick... Big muscles, yeah? Big muscles, right.
05:21You can have that one. A bit strong. Two hands. You'll have to help Max, babe, because
05:26you can help too. Strong, but strong, mate. Come on. There we go. Come on, say come on.
05:32Come on. There you go. In you go. Shut. Yay. Well done. Well done, kids. Well done. High five.
05:44Right. All my Jacobs are over there. So that's three. And then two. Five. So I've got five.
05:54To be fair with you, they all, all the sheep, my dad and mine, they all look pretty healthy.
06:00Who's the cutest out of you two?
06:17With the animals all fed and watered, we can turn our attention to the next big task on our
06:21to-do list.
06:23Good lad. While Marnie and Milo are at school, they get a bit of, erm, a bit of them time
06:28with us. They get to get all the attention. We need one more little piece of wood.
06:34Hey, that was good.
06:36The work on renovating the farmhouse has been delayed while the insurance claim gets sorted.
06:42But that hasn't stopped us exploring other renovation work that 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.
06:55We're always exploring new ways to generate revenue.
07:00With 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.
07:10And we've decided to kind of convert it into, erm, into a bit of an event space.
07:16It's an encompassing space that we can have our little farm events here.
07:20Erm, but the biggest thing is we've actually agreed to have a wedding here.
07:25In September, four months away.
07:27I know. When we agreed to it, it felt like it was years away.
07:31Yeah.
07:32And now it's come round quickly, hasn't it?
07:34They asked us 12 months ago, and we were like, oh, it'll be done by April.
07:38We have had a house fire.
07:40We have had a house fire.
07:41Let's not forget that.
07:42The plan this year was to build this barn, was to do this barn.
07:46What we're doing this year is not only farming, but doing this barn and rebuilding our own house.
07:50True.
07:51Having had a fire, so we've had...
07:53There's been a lot.
07:54There's been a few curveballs.
07:55There's a lot on the list.
07:56But, you know.
07:57With a big day fast approaching, Liz is letting her creative juices run wild.
08:03Working her magic to turn this tired old barn into a glamorous wedding venue.
08:08I just want everything to be like wood inside.
08:11So, 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, barn doors on both sides.
08:27So we'll have two nice antiquey barn doors on there.
08:30Three doors.
08:31All right, okay.
08:32So this needs ripping out?
08:33Yeah, we're going to get rid of all that.
08:34So 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.
08:43And 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.
08:50I 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, which was, again, not a barn, but an empty
09:00space that we decorated the way we wanted.
09:03And I think that's the vision that we have here, that this is an empty space and whatever
09:07we do here, we can decorate the way we want.
09:10I mean, we've been married ten years this year.
09:13We could get remarried here.
09:15Ten years this year, isn't it?
09:16Hey, we 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?
09:24A ten-year anniversary party in the barn.
09:25Party, yeah.
09:26Yeah.
09:2728th of November.
09:28We should do it.
09:29That's a good idea.
09:31Oh, my God, shall I wear my wedding dress?
09:33I don't even know where he is.
09:36But first things first is someone else's wedding.
09:39After talking through the plan, it's become clear we've got a massive job ahead of us.
09:45Think less, weekend project, more epic transformation.
09:50First things first, empty the barn.
09:53So, over the next few days, this barn's got to be completely cleared out.
09:57Yeah.
09:58Operation Barn, that's what I like.
10:01The countdown starts.
10:02Right.
10:03Let's go.
10:04Today, I've got my farming apprentice, Matthias, helping me with a few odd jobs on the farm.
10:29Matthias is a proper farmer.
10:32I'm not a betting man, but if I was to place a bet as to which one of the four children would
10:39be the first in mind to take over the Fletcher farm, he'd be this lad.
10:45He's not shy of a bit of hard work and he just loves being outside.
10:52What 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 12mm and 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, Matthias is like that with me, really.
11:12Anything with an engine.
11:14And, of course, he's already got his own tractor that we're doing up at the minute.
11:18Do you remember that tractor we bought?
11:20Yeah.
11:21That'll be ready soon, hopefully.
11:22And then you can drive it.
11:24On my own?
11:25Yeah, you can...
11:26You don't need daddy.
11:27That'd be good, wouldn't it?
11:29Mattias might have to wait a little while before getting behind the wheel of a vintage tractor we bought the twins last year.
11:38But right now, there's a few more jobs to do before I get to that.
11:44After collecting the old fencing from the paddock, it's now ready for sorting.
11:50It's a bit of a long-winded job, this one.
11:53Some of the waste wood is going to be used in our bonfire at the end of the year.
12:01And all the good bits, we're going to, should I say, Liz is going to design kind of like a bench table,
12:10which will hopefully go in our events barn and provide the seating.
12:15This has to be done because we've obviously got some events happening at the farm.
12:19In our event space very soon, starting with a wedding in September.
12:23And then hopefully a few more after that, so...
12:26People are going to need somewhere to sit and have their dinner, aren't they?
12:29So all this stuff, we need to pull the nails out, give them a good sanding down.
12:34And I've got a nice little job that Mattias can help me with.
12:38Just like the jobs my dad used to give me.
12:40See this nail? How it's all crooked? I need to take that out.
12:44How?
12:45Well, I'm going to show you. This is called a crowbar.
12:48To get the nail out. To get the nail out. Yeah, feel it. It's quite heavy.
12:54It's heavy, isn't it?
12:55And stronger.
12:56You are stronger.
12:57Because I eat my dinner.
13:00Yes.
13:01All of it.
13:02All of it, yeah.
13:03So what's that called?
13:04A crowbar.
13:05So we get it like this.
13:07Yeah.
13:08And then we pull up.
13:16See?
13:17It's the big one.
13:20It's the big nail. We just got it out.
13:22What we do now with that big nail, we go and put it in that blue box.
13:25So nobody stands in it.
13:26Why?
13:27Because that's what we do with all the old nails.
13:29And the cows will stand in it.
13:31Then the cows won't stand in it.
13:33So go on.
13:34Go and put that in that blue box.
13:35Another one.
13:36That's it.
13:37One.
13:38Two.
13:39All the nails are out.
13:54All the nails are out.
13:56Yeah.
13:57Yeah.
13:58My little handyman is soaking up skills that I'm hoping will prepare him for his own farming
14:04journey.
14:05Alongside his brothers and big sister who are currently on their own adventure with their
14:10mum.
14:12Liz is taking Marnie, Maximus and Milo for a spot of fishing.
14:30Come on, Maximus.
14:32Right, let's go over here.
14:35Over there, please.
14:37Come on, let's see if we can see any tadpoles.
14:40First, what do we need to collect tadpoles?
14:43Er, with a bucket.
14:45We need some water in this bucket.
14:47And then when you scoop them up, you can pour them in here.
14:50So let me down first.
14:51Put all that big black blob over there.
14:53There's loads over there.
14:55Now, don't ever do this without me around, okay?
14:58Come and jump in.
14:59Or Daddy.
15:00So I'm going to hold you so.
15:02Is that the longest it'll go?
15:04Wait, I think I can do it.
15:06That's it.
15:07Oh!
15:08Right, put them in the water.
15:10I think I've got some.
15:11Oh!
15:12Wow!
15:13Wow, he's alone!
15:14I've got a whole family!
15:17Wee!
15:18Oh my gosh!
15:20There's so many!
15:24With each season comes new life.
15:26And with an abundance of natural habitats on our doorstep, we're lucky to have the opportunity
15:31to witness the life cycle of so many different creatures.
15:35It changes throughout the year.
15:38It's, you know, the flowers die off in the winter and then at spring they just come alive
15:44again and there's so much life here.
15:46Our 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.
15:57So 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.
16:06So it's a pond.
16:07But one thing is it is full of life.
16:10It's full of fish.
16:11It's full of tadpoles every year.
16:13We have birds and ducks and chicks and a heron.
16:16We have so much going on here.
16:18And it's not too deep, but it's just deep enough where we can kind of see through
16:25and just get a glimpse of the fish and what is going on under there.
16:28And it's so interesting to watch.
16:30I could sit here for hours and watch what goes on in here.
16:35And the kids are getting a live nature lesson to boot.
16:38Not a bad way to pass the time.
16:46Several weeks ago, we got the sad news that our much-loved cow Ruby miscarried her calf.
17:02Thankfully, 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.
17:09Busy day today.
17:11We've got Hugo the vet here.
17:13And then we've got all our cows in the shed.
17:16And then we'll get Ruby in.
17:18And 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.
17:49So, before Hugo does the pregnancy test on Ruby,
17:53he's checking the herd for TB,
17:55which they will need to be clear of if we're thinking of entering the show.
17:59Hi, Hugo. Hi, morning.
18:01Are we clean?
18:02Clean, clean, yeah.
18:04So, 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 that is still an issue in parts of England and Wales.
18:18As I've done before, just clip some hair off in two patches.
18:22Anybody who keeps cattle has to go through this.
18:26We're every six months with the area where we are and as a new established herd.
18:31If you do get a reaction and they deem it, you know, conclusive
18:36that that animal needs to be cold, then, yeah, it's devastating on your herd, really.
18:44We don't like finding any, but it's important that it's done properly
18:49and it's important that it's done, isn't it?
18:51Yeah.
18:52But, yeah.
18:54So, I'll just take some measurements off her now.
18:58Hugo will inject a small amount of a derivative of the bacteria into the cows.
19:03He'll return in a few days to check any reactions.
19:08Friday's the nervous day.
19:10And, erm, but, like my dad always tells me,
19:14if it's not in your control, don't be worrying about it.
19:19Next up is Cherry.
19:22She's a, this is an award-winning cow, isn't it?
19:26This, Cherry.
19:27Do you realise that you're a champion?
19:29You're a, you're a Cheshire champion, you, you know.
19:32You've never been in a ring before and I took you in.
19:35After her health check, Hugo scans Cherry again
19:38to see how her pregnancy is progressing.
19:41Six and a half months, yeah, judging by the size of the calf's head
19:44that I'm holding now.
19:46So that means, erm, she's going to be sort of an end of May carver, doesn't it?
19:53Yeah.
19:54Then that could potentially mean we're taking a two or three week old calf to, er, to Cheshire's show.
20:01Yeah, perfect. In June, yeah.
20:03Yeah, yeah.
20:04I would love to take her, er, to defend the title, but I don't think I'll be showing her.
20:08I don't really intend on showing this year, me and Liz.
20:10I think we're going to try and take a back seat and try and get, like, the kids.
20:14And if we've got four kids, showing four calves then.
20:17Our young calves, Sonic and Ray, would hopefully be joined by Cherry's expectant calf and Ruby's
20:23if we get a positive result today.
20:25We don't know, actually, because this is the next test.
20:28We've got to get Ruby in and find out, one, if she's back in calf and two, when she's due.
20:33The last time I was this nervous about a pregnancy scan
20:36was when we found out we were having twins.
20:41Right.
20:42OK, so we've got a pregnancy.
20:47So, she is three months in calf.
20:51Twelve weeks.
20:52Possibly a bit more, actually, looking at the size of the legs.
20:56But it was 14 weeks, so a bit late for show season, but I think we were expecting that, weren't we?
21:02Yeah, we were.
21:03That's good news, yeah, she's back in calf.
21:05That's the main thing, and it's healthy.
21:07So, unfortunately, she's going to miss the Cheshire show.
21:10So, one of the twins, I'm not too sure who yet, but we'll be without a calf.
21:15They might have to share a calf.
21:16The most important thing is that she's held this calf.
21:18You know, last time she did get in calf and she miscarried, so, yeah, I'm very happy.
21:23She's done well there.
21:24Well done, Ruby.
21:25I'm so thrilled for Ruby.
21:28She produced such a cracking calf last year, I just hope this one is a simpler birth.
21:34This is little Ray.
21:36So, he was born in July.
21:38He was about 50 kilos.
21:39He 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.
21:48I mean, they are modicodled a little bit here, but if you keep them tame and keep them friendly and calm, then 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 and fingers crossed none of them have any reactions on the skin and then we're TB clear.
22:11A nervous wait now until three days.
22:14You go come back on Friday.
22:16Exam them again.
22:17Then.
22:18See you Friday.
22:20Yes, thank you for today.
22:21Keep your fingers crossed till then.
22:23Yeah.
22:24We'll be alright.
22:37Bar the odd grey day, this spring has been the best we've ever experienced on the farm.
22:42And I'm hoping all this spring sunshine will be helping our new addition thrive.
22:48Our first crop of oats.
22:50As with most of our other endeavours, we're learning as we go.
22:54But we're lucky enough to have some expert help at hand in the form of Ben, our agronomist.
22:59And 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?
23:10Are they looking good?
23:11They are looking good to be fair, yeah.
23:13In comparison to last week, it was quite a dark green.
23:17Right.
23:18Now 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.
23:25The 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, that process can't happen.
23:38So they remain open all the time.
23:40And then all the moisture is being let go.
23:42And that's why, in part, it looks kind of floppy.
23:45If you feel it, it doesn't feel very...
23:47It's not very...
23:48Sturdy.
23:49Sturdy.
23:50..manganese deficiency.
23:51Oh, right.
23:52And actually, you just...
23:53You spray it with, like, foliar manganese and 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?
24:00Yeah.
24:03Moving on from flaccid crops to more solid issues, arable farming has been a real eye-opener.
24:09It's taught me just how sensitive plants can be and how critical it is to get the environment
24:15and nutrients just right if you want your crop to thrive.
24:18And you said the crop's looking good, but you said it's got a deficiency.
24:22So a deficiency is a bad thing, surely?
24:24Well, deficiencies, they're not good, but they're...
24:27You 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?
24:42Well, yeah, so the lack of rain, for one, it will create this hormone in the plant.
24:47The plant's response is to produce a thing called ethylene,
24:50and ethylene is effectively the ripening hormone of all plants.
24:54So you want a bit of ethylene to make it mature at the end,
24:57or else it would never actually mature.
25:00But if you have a build-up of ethylene, what effectively the plant does is goes,
25:04if we'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, and it will only keep what it really needs.
25:18Wow, so 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,
25:28kind of massive, fancy garden, essentially like a garden jet,
25:32on a bigger scale, just spraying water, if it's not raining,
25:36then can we just, like, you'd water the grass in the garden?
25:39Well, you know, it's actually not a stupid thing to say,
25:41because in certain parts of the country, in Europe and in America,
25:45they do irrigate their crops. Right, right, wow.
25:48But the amount of water that you'd need to sort of simulate the rain
25:51would be thousands of litres. Oh, really?
25:54You'd have to be doing it with a sprayer, like, I don't know,
25:57you'd have to do, like, 100 passes... Oh, right, yeah.
26:00..in a day just to get close to, like, two mil of rain.
26:03So I can keep... I can keep my watching car in the shed?
26:05I wouldn't bother. Yeah, yeah. You'll be there.
26:07Visions of me and Liz walking up with kids, just...
26:10I'll come next week and you'll be exhausted. You'll still be going.
26:14Well, that option's definitely off the table.
26:17So it's back to watching the weather forecast
26:19and crossing our fingers for some rain.
26:22And who would have thought that oak crops
26:24would earn a spot on my ever-growing worry list?
26:27So I'll wait for these lab results... Yeah.
26:30..on the leaf test, tissue test,
26:32and in the meantime, I'll do a rain dance.
26:34Yeah, exactly.
26:35Right. Thanks, Ben. Yeah.
26:38See you next week, mate. See you next week.
26:40It feels like at every stage, every week,
26:45there's something new to consider.
26:48It's so dependent on the weather
26:50and things out of your control, really.
26:52But the whole point for me of having a low-input farm
26:56is that nature kind of does all the hard work, really.
26:59You've got great animals that thrive in the conditions we've got.
27:03Those native breeds we know will do so well,
27:06and 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,
27:17you know, sustain itself.
27:18But there's a lot to growing crop.
27:21Nothing is ever straightforward.
27:23I'm not deterred by that.
27:25This was an experiment this year.
27:27Let's not forget that.
27:28You know, we've never done this before.
27:29This farm has not done anything like this
27:31for the last 20 or so years.
27:34It was always going to be a bit of a gamble.
27:36It was always going to be a bit of an unknown.
27:38So I just think we've tried it.
27:41That's enough.
27:42That's, you know, that's a big step.
27:45It's looking all right so far.
27:47That's an even bigger step.
27:48And what will be, will be.
27:50So keep our fingers crossed.
28:04Who's your favourite cow?
28:06Which one is it?
28:07Erm, erm, the little cow.
28:12The little cow. Is that Ray?
28:13Yeah.
28:14Do you like Ray? Yeah.
28:15Is it your favourite?
28:16Not a big cow.
28:18Not the big cow?
28:19Do you not like the big ones?
28:20I like the little one.
28:22You like the little one?
28:23Yeah.
28:24Okay.
28:25Big day today.
28:26Erm, TB results day.
28:28So naturally this is where the nerves kick in.
28:31Yeah, we just want a clear result today.
28:33Erm, because you know, it can be devastating.
28:35If you've got five cows or 500 cows,
28:37it's, it can have the same sort of impact.
28:39So fingers crossed, let's think positive.
28:42Although TB cases in Cheshire are in decline,
28:45our farm sits in what's called an edge area.
28:48bordering counties where the infection rate remains higher.
28:52Max, what do you reckon?
28:53Is he going to be good today?
28:55We've got you smiling, so that'll be a final.
28:59Right, Hugo.
29:00We've got an apprentice here today.
29:02I can see.
29:03Little Max is, er, this could be determined
29:06whether he becomes a vet or a farmer.
29:09Do you think?
29:10Might maybe, yeah.
29:11What do you think, Max?
29:12Would you like to be a vet like Hugo or a farmer like Daddy?
29:15A farmer like Daddy.
29:17A farmer like Daddy.
29:18Yeah, I'll do that, I'll do that if I would do.
29:21Let's get you sat down then, Mr. Cute.
29:24There we go.
29:25Like that.
29:26Perfect.
29:27How's that?
29:28Is that a good little seat?
29:29Yeah?
29:30Right, you sit there and Daddy's going to climb over here
29:32and we'll just get them through, yeah?
29:39Hugo will inspect and measure the site where he injected a form of the bacteria.
29:44If any reactions are detected, then the cows will have to be cold.
29:49Yeah, no reactions, no lumps, so she's clear.
29:53No TB in her.
29:55Good, good.
29:56Just cross her off the list.
29:58Yeah, that's a good start.
29:59We'll get them through.
30:01So again, no lumps, no reaction, so that one's clear.
30:10Right, cool.
30:11Next one.
30:12Two down, three to go.
30:14Max, you okay, mate?
30:16Guess who this is?
30:19This is Ray, your favourite.
30:21Give him a wave.
30:24Ray's okay, Max.
30:26He's good.
30:27No TB.
30:28He's all right.
30:29Not poorly.
30:30I'm telling you we've got the last one now.
30:32Crowd of the bull.
30:35Come on, lad.
30:42Yeah, so no lumps, no reactions, so that means there's no reactions on any of them,
30:47which is a clear TB test, so you can relax now.
30:51Good, good.
30:52Cross him off, and I'll put that through to the ministry later.
30:57Yeah, all right.
31:00Yeah, big relief.
31:02It's only five, but still, it's pretty nerve-wracking.
31:05Can't imagine what it'll be like if you've got scores and scores.
31:09But yeah, good news.
31:11Clear result, and start looking forward now.
31:16Hugo will update the government site that is tracking the disease, and hopefully, many
31:22other 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?
31:31Yes.
31:32Come here.
31:33I want you to say, say well done, cows.
31:35Yes, good cows.
31:36So what do we say to Hugo?
31:39Yeah, thanks, Hugo, for today, mate.
31:40No problem.
31:41Good result.
31:42Yeah, yeah.
31:43All right.
31:44Come on.
31:59Growing up on the farm means that when we're not roping the kids in to help with the farm
32:03jobs, they're off finding their own fun, and sometimes, they find natural treasures.
32:09Guys, look what I found!
32:12What have you got?
32:13Look what Milo's got!
32:15What is it?
32:16What is it?
32:17I think it's a bird nest.
32:19I just found that on the floor.
32:21Oh, really?
32:22The kids all know not to disturb nesting birds, but this abandoned nest is great for
32:29the kids to see up close.
32:30Hey, look what they've used!
32:32What's that?
32:33Sheep's wool!
32:34Sheep's wool?
32:35I'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.
32:47That 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...
32:57We're the live birds!
32:58I'm the baby!
33:00One project that's seriously testing our metal is the barn.
33:17We had the bright idea to host a wedding here for some friends.
33:21Very romantic.
33:22Very ambitious.
33:23But with the big day fast approaching, we really need to get moving.
33:28Especially since it's currently looking more like an agricultural storage unit than a wedding
33:33venue.
33:34The wedding is the tester.
33:36So we're emptying it.
33:37It's a blank canvas and from then on, we need Kelvin to get our thinking caps on and see
33:41what else we could do in here.
33:42We're getting the concrete poured in a couple of days.
33:45It's got to be emptied for that.
33:47And if there's one thing we're good at working to, it's the deadline.
33:51It takes a special set of wheels to handle a job of this importance.
33:56My jingle van.
33:58This van has been with us for a very long time, before we ever lived on a farm.
34:02And my dad borrowed it once and he didn't give it back for two years.
34:06And then when we finally moved to the farm, we were like, Dad, can we have that van back?
34:11It's rusty, it's old, but it just does the job.
34:16The only thing is wrong with it, the only thing, it's only two wheel drive.
34:21And 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, innit?
34:39Don't they?
34:40Yeah.
34:41It's like a ready-made hedge, isn't it?
34:43We don't waste anything on the farm if we don't have to.
34:46Some birds will be really happy in that, next season.
34:51Between the birds, a bonfire and Liz's creations, every twig will find a new purpose.
34:57Oh, I hope we don't get stuck.
35:07Slow down, not too much.
35:09If you spin a little bit, there's no point in thinking.
35:13Keep going.
35:14Do you hear what I do?
35:15Get that on!
35:16This 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.
35:32It'll be nice to have a bit of love and romance on the farm and someone else's memory of, you know, it's quite an honour to host someone's wedding here.
35:45It's something really special.
35:48See, I'll do all this and then Kelvin will get his favourite, favourite machine out.
35:59It's quite impressive.
36:00You know, it's something that when I met him, if he'd have picked me up in it, I'd have never met him again.
36:13But it's really handy around the farm.
36:18Here he is.
36:24That's how you sweep the farm.
36:30All this talk of weddings has me feeling romantic.
36:36You know there's going to be a wedding here?
36:37Yeah.
36:38Or a first ever wedding.
36:39I've got an idea.
36:41What?
36:42We're coming to our house.
36:44Aww.
36:45Who do you come with?
36:46Why not?
36:49No, 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.
36:58Just a few fairy lights.
36:59I'd be in my wedding dress putting fairy lights up.
37:01We're romantic.
37:02We're bringing a bit of romance to the farm.
37:05I might need to let the idea sink in a little with Liz, but this space certainly has potential.
37:11The barn is empty.
37:12The barn is empty.
37:13It's going to be good, isn't it?
37:14It's going to be really good.
37:15This could be so many things.
37:16I know.
37:18Interior shop.
37:20Stage.
37:21A show.
37:22A show.
37:23Theatre show.
37:24Pantomite.
37:25It could be anything.
37:26I might as well get myself a job.
37:28I could actually cast myself in my own production.
37:32You know what we could actually do?
37:34We could create a farm musical.
37:39I'm serious.
37:40Can you sing?
37:41No.
37:42No.
37:43No.
37:44No, that bit I won't be in.
37:46It could almost be our story.
37:47Two actors.
37:48Two actors.
37:50What?
37:53Why have you just spat your tea out?
37:56Babe, it could be our story.
37:57Two actors decide to get a farm.
38:00They have kids.
38:01Kevin, we've got enough to do.
38:02We're not creating a farm panto.
38:04No, it's not a pantom farm.
38:05It's a musical.
38:07We could get someone into it.
38:09Oh, God.
38:10Babe, do you not think that could be a good idea?
38:12It is, but just one step at a time, okay?
38:15Let's get through the wedding.
38:17The farm musical.
38:19Is that the scent of a Tony Award or just manure?
38:24Either way, the barn refurb just took a major leap towards showtime.
38:28This year's lambing season is almost done.
38:43We currently have over 60 strong, healthy lambs bounding around our fields.
38:48And the last of our expectant mums is finally showing signs of going into labour.
38:53She's doing good.
38:56She'll be all right for a minute.
38:57Let's do this.
38:58Three, 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.
39:05We've got to move them.
39:07Whereas now we're a bit like,
39:08Oh, 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.
39:17Most of the ewes have managed to birth naturally,
39:20but 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 like, it's so hard.
39:30It's like, do you know if you're like,
39:32It's one of them feelings.
39:34And what tense is?
39:35Just 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?
39:40It goes and you're like,
39:42And then it comes again and you're like,
39:46It's, it's hard.
39:47It's hard.
39:48The hardest thing that you'll ever do.
39:49I sometimes forget that you've actually had kids, aren't you?
39:53Well, I don't forget that.
39:54But I mean, you've,
39:55Thinking back to you having contractions and that.
39:57You were really strong.
39:5930 hours I was having contractions for.
40:01You step in after half an hour with the sheep.
40:0430 hours I was having contractions for.
40:07The things I've done.
40:08As this ewe is clearly struggling,
40:11With only the lamb's head and one of the legs out,
40:14It's time to jump in and give her a hand.
40:17You push her in and I'll just pull the lamb out.
40:20Oh, God.
40:22Oh, yeah, the foot's stuck.
40:24She's dead tight.
40:26I can't find the foot.
40:28She's gone, she's gone, she's gone.
40:43Pick it up, pick it up.
40:44It's a big lamb.
40:46Get up baby.
40:47We've had a couple of lambs like that, though, eh?
41:02Just one leg is out and the other one is stuck.
41:06It's almost like you go over to help and the mums tighten up.
41:10You just have to get in there and pull them out
41:11cos you think it would push them out a bit tricky.
41:14But she did it.
41:16With the lamb born safely and the cows clear of TB,
41:20we can get them all out of the barn
41:22to enjoy the fresh grass and spring sunshine.
41:36Managing the animals has definitely become a lot easier over the past year,
41:41which is more than I can say for our other herd.
41:46They make more mess than any other animal on this farm.
41:50Our kids are actual animals.
41:54The biggest animals of the farm are our kids, without a doubt.
41:58They're the hardest to control.
42:00They're the hardest to keep clean.
42:02They're the hardest to move.
42:04Farm is a breeze compared to having four kids.
42:08There's a reason I look so dishevelled all the time,
42:13and it's cos I've got four kids and a farm.
42:17Somehow, we are still managing to run the farm and raise kids,
42:21whilst dealing with the upheaval of still not living in the farmhouse after the fire.
42:26And while Marnie and Milo are now old enough to understand we'll be back on the farm in time,
42:37I can't help but think how this situation is affecting Maximus and Matthias.
42:42For the last six months of their lives, it's been, you know,
42:46they'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 a place where we come and do jobs, and for them, just have fun.
42:57It'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,
43:13and 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.
43:24The kids 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,
43:35we bring the kids up to the farm every single day,
43:38as Liz and I have always known that since moving here,
43:41this is where our family is meant to be.
43:44When I say green light, it's going to run as fast as we can.
43:49It's not just about farming, it's not just about that.
43:52It's such a lifestyle, and a lifestyle that has suited us, having four kids.
43:59It's been a real blessing.
44:01Because I think it's given them so much purpose and so much adventure to their life,
44:08that 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.
44:19They cause absolute destruction wherever they go.
44:22And I think...
44:24You're only fit for a farm, really.
44:28I don't know if we'd be welcome on the street anymore.
44:30Next 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.
44:49And next up is the Lincoln Reds.
44:52the twins lend a hand with our newborn lamps speed you like that this is there
45:03yeah a friendly game of rugby throws a spanner in the works feels like I've
45:11told my bicep and our sheep give us the runner-up just as a thought they just
45:18sheep just do whatever they want
45:48you
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