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Fletcher's Family Farm - Season 3 Episode 9
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00:00And we've fallen for this way of life, hook, line and sinker.
00:08Can 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.
00:36This 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've created some sort of farm musical?
00:57Kevin, we've got enough to do, we're not creating a farm phantom.
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.
01:24Let's give a suggestion of what we think the name should be.
01:27It's naming day for our new bull calf.
01:30Milo.
01:31Wolf king.
01:32Wolf king.
01:33Wolf king.
01:34We're teeing up a new grazing system that's well above par.
01:38That's what they call golf ball grazing.
01:40Golf ball grazing.
01:41Wow.
01:42Golf.
01:43So I love this thing.
01:44I couldn't even chip it in, could I?
01:45No!
01:46Could I?
01:47Liz's creative flair reaches new heights.
01:50Am I...
01:51Have I gone delusional?
01:53Or is that amazing?
01:56My excitement over this is just sky high.
01:59And the plan to live back on the farm gets one step closer to becoming a reality.
02:04The twins love it.
02:06I love it.
02:07Marnie and Milo will love it.
02:09We didn't choose a caravan life, the caravan life chose us.
02:12At the start of this year, we made our first foray into arable farming by sowing our first
02:29crop.
02:30And, over a few months, we've watched this nine acre field transform into a sea of golden
02:37oats.
02:38We're hoping for porridge, but could end up with animal feed.
02:42Either way, it's almost time to harvest.
02:44And our trusted agronomist Ben has come down to see if the crop is ready.
02:49Alright mate?
02:50I'm good, how are you?
02:51Is this you Ben that's trampled over my crop?
02:53I think it is to be honest, yeah.
02:55Listen, listen, I'll be having words.
03:00So, er, you're smiling but you're always smiling.
03:03So you're happy?
03:04Yeah, oh yeah, this is perfect.
03:06All I've seen at the minute in the farming community, as I'm sure you've seen it as
03:10well, is how bad of a harvest this is going to be, how yields are going to be down.
03:14Yeah.
03:15But, that's not the case with us.
03:17Yeah.
03:18Are we bucking the trend?
03:19Yeah, well, I think you've got to go off like a field by field or a farm by farm basis.
03:23Like, you know, it's not, it's too broad to say, you know, the yields are down.
03:28I mean, the east side where it's been much, much drier than here.
03:30Right.
03:31You know, it has been uncharacteristically dry for here, but there's still a lot of moisture
03:35in the ground here.
03:36I just drive past every day and think, phew, that looks good.
03:39Yeah.
03:40And I'm going off what farmers are saying to me, saying, oh, your crop's looking well.
03:43Honestly, the amount of people that are mentioning it.
03:46Yeah.
03:47Just with the way our farm is, people will always, you can see into it.
03:50Yeah.
03:51But when they say, yeah, yeah, I say, oh, we've got some spring goats.
03:54Yeah, I've seen it, it's looking well.
03:55And I'm thinking, really?
03:57And I get really excited.
03:58Yeah, oh yeah, everyone's keeping an eye on everyone.
04:00Looking good to the untrained eye, or from afar is one thing.
04:04But Ben has spotted a potential issue with our oats.
04:07Some of it is close to being ready, but then some of it, a lot of it, is still green.
04:16Ah.
04:17You see, and this is sort of the issue.
04:19You've kind of, I think what's happened here is you've got a thing that you call secondary growth.
04:22The stuff that came up first, that has ripened early, is ready,
04:28and you've got a secondary growth problem, and that's why you've got green.
04:31Green stalks coming through.
04:32So your straw, in particular, is going to be really green, which will just go mouldy.
04:36It means coming in with a tractor next week to give it a spray off.
04:39Yes.
04:40Yeah, yeah, just, it'll be, yeah, just a light, not a high dose rate, just a small one,
04:45just to help it get over the line.
04:48Who'd have thought that too much growth could be a problem?
04:51But we need to clear out the new shoots before the crop is ready to harvest.
04:55We're going to have to get the tractor on next week, we're going to have to spray.
04:58Yeah.
04:59To mitigate this secondary growth.
05:01Just get the green out, yeah.
05:02So we're going to harvest a week on Monday.
05:04Yes.
05:05On the Monday.
05:06I'm happy.
05:07You seem happy.
05:08Yeah.
05:09I'm always happy.
05:10Well, you are always happy.
05:12When can we open the beers and crack the beers?
05:14Am I just getting ahead of myself?
05:15Getting ahead of yourself, yeah.
05:16Right, OK.
05:17So, I guess the biggest test will be, once we've got it off, we go to the mill,
05:22they'll grade it.
05:23Yeah.
05:24And at that point, and they say it's good enough for porridge.
05:27Yeah.
05:28I'm opening my beer then.
05:29Yeah, you can do it then.
05:30Yeah.
05:31Yeah.
05:32Yeah, OK, that's what I'm thinking towards.
05:34Yeah.
05:35Are you going to come on harvest day?
05:37Yeah, come on harvest day if you want, yeah.
05:38You don't have to, would you normally come on harvest day?
05:41Normally, but this isn't normal.
05:43This isn't normal, is it?
05:46I love it.
05:47I love it, man.
05:49Good.
05:50I want to see you.
05:51I want to see them just for myself as well.
05:53Yeah.
05:54I want to have that moment.
05:55I want to share it with you.
05:56Yeah.
05:57I want us both to say, we did it.
05:58Yeah.
05:59We did the unthinkable.
06:00Because I wouldn't have done this without you.
06:02I couldn't have done this without you.
06:03Yeah.
06:04Awesome.
06:05Right, well, until then.
06:07Until then.
06:08Brilliant.
06:11We've come a long way, but we're not at the finish line yet.
06:15And there's one more hurdle ahead.
06:17Once it's harvested, the local mill will do a quality check
06:21to see if our oats will end up in our breakfast bowls
06:24or in the animal trough as feed.
06:43Well, you tell Milo what it is.
06:45Looking close.
06:46Yeah.
06:47With the kids all back from school,
06:49Liz and I are keen to introduce them to the farm's new arrival.
06:55Open your eyes.
06:59What do we think, guys?
07:00Oh, is it?
07:01Wait.
07:02Wait, can we guess if it's a boy or a girl?
07:05Yeah.
07:06I'm going to...
07:07I think it's a boy.
07:09Boy.
07:10What do you think, Milo?
07:11I think it's a boy.
07:12Can I call his name?
07:14Well, you have to find out if it's a boy or a girl yet.
07:17It is a boy.
07:19Look.
07:20I'm a white.
07:21I'm a white.
07:22You were right.
07:23It's a boy.
07:24It's a boy.
07:25You are a white.
07:26It's a boy.
07:27It's a boy.
07:28It's my boy.
07:29And the kids are desperate to give him a name.
07:31Let's give a suggestion of what we think the name should be.
07:34So, Milo first.
07:35Wolf King.
07:36Ooh, good boy. Wolf King.
07:39Mateus? Wolf King.
07:41Wolf King. You want Wolf King as well?
07:44OK, Marnie? OK, Oliver.
07:47Ooh, Oliver, that's a nice name. What made you think of that?
07:51I don't know, I was just looking at him and he just gave me...
07:54He gave me a new vibe.
07:56I was, like, thinking, like, before it was my love girl,
07:58I was like, what name?
08:00And then I looked at him and then I'm like, oh, it's Oliver.
08:02I think he's in our love.
08:03What about you, Maximus? What name have you got?
08:07I've got, um, Spin.
08:10Spin? OK.
08:12Mummy, what would you like to... for him to be called?
08:15Barry.
08:17Barry?
08:18Barry!
08:19Why Barry?
08:20Barry the ball.
08:21Baza.
08:22Baza, no way!
08:24Daddy's turn!
08:25I like Barry!
08:27Your turn, Daddy!
08:28OK.
08:29You Google names, have you done a list?
08:30No, I'm trying to...
08:31I was waiting back from the Society.
08:34Oh, right, to see if it has to be a letter.
08:35For the letter.
08:36All newborn calves have to be officially registered.
08:40And with this breed, the Lincoln Red Cattle Society
08:43suggests a particular letter that all names should begin with each year.
08:48I'm guessing if Crowther was born in 23...
08:50I don't know what that is.
08:52...three.
08:53Twenty-four was D.
08:56And, Daddy!
08:56Twenty-five is E.
09:00This year, it's the letter E.
09:03Sorry, Liz, but that rules out Barry.
09:06I won't lock you in.
09:09Let's see what he weighs.
09:13Fifteen!
09:15You're good!
09:16While the kids are distracted, me and Liz have got a plan.
09:20Shall we just name it, Kelvin, instead of asking kids all the time?
09:24I'd like a name that we've picked.
09:26We're not having a young bull called Wolf King.
09:27We just...we'll be laughter.
09:30Who's going to name it, me?
09:31Oh, no, it's me.
09:32Me, I've got a name.
09:33You already?
09:34When I met us, I met me!
09:36Beginning with E?
09:37I like Ezra.
09:39Ezra?
09:40Ezra.
09:40That is quite a cool name.
09:43Ezra the Bull.
09:44We've got Sonic, Ray, Ralph, Ezra.
09:48That's a strong crew, that.
09:51What name would you go for?
09:53The only thing that sticks out for E is...
09:57Emmerdale.
10:00Wait!
10:01Oh, we cannot call in the car!
10:05Emmerdale!
10:05People will be shouting, get over it!
10:08You left ten years ago!
10:09Ezra is a much better name.
10:12Does he look like an Ezra?
10:13He does.
10:13He does look a bit.
10:15Ezra-ish.
10:16He's very pretty.
10:18He is very good looking.
10:20Ezra.
10:21Let's lecture Ezra.
10:23All right, we'll go with that.
10:26Well, Ezra it is.
10:29Let's hope the kids agree.
10:31Guys, we thought of a name.
10:33The names that you suggested were all fantastic names.
10:36Spin, Wolf, King and...
10:40Oliver.
10:40Oliver.
10:41Great names.
10:42However, I've just had an email back from the Breed Society,
10:46the Lincoln Red Society.
10:48And because in 2025, the letter is actually E.
10:53So the name has to start with an E.
10:55But Mummy's actually thought of one.
10:59What name begins with E that's really cool?
11:02Ezra!
11:03Yeah!
11:03Ezra!
11:06George Ezra!
11:07Yeah!
11:08Green, green grass.
11:09Blue, blue sky.
11:11You've got a set of money on the day of the day of the day.
11:14D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D, D.
11:17Yeah!
11:21Ezra is now officially a member of the Fletcher Farming family.
11:26And once he finds his feet,
11:28we may even have a future show winner on our hands.
11:31Do you want to do some painting?
11:45Yeah!
11:47Eat it.
11:48Ooh!
11:51Living in the Peak District,
11:53we've certainly got used to seeing our fair share of rain.
11:56But this year, it has been scarce.
11:58So today's welcome downpour
12:01is giving Liz the excuse to get creative
12:04undercover with her kids.
12:08Right, here you go, Marnie.
12:11So, what's my favourite thing to do?
12:13Paint!
12:14Paint.
12:14And what do we like to do on a rainy day?
12:16Paint.
12:17Paint.
12:18Right, how brave are you feeling?
12:19Do you want to go big or little?
12:22Big.
12:23Big.
12:24Let's find you.
12:25See if I've got any bigger ones.
12:26Or, do you want to go super creative,
12:29do like two,
12:30and then we'll put it on the wall like that.
12:33But it's all one picture.
12:35Or do you want to just do one picture?
12:36I'll just do one picture.
12:39Right, is that okay there?
12:42Bit too low.
12:43Too low?
12:44Yeah.
12:46I'll tell you what,
12:47you use that one and I'll use that one
12:48because I'm going to go and get a daddy canvas.
12:54Now, I'm not showing off.
12:57Well, mine's a little bit bigger than yours.
12:59A little bit!
13:03Today's activity isn't just about occupying the children,
13:06as Liz is using it to create some of her own unique artwork.
13:10So, I've got a spot in the Holiday Cottage
13:13where I was going to put a TV,
13:17but the cottage became such a tranquil vibe.
13:21I thought, I'm not going to put any TVs in the bedroom.
13:24So, I've got this spot,
13:25which I've looked at for ages and thought,
13:27what can I put there?
13:28And I could put a mirror there.
13:30I've looked at paintings,
13:31but they just don't do anything for me.
13:34So, I thought, do you know what?
13:35I reckon I could paint something that looks good there.
13:38And this is going to be it.
13:40Being on the farm has kind of
13:42woken up some creative side to me.
13:45I think, you know, I've always been
13:47into sort of interiors and decorating,
13:52but there's something about the farm I absolutely love there.
13:55And I think I'm inspired by, like, the outsides
13:58and the outdoors and seeing everything.
14:01And I get these little ideas in my head.
14:03And I think, as well, my time to myself is very small
14:06because we've got a farm for kids
14:09and other jobs in the mix of that.
14:11And I think this is often my me time.
14:14Like, I don't go to the gym.
14:15I don't get to socialise and see us
14:17because there's always a job on.
14:18And I think this is my little moment.
14:20And I find just a little half an hour here and there
14:23where I'll be like, oh, yes, I'll do that.
14:25A lot of the time, it's in the middle of the night
14:26when everyone's asleep.
14:28But I do love it.
14:30I've really found a love for restoring things
14:35or creating things.
14:38And it's definitely something that's come
14:40with moving to the farm.
14:43I love painting.
14:45Do you think you love painting because of me
14:47or have you always loved painting?
14:49I really like painting, especially with you.
14:51Oh.
14:52Oh.
14:52I actually like mine.
14:56I'm very proud of myself.
14:58That is brilliant.
14:59Lovely blending.
15:02I'm going to paint.
15:04You're doing so good.
15:06So is that good enough to go into the cottage?
15:09That is stunning.
15:10I will absolutely go in the cottage.
15:12Mine is a TBC.
15:16I'll come back to this alone and finish it off.
15:21But so far, so good.
15:24Got a lot of building to do.
15:25Got a lot more to add.
15:27I'll let that dry.
15:28Come back to it with a bit more inspiration.
15:30And without these snot rags hanging around, eh?
15:34Oh.
15:34Oh.
15:35Oh.
15:36Each year, we look to learn and gain a better understanding
15:52of how best to utilise every acre of our farmland.
15:56And by committing nine acres to growing oats
15:58means we have less farmland to graze our animals.
16:02We started taking the strengthening up last year, believe it or not.
16:05But you get halfway into it
16:07and then something else takes your priority.
16:09Yeah.
16:10So I've invited a couple of grazing experts,
16:13Rob and Justin,
16:15to help me understand how I can move from the traditional system,
16:18where livestock graze one field at a time,
16:20to something a little more ingenious.
16:24So I've been looking forward to having you guys here.
16:27I can't tell you how much,
16:28because there's something about grass, isn't there?
16:31And with us growing some spring goats this year,
16:34we're not limited somewhat,
16:37but, you know, our pasture has decreased.
16:40So we've got the same amount of sheep,
16:42but less ground to graze.
16:44So we just need to make sure
16:45that we're maximising the productivity of the grass.
16:47You want these ewes to produce as much milk as possible.
16:51On this set-stock system here now,
16:53they aren't getting a fresh bite.
16:55They're all following each other around,
16:57and they're just getting a nibble of what's left behind.
17:01Yeah.
17:01And I'm looking over my shoulder over there,
17:03and I'm seeing some really good sheep bite
17:06in that area there that hasn't been grazed.
17:10Yeah.
17:10As an example...
17:11Of what it could be.
17:12Of what it could and should be.
17:15Yeah.
17:15Now, if they were going into that,
17:17I guarantee you,
17:18your ewes will give more milk,
17:20and they'll put more lightweight gain on the lambs.
17:22Yeah.
17:22And that's what it's about.
17:24You know, you're doing it
17:25because you want to see your stock do better.
17:27The guys want to help me introduce
17:30a rotational grazing system
17:32that divides each field into sections using electric fences.
17:36That way, the sheep only graze one area at a time.
17:40And then every few days,
17:42you move them onto a new section of delicious, fresh grass.
17:46It's all about grazing, resting, recovery,
17:50and then grazing and doing that whole cycle.
17:53Should I keep the cows separate for now
17:54or bring them together with the sheep?
17:56Keep them together, yeah.
17:57I can't wait for this.
18:00And just when I thought things couldn't get any more exciting,
18:03Justin has got one more trick up his sleeve
18:05to make sure our livestock only eat the best grass.
18:09There's your four centimetres.
18:12Oh, right. Oh, wow.
18:13We got... Oh, right.
18:13So when you throw that golf ball into it,
18:16and you can see it easy,
18:18you take the stock out.
18:20If you've lost it, you leave them in.
18:22You leave...
18:23I love that.
18:24There you go.
18:25Is that the test?
18:26Yeah.
18:26So all that science,
18:28all that talk about different species.
18:30That's what they call golf ball grazing.
18:32Golf ball grazing.
18:33There you go.
18:34Wow.
18:35So I'll lock this in.
18:37Well, I could even chip it in, couldn't I?
18:38Oh, you're one uptight guy.
18:40I could get my club out, do a nice little chip there.
18:43And if I can see my golf ball, then get them out.
18:46Yeah.
18:46If I can't see it, keep them in.
18:48Yeah.
18:48I love that.
18:49Keep it simple.
18:50So I can keep this golf ball, can I?
18:52You're more than welcome to keep it.
18:54I think people will call me the grass man.
18:55Yeah.
18:56The grass man, that's what I'm going to be.
18:58You've got to walk the talk.
18:59Yeah, yeah, exactly.
19:00I've got the talk.
19:01I've certainly got that.
19:03You'll look after that golf ball.
19:04I will do it.
19:05I will, yes, absolutely.
19:06I can't wait to get started.
19:09Rob and Justin have promised to come back in a couple of days to help me with a first install.
19:14So I've got my golf ball.
19:15Golf ball grazing.
19:16Never heard of that before.
19:20So excited, yeah.
19:21This is just amazing.
19:22I mean, I think this is key for us.
19:25And ultimately, you know, the animals are going to benefit the most.
19:28They're going to get the best grass and enable them to produce more milk and produce better lambs and the lambs will thrive.
19:36Who'd have thought grass could be?
19:38I wouldn't say sexy, but it's interesting.
19:41I can't wait to start throwing my golf ball out.
19:45If I can see it, get them out.
19:47If I can't see it, keep them in.
19:49I mean, it's the simple things that excite me.
19:58Patayas, please put your shoes on.
20:09Back in the barn, Liz is cajoling kids whilst having a clear-out.
20:13And in amongst the cow muck, hay and random toys, we always find our breakfast too.
20:19Eggs.
20:20After introducing our new cockerel, Albie, to the flock,
20:23we were hoping the hens would stop laying their eggs in random spots around the farm.
20:28But even though Albie has failed to tempt the ladies back to the hen house,
20:32there's still a chance that these new eggs could be fertilised.
20:37Liz.
20:38Yeah?
20:40What's that?
20:40On the feet of the tractor.
20:42On the tractor?
20:43Yeah, that's where they're laying.
20:48So this is more where they're laying.
20:50It's loads.
20:52Yeah, but have you seen them sitting on them?
20:54Yeah.
20:55You've seen them sitting on the eggs?
20:56I saw a sat before, yeah.
20:58So I don't know which eggs she was sat on me, because obviously there's quite a few.
21:01Three, six, nine, twelve.
21:04There's a cockerel amongst them.
21:06So some of them might have been fertilised?
21:08Possibly.
21:09Possibly.
21:10This could be potential chicks.
21:13So what's the process now?
21:14Normally I would take them and have it for my breakfast, but what do we do now?
21:19Well, don't touch them.
21:20We'll just leave them for you.
21:21Well, I need to...
21:21I need the tractor.
21:23Oh, no.
21:24Put them on the side.
21:26She can go back to them.
21:27Oh, all right, then.
21:29Keep them in this Hessian sack.
21:32Right, those are the eggs.
21:34It looks like my scrambled eggs are unhauled,
21:36while Liz finds out if these fresh new eggs have been fertilised by Alba.
21:40I've bought this little contraption that can help you know if the egg is fertilised.
21:47So what you do is, this is like a light, they call it candling,
21:50and what you do is you put the egg on there,
21:52and if the egg is fertilised,
21:54it would show almost like a spider's web shape inside the egg,
22:00something like that.
22:00I'm not an expert on this hen, chicken,
22:03did the egg come first, did the chicken come first situation.
22:06Yeah, but I'm slowly getting there.
22:08So you just, all you have to do is put this light on.
22:13And you get the egg, and you put it on.
22:16Our leg hones are renowned for not being brooding,
22:19but if any of these eggs are fertilised,
22:21we can pop them in an incubator,
22:23and in just 21 days, we'll have chicks on the farm.
22:27However, after testing them, so far it's bad news.
22:30And with one to go, it's not looking good.
22:33That's not a fertilised egg.
22:35So you can almost see, like, that'll be the yolk there,
22:39and the rest would technically be the white part of the egg.
22:45If that was fertilised, you would see, like, a spider's web in there.
22:52Almost like it's growing.
22:53But that's not.
22:58So that's unfertilised eggs.
23:01So I don't know what to do from here now.
23:04You've got to have chicks on the farm.
23:05We just have to.
23:07We want more hens to lay more eggs.
23:09And I could just go out and buy some hens,
23:11but that's not the fun of it, is it?
23:12That's not the fun.
23:14We need to think of plumpy.
23:15Liz and I have always applied the trial-and-error approach with farming.
23:20And I'm hoping, with a bit of planning,
23:22we'll have chicks on the farm before summer's out.
23:27While Liz continues the egg check,
23:29Marnie and Milo are tagging along with me
23:31for some general farm maintenance.
23:33Getting the kids involved in jobs like this
24:00is one of my favourite things.
24:01It teaches them practical skills
24:03and gives them a real feel for what farm life is all about.
24:07Come and have a look at this.
24:09Where have you seen this system before?
24:11I'll give you a clue.
24:12You go there to do what?
24:15Toilet.
24:16In the toilet!
24:18Do you know how it works?
24:20No.
24:20Yeah.
24:21So this floats...
24:21When you flush, the water goes down to there.
24:25So if it goes down,
24:26it automatically opens the tap and more water comes in.
24:29So as water's being drunk,
24:32it's being filled up.
24:32Wait, Dad, can I just say this?
24:34If we push it down,
24:36it's like where the flush is,
24:39is that going down, that button?
24:43Yeah.
24:43So this is just basically the on-off button.
24:45So as the water disappears,
24:48this will open the tap and it will start to fill up.
24:52But if we want to empty this,
24:54can you come and see the tap here,
24:55the little hole, the plug?
24:57See here?
24:59And as soon as it starts to come through...
25:01Well done.
25:04Look at it, it's going over here.
25:07So how's that sense, Ian?
25:08It's got my boots are waterproof.
25:10It is a good job your boots are waterproof, yeah.
25:13We can now put our hand in and start giving it a scrub.
25:16Who wants a scrubbing brush?
25:17Me.
25:17You've got one each.
25:18So there's yours.
25:20Dad, I don't think this is ever going to come off.
25:22It will do.
25:23We'll be scrubbing for the rest of our lives,
25:27if you want it to, actually.
25:29Dad, why do you just get to stand there
25:31and we have to do the cleaning?
25:33Because I'm the boss.
25:34What does Miss Hannigan say?
25:36I want it as clean as the top of the Christ building.
25:39Yeah, so come on, get scrubbing.
25:42It's a hard-knock life, kids.
25:45My workers are doing well.
25:47I'm going to do what most good foremen's doing now
25:50and sit back and watch.
25:53Milo just likes to mess, as usual.
25:56Marnie's actually quite productive.
26:02Milo means well, but...
26:03He's only six, though.
26:07Just getting him involved, that's the main thing.
26:08You've got to make it fun.
26:11You've got to make it fun.
26:13I try and...
26:13Liz tells me I'm too much of a schoolteacher at times.
26:17And I try and make everything a class.
26:21And I'm probably not the best at explaining things, but...
26:23I want him to learn.
26:25It's looking good, though, that trough.
26:28And the good news is...
26:30This is looking good, but there's still another four left.
26:34How have you ended up like that?
26:36It's farming.
26:39You said it, Milo.
26:40With a trough cleaned,
26:41that's one more job we can tick off our ever-growing to-do list.
26:45I know Mummy's not here and the twins are not here,
26:47but come on, let's do it.
26:49Are we ready?
26:53Team...
26:53With the summer in full swing, everything is thriving on the farm.
27:14Come on!
27:18The lambs are looking healthy and strong,
27:21Ezra is starting to find his feet,
27:23and the kids are out and about helping in their own way.
27:26Right, please.
27:28And between it all, Liz has managed to find some time
27:31to complete her artwork for the cottage.
27:33At home, in the middle of the night,
27:36when I've had these nice creative moments,
27:40I've finished my picture.
27:42It's not perfect,
27:43but it's just absolutely...
27:46Like, I could cry, it's ridiculous,
27:48but I could cry because I feel like it's a masterpiece.
27:52Just, you know, just to blow my own trumpet.
27:55But I'm just so proud of it.
27:58I'm so proud of it.
28:00I think this is amazing.
28:01Am I...
28:11Have I gone delusional, or is that amazing?
28:15Oh, my God!
28:17Because my excitement over this is just sky high.
28:20I've got to get out of the house more.
28:23I'm going to get Kelvin to put it up here.
28:26It's just going to look immense.
28:29Honestly, my bank transactions to Hobbycraft now are about to explode.
28:35I've been called to the cottage and told to bring my tools,
28:39and I can't wait to see the finished piece.
28:41What do you think?
28:45It will certainly offer intrigue where people will come here for a lovely weekend away,
28:49and they'll think,
28:50Oh, that's nice.
28:53And as they get closer, they'll start thinking,
28:56Who's done this?
29:00I think as a glancing look, you walk in, they think,
29:02Yeah, oh, lovely.
29:04You know what, babe?
29:04When you get closer, it actually gets better,
29:07because then you can see the detail.
29:08Yeah, exactly.
29:10Anyway, come on, get this on the wall.
29:12I'm excited.
29:13People are coming soon.
29:14I've got, like, 20 minutes.
29:16It wouldn't surprise me
29:17if Liz started doing more of that,
29:20and she became a bit of a...
29:22It became a thing,
29:23and she became an artist,
29:24and she was up in the Tate Modern.
29:25But a change of things have happened.
29:30Haven't they?
29:32Did Banksy ever think that they would end up...
29:35..where they are now?
29:36I'm going to start somewhere.
29:37I'll get a stand at the next country fair, selling art.
29:46Where's my daughter?
29:46Which way is that?
29:47And that's...
29:48It goes that way, yeah.
29:49Yeah.
29:55Dare I sign it.
29:59Right, you ready?
30:00I'm just going to do a really tiny...
30:06LF.
30:08Right, let's have a look at the final touches.
30:11It's lovely to add to the cottage
30:13with a personal touch
30:14from our very own in-house abstract artist.
30:19See, it just makes that area better.
30:21It does.
30:23It actually looks good.
30:25What are you calling it?
30:27Have you got a name for it?
30:28Because every artist will have a name, won't they, for that?
30:31I might call it...
30:33Everything Happens For A Reason.
30:35That happened for a reason.
30:37I don't know what I was doing.
30:38It just happened.
30:39Everything Happens For A Reason.
30:40It wasn't planned.
30:42It just works in that little space.
30:44That little space for so long
30:45has just been bugging me.
30:47And now...
30:49It's just complete.
30:50This room is complete.
30:53I love it.
30:54I can't stop looking at it.
30:56Right, we need to go.
30:57People are checking in.
30:58It's been several months
31:13since the fire in the farmhouse
31:14and we miss being here more each day.
31:18So, as we await the green light
31:19to start the renovations,
31:21we've decided to find a temporary home
31:23to live in on the farm,
31:24rather than continue renting down the road.
31:27With the twins in tow,
31:29we're off to Ellesmere
31:30to see a man about a caravan.
31:33A rather posh caravan.
31:37Hello.
31:38Nice to meet you.
31:38I'm Liz.
31:39Adrian.
31:40Adrian, Kelvin.
31:41Hi, Kelvin.
31:41Nice to meet you.
31:42This is Maximus and Matthias.
31:43Hi, Maximus.
31:44Hi, Matthias.
31:46Let's go and have a look.
31:47Yeah, yeah.
31:47Can't wait.
31:49Get my caravan after all.
31:50What a fancy one.
31:55We could be living in this for several months,
31:57so the space really has to be right for us as a family.
32:00Oh, wow.
32:04Look at this.
32:05Oh, my God.
32:06Oh, wow.
32:08Oh, kids, look.
32:09There's two little beds here for you two.
32:11They smell that for my clothes.
32:14Just...
32:15It's got everything.
32:16A home has got.
32:19When we had the fire,
32:20Kelvin was like,
32:21babe, don't worry,
32:21I'll just get out of the caravan.
32:22And I had visions
32:23of me showering
32:25over the toilet
32:26for the next two years.
32:28And I know how long
32:30a renovation will take.
32:31They never just take a couple of months.
32:33They always take forever.
32:35I really, really love it.
32:37And I think this could absolutely
32:39take us back to the farm
32:41so that we're there full time.
32:42I...
32:43Say it, say it.
32:48Take a deep breath.
32:48I agree with her
32:51and she was right.
32:52Oh, my God.
32:54It's just...
32:55It's just music to my ears.
32:58You're not just a pretty fair.
32:59I'm not, am I?
33:03It's been a long time
33:05since we've had the fire
33:06in a sense of, you know,
33:07it's just been doom and gloom.
33:09It's been heartbreaking.
33:10But this is a real...
33:12It gives a real spring
33:13in a step, really,
33:14where we can start to think,
33:15actually, you know,
33:17things can come good
33:19and there's light
33:20at the end of a tunnel
33:20and there's a real bit
33:22of excitement now.
33:23The twins love it.
33:25I love it.
33:26Marnie and Milo will love it.
33:28You love it.
33:31We didn't choose
33:31the caravan life.
33:32The caravan life chose us.
33:35Once we've finished
33:35rebuilding the house
33:36for the fire,
33:38you can actually move back in
33:39with the kids.
33:40I could say I'm at home.
33:44Audrey, that would be...
33:45That's what?
33:45They could say...
33:46Chef, chef work.
33:48Chef work, you're short, chef.
33:49You're on.
33:50We can.
33:51You're on.
33:52Finally,
33:53we've found a solution
33:54that will get us back
33:55on home turf
33:56and I can't wait.
33:57One of the things
34:17I'm most looking forward to
34:19about being back on the farm
34:20is being able
34:21to fall out of bed
34:22and onto my quad
34:24to do the rounds
34:24of the flock.
34:26At the moment,
34:26the flock are grazing
34:27on the top field
34:28which has the best grass
34:30and to ensure
34:31they are well fed
34:32all summer,
34:33I'm introducing
34:34a new system
34:35called paddock grazing.
34:37We take a field like this,
34:39we subdivide it up
34:40into various paddocks
34:41with electric fencing
34:42and that then
34:43keeps the animals
34:45grazing in that area
34:46and then when they move off,
34:48that area then
34:49is given a chance
34:49to recover
34:50and regrow
34:51and in doing so,
34:53you get better grass
34:54coming through.
34:56Animals are easy
34:56to be eating better grass
34:57so they're growing better.
35:00It's a complete mobile system
35:01and you then
35:02put it
35:03and drop it
35:03into another field.
35:05You'll see that our cows
35:06and our sheep
35:07and the lambs
35:08grazing together
35:09and
35:10our animals
35:11will be looking
35:12the best they've ever looked.
35:15And what a day to do it.
35:18The new system
35:19is a huge change
35:20for the farm
35:21and the animals.
35:22So grazing experts
35:24Rob and Justin
35:24are back again
35:25to make sure
35:26we get off
35:27to a good start.
35:30Hello guys,
35:30good to see you again.
35:31Yeah, and you?
35:32How are you?
35:32The day has come,
35:33has it?
35:33Yeah, it's nice.
35:34It's a nice weather for it.
35:35That's good.
35:36I was thinking of
35:37getting this excited
35:39about grass,
35:40I was thinking
35:40is there a name
35:41for that
35:42and it almost
35:43slipped out grass geeks.
35:44Would you be offended
35:45at that?
35:45No, no, no,
35:46that's good.
35:47Because I feel like
35:47I'm going to become
35:48a grass geek.
35:48Yeah.
35:49I'm going to be so obsessed
35:50with it.
35:50Grass geek's good.
35:51Yeah.
35:51Yeah, we'll go with that.
35:52That's the spirit, Rob.
35:54And we're lucky
35:55to have plenty of acres
35:56of grazing grass
35:56to choose from.
35:58How many areas
35:59have you got?
36:00We've got a few.
36:01We've got,
36:02that's an eight acre field
36:03up there,
36:04but middle blocks
36:05we've got this ten acre.
36:06So you could get four,
36:08you'd have four,
36:09you know,
36:09four.
36:10Four divisions there.
36:10Two here.
36:12And then potentially
36:13you could have
36:14another four.
36:15Yeah, so you've got ten
36:17and if you say
36:17two and a half days
36:19in each one
36:19you've almost got
36:20a 25 day rotation.
36:22Yeah.
36:23Is that what you're thinking?
36:24Two to three days
36:25in each one?
36:25Yeah, probably.
36:27We're going to set up
36:28electric fences
36:29in our front field first
36:31and divide it
36:32into two paddocks.
36:33I'm going to be taking
36:34as many notes today
36:35as possible.
36:36No doubt
36:37I'll probably ring Rob
36:38again at some point
36:38next week
36:39or maybe this afternoon,
36:40I don't know,
36:41but I'll try
36:42and learn as much
36:42as I can today
36:43and hopefully
36:44a lot of it
36:45will absorb.
36:46So that's the anchor post
36:47that goes in.
36:48Yeah.
36:49Yeah, it just gives it
36:50a bit extra strength
36:51in the ground
36:52so that as we're
36:53tensioning the wire up
36:54it's in deep enough
36:56just to make sure
36:57it's sturdy
36:58and stays in place.
37:00So if you put a post
37:01about every eight metres
37:02eight metres
37:04or eight pieces
37:06one, two, three, four, seven, eight
37:12first one
37:13It's looking good
37:23quite therapeutic actually
37:25simple
37:28but effective.
37:30And what's even better
37:31is that the grazing system
37:33won't cost much
37:33to run either.
37:35This is a solar energiser
37:37leave them outside
37:38let them get exposed
37:39to sunlight
37:40all year round
37:41and you will keep
37:42the battery charged.
37:43You'll need
37:44at least 48 hours
37:45if you can
37:46in sunlight
37:47before you turn sheep in
37:48just to get him
37:49powered up.
37:50The fence is set
37:51at a level
37:51that will shock
37:52and not harm
37:53the animals.
37:54It purely acts
37:55as a deterrent.
37:57How many volts
37:58are we at
37:58at the minute?
37:59Eight.
38:01Aye, aye, aye.
38:03Hee, hee.
38:05So I'll get
38:05these bales out
38:06Yeah.
38:08And then give it
38:09another week of growth.
38:11Yeah.
38:12You'll be fine
38:13by the weekend
38:16I would have thought
38:16if you wanted to.
38:17The grazing paddocks
38:18are ready
38:19and in a few days time
38:21the grass will be too
38:22ready for all our
38:23sheep and cattle
38:24to move in
38:25and start munching.
38:28Right, well guys
38:29thank you for that.
38:31I feel like
38:32my grass knowledge
38:33is improving.
38:35Yeah, good.
38:35More and more
38:35I'll speak to you
38:36so we'll get the sheep on
38:37we'll see how it goes
38:38I'm going to send you
38:39loads of pictures
38:39Yep.
38:40How's it looking?
38:41How's it looking?
38:42You'll be getting
38:42bored of me
38:43and then hopefully
38:44I'll get the hang of it.
38:46You will.
38:47Yeah, that's it
38:47and you'll become
38:48a grass geek
38:49A grass geek
38:50A fellow grass geek
38:51yeah.
38:52Right then
38:52well I'll
38:52Thanks a lot
38:53Good luck
38:54I'm sending you some
38:54pictures
38:55Yeah, yeah
38:55looking forward to it.
38:56Yeah, yeah.
38:57Yeah, yeah.
39:09The sun's up, the farm is buzzing
39:12and today marks an important step
39:15in our arable journey.
39:17Contractors have arrived
39:18to treat the crop
39:19ensuring only the finest grains
39:21will make it into the harvest.
39:22There's a slight predicament. Basically, there's new crop within this crop that's not
39:27ripe and that's not ready, so it's somewhat contaminated, this crop, so you kind of have
39:32to get rid of that. So that's what we've got today, spray her on, getting rid of that.
39:35It does mean that the countdown is on. In a matter of days, we're going to be harvesting.
39:40And while all that's going on, with our new grazing system in place, Liz and I have decided
39:45that young Ezra should be the first to enjoy the fresh growth with his mum, Cherry.
39:52The grass is looking good. They're going to get the first bite together.
39:57In the sun. This is a great day to be out. They're going to be hopping about.
40:00And that's when our grazing strategy will start. Every three days, they'll get a fresh bite.
40:07You love a strategy, don't you? I love a strategy. I love a bit of order.
40:10It sounds easy when you say it like that, but as we well know, moving cows is never easy.
40:16Come on, then, Ezra. Come on, lad. Cherry, make sure you get your little calf. Don't leave him.
40:26Come on. Come on in. Come on.
40:32Come on in the trailer. Come on, he's following.
40:35Yeah, they've been in the shed waiting for Cherry to deliver the calf, and they've not
40:45been in the trailer a lot, so it's quite... They're not used to it.
40:49Oh, maybe if the calf comes. Oh, look at him.
40:52Come on. He's confident.
40:54Go on up there. Come on.
40:57Come on, lad. Come on.
40:59Oh, look at him.
41:01Come on.
41:01She's coming.
41:05Come on. Come on.
41:06But just like the others, Ezra is not playing ball.
41:11If they knew that they were going to the grass, the juiciest grass, they would not be bothered.
41:17They'd be skipping it.
41:19Oh, no.
41:20Kelvin!
41:22We've got a problem.
41:25No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Go that way. That way, calf.
41:27Go on. Go on, back in.
41:29No, no, no, that way. Go on.
41:31This is Friday today, and it feels like a Monday.
41:36It's definitely time for plan B.
41:39We'll walk them down and move the trailer out. We're not going to get them in the trailer.
41:43We're going to have to walk the cattle through the farm, but before we do, Cherry and Ruby
41:48can go back in the barn, as there's a quick job we need to do before Ezra is free to roam.
41:52What we're doing here is just ear tagging the calf. This is its individual tag number to identify which herd it's from, and its own unique number for its life.
42:03It'll have this for its, you know, the rest of its days. So, we've got 20 days to get this tag in.
42:09If it was a dairy animal, it's got to be done within the first, I think, 36 hours, but because this is a beef animal, we've got up to 20 days, but it's two days old now, so...
42:18This is like a little trip to Claire's Accessories, getting your ears pierced. It's a moment of, ugh, but then it's fine.
42:24Good boy!
42:28They're in. Good boy.
42:29Oh, look at the size of them tags on him.
42:33Tagged and ready to go.
42:35Right, they look keen enough.
42:37I'll go in front, then.
42:38Right, go on, then.
42:41Go on, Ezra.
42:43Keep up. Go on. Keep up. Don't slow everybody up, mate.
42:47Go on, keep going.
42:48No, no, that way.
42:51That way.
42:52Go on.
42:53Cherry and Ruby are not hanging around, leaving me to look after Ezra.
43:00Mum's not bothered, is she?
43:04Come on, mate.
43:06I feel like she's picking him up.
43:09What is he, 50 kilo?
43:10It's a bit unorthodox, but it's easier than pushing him.
43:24It's what they call a farmer's carry.
43:26Come on, lad, nearly there.
43:28Let's dig in.
43:30Oh, my God.
43:31There you go.
43:39Ezra!
43:40Has he pooed up back in my neck?
43:42I know, but you've weed on you.
43:44Has he really?
43:44Yeah.
43:46Has he really?
43:46Yeah.
43:47Oh, I can't believe you're weed on me.
43:50I thought I could smell something.
43:55I'm sure you've had worse.
43:56It's a fair old carry, that.
43:5850, I still got it, Anna.
44:00I don't even train any more, and it's just that farmer's strength in me.
44:06Proper farmer's strength.
44:07Just picked it up, boom.
44:09Come on.
44:09Right, it's going on.
44:10Stand back.
44:11Look at them.
44:13Oh.
44:14The livestock can now enjoy three days of grazing the fresh green grass, and we can enjoy watching
44:21Ezra settle into being outdoors on the farm.
44:25What a lovely little thing he is.
44:26Look at him.
44:27Oh, look at him.
44:28What do you reckon, guys?
44:29Fancy grass for you, eh?
44:31Look at him.
44:33What a cracker.
44:35Now it feels like a Friday.
44:38That was a great outcome.
44:40After the trailer issue, it turned out good.
44:43And that's it now.
44:45Honestly, the change over the next few weeks, watching him just grow and grow, he's just
44:51fascinating.
44:53What do you reckon, lad?
44:56Oh.
44:58Look at her.
45:01I'll tell you what, there's not a better sight.
45:03Look at it.
45:05That makes me feel proud, though.
45:07We've come a long way, babe.
45:09Oh, he's going to love being out here.
45:11Uh-huh.
45:19Next time on our farm, harvest day finally arrives.
45:24If we got two tons per acre, you'd be happy?
45:27Yeah.
45:28Would you be doing a dance?
45:29I'd definitely be doing a dance.
45:31I'd be getting naked if it does three times.
45:34And as wedding bells chime around the farm...
45:37What do we say when someone gets married?
45:40Ooh-la-la.
45:43Liz and I take a moment to reflect on what we've achieved this year.
45:48Two little kids from old on just got together.
45:52And built a farm.
45:53And built a little farm, yeah.
45:54Took a massive step.
45:56Never found in our lives.
45:57Never done anything like this.
45:58And look at us here.
45:59We'll see you next time.
45:59We'll see you next time.
46:00We'll see you next time.
46:00We'll see you next time.
46:01We'll see you next time.
46:01We'll see you next time.
46:02We'll see you next time.
46:02We'll see you next time.
46:03We'll see you next time.
46:03We'll see you next time.
46:04We'll see you next time.
46:05We'll see you next time.
46:05We'll see you next time.
46:06We'll see you next time.
46:07We'll see you next time.
46:08We'll see you next time.
46:09We'll see you next time.
46:10We'll see you next time.
46:11We'll see you next time.
46:12We'll see you next time.
46:13We'll see you next time.
46:14We'll see you next time.
46:15We'll see you next time.
46:16We'll see you next time.
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