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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 farms 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 Jacob 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. I'm not even telling, Kelvin. I'm just doing it.
00:42Come here, piggies!
00:44Forgot 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 full.
01:09That was really good.
01:10You know what this called for?
01:11What?
01:11A broom?
01:13A broom?
01:21This week on Our Farm, Liz and I get competitive showing off our ploughing skills.
01:27You said mine was shaker than yours.
01:29No, did you?
01:30You said the same to me.
01:31You said you'll definitely be better than your husband.
01:33My ever-growing sheep knowledge is starting to impress Liz.
01:37That was really interesting, Kelvin.
01:40It's not like it was an audience with Ben.
01:43Really?
01:44I mean, I can carry on if you want.
01:46No, it's all right.
01:46Let's just get the sheep in.
01:48And there's more to learn during our Phlox routine worm check.
01:51You're quite obsessed with worms, aren't you?
01:54Is it your favourite?
01:55All the farmers refer to her, she says it herself, that she's obsessed with worm chaff.
02:00Worm chaff.
02:02And a new arrival gets off to a worrying start.
02:06Without sounding too dramatic, it's a massive danger that the calf's not at the colostrum
02:11in the time frame it needed.
02:12And then over the next 24 hours up, you can just nosedive and, you know, we lose the calf.
02:18That's how serious it is, really.
02:19So...
02:30It's a bright start to the day here on the farm, and an exciting one too.
02:34A morning check on the herd has revealed a surprise new arrival in the field.
02:40So, a nice surprise this morning.
02:42I saw Ruby atop of the field with something hanging out the valley.
02:50Backside.
02:50And I was a little bit alarmed at first, because what I thought my first instinct was,
02:54it's a calf, and it's, how long has it been there?
02:57And as I got closer, I realised it was kind of just the afterbirth.
03:01And she's calfed this morning.
03:03We don't know when.
03:05I got here about 8 o'clock this morning, and it looked like it had only just calfed.
03:09So it was still wet.
03:10And what was a little bit concerning is she'd kind of wandered off and left it.
03:14She was actually getting a drink, so I managed to coax her back over,
03:17and she started licking the calf.
03:19So I've allowed for an hour or so for that bonding process.
03:22She's been licking it, she's licked it dry.
03:25It's a heifer calf, our first heifer calf.
03:32That first few hours, that first six hours is crucial, really.
03:36You want the calf to, within about five or ten minutes,
03:39it should be kind of lifting its head up,
03:41and then hopefully within half an hour, an hour,
03:44you want it to be stood up, really,
03:46and taking that first milk, that colostrum.
03:50It's the golden window.
03:51So you probably want to get between two and six hours is the ideal.
03:58The early signs are good, which is such a relief
04:01as it was a very different picture when Ruby had her first calf last year.
04:06I've managed to pull the calf out of here.
04:08I can't believe what it looks like.
04:11It's breathing.
04:13I thought he was dead.
04:14Both mum and baby are in shock after that difficult birth.
04:32She wasn't great last time, and last time she was a heifer,
04:37it was her first time, so you'd give a better benefit of the doubt.
04:40It was a traumatic birth, and she was in absolute cuckoo land.
04:45I don't think she knew she'd given birth.
04:48And then when we tried to put them together,
04:50she clearly rejected the calf.
04:52Well, she's not doing that this time.
04:54And while she has shown the little one some attention,
04:56it's struggling to latch on, which is frustrating Ruby.
05:01If this was cherished, she'd let me get the teeth into its mouth.
05:05Go down, go down.
05:06Say, oh, don't kick her away.
05:09Right, I need to get her in the shed.
05:11This is exactly what I didn't want to happen.
05:14She's just not letting the calf feed.
05:17Every time the calf gets close to the teeth,
05:19she's just kicking her away.
05:20With a newborn struggling to get enough of that all-important first milk,
05:24which helps build her immune system,
05:26I need to act fast to give her a boost.
05:28So I've gone to our neighbours, Jack and Jilly,
05:32and got some colostrum.
05:34Farmers do this.
05:35When they've got a lot of cows,
05:36they always take some colostrum
05:37and kind of a bit of a stockpile
05:40for moments like this,
05:41for a bit of emergencies.
05:42So they've been kind enough to give me some colostrum,
05:45so at least this will allow the calf
05:48to get some colostrum straight away.
05:50It'll buy us a little bit of time
05:52before we then get them in the shed.
05:54Let's see if this works.
05:59There we go.
06:04She'll be quite weak, you see,
06:05so this will just give her a bit more strength
06:10and hopefully a little bit more vigour
06:11to get up and try and suck.
06:13I'm much happier now
06:14that the calf has finally managed to feed
06:16and just in time to meet the boys.
06:19How are you, Milo?
06:21What's here?
06:23A baby calf.
06:25Baby calf.
06:27Yeah.
06:28What do you reckon, Milo?
06:32It's a little girl.
06:34Every calf we've had so far has been a boy.
06:36This is our first girl calf.
06:38Yay!
06:39Yay!
06:40Yay!
06:41I love it.
06:43You're a lovely little thing, aren't you?
06:46Nothing good comes easy.
06:47I keep telling myself that.
06:49Nothing worth having comes easy.
06:52Right, come on, you.
06:54Come on with me.
07:01To keep things calm
07:03and give Ruby some time to bond with her calf,
07:05I'll move them both into the shed.
07:07Come on.
07:11Come on.
07:12Down there, they'll get plenty of peace and quiet
07:14away from the rest of the herd.
07:18Come on.
07:20It also means I can get Ruby back into the crush
07:22to help her relax when the calf tries to latch on.
07:26In theory, I've got to entice her into the crush with some nuts
07:30and then once she's in, I can pull the choke down so she's secure
07:35and then we can open the side door
07:37and I need to then physically get the calf on her to suck.
07:39So, without sounding too dramatic, it's, you know,
07:44there's a massive danger here that the calf's not out of the colostrum
07:46in the time preeminent here
07:47and then over the next 24 hours up, we can just nosedive
07:50and, you know, we lose the calf.
07:53That's how serious it is, really.
07:54I wish I could do this.
07:55Come on.
07:56Oh.
07:57Good girl.
07:58Oh.
08:00Good girl.
08:01There we go.
08:03Oh.
08:05Oh.
08:06Oh.
08:06She's on.
08:12I will not be defeated.
08:17Just like a lamb, the tail wiggles.
08:19I'm a little wag on the tail.
08:21You can hear them sucking.
08:23That's just what you want.
08:26A really good result.
08:29We'll wait for the calf to finish, and then once it comes away,
08:32we'll let the...
08:34We'll let Ruby out, and we'll just kind of see them together.
08:37Ideally, now the first milk has been taken away,
08:40hopefully that's relieved some of the pressure.
08:42So now we'll just let Ruby out, and just let them bond now.
08:46We'll just give them some time, and hopefully,
08:49in the next few hours, we'll see the calf suckling on its own.
08:55Come on, then.
08:56We need to think of a name for you as well.
09:03MUSIC PLAYS
09:18Do you want to get in?
09:19Let's see how much you weigh.
09:21Not enough.
09:22I've not had any recovery like these sheep are going to get.
09:26All right, what do you think you weigh?
09:27Liz and I always like to do things a little unconventionally.
09:31I reckon 58.
09:35Hey...
09:35What am I?
09:3754 and a half.
09:38When's my recovery set?
09:40When have you got that in the diary?
09:42And today, we're getting the scales ready to weigh this year's lambs.
09:47Create a little bit of a pen here,
09:50and then we're done, I think.
09:52Our flock has had a great summer out in the fields,
09:55so I'm excited to see how they're all shaping up.
10:00The lambs are looking the best they've ever looked.
10:02We're grazing properly.
10:04Today's our first chance to get everything in
10:06and check the lambs, see how they're doing.
10:08Alongside weighing them,
10:10we'll be testing them for worms
10:11and weaning them from their mums.
10:13You're taking the lambs away from the mums for two reasons.
10:17One, for the lamb has got to finish
10:19and be encouraged to eat grass more.
10:21The more grass they eat, the quicker they'll fatten.
10:24And two, you've got to think of the mum.
10:27She's obviously, in many cases, rearing two lambs,
10:30so they draw her in body condition off her constantly.
10:33So we need to think ahead of November,
10:35of when she'll be tucked,
10:36and she's got to be in very good condition.
10:39That was really interesting, Kelvin.
10:41It felt like it was an audience with then.
10:44Really?
10:46I mean, I can carry on if you want.
10:47No, it's all right, let's just get the sheep in.
10:53Come on!
10:57Come on!
10:58I'm on that way, this way, that's it!
11:01Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!
11:09That's it, follow, follow, follow.
11:11Is that the last lot?
11:12To help us speed up this month's health check process,
11:15we've invited Vet Angelica to the farm
11:17to examine the flock's poo samples for worms.
11:21Hey, Angelica, you OK?
11:22Yeah, how are you doing?
11:23Good.
11:24You helping us out?
11:25This one has gone smooth.
11:27This is how we should be.
11:29They say that, like, after the third year,
11:30you've basically, like, seen everything
11:31and you, like, start going, like, as a proper, real farmer
11:36because you've seen it all and you can manage things.
11:40So we're officially farmers.
11:41Yeah, you are.
11:44Angelica has been our vet since we started on our farming journey
11:48and we've learned so much from her.
11:51OK, Kel.
11:52Yeah?
11:54Let's do the lans first.
11:56You hold them, I take a sample.
12:00You want me to hold them?
12:02Yeah.
12:03OK.
12:05Got it.
12:06And extracting poo samples
12:07is just one of the many not-so-glamorous jobs
12:10she takes in a stride.
12:11Angelica makes that look really simple
12:14because she's just basically putting one finger up there
12:17and just pulling out a bit of poo.
12:19I tried this myself, Angelica,
12:21but it didn't go as smoothly as you're doing it.
12:24I just gave up, actually.
12:26See, this one's in great condition, isn't she?
12:28Give me a number.
12:31So what we're doing with body condition score,
12:33so from one to five,
12:36is a scale of working out how much condition is on the sheep
12:39so you're feeling along the spine
12:40and the ribs have how much fat cover they've got
12:43to determine what sort of body condition they're in.
12:47So Angelica's challenged me now
12:50just to see whether we calibrate it right
12:53or whether I'm calibrate it right.
12:55Three.
12:58Three.
12:58Yeah.
12:59Yeah?
12:59Yeah, that's between 275 and three.
13:02Three means this sheep is in good shape
13:05and the lambs are also fattening up well.
13:08I think another couple of weeks
13:10and, you know, a good number of these will be ready,
13:14so it's good work.
13:19Conditioning checks done and samples taken,
13:21it's now time for the science bit.
13:24Okay, so what are we going to do?
13:28This is my life, Liz.
13:32You're quite obsessed with worms, aren't you?
13:35Is it your favourite?
13:36All the farmers refer to it, she says it herself,
13:38that she's obsessed with worm chat.
13:41Worms.
13:41Worm chat.
13:42Yeah, I love talking worms.
13:46They are, like, so clever in finding, like, ways to evolve
13:51and escape the way we try to control them,
13:54so I think I like the challenge.
13:57Poo chat.
13:58Like, there is nothing more interesting, I guess, than poo chat, is there?
14:01Not for me.
14:02Yeah, but, yeah, it is fascinating
14:05and it tells you a lot about your sheep.
14:08Angelica doesn't normally bring her kit to a farm,
14:11but we're so keen to understand how worms impact a flock,
14:14she's agreed to show us what we're protecting against.
14:17So with my microscope, I can put the focus on the grit lines
14:22and I know that I will be at the right level to look for the eggs.
14:26We lost our favourite lamb, aga, to worms.
14:29And we didn't have this system then, did we?
14:31We weren't regularly now.
14:33If we'd have had this, we'd have still had it.
14:37R.I.P. aga.
14:38If you know, you know.
14:40We get us about aga all the time, don't we?
14:41After inspecting the samples, Angelica has the results.
14:46So if you want to see here, I've got nematodirus egg, very centre.
14:53Oh, wow, it's quite detailed.
14:55Wow, this is amazing.
14:56We found 450 eggs per gramme of faeces.
15:01So the lambs are thriving,
15:04but there must have been a few in the group
15:07that are bearing, like, a big burden.
15:09Even though everything's looking really good,
15:12like, exceptionally good, lambs are news.
15:14There are a handful who are dramatically smaller,
15:20which suggests that they would have a high burden, potentially.
15:23You don't want to drench everything
15:25because then you'll build resistance.
15:28Worm chap, worm chap, just amazing.
15:31I'm really happy about everything, to be fair.
15:34Lambs are doing great.
15:36So, honestly, I'm choked.
15:40Well done.
15:41Cool.
15:42All right, thank you, Angelica.
15:44MLT done, and a great result.
15:46Just a handful of the flock to drench
15:49before we turn them back out onto the grass.
16:03Farmers are forever finding new ways to diversify,
16:07and for us, one of the real success stories
16:09has been our wool blankets,
16:11crafted from the fleeces of our very own flock.
16:14Today, we've recruited Marnie
16:17to help pack up a fresh batch of orders.
16:19Are you ready to do some work?
16:21Yeah.
16:23Right, your warehouse staff are here.
16:25Oh, hello, guys.
16:27Ready to do some packing?
16:28Yep.
16:29Come on.
16:30Orders are coming in thick and fast.
16:32Right, Marnie.
16:33So, we've got to box up all these
16:35to get them out for today's delivery, OK?
16:38So, you know the system.
16:39Yep.
16:40You make the box,
16:42and then while I do the blanketing...
16:44I'll be writing them.
16:44You write that.
16:45This is it.
16:46We have the pickers and packers.
16:47This is it.
16:47This is the factory.
16:48This is the Fletcher blanket business right here.
16:53Basically, this is where we started out
16:54of the old tack room in our stable yard
16:57has now become our kind of mini factory, so...
17:00We've got the guys here doing the packing.
17:04Our lovely blankets go in.
17:06We always like to have, like, a personal message, so...
17:09For those that have ever purchased anything from us,
17:11you'll always get a personally signed message.
17:13And depending on when we're picking and packing,
17:16that'll either be me, Liz, or in this case, Marnie.
17:20Mainly me.
17:21The success of the blanket business
17:22has taken us all by surprise,
17:24but we soon found our rhythm,
17:26learning the ropes as we go,
17:28just like we always do.
17:30We were so happy with the response to the blankets,
17:33but it was a massive challenge.
17:36We had just had the fire,
17:37and then we were in here
17:39until about three in the morning,
17:42just being passing ships.
17:43It was literally like shift work.
17:45Kelvin would do a shift,
17:45and then I would come and do a shift,
17:47because we just had that many orders
17:49that we were not prepared for.
17:52So we did it,
17:54and we learnt so much from it.
17:56You know, the biggest mistake was
17:58we printed off every single order
18:01all at the same time,
18:02so we just had reels and reels and reels
18:06of delivery notes everywhere.
18:11I am really proud of these blankets.
18:13Five years ago,
18:15the thought of me shearing a sheep,
18:18taking the wool to a mill,
18:19and turning it into a blanket
18:20was just not even something
18:21I ever thought I was going to be doing.
18:23And the fact that I'm doing that now,
18:25it's just...
18:27It's amazing, and I love it,
18:29and I'm really excited for what's to come.
18:32We soon get into the swing of things,
18:34but I can't help thinking
18:36the whole operation could just run
18:38a little more efficiently.
18:40Me and Liz do this differently, you see.
18:43Do you want to do your way,
18:44and then I'll do my way?
18:45We can, Dave.
18:46Right, come on.
18:47We'll time you.
18:48You need fat?
18:49Shall we time it?
18:50Yeah, let's get her time.
18:51Right, Mummy thinks she's got the best way
18:53of boxing this.
18:55Daddy thinks I've got the best way,
18:57and you're going to decide.
18:59Take your marks.
19:00Get set, go.
19:11Oh, I'm crumbling on the pressure.
19:15Done.
19:1741... 42 seconds.
19:20OK.
19:21Time to beat.
19:21Take your marks.
19:22Yeah.
19:23Get set, go.
19:28Absolute breeze.
19:30Absolute breeze.
19:31Nice and tidy.
19:33Just nice and tidy.
19:36One spare.
19:38Absolutely.
19:39Oh!
19:41Losing points, love me, Liz.
19:45No, you have to go round three times.
19:47No, we don't.
19:47Yeah.
19:48Yes, we do.
19:4922 seconds!
19:51Hang on, that's not been done.
19:54No, no.
19:58Excuse me.
19:59Quality control.
20:01No, no, you can't.
20:01Quality control.
20:02Quality control.
20:03That's not my standard.
20:05Let's take a closer look.
20:07That's not acceptable.
20:09That is not acceptable.
20:12Let Marnie decide.
20:13The neatness, Marnie.
20:15So Daddy wraps it round just once.
20:17That's all you need.
20:17You wrap it round once, Mum.
20:19Mummy wraps it round three times.
20:21That's ridiculous.
20:22Who's the winner?
20:23Kelvin.
20:24Kelvin.
20:24Hey!
20:27Thank you, John.
20:28That was favouritism.
20:30It's quality, not quantity.
20:34Let me take a picture.
20:35I don't think I'm taking a picture in here.
20:36Let's take a picture in here, and then we can do where it started.
20:40Yeah?
20:41And then in five years, ten years' time...
20:43Mummy completely grey.
20:45Mummy completely grey.
20:46Maybe we've got a shot by then.
20:47I don't know.
20:48Let's take a little picture.
20:49We'll look back on this one day, and we'll say this is where it started.
20:52Are we ready?
20:54Say, blankets!
21:19We've just welcomed our first heifer calf into the world, and after just 24 hours
21:24together in the barn, Ruby has clicked into Mummould, and the calf is latching on, without
21:29any need for the crush.
21:31So we've brought Ruby and the new calf in the shed, just so we can keep an eye on her,
21:37make sure she's feeding, just a bit of a health check on her, really, so that we can
21:40make sure she's bonding with the calf.
21:42But what we do need to do is tag the calf's ears, which is like little ear-piercing in
21:48the ears with tags and the calf's number, so that every time we need to do anything
21:53with the calf, that's that calf's number, and we know which one it is, and we need
21:57to give her a name.
21:59With Kishy's a girl, I thought you could do two things.
22:03You could name her, and you could tag her.
22:07Ooh, okay.
22:09So you put one in, that one in there, and then we want it to kind of be almost, you
22:17almost,
22:17the idea that I want it to be kind of there.
22:22Oh.
22:22Right, I'll do it.
22:25I could have done it, but she moves when you do it.
22:27So once you've got the position there, it's in.
22:32That's how you do it.
22:35You just do it, you're good at that.
22:37She's going to run off, you prep that.
22:38With the ID tag securely in place, all that's left is to name her.
22:42And there we go.
22:43And as per the Lincoln Red Society's decree, each new calf's name must start with a specific
22:48letter, so they can identify its year of birth, and trace its lineage.
22:56Are we still going, it still has to be E, then, through the society?
23:00E.
23:00Either E, or it can continue, it's the dam's name, the mum's name.
23:03Well, if it's E, there's only one name for E, isn't there?
23:08Yeah.
23:10My life's never been the same since that name came into my life.
23:14HE LAUGHS
23:15It just gets better and better for you.
23:18So our little calf will officially be named...
23:23Elizabeth.
23:25Elizabeth.
23:26Elizabeth.
23:27Are you wanting us to name a calf after yourself?
23:29Absolutely.
23:30Elizabeth, the first female of the herd.
23:33Yeah.
23:34Born on this farm.
23:35A strong royal name.
23:36So that's it, Elizabeth, the heifer, our first ever heifer calf is called Elizabeth.
23:42And it was a bit tricky getting here, the mum wasn't the best, but the good news is she's
23:47suckling, the mum has accepted her, they've bonded, so now, I mean, the weather's not looking
23:52great now, but today we'll get them back out so they can join the rest of the herd, because
23:56they belong outside.
23:57I'm not crying, I'm totally allergic to whatever's in here.
24:01HE LAUGHS
24:02Well, three things.
24:04Or maybe it's you.
24:05Cals, me and straw.
24:07HE LAUGHS
24:08Maybe it's you.
24:09HE LAUGHS
24:10Come on now, let's get on with the day.
24:13Right, on to the next.
24:26The farm is bathed in the last remaining rays of sunshine.
24:29And while this autumnal heat is welcome, it also means our animals need plenty of water.
24:35So I'm out in the fields tackling a broken water siphon to help keep everything flowing.
24:41Stunning afternoon, however, we have lost a siphon from our well that feeds the troughs
24:50in this part of the farm.
24:51So, we're going to come to this spring here, I'm going to have a look in the well,
24:55and then basically, I'm going to put a water pump on it, so get some flow going,
25:00get re-establish some pressure, and then the tricky part is to create a siphon.
25:07Get the water pump on, head back down there,
25:09make sure we've got flow, at which point, if we have, turn the taps off,
25:15come back up, disconnect the water pump while still submerged,
25:19keep that water pipe underwater, and then go back down, re-open the taps,
25:24and hopefully that should then create a siphon and start it, and then it'll be jackpot.
25:31I will then have earned...
25:35I love a pipe here in this weather. It's just this weather. What is it?
25:41But before there's any chance of beer, there's fixing to be done,
25:44and this is yet another job I've had to learn on the go.
25:49No one's taught me this, I've figured it out for myself, and it's not complicated,
25:52it's simple stuff, but when you're a townie, when you're an actor,
25:57this is actually quite... It's a pat on your back moment, really.
26:02No one else is going to pat it, because, yeah, I didn't know about any of this,
26:05and I've just kind of figured it out and discovered it for myself,
26:08and I just find it quite rewarding, really, and just picking up this little bit of knowledge.
26:14You should teach this stuff in schools.
26:17So, next step, get the jenny on.
26:31I'm going to put this in the well now, and it should start bumping.
26:35So, in an ideal world now, I'd ring Liz and say,
26:37Liz, check the tap, open the tap. Can you see the wall coming out?
26:41But I can't, so I'm going to walk it.
26:45I'm working without my wingo, as Liz has headed over to our hometown of Oldham
26:50for a meeting at the mill to talk blankets.
26:54But on a day like today, I'm quite happy flying solo.
26:58I mean, just look at that view.
27:01Honestly, it's almost like you think to yourself, you're just spoiled.
27:04It's an absolute privilege. You know, it's stuff of dreams, this.
27:07Honestly, the backdrop is just stunning. So lucky to live here.
27:12It's a great spot, isn't it?
27:14While I head down to check the tap, Liz is taking samples of this year's wool
27:18to be quality tested. And with our blanket stocks running low,
27:22she's keen to experiment with some new colours to add to the range.
27:27Clive. Hi, Liz. You're here.
27:28It's good to be back. How's things?
27:30Clive has been working in the textile industry for over 40 years,
27:34and Liz is fast becoming one of his best customers.
27:38Good to see you again. How's things? You all right?
27:41I brought some gifts. You've got something for me.
27:43Newly sheared sheep, so we can check the quality.
27:44Fantastic. Look at that.
27:45Check the quality. Look at that.
27:47And tell me again.
27:48This is our clin.
27:48Right.
27:49Jacob's.
27:50Wonderful. We'll get them into work and have a look at them.
27:53Yeah.
27:53Our blankets are made with 100% sheep's wool.
27:56And before each new batch is made, the wool is quality checked.
27:59But first, Liz is keen to talk colours.
28:02So what we've done, we've got a swatch or a yarn clip on everything you want to run next season.
28:07And here they are.
28:09OK.
28:10It's stunning.
28:12Beautiful.
28:12So we've added this one on as well, which is beautiful.
28:15Yeah, so I went away and I was really inspired by the biscuity, goldy...
28:20I think you're right.
28:21I know it.
28:22Very much on trend.
28:23Oh, is it?
28:23It is.
28:24Well, I was going to say, I feel like we like to stick to the classics,
28:27but classics never got a fashion today.
28:30So these are all the colours that you're looking to introduce next season.
28:33Brilliant.
28:33So based on what you think today, we can get these all analysed, matched and dyed.
28:38A new version on the dusky pink.
28:40Softer pink.
28:41Which is really nice.
28:42I love the cream, like a clotted cream.
28:44I'm a bit unsure about the teal.
28:46I know it's very on trend.
28:48Yeah.
28:48But I'm going to stick with the classic.
28:51OK.
28:51And I'm torn between these three.
28:54So I...
28:54The terracotta's nice.
28:55It is nice.
28:56It is.
28:57Is that...
28:57That's on trend, isn't it?
28:58Do you remember everywhere used to be terracotta?
29:00LAUGHTER
29:04They're your colours. We don't offer them anybody else.
29:06It's your...
29:07What we're doing today is exclusive.
29:09Right, let's go wild, Clive.
29:10Yeah.
29:11This is what happens when you're a buyer.
29:12You're just impulsing them.
29:13You do what you want, go for it.
29:15OK, I think we're all decided.
29:17We're all.
29:17What we need to do now, we need to go down to the lab and have them all matched.
29:20I would love that.
29:21I love the scientific side.
29:23OK.
29:23Let's go, lead the way.
29:25OK.
29:27Liz is certainly in her happy place, and back at the farm,
29:31it hardly feels like work for me when you're out in the fields on a day like this.
29:35Sunshine, stunning views, and plenty of fresh air and exercise.
29:39What more could you ask for?
29:41We had water.
29:43The pump was doing it.
29:44There's no blockages.
29:45The water was at the other end, which was good.
29:49We've just now got to create the siphon, doing a job that's a two-man job, really.
29:56But we'll get there.
29:58I'll go and check there and see if it's still coming through.
30:03Fingers crossed.
30:05Getting my steps in, I know that.
30:08Well, I don't want to tempt fate, but we've got pressure there, we've got water there.
30:13So we'll head back, and we'll turn the tap on, down at the bottom.
30:22And then, then I will really celebrate.
30:39The moment of truth.
30:51That could just be a little bit of back pressure.
30:54Let's not get the cigar out just yet.
30:59Well, I think that's it.
31:01I reckon that is a success.
31:05We've got the siphon.
31:06You've had a science lesson.
31:09Enjoyed that.
31:11The trough's full.
31:14The water's on.
31:17I think I need that pint.
31:19I deserve that pint, should I say.
31:22Oh, with a lemonade top.
31:24I'm that guy.
31:26I'm a lager top guy.
31:28I'm not sure I should be saying that out loud, especially as an oldham lad.
31:32The town has a history of brewing and, of course, milling.
31:35Sadly, this is one of the last working vertical woolen manufacturers.
31:39So you moved here in, what, 96?
31:4196, but the company started 1863.
31:44Wow.
31:45And it's great to be doing our bit to keep the mill going.
31:49See, the other thing to consider as well is we're creating a recipe here.
31:53So you can order these troughs time and time and time again, knowing it's going to be the same colour,
31:58repeated.
31:59So it's to do with continuity.
32:01So the recipe is the key on the colour.
32:04Clive and his team work meticulously to create the perfect colour blend that will dye our wool.
32:09Once the amounts are decided, each colour becomes unique to Liz's designs.
32:14So much work goes into it.
32:16You just don't, you know, when you're sat there on your sofa with your blanket, you've never thought.
32:21And you're ringing me about delivery.
32:22And we need to go through all this before we make it.
32:25Exactly.
32:26Clive, when are they coming?
32:29Another three months.
32:31You've got to be right at this stage.
32:33And when it's right at this stage, then the repeat business goes smoothly.
32:37From the moment our wool arrives, it can take between 6 to 12 weeks to be turned into blankets.
32:43And this mill has every machine needed to take it through each stage of that process.
32:48Here it can be cleaned, spun, dried and weaved by the team on site.
32:53There's something about the noise of the factory tribe that I feel like I belong here.
32:58Do you get that?
32:59I do.
33:00I'm an Huddersfield guy.
33:01You're an older girl.
33:02Exactly.
33:02I'm an older girl.
33:04The noises, the smells.
33:06Absolutely.
33:06I like it.
33:08I've spent 40 years sitting under my wet wool.
33:11Yeah.
33:12It is fascinating to see because when we're shearing the sheep, those days are hot, sweaty.
33:18The sheep are just, you know, like, flicked and sheared.
33:20And that wool is probably in its worst state, really.
33:23When it's brought, scoured, cleaned, all the grease is washed.
33:26To be put on, like, that looks so neat and tidy.
33:29And then to be put in there and dyed.
33:30Absolutely.
33:32I mean, it's just incredible, isn't it?
33:34And these huge vessels are where the wool is given its unique new colour.
33:38So it'll sit in the vessel, we'll pump the dye in from the side,
33:42and it's pumped in from the bottom and then again from the top,
33:45so we get a good surrounding so the dye penetrates each cone,
33:50so you've got a nice even colour throughout the cone.
33:53That way your throws are going to be a regular colour throughout.
33:56And I can't wait to see them either, by the way.
33:58I've never seen you one, have I?
34:00You've never seen that, I do, yes.
34:02Snap disc out as well.
34:04Oh, yeah, they're not freak life.
34:08The blankets are now a key part of our income.
34:10And if Liz has got this right,
34:12we could have a lot of packing to do in the lead-up to Christmas.
34:15I actually love coming to the factory.
34:17It's one of my favourite places.
34:19I love the noises, I love the smells,
34:21and I love the fact that you can share a sheep
34:24and turn that wool into something beautiful.
34:26I've gone for a very classic,
34:28a very timeless range of colours
34:31that I would personally love.
34:33So if worse comes to worse,
34:34I'll end up with some beautiful blankets if nobody wants them.
34:37It doesn't stop here.
34:39Now we've got this season's colours,
34:40I've got to think of next year's colours.
34:42You've always got to think ahead.
34:59There she is.
35:00You're smiling.
35:00I've been, I've got, let's go.
35:03This is coat off.
35:05I know what's going to happen here.
35:07I'm going to get poo all over me.
35:10After a visit from Vet Angelica,
35:12we've been advised to treat a portion of the flock for worms.
35:15It'll help build immunity
35:17and clear out any existing infection.
35:20Right, release the lambs.
35:22You ready?
35:23Yeah.
35:24Everything.
35:25Come on, Ian.
35:26Oosh, oosh.
35:29Come on.
35:32Your hair looks good, Milo.
35:35And the kids are here to lend a helping hand.
35:38This is a big, strong one.
35:40So you come round there, Milo.
35:41That's it.
35:42He's a tuk-lam, which means what?
35:45He's a boy.
35:47And he's a strong boy.
35:50So we're going to drench him first.
35:56We've done that.
35:57And then you're going to squirt him there.
36:01Press down.
36:02Squirt.
36:04Good lad.
36:05Done.
36:06Yeah, no, it doesn't hurt him.
36:07It's just like putting a little bit of water on.
36:11And then he's done.
36:13Next one.
36:14Go.
36:14Next one.
36:14Let's go.
36:15Let's go.
36:15He's a crack in that.
36:16One, two, three.
36:18Go.
36:19Good lad.
36:19Get off.
36:20One, two.
36:2250 to go.
36:23Oh, my God.
36:25Yeah, it's a great system now we've got the kids involved.
36:27A really good system.
36:29Mine is working the gate brilliantly.
36:31Milo's helping me with the drenching.
36:34Liz is bringing them in from the end.
36:35It's a good system.
36:37Oh, Getty.
36:38What a system.
36:39Right, Milo, open up.
36:41Right, Mal.
36:41Come with Daddy.
36:42Come with Daddy.
36:43But look.
36:44We've done all the lambs.
36:46High five.
36:47Yeah.
36:50Last one.
36:51Well done, guys.
36:52This is amazing.
36:55Absolutely brilliant.
36:57We did it.
36:58Excellent work.
37:00Milo, well done.
37:02Excellent work.
37:02Liz, well done.
37:17We've got to put these lambs now into the paddock.
37:21So, we need to open that gate and get them in.
37:26Come with me, Matthias.
37:29Come with me.
37:36Come on, kids.
37:37Let's call it a day.
37:39Come on, let's go.
37:40Oh, I'm hungry.
37:42Oh, I'm hungry.
37:43I am hungry.
37:44Oh, me too.
37:45Three W's, isn't it?
37:47Worming, weaning, and weighing.
37:49And, as usual, it was a family affair, wasn't it?
38:08A big reason why we love this farming life is becoming part of the community and supporting local farming events.
38:15And today, me, Liz and Max are in Frodsham for the annual Cheshire Ploughing Match.
38:21The event's run by the Cheshire Ploughing and Hedge Cutting Society.
38:25And, after venturing into arable farming this year, we're keen to pick up tips and test kits that we could
38:31use to work the land ourselves.
38:33Max, do you want a bacon sandwich or a sausage sandwich?
38:39You want chips, not for breakfast.
38:43That's the best thing about these type of shows.
38:45They just keep kind of the heritage going.
38:46They just keep all these old traditions.
38:48Yeah, there's new machinery and new ways of doing things and farms are ever-changing.
38:52But I love that constant nod towards the heritage and, you know, what was previously the way it was done.
38:58And I think that's really important, so...
39:00Look at that one. See if you notice the soil, how good it is here.
39:03I know. That's just insane.
39:04Better than ours.
39:05What's the farmer chat, that?
39:07It's good ground, isn't it?
39:08It's good clay, isn't it?
39:09Yeah, ours is...
39:11Our ground is not as good as this.
39:15I could watch this all day, but there's a whole show to explore.
39:18And as we head off, we immediately stumble across a very familiar face.
39:23Our agronomist, Ben, and his dad, Pete.
39:27Here he is.
39:29The main man.
39:30Too bad, mate. How are you?
39:31I'm good.
39:32Good to see you, lad.
39:32Feels like it's been a while.
39:34I know, yeah.
39:34Something's set up, isn't it?
39:36Hey, hopefully. There we are.
39:37Hey, look at that.
39:38There's vegetables everywhere.
39:39Oh, very good. Very good.
39:43I was going to say, do you want a sticker?
39:44I'll have a little sticker.
39:45Yeah, we've got some stickers here.
39:47Hey, Max, look at this.
39:50A sticker?
39:51Oh, my...
39:52Look at that.
39:53Wow.
39:54Wow.
39:56Thanks.
39:57Yeah, Liz.
39:58I'll have mine on.
40:00Ben, why have you not got one on?
40:02He's not got one on either.
40:03Listen, guys, you can't be having everyone else wearing them
40:07and then you not have them on as well.
40:08There you go.
40:10Well, no one's ever put one of my stickers on.
40:13There you go.
40:14Running into Ben gives us the perfect excuse
40:17to dive into one of my favourite topics, crops.
40:20And we need ideas as to what we could grow over the next year.
40:25What about lavender?
40:27Lavender?
40:28No.
40:29The problem with lavender is it requires really dry soil.
40:32We haven't got it.
40:34We're too high.
40:35Yeah.
40:35You just can't get waterlogged.
40:36It'll just die.
40:38But it's doable.
40:39What I do is do...
40:41A small tester patch.
40:42Yeah.
40:42Small patch.
40:43Yeah, you wouldn't commit...
40:44Too high an acre or something.
40:45Yeah, yeah, yeah.
40:46Just give it a go.
40:47Ah, for a field of sunflowers.
40:50Sunflower fields.
40:51I mean, that sounds nice, doesn't it?
40:52It's spectacular.
40:54Full of bees.
40:55Oh, yeah.
40:57We're thinking of getting some bees as well.
40:59Yeah, yeah.
40:59Yeah.
41:00We'll put the bees in the sunflowers.
41:01Exactly.
41:02Put the hives there, yeah.
41:04Yeah, yeah.
41:04I mean...
41:05Job done.
41:06What we do know is that we're now committed to arable farming, and alongside a second attempt
41:11at growing oats, it'd be great to experiment with some new crops too.
41:15And for that, we need a specialist piece of kit.
41:19Any chance of a demo?
41:21Yeah, of course there is.
41:21Not for me, for contractor here.
41:24Yeah, fine.
41:24You're the main contractor.
41:25Yeah, we'll jump on and have a go.
41:27Let's have a go.
41:28All right, you'll stay here, Max.
41:29Mummy's doing it.
41:30Max, are you going to check if my lines are straight?
41:33Yeah?
41:34She's very good in the tractor.
41:36She does quite a bit of our tractor work, so...
41:38Ploughing is all about perfectly straight lines, and Liz's eye for detail means she's
41:43the right woman for the job.
41:46That's a nice straight line, that, is it?
41:47That's not bad, is it?
41:48Straight down.
41:49Tell you what, she's doing well.
41:50If she's not on GPS, she's doing very well.
41:52Wow.
41:53I told you she's good, isn't I?
41:55It's my wife, that.
41:58I bet when she gets that, I bet she says, I love that.
42:02She's just got that neck, hasn't she?
42:04Rocks up, jumps in, and just absolutely nails it.
42:10She's done well there, hasn't she?
42:11Very good.
42:12Very good indeed.
42:13Straight as a die, you said.
42:14She's for me.
42:16Really?
42:17Yeah.
42:17Tell the truth, did you cheat?
42:20No, she didn't cheat.
42:21That, listen...
42:22So that's all off the eye?
42:23Yeah.
42:25Good, isn't it?
42:25Very good, yeah.
42:27Right, we care of it here, but...
42:28That is very good.
42:30There is something about being in a tractor where you just...
42:33Yeah.
42:33Your cares drift away, don't they?
42:36It looks like we might not be hiring contractors after that performance,
42:40but how will Liz cope when she swaps horsepower for an actual horse?
42:44You keep that big wheel upside up for her.
42:47Got you.
42:48Just take them up with your dad to get flowing.
42:51Like that.
42:52You shouldn't have to fight it a lot, because it should be set up.
42:56All right.
43:00Am I supposed to be walking in it?
43:02Yeah, yeah, you're walking in it.
43:03All right, OK.
43:07Gosh, this would take something for doing, like, a...
43:09This is the easy bit.
43:10Is it?
43:11What's the hard bit?
43:12Starting it and finishing it.
43:14Well, this would take forever in a thousand-acre field, wouldn't it?
43:18Back then, though, one acre or a big farm.
43:21Wow.
43:22Well, goodness, she's doing well.
43:23What do you think of Mummy there?
43:26I bet it was hard work back then.
43:30Proper graft.
43:32Whoa!
43:33Oh!
43:34There you are.
43:36And you look down and see if you've kept it straight.
43:38And that doesn't look so bad.
43:39It doesn't, does it?
43:41There you are.
43:41We might make a plough less out of you one day.
43:44I'm much better in a tractor, I reckon.
43:47Liz has shown us how it's done.
43:48Now let's see if I can match her straight lines.
43:52Oh, this is brilliant.
43:53Look at that.
43:55Go on out, lad.
43:58And then...
43:58There you are.
43:59How will do?
44:01Yeah, be that, innit?
44:02Not so bad at that, is it?
44:04It's not bad.
44:04It's better than Liz's, isn't it?
44:06I'll let you two decide that one.
44:09Brilliant.
44:10Thanks for that, mate.
44:10You're all right.
44:11Enjoyed that.
44:11Yeah, yeah, I really enjoyed that.
44:13You said mine was straighter than yours.
44:15No, did it?
44:16You said, yeah, yeah.
44:17You just said you're much better than your wife.
44:19Did it?
44:19Doctor, I said that, yeah.
44:20He said the same to me.
44:21He said you'll definitely be better than your husband.
44:25Enjoyed that.
44:25Well done.
44:26What would you prefer?
44:27Living in the late 1800s or living now?
44:31I'm all about being in the tracks.
44:35Can you imagine how much I'd be sneezing doing a whole field with houses?
44:39I'd be like, achoo, achoo, achoo, achoo.
44:41It's going round.
44:45From testing out traditional and modern ploughing
44:48to gathering ideas for our next crop,
44:50today's been full of discoveries.
44:52A very successful day indeed.
44:55Oh, it never lets us down, does it?
44:57And food for thought, eh?
45:00With what Ben said.
45:01There were some great ideas.
45:02Sunflowers.
45:04Sunflowers.
45:05Good.
45:05Come on.
45:06Come on, man.
45:06Come on.
45:07Thanks, sir.
45:14Next time on our farm,
45:17Milo gets stuck into some farm maintenance, quite literally.
45:21And then put your hand there and you'll feel it sucking.
45:23I'm holding you.
45:24Come here.
45:25Is it sucking your hand?
45:27Oh, look at that now.
45:29Our new farmhand, Josh, helps tupping season get off to a smooth start.
45:34The only thing, I'm not too keen on with Josh.
45:37He's a good foot taller than me and Liz.
45:39How tall is he compared to me?
45:41Look at his, with his two little shepherds.
45:42This is the new team.
45:43And it's a bittersweet moment on the farm, as I make the decision to say goodbye to one
45:49of our biggest characters, Sonic.
45:52You're our first.
45:54You're award winning.
45:55You've been on the telly.
45:57You've got a name.
45:58You'll be the first Fletcher beef that we eat and other people eat.
46:02So there's a lot, there's a lot riding on this, mate.
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