- 6 hours ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Yeah, it is the kind of evening that makes you want to edge closer to the fire, grab a blanket and put your hands on something warm.
00:06Was that hotter than you expected?
00:07It was a little bit. Cheers to that though.
00:09Yes, we are back as of course is winter on the farm and we are joined by our famous pop star friend JB Gill.
00:16Well, we will be. He is currently on tour with JLS but he has promised us he'll pop by.
00:21We didn't want to argue with 7,000 screaming girls but he will be with us.
00:24That is a fact.
00:25Of course, this time of year we all feel like slowing down.
00:28JB Gill isn't and nor are our nation's farmers.
00:31They are busy out there looking after their animals, making sure their machinery is tip top and ensuring that our larders are well stocked for the festive season.
00:40Yeah, all this week we will be bringing you a winter feast of farming life.
00:44The Nicholson brothers guide us through a busy frosty week at Cannon Hall Farm and are on their travels north, south and very east with a road trip to the Netherlands.
00:53From homegrown city growers and island shepherds, seaweed harvesters and rice paddy pioneers and winter warming food, wildlife tips and plenty of festive surprises.
01:04A whole world of farming over three nights. Welcome to Winter on the Farm.
01:09Welcome to our brand new series of Winter on the Farm from Cannon Hall Farm here in South Yorkshire, home of course to the Nicholson family.
01:34How are you doing?
01:35You weren't going to speak yet, but it is chaos.
01:37I was about to go.
01:38We are joined by Yorkshire's most famous brothers.
01:40Then you can speak.
01:42Hello!
01:43It's your gaff, so you can speak whenever you want.
01:45To be honest, I'm more concerned with the escaping goats right now.
01:47These are absolutely gorgeous.
01:49Very cheeky, as always.
01:51Some of our favourite animals, let's be honest, particularly at springtime.
01:54These are new additions, aren't they?
01:55Yeah, they're all ones that need our extra help.
01:58And my granddaughter Nellie's named them all.
02:01Go on then.
02:01So we've got Nellie and James after my grandchildren.
02:04Reggie and Eden after Nellie's two best friends.
02:06Samantha and Emily after her cousins.
02:09Soda pop after a favourite TV programme.
02:11And turnip after a favourite vegetable.
02:12They are so mischievous.
02:14Everybody's getting out.
02:15You lot.
02:16Oh, hang on, hang on, hang on.
02:17Here we go.
02:18Oh my goodness, right.
02:18What a wonderful granddad you are, but I'm glad you've only got two grandchildren.
02:21You cannot keep track of these, can you?
02:23Once you get into multiple numbers.
02:25Listen, you're going to give us a bit of an update,
02:27because one of them, I mean, one of them was injured.
02:29We thought that one would stay still.
02:30It's this one, Helen.
02:30Oh, OK, with the massive bandage.
02:32Yeah.
02:32That's the one, that's the giveaway.
02:34What is happening with that one?
02:35Right, well, it pulled up lame the other day,
02:37and we really don't know what's wrong,
02:39and we've got one of the best vets in the business
02:41coming down to check it over.
02:43It's literally like my house, there's kids everywhere.
02:45Listen, we've got plenty more from you guys a little bit later on, though.
02:48Now, we want to talk about some British farmers
02:51that we are shining a light on,
02:52because that is what this show is all about,
02:54celebrating British farmers and the farming industry.
02:57That's my finger, not a bottle.
02:59We turn to you guys, the Farmy Army,
03:01to nominate some hard-working farmers
03:03who go out in all conditions and support the wider community.
03:07So we were delighted to hear about Norman Niven, MBE.
03:10He's a mixed arable farmer from Fife
03:12on the east coast of Scotland for the last decade.
03:15As well as growing crops,
03:16Norman has volunteered for the RNLI,
03:19raising money for his local station at Aberdour.
03:22Norman, if I didn't have my hands full, I would salute you.
03:25Yeah, it is absolutely inspirational stuff.
03:28This goat's about to kick off when I take the bottle away.
03:30So here's what else is coming up.
03:32We meet the rapper-turned-farmer,
03:34dropping the mic for muddy boots
03:36and a very different life of grime.
03:38As promised, JB Gill pops into the farm
03:40to help Farmer Roger and Farmer Ruth
03:42pick the best rams from the flock.
03:45And our resident chef, Tim Bilton,
03:47is with us all week with some proper winter warmers,
03:50including some clever ways to brighten up your winter veg.
03:55And a little later you can find out how Rob and Dave got on
03:57when they head to...
03:57Ah, it's got very sharp teeth!
04:00Ooh!
04:00They head to Callow for the farming end-of-year showdown,
04:03battling it out with some of their finest sheep and cattle.
04:07Now, not only was it a challenge for the lads,
04:09but also for their two heifers, Tinkerbell and Little Red.
04:12But before they took off up the motorway,
04:14it was time for a little bit of training.
04:22The Borderway Agri-Expo in Carlisle
04:25is one of the UK's biggest and best livestock shows.
04:29Competition will be tough,
04:31but with Little Red and Tinkerbell,
04:33we reckon we're in with a shout of a best-in-breed rosette.
04:37Come on, Tinkerbell.
04:38Hello, girl.
04:39Come on, ma'am.
04:40All right, let's see...
04:41See if she's going to be...
04:43See if she's ready to play it.
04:45Ten-month-old calf Tinkerbell has not worn a halter before,
04:48so this is the first test.
04:51Good girl.
04:51Good girl.
04:52That's it.
04:53So far, so good.
04:54That's what I'd call a strong start, Dave.
04:57What a good girl.
04:58She's a little diamond.
04:59She's got a lot of style, a lot of class,
05:02and we're hoping for some good things from her.
05:05To get her ready for showing,
05:07we've got to get her used to walking in the halter.
05:10That way we can show her off to best effect
05:12and let the world see just how lovely she is.
05:16Come on.
05:17You see, a show animal needs to walk with a swagger.
05:20It needs to have a confidence and a style about it,
05:23and I think once she gets going,
05:24she could have all that in abundance.
05:26She might be the only red and white British blue there, Rob.
05:30You know, she's going to turn heads.
05:31She's something special.
05:33The sooner the calves get used to the halter,
05:36the easier they'll be to handle.
05:38Critically important if they're going to impress the judges on show day.
05:42Go on.
05:43This is what it's all about,
05:44getting her used to new experiences,
05:46getting her used to walking on a halter.
05:49She is a little bit steady at the moment,
05:50but the more you walk her, the more she'll show improvement.
05:56The other calf we're taking is Little Red.
05:59She's only four months old
06:00and already more than 100kg.
06:03She's a bit of a handful,
06:05but with high hopes for this little beauty.
06:08Come on, Flower.
06:10Come on.
06:13This one is a little bit wilder than Tinkerbell.
06:16She's a bit more spirited, isn't she?
06:18Yeah, she's definitely more spirited.
06:20But for her first time out,
06:22I think she's doing really nicely.
06:24In fact, a bit too nicely.
06:27Can you manage?
06:28Whoa.
06:30I'm glad she's not as big as her mum.
06:34I suppose she just has to burn a bit of energy
06:37and then she'll be all right.
06:39Right, let's stand her.
06:40No, keep going.
06:41Keep going.
06:42I'd rather have a rest.
06:46Come on, Flower.
06:47My arms are hurting a little bit.
06:50I've got a bit of rope burn,
06:51but other than that,
06:52I think Little Red,
06:53she could beat our Cal of the year.
06:54If we practice every day,
06:56practice makes perfect
06:57and by show day,
06:59we might just be in with a chance.
07:01There are only days to go to the Carlisle show
07:04and Little Red is still a bit feisty,
07:07but I'm quietly confident about Tinkerbell.
07:09I think she's a sure champion,
07:11but I've been wrong before.
07:12So how do you know when to start halter training?
07:22Is it just a little look?
07:23Is it an instinct?
07:25I think, ideally,
07:26the mum's already halter trained
07:28and the calf will follow mum.
07:29So you pop a halter on
07:30and it does the job for you.
07:32But, Rob,
07:33this isn't just about winning prizes, is it?
07:35This is about, I suppose,
07:37celebrating the breeding lines
07:39that you have here
07:40and taking those forward.
07:41And catching up with people
07:42that you haven't seen for ages, Jules.
07:44Everything about showing is celebratory.
07:47It's a celebration of British farming
07:49and it's great to be involved
07:50and it's great to have cattle like this
07:52that are good enough to go and compete.
07:54But I know you guys aren't egos.
07:56It is a chance to show off.
07:59We'll get to you.
08:00It is a chance to show off your hard work, isn't it?
08:02Because these animals represent the love
08:04and the care that you put into them.
08:05Well, Tinkerbell and Little Red
08:06are amongst the best in the country.
08:09You know, this is the Champions League of calves.
08:11And for us to have two calves
08:12good enough to go and compete
08:14is...
08:15It doesn't happen to people like us.
08:17You know, we're small farmers from Barnsley
08:18and we're rubbing shoulders
08:19with the best in the business.
08:20We will see in good time
08:21what happens to people like you later on.
08:23But, clearly, a lot of prep went into the show
08:27and we can't wait to see how you got on.
08:28Yeah, stick around for more from Winter on the Farm.
08:31After the break,
08:32we will harness the untapped power of seaweed.
08:35It is a thing.
08:36Apparently, we'll find out
08:37how Tinkerbell, Little Red, Rob and Dave
08:39get on at the end of your show in Carlisle.
08:41And we'll be joined by Matt Smith
08:43from the Yorkshire vet.
08:44These two have had enough now.
08:45Perfect timing.
08:46See you in a few minutes.
08:47Off to put the kettle on.
08:48Welcome back to Barnsley and Winter on the Farm.
09:17We're heading to the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales
09:19for something a bit different.
09:21We certainly are.
09:22Caramore is Wales' first community-owned seaweed farm.
09:25Now, you may be wondering,
09:26what has seaweed got to do with farming?
09:29Well, it could be the secret weapon
09:31when it comes to food, farming and the environment.
09:36I'm Beth.
09:36And I'm Tracey.
09:38And we're going to show you around Caramore.
09:41We farm seaweed and shellfish together on our sea farms.
09:45And here we have some of our dried sugar kelp,
09:50which was harvested this year.
09:52Seaweed is fantastic for the environment.
09:56It helps to clean the sea of any bad nutrients.
10:01So all these bags here are currently full of dried sugar kelp
10:06and will be used to create seaweed biostimulant,
10:08which is fantastic for use in agriculture
10:11and helps to reduce synthetic fertiliser use.
10:15Last year, we harvested around 20 tonnes of seaweed
10:18and we currently have around four tonnes of mussels.
10:23We go out on our farm a couple of times a week.
10:26In the winter, this could be once a week or even less.
10:29So we've got some mussels splat here.
10:31Mussels splat is juvenile mussels.
10:33So these are all really small-looking wood-glove dogs.
10:36In fact, that's big inside.
10:39So now we're just tying them on
10:41and putting them out onto the farm.
10:47During the winter, the weather here can be pretty bad.
10:50So we spend a lot of time doing maintenance.
10:53Thanks for joining us on our farm
10:54and seeing what we get up to during the winter.
10:56It's been a busy year for sure
11:03and when you guys are not knee-deep in jobs on the farm,
11:06you're trowelling up and down the country,
11:08I mean, you've had a good run this year.
11:09You've been to some great shows.
11:11Yeah, not least the great Yorkshire where we caught up.
11:14We were so close to a first, but we got six seconds,
11:17which is still fantastic because you're up there with the best.
11:20But, you know, our ram was...
11:22It was nearly there.
11:24The ram was winning right up to the last month.
11:26And then its competitor mounted him,
11:29upset him, and it just knocked his duck off
11:31and he got put back to second place.
11:32Knocked his duck off.
11:33I hate it when that happens.
11:35But you are, I mean, I'm being dazzled by the lights
11:39from the reflection of what is in your hands.
11:40This was a successful day.
11:42Westmillan County show.
11:43We managed to win Champion Dutch Spotted,
11:45which we got this silver plate for.
11:47But this is lovely.
11:48You're holding the silverware there.
11:49This is from your local show here at Penniston.
11:52Yeah, Penniston show.
11:53We took the Highlands and the sheep
11:54and the Highland cattle, we got best calf,
11:57best cow and best bull.
11:59And this is for the best bull.
12:01We're used to winning best vegetable animal.
12:03You know, these are unheard of days for us.
12:05By a vegetable animal, you...
12:06This is nothing to do with actual animals.
12:08You mean, like, making an animal from a dairy vegetable?
12:10You'd get a big marrow, put four sticks in it,
12:13put some pheasant feathers in its tail,
12:15and you'd got a peacock.
12:16You could do better than that.
12:17I had a curved cucumber and made a dove out of it.
12:19There's another competition coming up.
12:21I can see it happening.
12:22Well, there actually is,
12:23because show season is not over for these boys.
12:26There is one more on the calendar before the year is out,
12:28and it's a biggie.
12:29Yes, the boys, of course, headed up to Carlisle's
12:32big end-of-year agricultural shindig.
12:34Earlier, we saw them training those two very naughty little heifers,
12:38but now let's find out how they got on.
12:44It can be tough to get going on these cold winter mornings.
12:48But we're here in Carlisle with a job to do.
12:53I'm feeling a little bit nervous.
12:55It's quite a big deal.
12:56There was a lot of people here who were at the top of the game.
12:59You know, we're relatively new entrants into this job,
13:03and I'm astounded by the quality of the capital here.
13:08The Borderway Agri-Expo is where the creme de la creme
13:12of the UK's livestock breeders come to show off their prize animals.
13:17Competition is fierce,
13:19so I've got my work cut out with Tinkerbell
13:21and the spirited Little Red.
13:23Little Red's looking very nice this morning.
13:28She's quite calm, which I like.
13:29I've had a little walk with her already.
13:32She's got plenty of fire in her belly,
13:34which is a good thing,
13:35because she's going to show herself off well,
13:37but it can be a bad thing if she drags me across the ring.
13:42This is just to make sure that Little Red doesn't sweat up,
13:44that she feels comfortable,
13:46that it flops the coat up,
13:47and that she looks as attractive as she possibly can.
13:55There's close to 1,000 head of livestock in this competition,
13:59including 33 calf and cattle classes,
14:0320 sheep classes,
14:04and five breed society shows.
14:06The bulls have just got in the ring,
14:10so we've got to get show ready.
14:12I'm getting you show ready.
14:14I'm fine.
14:20We're just moments away from the ring,
14:22but I'm having a last-minute attire crisis.
14:26I've had to borrow a shirt and borrow a tie.
14:28I just forgot all about it.
14:30It's the wrong breed of tie.
14:31I know it is.
14:32There's no way you're going to win a prize
14:34in the show-tone show
14:35with the British Blue Cattle Society tie on.
14:38Keep that covered up.
14:40Crisis averted.
14:41Tie covered up.
14:43It's showtime.
14:55She's certainly got some fire in her belly today.
14:57In some ways, it's good that Little Red has got a bit of spirit
15:03that she's proving hard to handle,
15:05because that shows that she's got a spark
15:07that might just ignite a fire in the judge's belly, hopefully.
15:10But equally, I might just think she's naughty.
15:14I'm hopeful I've got her...
15:16..spirit under control.
15:19And she's up next.
15:22The judge is checking the line of her back,
15:24the muscle, how square Little Red stands.
15:27And most importantly, how well she moves.
15:31This looks promising.
15:32The judge clearly likes the look a little red
15:35and her spirited walk around the ring.
15:37Hey, look at that.
15:39Thank you very much.
15:43A fabulous first in a class.
15:46And Tinkerbell didn't do too badly either.
15:50Thank you very much.
15:51She was born with me, filled it.
15:52Well done.
15:53I'm going to water it.
15:55A very respectable fourth in her class.
15:58But the day belongs to Little Red.
16:00I feel as though it's a pinch-me moment,
16:03because we never dreamt we'd come here
16:04to the best cards in the country show
16:07and win her first prize.
16:08I mean, it shows she's got class.
16:10I think it's a moment to pay tribute to the team at home.
16:13They've made sure she's wanted for nothing.
16:15And that's the only way you compete at pedigree level
16:18and get all the details right.
16:20Ah, she's on me foot.
16:23She definitely stood well that time.
16:24Is she still your favourite?
16:27I love her.
16:28Yeah.
16:32Well, lads, what a day you had.
16:34It couldn't have gone any better, surely.
16:35I mean, it could have gone slightly better.
16:37How is the foot?
16:38Well, it's all right, but Matt, can you have a look at it later?
16:41I'm very delighted to say that Matt Smith,
16:43from the Yorkshire vet, is with us.
16:45We haven't got a doctor on hand,
16:46but I do believe you have some painkillers.
16:48I mean, you really checking out the foot there?
16:50I'll put you down later, Dave.
16:51Oh, dear.
16:53Listen, you've been on your travels since then,
16:55and you have picked up a very fine specimen here, haven't you?
16:57Well, I was looking for a Christmas present for me dad,
17:00and I saw this sale at Skipton.
17:02We went along, and we were blown away with this heifer.
17:04She's outstanding.
17:06She's colossal.
17:07She was supreme champion.
17:08We got the cheque book out.
17:10We brought her back here,
17:11and she's going to have a calf that will hopefully be as good
17:13as a little red.
17:14And, Matt, you're going to give her the sort of once-over
17:16to reassure the lads that this is a purchase worth making.
17:22Well, so far, she's looking all well,
17:24and I've bumped her calf as well,
17:25so she's definitely in calf there.
17:27You've bumped her calf?
17:28Yeah, so it's a little technique that you can do when...
17:31It's a bit like kicking a tyre on a second-hand car.
17:33No offence, mate.
17:34I mean, well, actually, yeah, it is, really.
17:37What you do is, because the calf in the last trimester
17:39sat about here, what you can do is you just literally
17:43use your hand or give a little bit of a nudge,
17:45and you can just feel the calf just bop against you,
17:47and sometimes it'll even give you a bit of a kick as well.
17:49It sounds as if that's almost quite brutal,
17:51but it is perfectly safe.
17:53It doesn't hurt or harm Madeline in any way, does it?
17:56I assure you.
17:56Okay.
17:57This won't distress Madeline at all?
17:59No, literally.
18:00You just feel her hand about there,
18:01and you just give it a slight knock like that,
18:03and you can feel the calf, you know, they're firm.
18:06And they sometimes kick back, Ellen.
18:08You can actually have a little conversation with them.
18:11She's absolutely gorgeous, isn't she?
18:13The colouring, the massive eyes,
18:15and like you say, she's colossal.
18:17You don't find efforts like that very often,
18:19and credit to a breeder, and we just wanted her here.
18:21We want to make our herd better,
18:23and she'll definitely do that.
18:23And will you be showing her next year?
18:24Yeah, 100%.
18:25Yeah.
18:26She'll be out at the Yorkshire shore next summer.
18:28Amazing.
18:28The thing is, he went for one cow and came back with three.
18:31Well, that is fantastic,
18:34and clearly a welcome addition to the farm.
18:36Matt, you're going to stick around, aren't you?
18:37And hopefully have a look at that little pigby goat
18:39that we thought had a slightly dodgy leg earlier.
18:41Yeah, get a few jobs done well, isn't that right, Rob?
18:44Yeah, try and get our value out of it.
18:46Absolutely, no, stop taking a free lunch.
18:47Now then, coming up after the break,
18:49we are meeting a man who swapped his mic for some muddy boots,
18:53plus also the boys start their pre-festive expedition over in Holland,
18:57looking at the origins of their favourite breed of sheep.
19:00And J.B. Gill is going to be finding out
19:02what is the next big thing from the boys' rams here at Cannonhole Farm.
19:05We'll see you in a few minutes' time.
19:06Welcome back to Winter on the Farm.
19:18Welcome back to Winter on the Farm.
19:32Now, no surprise, farming is not an easy life,
19:35particularly during the winter,
19:36but thankfully it doesn't put everyone off.
19:39All this week we are celebrating first-time farmers
19:41who are bringing fresh ideas and a new energy to the countryside.
19:45Now, have you heard of Skepta and Stormzy?
19:48Yeah, of course.
19:49Yeah, they're MCs, rappers, grime artists.
19:52I think you'll find that Skeptas...
19:55So close. Skeptas.
19:58Konnichiwa, Alvam.
19:59Won the Mercury Prize in 2016.
20:02You see, I'm bum all over this.
20:03Stormzy?
20:05Master of the Craft.
20:06So close.
20:07Anyone buying this?
20:08No!
20:08Well, our next guest has worked with at least one of those,
20:14but Fecky is swapping a life of grime
20:16for a life on a farm in Cambridgeshire.
20:20What's happening, girls?
20:22Four years ago, music maestro Fecky
20:25left the big smoke of London
20:27to live with his family in a smallholding in Cambridgeshire,
20:30where he's happier even in winter.
20:33I wanted to live in nature full-time,
20:34and it's gone from growing stuff to a chicken
20:38to more chickens and more chickens,
20:40and now I'm on my way to becoming a farmer.
20:44This is my allotment.
20:46This is where I'm learning how to grow things.
20:51I've had lots of problems.
20:54I've had dares coming in here and eating my cabbage and stuff,
20:57so I've actually learnt quite a lot,
20:59and I think I'm almost ready to go for the big time.
21:03But for now, we're here.
21:06Artist Fecky spent over 14 years in the music business,
21:10touring and performing on stage
21:12and at festivals across the UK.
21:16There's a big difference to what I was doing before,
21:18coming off the big stages,
21:20performing and touring all the time in the studio and stuff,
21:23to be now on the farm, like, chasing my chickens around.
21:26But I feel like what it's done, it's brought me a balance.
21:29I think here, I'm in total peace.
21:33I wouldn't say winter's my favourite.
21:36I think what drags me out here, no matter what happens, is my chickens.
21:40They're like my babies,
21:41so I have to come out and make sure they're all right.
21:45Fecky's chickens are his pride and joy.
21:47What's happening?
21:49But there's one particular girl he has a soft spot for.
21:53So this is Nugget.
21:54Nugget is the first baby I've ever had on the farm.
21:57One day I was just walking past the coop
21:59and I could just hear, like, a little squeaking sound.
22:01I had no idea.
22:03I looked inside and Nugget was there.
22:05Guys, I'm a granddad.
22:07I've had a baby.
22:12Sorry, excuse me, girls.
22:14What started as one farm with ten chickens is now expanding,
22:19as Fecky plans to make this endeavour
22:22something communities can also benefit from.
22:27I'm building more coops at the moment,
22:30so I've got a plan to go to 300 chickens.
22:33I've got a food bank in Lushan, where I grew up,
22:35so these eggs will collect it and go down there.
22:38This year I've started making cider as well,
22:40so I've got some cider fermenting inside.
22:42So we have apples growing here, pears, plums and stuff.
22:46Apples as well go down to the food bank.
22:49Fecky set up a food bank to support families and young adults
22:53in his hometown of Lushan in South London.
22:57It feels good to be able to give back.
22:59It would cause a lot of trouble in my community growing up.
23:02My 18-year-old self would never have seen this, ever.
23:04I wish that I knew this life existed back then.
23:09I think that there's a big disconnect
23:11between the youth and farming.
23:13It's really important for the youth to get into farming.
23:16I think it's a culture, it's a lifestyle.
23:19We have social media, which I use a lot.
23:21And I want people to be like,
23:23look, you've changed my outlook on farming.
23:25Look, the chick is pecking me.
23:30Fecky uses social media to give his followers an insight
23:34into the trials and tribulations of his new life.
23:38It shines a light on farming for a younger generation who,
23:42like him, aren't from a farming background.
23:45So the future for me is to have F Manor become a farm for the people
23:52where you can bring the kids over to look at animals
23:55and it's just a place for young people to enjoy farming.
23:59The biggest surprise to me and coming into the farming world
24:03is how embracing the farmers have been
24:06and how there's a big sense of community
24:09and just the fact that, coming from London,
24:13I've been called a townie for ages
24:16and I'm not starting to hear townie anymore.
24:18I think I'm becoming Fecky the farmer.
24:19Oh, how good to see Fecky really embracing life.
24:27I tell you what, though, you do not need a garden or a farm
24:31to enjoy the benefits of the great outdoors.
24:33You don't need to prove it.
24:33We've got Michael Perry with us, a.k.a. Mr Plant Geek.
24:37Great to see you, Michael.
24:38Good to be here. Thanks for joining us.
24:40I tell you what, you've got all sorts.
24:41You've got flowers, you've got cacti, you've got big plants,
24:43but we're immediately drawn down here.
24:45Yeah, because you can grow your own pea shoots on your windowsill.
24:47At this time of year, you're telling me we can grow a bunch?
24:50You can do this all year round.
24:51You can even grow cress, mustard.
24:53What can I do right now, right here?
24:55Put two or three in each of those little modules.
24:57I've got you a dibber already. Thank you so much.
24:59So you don't even need to get your hands dirty as well.
25:01A little dibber in there.
25:02So just about an inch deep, put in a few seeds.
25:04Yep. Excellent.
25:05Each of those modules, you then put them on the windowsill.
25:07Yeah. Literally, they will be up in a few days.
25:10And then you pick these peas when they're about an inch tall
25:12as a pea shoot and use it as a little garnish
25:15and it has a really nice pea flavour.
25:16It's a lovely way, isn't it, to reconnect with the spring and summer
25:20that we're all now looking forward to once again.
25:22You don't have to sort of switch off, you know, from the joys of the goose.
25:26Not at all.
25:27And having houseplants in the home is great for your well-being.
25:29These days, people are using houseplants in the same way
25:32as they have pets in the home.
25:33You know, something to look after.
25:35Now, at this time of year, a lot of people find it's quite dark.
25:37It's quite a heavy season.
25:39Plants can also bring a splash of colour, can't they?
25:41Oh, absolutely. So you've got a few flowering plants here.
25:44So you've got the cyclamen at the front, the little pink one.
25:46This little pink one, that's lovely.
25:47Yeah, chrysanthemums, that probably costs you the same
25:50as a bunch of flowers, of chrysanthemums,
25:52but lasts three times as long.
25:54And then, of course, coming up to Christmas,
25:55we've got the poinsettia.
25:56Well, this...
25:57Lovely big red one, but I've got a big tip with those.
25:59Yeah.
26:00They don't like draughts because they're a Mexican wildflower.
26:03Make sure you get them from a warm part of the supermarket
26:05and then wrap it in a blanket to take it home.
26:08Have you got a blanket?
26:09Hang on, hang on. We have got loads of blankets here.
26:11It needs protection.
26:11Liv, can you...
26:12Keep it warm.
26:12Please pass me a blanket.
26:14But this is a great tip.
26:15Hang on, there we go.
26:16That was keeping Liv warm, but for now...
26:18Why a sensitive plant?
26:19I never knew. That's great.
26:21Michael, we could talk to you all night.
26:23Sadly, we haven't got time, but thank you so much for coming up...
26:25...and joining us and sharing your passion for plants.
26:28It's lovely to see.
26:29I love how you're literally going to take that home to your wife, aren't you?
26:31I literally am.
26:32Right, we know that Rob and Dave love their Dutch spotted sheep
26:35and as a bit of a Christmas treat, we sent them to the Netherlands.
26:37Indeed we did.
26:38Their first outing was in search of the roots of their favourite flock.
26:46The winter is when farmers do their serious planning for the year ahead.
26:51And since we're keen to improve our Dutch spotted bloodlines,
26:55we've come to their homeland in the Netherlands.
26:59In the south of the country is where you'll find Joost Lauter.
27:04He's one of the top breeders and supplied many UK farmers with the first Dutch spotteds,
27:10including us.
27:11I'm Rob.
27:14Hello.
27:14I'm Dave.
27:15How are you doing?
27:15Hi Dave, how are you doing?
27:16And we're big fans of yours.
27:18Our first Dutch spotted sheep came from your farm in the Netherlands,
27:21so we've a lot to thank you for.
27:23It's very nice to hear that you have some good genetic stock.
27:25For me, Dutch spotted sheep are my sheep.
27:28I'm proud of that, those sheep, and I'm trying to breed them as good as I can.
27:32Well, there's a lot in the country now.
27:34You did a good job.
27:36We're really excited to be in the Netherlands, and we can't wait to look at your sheep.
27:39If you would like to feed the sheep?
27:40Yeah, we'd love to.
27:41Thank you very much.
27:42We'd love to look at them.
27:43Where are they?
27:44In the fields.
27:45Oh, I should have thought that.
27:46It's been a decade since Dutch spotteds first appeared in the UK,
27:52and Jaust played a big part in establishing the breed.
27:56Here in the Netherlands, they go back around 100 years.
28:02The smell is nice.
28:03It's very good, yeah.
28:04It smells nice.
28:05I could, a bit of milk, I could eat that for my breakfast.
28:07Yes, no, come on.
28:10Jaust has made it his mission to breed the finest animals he can,
28:13so we're confident he'll have just what we're looking for.
28:17Well, I'm liking what I'm seeing in the house.
28:19They look great used.
28:20Shall we see if we can pick out the best sheep, Rob?
28:22I think we're going to be spoilt for choice here.
28:28Oh, they're coming.
28:30The language of food has done it.
28:33I'm getting sheep blindness here.
28:34They all look so good.
28:36Hello.
28:38Look at that.
28:39What are you?
28:41Really rating the cracking.
28:43Here.
28:44Have a little bit.
28:46David's found a friend.
28:49So what do you like best about the sheep?
28:51They have a very good character, easy lambing,
28:54and, of course, they have spots.
28:56Those spots, when they come out,
28:58they just look like little Dalmatian dogs,
28:59and we just love them.
29:00And that was also the reason
29:02that I started with Dutchpotters sheep breeding 25 years ago.
29:06They've got everything.
29:07They've got a lot of style.
29:08They're just a flashy little sheep, aren't they?
29:10So what I also do is every year select the ones
29:13that I like the most.
29:15I keep them for a year, and after a year, look.
29:18But every year, selection, selection, selection,
29:21to get genetically a better flock in fertility and in everything.
29:27So you're looking at every aspect of the sheep,
29:30the number of lambs it has, the stature of it.
29:33Yeah.
29:34I want to have good mothers, lambs, milk, good carcasses,
29:38and, of course, good collars.
29:40Yeah.
29:40They need to take every box.
29:41Another one I like there, Yowse.
29:43Yeah, that's a good one also, yeah.
29:44Yeah.
29:45Is that one that you might send across to us?
29:47I would say keep dreaming,
29:48because I'm not going to sell my best sheep.
29:50I like your style.
29:52So who's your champion, Yowse,
29:54put us out of our misery?
29:55My favourite you is standing there.
29:58She has everything in it.
30:00That one, she's broad.
30:01She's big, she has length, she's wide.
30:05Good colour.
30:05Good markings, yeah, good colours.
30:08She's a beautiful thing, isn't she?
30:09The winner was right in front of our nose and we didn't see it.
30:12Well, everyone's got a winner, Rob.
30:14There's no losers here.
30:15Yeah.
30:18The girls have been great, but will the boys measure up?
30:22That one on the left there, that's a good memo.
30:25Yeah, the first in the back, that's the one that I like the most, because...
30:27That one with the longer tail, stuck straight out.
30:29Yeah.
30:29I'm always looking for a ram with a very good conformation,
30:33with extra length in it, but straight, like this, you know?
30:38See, my dad always said to me, buy the best ram you can afford.
30:43Yeah.
30:43The question is, can we afford that ram?
30:45Not for sale.
30:48Well, but, but, as a plan B, Yost,
30:52would there be any chance of maybe doing a deal on some semen?
30:55There is a possibility that I can deliver semen in the future
30:58to interested people in the UK, maybe to you.
31:01So maybe if we had a bit of a chat over this,
31:04there might be a deal to be done.
31:05Yeah.
31:05Yeah, sounds good.
31:07Okay.
31:08Sold.
31:08We may not have convinced Yost to sell us a ram,
31:15but semen from a top animal is the next best thing,
31:18and just what we need to improve our stock.
31:21Well, Rob and Dave aren't the only ones having fun, as you can see.
31:25Look at this cheeky lot.
31:27We'll be catching up with more of the lad's Dutch road trip
31:30later on during the week,
31:32but earlier, J.B. Gill and Farmer Ruth
31:35caught up with Rob and Dave's dad, Roger.
31:37Their task, to select the best from a dozen Dutch-spotted rams.
31:43Rob and Dave may not have landed a top-top for this breeding season,
31:47but there's plenty here at home to take care of business
31:50till new blood arrives.
31:55We have got the cream of the crop.
31:58Here we go.
31:59All right, so this is the shortlist.
32:02The best in Europe, as they say.
32:04So they're going to be going to be shown.
32:06Yes.
32:07And they're going to be used for breeding as well.
32:08Oh, yes, these are going to be breeding sheep.
32:10So what are we actually looking for in these rams?
32:12You need straight legs,
32:15and then we're looking for a sheep that gets its head up
32:18and it's proud of itself.
32:20And then a broad back.
32:21I've got my eye on that one who gets to the back wall.
32:24Right at the back?
32:24Yes.
32:25All right, so do we have to go and grab him then?
32:27Yes.
32:28So we'll move in and we'll get hold of him.
32:30What makes him so good?
32:32Well, if you look at his legs,
32:34he's right up on his feet there.
32:36Yeah.
32:37And it's important for the lamb
32:39because there's a lot of running about to follow the hoes and such,
32:42so he needs to be good on his feet.
32:44When you feel there,
32:46you want to feel that it's a strong, fleshy leg like that.
32:50Let's have a little...
32:51Oh, yeah.
32:51So what's his pedigree like?
32:53Why is he so good?
32:54So this one is very special.
32:56It's the son of Half Pint.
32:58He's one of our really good tups.
33:00We bought Half Pint on an online sale on a Friday night
33:03and it spoilt me Friday night, to be quite honest.
33:08So how much did Half Pint cost?
33:10Half Pint cost above 13,000 guineas.
33:15Wow.
33:15When you look at a lamb like this that he's produced,
33:19it makes you realise that it was a better good night's dealing
33:22than we thought.
33:24Yeah.
33:24Each year we're getting a little bit better quality all the time
33:27and I think next year it'll...
33:31It'll be our year.
33:32Well...
33:33Looking good.
33:37It is hard to know if the moral of the story there is
33:40buy an animal when you've had a skimful
33:42or don't buy an animal when you've had a skimful.
33:44Either way, it's great to get the benefit of Roger's experience.
33:48Right, after the break, we have been to Wales,
33:50we have been to the Netherlands,
33:51we are en route to Canada
33:53and Tim Bilton is going to be showing us
33:55what to do with winter veg.
33:58Trust me, you are going to want to try these at home.
34:01We'll see you in a few minutes' time.
34:02Welcome back to Winter on the Farm.
34:28Now, of course, we're big fans of British farming,
34:30but as we've seen from Rob and Dave's Dutch adventure,
34:34there is more to learn from around the world.
34:37So we're heading now to a pig farm in Saskatchewan, Canada,
34:40where expat farmer Joanna Shepard
34:43is getting ready for the first snows of winter
34:45and some tough freezing conditions.
34:48So this is a view of what we get in the morning.
34:51Middle of nowhere.
34:53You can see for miles.
34:55But we miss the trees.
34:56It's not the same as home.
34:58Oh, our livestock guardian dog, Buddy.
35:02And we need him for catching against coyotes and cougars.
35:06Buddy, you're killing me.
35:12But only minus three this morning, so it's quite warm.
35:15Yeah, sometimes we can't even get up here.
35:18It's so deep in snow.
35:20OK, so everybody's just waking up and Carl's feeding them,
35:23so he's got to get across there before he gets attacked.
35:26We don't have a tractor, so we have to do everything by hand,
35:29but it keeps us fit.
35:31So that's the Hoggett house, which we've buried in the ground.
35:36Usually we've got loads of snow, and it's about minus 20.
35:40And we're hoping that keeps them warm in winter.
35:43It's a new thing that we're trying.
35:45But we'll see how it goes.
35:49We're back with Matt Smith from the Yorkshire Vet.
35:51Matt, good to see you again.
35:53You have got your healing hands hovering over the little goat
35:55that we met at the start of the show, which is called...
35:58Sodapop.
35:59What's going on?
36:00So, we were concerned that she got her leg stuck underneath the gate
36:04and she might have had a break.
36:05So now I'm just going to literally take it off
36:07and we're going to see if there's a break there or not.
36:08If there is, we'll set it.
36:09If not, then we might just put another supporting bandage on.
36:12So, essentially, when you're checking any sort of bone for a fracture,
36:15you're just wanting to see if there's any abnormal movements in it.
36:18You just work from bottom to top.
36:20We're a bit sore there, but it is moving.
36:22Oh, sorry.
36:23But it is moving, which is good.
36:25So, I can't feel any obvious breaks,
36:27but given that there's a fair bit of swelling there,
36:29it's still going to put a supportive bandage on it
36:31because it will help her to weight bear
36:32and it will certainly make this little goat feel a bit more supported.
36:36You might want to cover Sodapop's ears for this next bit.
36:39Winter is officially Sunday roast season
36:41and farmers up and down the country are busy
36:43preparing all of our favourite vegetables,
36:45especially with Christmas dinner just around the corner.
36:47Now, Jack Pierce's family have been growing near Kingsland
36:49for over 60 years,
36:51but after one of the driest summers on record,
36:53Jack, his dad and uncle have been busy out in the fields
36:56lifting carrots and pulling pastips ready for our plates.
37:00The Pierce family really know their onions.
37:05Well, certainly their root vegetables,
37:08as they've been growing veg on their farm in Norfolk
37:10for the last 60 years.
37:13Grandfather Alfred Pierce started with a small veg crop.
37:16Now the farm produce 55,000 tonnes of carrots
37:19and 14,000 tonnes of parsnips every year.
37:22And all members of the Pierce family are involved.
37:27I'm Jack Pierce.
37:28Came into it from university,
37:30somehow ended up back in the family business
37:32and never really looked back.
37:34Jack's uncle, Johnny Pierce,
37:38has dedicated his working life
37:40to making sure the best quality carrots and parsnips
37:43arrive on the nation's plates.
37:45I'm 61 years of age now.
37:47I joined when I was 18
37:49after going to agriculture college.
37:52Obviously, it was my father's business.
37:56Johnny's brother Simon was thrilled that son Jack
37:59wanted to follow in the family footsteps.
38:01He bought an entirely different skill set
38:04to the ones my brother and I had,
38:06which is generational change
38:08and it's the way it should be.
38:11You can't choose your family.
38:13We get on most of the time, don't we?
38:15Yes.
38:17As well as the raw veg straight from the soil,
38:19the family also process 75,000 tonnes of veg a year
38:23that get used in all sorts of tasty products.
38:27If you go into most shops in the UK,
38:30you'll probably find a bit of our carrot in something,
38:33whether it's a soup, a salad, a sandwich, a ready meal,
38:37which is always quite exciting.
38:42After new investment,
38:44the family still remain day-to-day hands-on
38:46as they want to protect their grandfather's legacy.
38:48These carrots were drilled probably early May
38:53and they've only been now lifted in November.
38:56A lot of irrigation, which is hard work,
38:59have gone into this crop to get it where it is today.
39:02And the weather has been a challenge for the family.
39:05We've had one of the driest years that we've known,
39:09so we put lots of water on the crop through the summer
39:11and that's sort of helped them grow and keep them healthy.
39:15Every part of the growing process,
39:17from planting to picking,
39:18has been precisely planned for speed and efficiency.
39:24Special machinery is used to take the tops off the carrots
39:27before they're harvested
39:28and cleaned of loose soil at the same time.
39:31When it comes to freshness, time is of the essence
39:35and the carrots are with the factory
39:37for processing within 24 hours.
39:40The family take great pride in their produce
39:42and are always looking for new varieties that can deliver.
39:47The bottom of the parsons normally is very thin,
39:52but these have got a nice thick taper to them,
39:57which helps when you're trying to make wedges.
40:01There's a reason that parsnips grow so well in this country.
40:05The colder it gets,
40:06the more sugar the parsnip produces
40:09and the sweeter it becomes.
40:13We'll be busy up to about the last week before Christmas processing.
40:19At the moment, we're doing about 500, 600 tonnes a week,
40:23but very much a pre-Christmas or Christmas speciality.
40:28When you're standing in the field every day,
40:30you can lose sight of the fact that what you're supplying
40:32is something that people are going to enjoy on their table.
40:39Well, a timely reminder of all the hard work
40:41that goes into producing some of our finest vegetables.
40:44And talking of our finest, Tim Bilton is with us all week.
40:46Tim, great to see you.
40:47What have you cooked up tonight?
40:49Well, didn't those carrots and parsnips look absolutely amazing,
40:52but don't you think sometimes we're a little bit set in our ways
40:55about how we do things?
40:56So these, I've done them slightly different.
40:58I've soused these carrots and parsnips.
41:01So basically, that means I've just poached them
41:03in a little bit of pickling liquor,
41:05and then I'm just going to jazz them up with a little bit of...
41:08Hang on, hang on.
41:09You'll wind it back.
41:10Remember who you're speaking to here.
41:13So, especially for the guys at the kids' table,
41:16what have you actually done with these?
41:18You said you've soused them and you've poached them
41:20and you've pickled them.
41:21Yeah, so we've poached them with salt, sugar and vinegar.
41:25So we're just going to dress them.
41:26And what's the dressing?
41:27So it's my version of a chimichurri.
41:29I mean, you can smell the kind of vinegar in it, can't you?
41:32Yeah.
41:32And I guess, actually, with that poaching
41:34and that extra sauce and flavouring,
41:36would this be a good thing to do with veg
41:38that you've, you know, reheated that's a bit left over?
41:41Absolutely, Jules, yeah.
41:43It's a great way of preserving veg as well.
41:46But it sounds crazy,
41:47but actually I feel I can taste the carrot more
41:48because of everything else that's going on around it.
41:50It sort of lifts the flavour out of it.
41:51Parsnip's lovely, actually.
41:52Parsnip's stunning.
41:54Is this something you've done for a long time, Tim,
41:56or is this a new discovery?
41:57No, I love pickling veg.
42:00Especially...
42:00What's this funny?
42:04I do.
42:05I love...
42:06I don't know.
42:07It's just quite funny.
42:08I love pickling veg.
42:09I do, it's a great way of preserving
42:12what is in abundance
42:14and then what sort of disappears with that
42:17through the seasons.
42:18What can't you pickle?
42:20Don't answer that, actually.
42:22I don't know how you're going to top this
42:23because this is sensational.
42:25It is absolutely amazing.
42:26What have you got on the menu tomorrow night, then, Tim?
42:28So tomorrow night,
42:29I'm making my version of a jambalaya,
42:32which is chicken, spicy sausage,
42:34rice and some shrimps.
42:36Cannot wait.
42:37But that, sadly, is it.
42:39However, coming up...
42:40Tomorrow night, we will be gatecrashing
42:42the Nicholson Brothers' family road trip
42:43to the Netherlands
42:44when they meet some Friesian horses
42:46and we'll be heading to the Isle of Butte
42:47to catch up with some pups
42:49doing winter sheepdog trials.
42:51Plus, we've got more from JB Gill,
42:52we've got Yorkshire vet Shona Searson here
42:55and some top tips for winter well-being.
42:57We will see you tomorrow night
42:58at 8 o'clock on The Dot.
43:00Good night!
43:01Our winter on the farm continues
43:09tomorrow and Friday at 8.
43:11We've watched him grow from a nipper
43:12to a grown man with a digger.
43:14Stream Rubenow and Life in the Dales
43:16now on 5.
43:18Next year, Yorkshire vet favourites
43:19are here for a very special occasion indeed
43:21as we celebrate a decade
43:22in the Moors and Dales.
43:24Brand new!
43:31Thank you for your day!
43:41See you!
Be the first to comment