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Fletchers Family Farm S04E05
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FunTranscript
00:00Come on Fletchers.
00:02We're heading into our fifth year of farming in the stunning Peak District.
00:07Here we go.
00:08They're coming!
00:10That's it, that's it. Go, go.
00:12And we're making big plans from our new HQ.
00:16Being back at the farm 24-7, it just feels like the best feeling.
00:20In a caravan.
00:21It's pretty bougie.
00:23Alongside our four kids, who are each carving their own path as young farmers too.
00:28If any of my Jacobs give birth, I've got to do it.
00:33This year, we introduce new breeds to the farm.
00:37I'm going to get a new flock of hens.
00:39I'm not even telling Kelvin. I'm just doing it.
00:42Come here, piggies!
00:44I forgot how much I love pigs.
00:46They're really cute.
00:48And continue our journey into arable farming.
00:51It's my wife, that.
00:53We've grown in confidence as farmers.
00:56I will not be defeated.
01:00Embracing the fun and chaos.
01:02Why could I not just have five minutes to eat?
01:05And together, we're working hard to live our life to the fore.
01:09That was really good.
01:10You know what this calls for?
01:11What?
01:12A bro.
01:12A bro.
01:13A bro.
01:13A bro.
01:16What?
01:19A bro.
01:20Bye.
01:20Bye.
01:21A bro.
01:22I'm going to buy a bro.
01:22This week on our farm, as we continue to explore the best arable options for our farm,
01:28I discovered joy in getting my hands dirty.
01:31I thought it was all about livestock, I thought it was all about sheep and cows and I want to
01:37grow veg.
01:39I want to grow veg. How good is that?
01:43Our new hens arrive and Liz gets her hopes up for a successful match for our new cockerel.
01:49We're definitely interested in each other. We need a hen cam, don't we?
01:53To see what's happening, see if there's any action.
01:58And Milo gets a lesson on the birds and the bees during tupping season.
02:03So there's 50 sheep altogether.
02:0550 sheep?
02:0650 girls and guess how many boys?
02:0810.
02:09One?
02:10One boy.
02:12To marry all of them girls?
02:14Yeah.
02:15Wow.
02:16What do you think of that?
02:17Good, that's really good.
02:30It's hard to believe how long it's been since the fire at the farmhouse.
02:34The smoke damage made the house unlivable and insurance rules meant the place had to stay untouched for months.
02:41But today's a big moment.
02:43We can finally start clearing the site and begin the journey towards rebuilding.
02:48This is the moment we've been waiting for, the delivery of the skip, because that means that we can finally
02:54start clearing out and rebuilding the house.
03:00We can get back in the house.
03:02And it has felt like forever, like over a year ago we were stood here just looking at the damage
03:08and thinking, what are we going to do?
03:10And now we're stood here thinking, you've got to start somewhere and the first place is to get rid of
03:17what's rubbish, try and salvage what you can.
03:20This is the best bit.
03:21I mean mentally I'm already buying kitchens.
03:24We've got to start somewhere, we've got to start with clearing up and typically it's freezing but we've still got
03:32to do it.
03:32This is the exciting bit, this is the beginning of the next chapter, the rebuild.
03:36Before the renovation work can start, we need to clear everything out.
03:40And when you're dealing with a lifetime of memories and belongings, it's not an easy task.
03:45Well we need to create a couple of piles.
03:48All that old slate there, I don't really want to just throw that because that might come in handy.
03:52So any hard coal, any like brick slate, we'll just put to one side in case we can keep.
03:58Any wood that we can, maybe those pallets are always good, so let's put those to one side.
04:05And the rest of it, the rubble, straightens, I'll get the skid steer.
04:08Yeah, well why don't you get the skid steer, I'll get the sage.
04:12Are you really going to snap?
04:13Yeah, you've got to just...
04:15What does that do?
04:15It just, you know, gets rid of any bad vibes.
04:19It brings in the positive.
04:21I'm a true believer in the universe and your auras and the vibe.
04:26And we just want to get rid of that negativity of the fire and realise that for some reason that
04:33had to happen and now it's a new start.
04:37I think I'm safer, not asking any more questions.
04:41I wanted to start this for almost 80 months.
04:47And then I've become so detached, you walk past it and just lost my connection really, which is heartbreaking to
04:56say, but it was our home.
04:57It was our dream home in many ways.
04:59And to have that disconnect and you're just so busy with everything else and the process has been so long,
05:06it's just finally good to turn a new page and finally start the rebuild.
05:12As always, we soon slip into our roles.
05:15Me on clearance and Liz on salvage.
05:18This, I will not get rid of.
05:21This was the, I don't know, the maiden.
05:23And it was on like a drawstring where you dropped it and then you like wheeled it up like a
05:26blind.
05:28That I'm not getting rid of.
05:30That's coming in the workshop.
05:32Just keeping this one.
05:34This is a classic.
05:36I can't lose this.
05:37I don't even know what it's called.
05:38What is that?
05:39It's like a hanger.
05:40A maiden.
05:41A maiden.
05:42I mean, that's a posh maiden.
05:46When we, it's one of those, when we viewed the house and it had a little utility room and it
05:52had a fancy pull-up maiden that you wound up to some people, that's just, but for us, where we
05:58come from, that was like, look at that maiden.
06:02Something else I've seen.
06:03Our old rusty locks.
06:06Put that in a little bit of coke.
06:08It'll be brand new.
06:10Well, maybe one, actually.
06:12Maybe it won't.
06:14But I just can't get rid of stuff like that.
06:16They're just...
06:18I like to keep stuff.
06:19This is going to begin my keep pile.
06:22Definitely need that for the hose pipe.
06:24Might even just keep this table.
06:26This is...
06:27I reckon this would still work, but the worst thing is, it has still, it's still got our clothes in
06:34it.
06:36I've not had a good look through this yet.
06:37What else?
06:38Is there anything for me?
06:38Can I keep anything?
06:39Oh, look at that.
06:44Is that a Spider-Man outfit?
06:47Oh, it's Milo's Spider-Man outfit, that.
06:50When we told the kids about the fire, we also said that Milo's Spider-Man costume had survived the blaze.
06:56And he told us it's because it has superpowers.
07:00I'm going to save this, and I'm going to frame it.
07:08And I'm saying, this is a symbol that we're survivors.
07:16We can get through things.
07:20Adversity is part of life.
07:25In a way, it actually helps when something's beyond saving.
07:29Otherwise, I'm not sure we'd ever get rid of anything.
07:33It feels really special now.
07:34And just, that'll just drive us and motivate us for the rest of the year.
07:39And we'll just work towards this.
07:40This is the goal for 2026, to get back into the house.
07:45This is my favourite bit.
07:46My dad always says, you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette.
07:49We'll crack the eggs.
07:51And soon, we'll be making an omelette.
07:53But before we get making the omelette, we need to tackle the inside of the house.
07:58As well as the equally important job of burning sage.
08:06This is legal, by the way.
08:10Right, come on.
08:11Away with the bad vibes.
08:13We're turning a corner.
08:15And it's going to be good.
08:16Rebuilding in 2026.
08:20I'll do the loop of the house.
08:23Today marks the day we can finally put this behind us.
08:28It still makes me so sad when I come in and see it like this.
08:33But the thought now that we can just clear up...
08:38People say, oh, you've had some bad luck this year, haven't you?
08:40But actually, we do always say, we've been so lucky that we weren't here.
08:45I just can't imagine what that would have been like.
08:49I spent my childhood with my mum and dad building, decorating, doing something.
08:54The house was never finished.
08:55The house got finished when they sold it.
08:57I feel like I'm just repeating my childhood now.
08:59I'm going to live in a building site, aren't I, for the rest of my life?
09:03And probably when we finish it, then we'll be so old, then we'll sell it and move on.
09:09History repeating itself.
09:25You've not got any sheep, have you?
09:26Yeah, so can I.
09:29Why, what are you asking?
09:30I just really want them sheep.
09:33What, you would like your own sheep?
09:35Yeah.
09:38Come on, I'm a farmer, I'm nearly seven.
09:42This morning, Milo and I are off to check in on our tup, Larry,
09:46to see how he's settling into his first tuping season.
09:49And if Milo does want his own flock, he's got lots to learn.
09:54You know the difference between the clins and the mules?
09:57Yeah.
09:57So the mules have got a black and white face.
09:59Yeah.
10:00And the clins have got a...
10:01White face.
10:02A white face.
10:04We've got about 40 clins.
10:07They're all white sheep.
10:08Yeah.
10:09And of those clins...
10:10Yeah.
10:11Ten have never had a lamb before.
10:14They're what we call shearlings.
10:16So what are we doing now?
10:18So now we're going to come and check.
10:19So there's 50 sheep all together.
10:2150 sheep?
10:2350 girls.
10:23And guess how many boys?
10:26Ten.
10:27One?
10:28One boy.
10:29To marry all of them girls?
10:32Yeah.
10:33Wow.
10:34What do you think of that?
10:35Good.
10:36That's really good.
10:37It's good, that, isn't it?
10:38So one boy marries 50 girls and we've put rattle on him.
10:42We've put yellow on him, matching daddy's jacket.
10:45He's got a yellow chest.
10:46I can see the boy now.
10:48What he'll do, he'll leave a yellow mark on the sheep's back.
10:54So if we see a sheep, what we've got to do is count all the sheep with a yellow mark
10:59on the back.
11:00And that means they've been served.
11:01And then we know how busy he's been.
11:03So what we're going to do now is have a walk around and spot how many sheep have been served.
11:08Right, shall we go and count these backs?
11:10Yeah.
11:11The more yellow backs we see, the better.
11:14Come on, let's go and count them.
11:15See how busy he's been.
11:18One tup is able to serve up to 50 sheep or more.
11:22But if his numbers are low, then we'll need to introduce another tup to help get the job done.
11:27Oh, he's been busy.
11:29Has he?
11:30Oh, yeah.
11:30I can see quite a few.
11:31Yellow.
11:32One, two, three.
11:34Four.
11:35Four.
11:35Five.
11:36Six.
11:38Seven, eight, nine, ten.
11:41Jeez, he's been messing around.
11:43I think that's pretty good, that.
11:44Of the 50 that are in here, there's 16 that have been served.
11:4934 to go.
11:53He's done a good job.
11:54And what's it been?
11:56It's not even been a week.
11:59He's been a busy boy.
12:00Because maybe he's done it in threes in one day.
12:05Or twos.
12:07You always want to check.
12:09You always want to make sure that he's got a few under his belt.
12:12And he's certainly done that.
12:13Obviously, it's his first time.
12:15He's a shearling himself, so he's not done this before.
12:18The real test is come April next year, you know.
12:21Well, actually, come the scanning, when we scan in January, that's the big reveal.
12:26But for now, there's another ten or so days left.
12:30And then they'll be entering the second cycle.
12:33At that point, we're going to mix them all together.
12:35So, he's got another ten or so days to prove himself and see what we end up with.
12:40But so far, so good.
12:41He's done a good job.
12:45Oh, he's sniffing.
12:46He's about to serve that one.
12:47You watch him.
12:47He sniffs first.
12:48Denise, you stand still.
12:51Oh.
12:52I thought we were going to see some action then, but we might have a little bit of stage fright.
12:57It's a cracking start for our new top.
12:59And it could well be the first step on Milo's journey towards one day running his very own flock.
13:05It's the first time Milo was, um...
13:07Asked.
13:08Asked for his own sheep.
13:12And when he said that, I was beaming inside.
13:14Yeah, no, it's good.
13:15I want him to have an interest.
13:17If you was to get your own sheep one day, and you thought about what breed,
13:23would you want the Jacobs like Marnie, the black and white ones?
13:26Or would you want a clin?
13:28Or would you maybe want a mule?
13:31Or would you want a white one, a clin?
13:33You want ten?
13:35Daddy started with ten sheep.
13:37And then what will you do with them?
13:39Just...
13:39Put them in the top field.
13:42All right.
13:43Dan.
13:44What?
13:44Can we go home and get a cup of tea?
13:47Come on, now.
13:49Let's go and get a cup of tea.
13:51You have a lot of tea breaks here, don't you?
13:53Yeah.
13:54Why do you have so many tea breaks?
13:56Because I just like tea.
14:16While Milo and I enjoy a hard-earned tea break, Liz is checking in on our new cockerel, Daniel.
14:22And it's time we've set him to work.
14:25But as our four leghorn hens have turned out to be the least maternal animal we own,
14:29we're keen to give him a fighting chance to father some chicks.
14:34What happened with the other ones?
14:37We did this whole routine of them coming in, shutting them in at night, and then they just
14:42decided to roost in the trees.
14:44And it was like, from then on, they were like, no, no, no.
14:47You don't put us in the pen.
14:49So while the leghorns roam free, Liz has been out on the hunt for some new hens that are
14:53happy to stay home and roost.
14:55Daniel the cockerel has been getting on great, he's been cock-a-doodle-doing, he's been having
14:59a look around, I've not let him out purposely, because I don't want him to start trying to
15:03herd those hens.
15:05Now, Debbie, my good friend Debbie, she's bringing me a special delivery of hens, which are very,
15:13very good-looking, very, very pretty.
15:17When it comes to hens, these are the prettiest hens I've ever seen, and the plan is that we
15:22pen them up with the cockerel, so that they're in there together for about two or three weeks.
15:26Hopefully they create this strong bond together.
15:29Not only will they lay eggs, hopefully we'll get some chicks for them.
15:32The main thing is, is that they're a crew, they're a flock.
15:38They stay together.
15:39So we'll see, we'll see how he is with the new hens.
15:43We'll see if he's, as Kelvin will say, got them in ruts.
15:47We'll see if he's a nervous wreck around the new girls, or we'll see if he's the alpha.
15:52That he's supposed to be.
15:53Debbie has assured Liz that the new hens are real homebirds.
15:57They are arroconas, and once settled can lay up to five beautiful blue eggs a week.
16:02Look!
16:04Here she is.
16:05Got you some of it!
16:06Look at them!
16:09Yes!
16:10Wow!
16:12Oh my God, so tame!
16:17Isn't she beautiful?
16:19Hello, girl!
16:20And these give you...
16:23Like a...
16:24A blue egg.
16:25Bluey green.
16:26Bluey greeny egg.
16:28Hello, beautiful.
16:30They are stunning.
16:32They're lovely, aren't they?
16:33He's going to be so excited.
16:34The project is, we want eggs and chicks.
16:38Yeah.
16:38So here, I'm going to pen them in for about two to three weeks, not let them out, so that
16:44they get that initial bond.
16:46Yep.
16:46And then I'm hoping that once I let them out, I'll make sure they get in every night, but
16:50we're hoping for chicks.
16:51Are you going to incubate them?
16:52Yeah.
16:53Yeah, I'd incubate them.
16:54Yeah.
16:54Well, just collect them in when you see them, when they lay.
16:57They might lay anywhere in here, but when they lay, just collect them in, put the date on
17:01in pencil.
17:02But remember, you can't tell which is hens and cocks for ages.
17:06Like mine, I've got five, and one's just started crowing that I thought was a hen.
17:11And that's how you found out, because they crow?
17:12Yeah.
17:13Any male cockerels we breed will have to be sold on so that Daniel can keep his position
17:17of ruler of the roost.
17:19And it looks like he likes what he sees, because he wastes no time eyeing the hens up and strutting
17:24his stuff.
17:25He's really puffing his chest out.
17:27He does want to impress them.
17:28Oh, look at him.
17:29He's showing off, isn't he?
17:31He knows the girls.
17:33He's doing that thing, you know, when you were younger, you were in a band, you knew your
17:36boyfriend was there, but you pretended you'd not seen him, so he came to you first.
17:39Yeah, yeah.
17:40When you're not looking, but you are.
17:42Yeah, when you know he's there, but you're like, oh, I've not seen him, I've not seen
17:45him.
17:45Oh, hi!
17:47I'm not just saying it, but I think they are the prettiest things I've got on the farm.
17:51They're beautiful.
17:52They look so fabulous.
17:56And I was going to go for a classic brown hen, but then these came available.
18:02Now, they're not cheap, and you can tell why, because they look beautiful.
18:05But I thought, do you know what?
18:07Yeah, let's go for something different and see what we get.
18:09They'll give us a beautiful coloured egg, and I'd be interested to see what chicks we
18:14get from the two together.
18:18But they're definitely interested in each other.
18:20We need a hen cam, don't we?
18:22See what's happening.
18:23See if there's any action.
18:25X-rated.
18:25X-rated, yeah.
18:27Hen station.
18:34Oh, brilliant.
18:35Thanks, Deb.
18:36That is amazing.
18:37You're very welcome.
18:38We'll see what happens.
18:43Right, girls.
18:47Don't just keep yourselves away.
18:48Make sure you play hard to get.
18:50OK?
18:51You never know.
18:52Make sure he's right before any of that happens.
18:56I'm watching.
19:12Today, Liz and I will be working with Triple Trouble.
19:16Right, what are we doing, guys?
19:19Do you want to go and check the cows?
19:21Yeah.
19:21Come on now, let's have a wander up.
19:24With Marnie at a dance tournament, Milo, Maximus and Matthias are tasked with helping
19:29us on the morning rounds.
19:30And we're happy to take things at a gentler pace and enjoy the walk.
19:37Oh, is that for me?
19:39Give me a kiss.
19:40I love you.
19:42It's autumn now.
19:43It's nearly winter.
19:44You know what happens in autumn?
19:45The leaves fall down.
19:48The leaves fall down.
19:50Well done.
19:51So the leaves were green.
19:52Yeah.
19:53They used to be green like that.
19:54Yeah.
19:54And then they change to brown.
19:57And then when they change, they then fall off.
20:00And the wind comes along and blows them off.
20:03And then all the leaves go.
20:05And that's when you know it's getting ready for winter.
20:08We're all heading up to the top field to check the flock and herd.
20:12Give us your best shot, wind.
20:15See how much you can blow us.
20:17Dad, don't do that.
20:19What?
20:20When I'm on the sun.
20:21To help warm the kids up, they're helping us move the herd to a different field, as this
20:26one is getting a little bit waterlogged.
20:29So what we're going to have to do now is somehow get the cows out without getting the sheep out.
20:33And I get my thorn lamb in the...
20:38Darling is one of the twin lambs that was named by Maximus in the spring.
20:42I think Darling lamb is like a grown-up now.
20:46We're so darling lamb, but don't tell him.
20:48Mummy, mummy, mummy.
20:50She's actually gone to market.
20:52Because she got big.
20:55She's got a good price at market, but I'm going to hold off telling Max the news just yet.
20:59We've got a job to do, and he's on main gate duty with Liz.
21:03We don't want the sheep to come out the gate.
21:05We just want the cows.
21:07Tell me what I just said.
21:10A name deep coming out the gate.
21:13The cows.
21:14And Matthias and Milo are with me, guiding the herd down.
21:18Right, just walk slowly behind the calf and walk the calf up here.
21:25That's it.
21:25Walk slowly and don't get too close to the calf.
21:28Just walk up behind it.
21:30Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush.
21:32So, look, they're getting all the cows together and all the cows.
21:35And then, hopefully, they'll just walk over.
21:38We can open the gate.
21:40Good boy.
21:42And just keep telling him he's a good boy.
21:44Liz, open the gate and shout.
21:48Come on.
21:50Stay there.
21:53They're coming, they're coming, but you just...
21:55Come on, take a bend.
21:57Liz?
21:57Yeah?
21:58Go ahead and open that next gate to the winter field.
22:01No, it tells me.
22:03It's not too close, kids.
22:04That's it.
22:05Perfect.
22:05What you did there was brilliant.
22:07High five.
22:09Let's just make sure they get in.
22:10Look, they're running now.
22:11They're excited.
22:12Wait for us, Milo.
22:13Hello.
22:17Oh, we did it.
22:18Well done.
22:19Did you see that, Mummy?
22:20That was amazing.
22:20The boys were brilliant.
22:23They just kept really calm and they walked up and behind them.
22:27Look how happy they are now.
22:29And have you noticed, can you see Ezra?
22:31How he's nibbling grass?
22:33So it's because he's getting older now.
22:35When he was a baby, he only had his mummy's milk.
22:38But now he's getting a little bit more developed.
22:41His body's changing.
22:43He's able to eat grass now as well.
22:45So he's still having his mummy's milk, but he's eating a bit of grass as well now.
22:48Did you get to listen to Elizabeth?
22:50I did, yeah.
22:52But now she looks well.
22:53Yeah, she's growing.
22:54She's looking good.
22:56After the recent treatment for a touch of pneumonia, our newest addition to the herd has turned
23:01a corner.
23:02Happy with Elizabeth.
23:04She seems happy.
23:05I'm always happy.
23:07Easy life.
23:09And she's happy, so.
23:11What are you talking about?
23:12I'm always happy.
23:13Ruby, you're the moody farmer.
23:16I'm just so happy with the boys.
23:18And then Max did good with mummy on the gate.
23:19That was really good gate duty.
23:21Why, Ben?
23:23Can we go home and have a tea?
23:26Is that what you want?
23:27Why?
23:28Because you've worked hard?
23:29Yeah.
23:29All right.
23:30Well done, mate.
23:31You did well there.
23:32I'm starting to think that, like us, Milo runs on tea.
23:36There's one thing we've kind of forgot to mention.
23:38What?
23:38There's a good chance that both Cherry and Ruby are going to be back in calf.
23:43Oh, bless me.
23:44Because Crowther's running with them, so they've got calves at foot, and no doubt Crowther's
23:50had a cuddle and they're back in calf.
23:52The herd is growing.
23:54The herd is growing.
23:56Come on, Milo.
23:57Come on.
24:142025 was the launch of our arable farming journey.
24:18We grew oats on land that hadn't seen crops in over 20 years.
24:23After testing our oats at the mill, we found that our first batch didn't grade well enough
24:28to make porridge.
24:29But we're not letting that stop us.
24:31And our agronomist Ben is back to help us plan ahead to spring.
24:35So, Ben.
24:36Yeah.
24:37We're actually sacrificing this field this year.
24:40Sacrificing.
24:40This is going to be our winter field, so we're going to run all our livestock on this field,
24:44so we're going to save the rest of the pasture.
24:46Oh, yeah.
24:46But we've got some big plans for this, right?
24:48Yeah, yeah, yeah.
24:49Which is what today's about.
24:51I'm taking Ben to the lodge to talk business.
24:55And Marnie's on hand to take notes.
25:01Welcome, Ben.
25:02Hey, this is exclusion.
25:03You know, not many people get to come in here.
25:05No, I know.
25:06It's the first meeting we've had in here.
25:08So, lots to talk about.
25:11Yeah.
25:12Oats we need to...
25:14Revisit and conquer.
25:18Revisit and conquer.
25:19Couldn't have put it better.
25:22There wasn't enough oomph, there wasn't enough grow to make porridge.
25:25So, but, with that in mind, even though we were a little bit...
25:28I wouldn't even say disappointed, we were just...
25:30Oh, the crop looked good all year, didn't it?
25:32I think it was just that dry.
25:34Yeah.
25:34And that happened to so many people.
25:37The oats story's not over.
25:39I'm going to nail oats.
25:41Yeah.
25:41We're going to nail oats.
25:42I'm determined to get oats right this time,
25:45so a combination of switching to a different field plus more rain
25:49could see our next crop being porridge-approved.
25:52But that's not the only arable venture we have in mind for 2026.
25:56If you thought mine was a bold, ambitious idea last year,
26:00wait until you hear Liz's.
26:01We want to grow maize to make a maize.
26:05Yes.
26:05And right in the smack bang in the middle of the maize,
26:07it's going to be a cafe.
26:09No, right.
26:12Oh, well, it's quite hard to be sad.
26:14I did...
26:15Yeah, OK.
26:16Well, the maize is doable.
26:18Oh, we'll do the cafe.
26:18You don't need to do that.
26:19Oh, no, no, no.
26:21It's a pop-up cafe, Ben.
26:22I didn't think I was going to be catering it as well.
26:27But Liz and I don't really know much about maize.
26:31I'm not too embarrassed to say, but what actually is it?
26:34What is maize?
26:35It's like corn on the cob.
26:37Sweet corn?
26:37Yeah, it's corn on the cob.
26:38So we'll get corn on the cob at the end of it?
26:40Well, it's not actually for human consumption,
26:43the one that we'd be growing.
26:44If you want a maize, you want something that's going to get up and get going.
26:48But you could also use it as animal feed after the maize, too.
26:51What we could do is...
26:54Somebody buys it off the farm.
26:56They buy it off the field.
26:57They buy it off the field and they think,
26:59Yeah, I mean, this year it was £1,000 an acre.
27:02£1,000 an acre?
27:03Yeah.
27:03Give over?
27:05Yeah.
27:06For the whole crop?
27:08For maize?
27:08Yeah, I had a few guys that told it for a bit more than that as well.
27:11£1,000 an acre?
27:13We'll do it.
27:14It's a big one.
27:15But you'll get 17, 16, 17 tons.
27:17I mean, that's...
27:18Yeah.
27:20Sorry, I just had to put it in there.
27:21A thousand pounds an acre sounds brilliant, especially for animal feed.
27:26But as I've heard with farming, we would be naive to think it's a simple process to achieve this.
27:32Maize only ripens on heat units, which is just how much heat it's exposed to.
27:37So, obviously, you being high up, you're going to be getting, on average, every day, two to three degrees less
27:44than someone down, sort of nearest the sea level.
27:47And that racks up.
27:49I've spoken to quite a few people about maize at altitude.
27:52And the percentage chance of it going wrong is higher.
27:55Mm.
27:55Really.
27:56It could be about as tall as me.
27:58How tall are you?
27:595.9.
28:00Well, I'm 5.8.
28:01It's enough, isn't it?
28:02It could be a kid.
28:02Just do a maize for kids.
28:03It could be a kid's maize.
28:05We know the risks and...
28:07We'll take them.
28:08We'll take them.
28:09Well, I've got something else I wanted to mix in the maize, though.
28:12What?
28:12Oh.
28:13There's more.
28:15Sunflowers.
28:16Mm.
28:17I would favour something like a wildflower mix versus sunflowers because that's a lot easier.
28:23How long did the wildflowers take to grow?
28:25Six weeks.
28:26But they do stay around, to be honest.
28:29They stay around for a pretty long time.
28:30Because one of the main things is that bees we want to introduce to the farm.
28:35And so we're not just doing this for the sakes.
28:37Do you want pollinates?
28:38Yeah.
28:39Are you keen?
28:40Yeah, totally, yeah.
28:41It's bold.
28:42It's ambitious.
28:43Adventurous.
28:44It's all everything that we...
28:46We specialise.
28:47We specialise.
28:48Yeah.
28:49So, what do we do now?
28:50We've got a child arrived.
28:52For now, not a lot, really.
28:54Wait for it to get warmer, really.
28:56That's it.
28:56Plough it.
28:57And then plough it.
28:57I'll come and soil test it.
28:59We're a little merry the time.
29:01Well, thank you, Ben.
29:02That's been really productive and ambitious, but you're the man to do it right now.
29:08Well, yeah.
29:09Should be good.
29:22It's great to be planning ahead with Ben, and crops are most definitely part of our future plans for the
29:28farm.
29:28But before we start thinking of planting anything, we've got to work through autumn and winter.
29:34And at the top of that list is a successful tupping season.
29:38But it's fair to say it hasn't quite started as we'd hoped, with Viper yet to bring his A-game.
29:44Viper, man, is top, even though he's in great condition, and he's out with 23 females, he's only top three,
29:55and we're a week in now, and he should have done more than that.
29:58But in comparison, the young clin over there, Larry the clin, of the 50 or so he's with, he's tucked
30:0520, so there's quite a difference.
30:08And he's the inexperienced, and he's the mister experience.
30:10So we're a bit of concern, and we've also seen that he's been ramming a few of the sheep, which
30:15is obviously not good.
30:17Josh is rounding up the flock, as we have a plan for getting breeding season back on track for the
30:22Jacobs.
30:24So, as an idea, we've got a young Jacob Tup, a shearling Tup, we've sent in a replacement to help
30:30him.
30:30We're not going to take Viper out, we're going to allow Vipers to stay in there, but we're just, we're
30:36bulking up supplies, we've sent another one in.
30:38And Sam's going to go and check now to see how he's got on. We only sent him in today.
30:42So, they're standing.
30:45The Tups have spent time together to help them bond, but putting news in the mix can bring out the
30:50boys' competitive sights.
30:52It's straight to it, isn't it? Go on, lad.
30:55I mean, he's not even got a name, this replacement. We're going to have to give him a name. Super
30:58Sub.
30:59Yeah. The Super Sub.
31:00It's going to be the Sub.
31:02Kelvin, Kelvin the standing, the replacement, who got called up last minute, is in, and already has done a few.
31:11If Liz can name a calf after herself, then why shouldn't I have a namesake in the flock?
31:16And as I was called in as a substitute on Strictly, it feels fitting that our Super Sub is my
31:22namesake.
31:23Let's just hope he's a winner too.
31:25Showing more interest than Viper was.
31:28Oh.
31:31He's a bit more active now, isn't he, though, as well?
31:33Yeah, he's a bit of competition. Viper's seen that he's got some competition, so he's...
31:38Oof!
31:41Yeah, what's happening there is Viper has suddenly seemed a lot more active, which is good, which is what we
31:49wanted.
31:50But he's also attacking the other top.
31:54So that's what happens, you see.
31:56Two males, two strong males, fighting for the same females.
32:01It looks like our new youngun is earning his status as a Super Sub.
32:05But it's also starting to highlight a bigger issue with Viper's performance.
32:10We were hoping maybe two things.
32:12One, he'll spur Viper along.
32:14He'll get Viper feeling a little bit like there's some competition there, I better up my game.
32:18And two, he's going to be active, so...
32:23To keep tabs on who's pulling their weight, we've marked Viper in blue, and our new tub is leaving a
32:28red mark.
32:31I mean, already I can see one, two, three red bums.
32:37Yeah, and he's re-tucked one that Viper has, tucked with blue-red alone.
32:42Oh, interesting.
32:44Which means normally sheep can sense if something's been tucked.
32:49So they wouldn't go there a second time.
32:51Whereas if you can see the Super Sub, tupping something that Viper's already tucked,
32:56it means that Viper, he might have mounted it, but he's not...
32:59He's not got the minerals, he's not finished the job.
33:03Which is, again, slightly concerning.
33:06Viper was sassy by the vet.
33:08He's healthy, his sperm's healthy, there's no reason why you can't do the job.
33:12For whatever reason, a week in, and he's just not really showing interest.
33:17But he's now attacking the other male that we've just put in.
33:20What we don't want him is attacking the male, potentially killing the male,
33:26and Viper not working, and we've got no lambs at all.
33:29Marnie's...
33:30She was probably hoping for the best part of 50 lambs.
33:33And at this rate, we might be lucky if we get six.
33:37So, you know, there's something that's wrong, so...
33:52Our move into arable farming is an important piece of our farming jigsaw.
33:57Me and Liz would love this place to be fully sustainable,
34:00rearing livestock, growing crops and vegetables for us to eat ourselves or self.
34:07So, to get some tips on growing the arable side of our farming business,
34:11Liz and I are heading over to the other side of Cheshire
34:13to meet a couple whose veg business grew from their passion to try something new.
34:20Lovely sheds, aren't they?
34:22David, how are you, mate?
34:23Hi.
34:24How's it going?
34:24Yeah, really good, thanks. How are you?
34:25Yeah, good, thank you.
34:27Hi, Lee. Nice to meet you.
34:28Nice to meet you.
34:28Hi, yeah, Becky. Nice to meet you.
34:30Nice to meet you.
34:33David and Becky's enterprise started small,
34:36but now their business supplies around 3,000 households
34:39with fresh veg boxes every week,
34:41and it's 90% locally grown.
34:45We had just a rusty gate out there, no power, no water,
34:48just a green field, but just this idea,
34:51this light bulb moment, like we're going to start growing our own veg.
34:55I was a little bit unsure, but I was like, OK, let's go for it.
34:58There's people really interested in it.
35:0212 years on, and they now have a team of admin staff and packers and pickers,
35:07all working year-round, producing and selling seasonal veg.
35:17Wow, so impressive, such a great set-up.
35:22It's just unbelievable.
35:24It smells fresh, the colours, everything.
35:28It feels like we're looking at me and Kelvin in the future,
35:31because they started out where we started out.
35:34It was just us two, and you're trying to do every single job,
35:37and you stretch to the limit.
35:40You get to the point where, when you bring people in,
35:43you can grow that bit more, and look at this.
35:45It's inspired me to really go for that now.
35:48It's really, really impressive.
35:52Across 92 acres, they produce seasonal veg year-round.
35:56In winter, it's crops like carrots, potatoes, cabbage and parsnips.
36:02I mean, the weather's not looking good.
36:03We've got to go outside, picking in a minute.
36:05I've not brought my jacket.
36:07I've not brought my big coat.
36:09I've not even got my wellies.
36:11And they're going to want us picking.
36:14But I've just noticed Liz is wearing wellies,
36:16and Liz has got her big coat on.
36:17So I might delegate that Liz doesn't just pick it.
36:21I've picked before, and I don't want to be doing that.
36:26I'm above that now.
36:27I'm a level above.
36:28Liz is still working her way up, so I'll let Liz pick.
36:32It's good to have a pack of wellies, isn't it?
36:35There?
36:37Perfect.
36:38Although I've not got my wellies socks.
36:40So much for not getting my hands dirty today.
36:43Let's get picking.
37:00Are these the carrots?
37:02Yeah.
37:03Oh, wow.
37:06We'll do it the old-fashioned way.
37:09There you go.
37:10Wow, look at that.
37:11Look at that.
37:13Do you know what?
37:14When they're nice and fresh like this, they taste so much better.
37:20Yes, man, we'll have a go.
37:26Oh, that was nice.
37:28You must be so proud of what you've done.
37:30Like, you're literally creating the freshest veg.
37:34It's amazing when you think about the journey and how we've started, and with the two of
37:38us, and the little carrot patch, and now you've got nine acres of carrots, and it's just,
37:43you know.
37:44I love it.
37:45I love it.
37:46I love it.
37:46It's come alive now.
37:48I definitely want to grow a few.
37:49I stand corrected.
37:51Picking is where it's at, and Liz is more than happy in a supervisory role.
37:57I thought it was all about livestock.
37:59I thought it was all about sheep and cows, and I want to grow veg.
38:05I want to grow veg.
38:07How good is that?
38:10Just getting your hands in the soil, innit?
38:12That's sick.
38:12This is what it's about.
38:14I could do this with the kids.
38:16Yeah, kids love picking the veg.
38:18Oh, God, I bet they do.
38:19They love it.
38:20He's not stopping, is he?
38:22We should sign him up.
38:23Get him on the team.
38:25Listen, I'm ready for it.
38:27Kelvin is completely, like, I've never seen excitement like it.
38:31He's bonding with David over the soil, digging.
38:35I mean, that is boys in their element, isn't it?
38:39In mud, with a pitchfork, digging up carrots.
38:45It's just good soil.
38:47It's just getting your hands in it.
38:48If you know, you know.
38:50You know, don't you?
38:52The feeling.
38:53I'm going to take my shoes off in a minute.
38:55Amazing.
38:56On to the parsnips now.
39:03Let's get picking parsnips.
39:11That's a reject in a supermarket.
39:14What's now wrong with it?
39:15That is huge.
39:18Get some whoppers.
39:19Wow.
39:20You don't get that in the supermarket, do you?
39:22We waste so much veg in the UK, but it can be used.
39:27I mean, obviously, this one's perfect, and that's perfect.
39:31Look at that.
39:34Make some parsnips soup or roasted parsnips with a drizzle bit of oil, drizzle a bit of honey, stick them
39:40in the oven.
39:41Beautiful.
39:43I can't stop.
39:44I just love it.
39:45Honestly.
39:46I just didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as this.
39:52Where have I been all my life?
39:53What have I been doing?
39:56Just hearing the piece of the countryside is nice, isn't it?
39:59The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is just go and mark out a bit of
40:04ground, and that's it.
40:06I'm having that ground.
40:12Well, that is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.
40:23Have you enjoyed that?
40:24Yes.
40:26Honestly, you've sold me.
40:28I'm already thinking of where we can do it.
40:30So we've picked it, now we've got to pack it.
40:32Yeah.
40:32Come on.
40:33And then are you going to deliver it?
40:34No.
40:39We may struggle to grow this much veg at altitude on our farm, but today feels more about getting a
40:45glimpse of our future selves,
40:46and it would be great to see our farm producing crops and products on this kind of scale.
40:52Come on.
40:53Let's get growing.
40:53Okay, let's get going.
41:13After a long cold day, we're all finally able to get warm in the lodge, and tonight there's something extra
41:19special on the menu.
41:21So, I don't normally go to this extent, but because we've been to Groobabs and got all this fresh veg,
41:27I can't not use it.
41:29The smell is just so, it just smells so sweet and fresh and clean that I thought, do you know
41:36what, I'll go that little bit of extra my own.
41:37So, I'm going to make the most of it while I can.
41:40I used to be the cook.
41:43And Liz should be the first to say, she was well fed.
41:47It was a proper meal every night.
41:49Breakfast I made, I was the house husband.
41:53But then, since pretty much we've been here, that is no longer the case.
42:00And Liz has taken that mantle, and I've lost 10 kilograms.
42:07Is that true?
42:09That is true, but there's only one way to fix it.
42:13Start cooking again.
42:15Start cooking.
42:17Right, kids, tea's ready.
42:19It's the best meal I've ever cooked.
42:25See, when I've got the time and when I try, I can actually cook.
42:29I cannot believe there's no coleslaw on this.
42:33Anyone who knows Liz knows that she puts coleslaw on everything.
42:38I remember one year we were lambing, and I was just shattered.
42:42I'd been out in the shed all night.
42:43I come in, I was absolutely starving.
42:46And she had a chicken Kiev in the oven for about six weeks.
42:50This chicken Kiev was absolutely just burnt to a cinder.
42:55And it was just there in a plate.
42:57I think I put it on my Instagram, and people were just laughing their heads off.
43:00And that was my tea.
43:02And then I said, Liz, it was burnt.
43:05And she was like, just put some coleslaw with it.
43:09And it's one of them where you just take a deep breath.
43:14And I did.
43:15I put some coleslaw with it, and I had to.
43:17And he fixed it.
43:20I'd made a chicken Kiev the size of a chicken nugget.
43:24Tonight's dinner is a big step up, and it looks amazing.
43:27Right, kids, come on, because I'm not joking.
43:29I've never cooked such a meal.
43:31This is a celebration.
43:34Wow, you look good.
43:35Come on, kids.
43:36Being at the farm that grew this veg makes it all the more special.
43:41Wow.
43:43Sit down.
43:44Milo, this one's yours.
43:49Max, you're here.
43:50Marnie, you're here.
43:52Right, go.
43:53Big voices.
43:53Helping hands and quietly say, thank you for our food today.
44:03Yay!
44:06Now we can all eat.
44:08Exactly.
44:10Dinner.
44:14Somebody asked me today, do you guys live on a farm?
44:17Me.
44:17So, yeah, they said, what's the best bit about living on a farm?
44:20So, like, riding the quads, being on the vehicles.
44:22I really like it where Max and Matthias come and wander off and Mummy paints and then Marnie
44:29and Daddy and me goes through parcels.
44:33I just love that we, like, look around the, like, a farm and see if we could build any more
44:42ideas and it's really fun.
44:43Yeah.
44:45Matthias, what about you?
44:47He's just coming back as a pirate.
44:50Oh, no, no, no, pirate, pirate.
44:54The kids are tucking in and it's great to think that one day soon they could be filling up
44:59on veg grown on our own farm.
45:01Oh, well, Daddy's finished his dinner, so I'll be having a dessert.
45:07And that's about as long as our dinners last before you get, like, five seconds and you think
45:11this is going to be good, and then they are just ants in their pants.
45:15Let's go.
45:25Next time on our farm, the barn undergoes another transformation as preparations for this year's
45:32winter event gets underway.
45:34You go steady first.
45:35Right, now go.
45:38That's it.
45:39No, lads.
45:39You need to carry on painting it, but there's your sign.
45:43The Santa's grotto.
45:45Ginger gives birth to her first litter.
45:47This one's a big lad.
45:49What are you?
45:50Bye.
45:52And the bad weather puts a halt to rounding up the flock as we can't see them.
45:57Will the sheep see you?
45:59The sheep won't know where to go.
46:01Oh.
46:03Oh.
46:04Oh.
46:06Oh.
46:08Oh.
46:09Oh.
46:09Oh.
46:10Oh.
46:11Oh.
46:11Oh.
46:12Oh.
46:13Oh.
46:13Oh.
46:15Oh.
46:16Oh.
46:16Oh.
46:16Oh.
46:16Oh.
46:17Oh.
46:17Oh.
46:18Oh.
46:19Oh.
46:19Oh.
46:20Oh.
46:21Oh.
46:26Oh.
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