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00:07Life's good as a fruit grower.
00:13That's the second time that's happened.
00:20The vegetables don't plant themselves out here on the farm.
00:24It takes a dedicated crew to keep things growing.
00:26So meet the real workers, Gary and Anya.
00:31Now, Gary might look right at home in the soil,
00:33but this wasn't always the case.
00:36Yeah, six months ago, I had a pensionable job for, like, good money,
00:39everything was nice and secure, and I just said, Asher, why not?
00:42So you do that, I suppose.
00:43When you get a bit older, you just kind of go, like, why not do that?
00:47Just take it six months out at least, or maybe more,
00:50so you end up coming and, you know, working with nature,
00:53working with your hands.
00:54I think I was mentally born in a hot country, though, like the Polytunnel.
00:59My role in Curlmore, I'm an intern, so I basically do what I'm told to do,
01:05which is the simple way of putting it, but it's a great team,
01:08and it's a very honest kind of team as well.
01:10Like, there's no airs or graces with it.
01:13You just get on with it, like, you know, which is beautiful.
01:14So I'm actually, I feel blessed to be working with a lot of them, to be honest,
01:18so happy out with them, yeah, couldn't be better.
01:22I would say the old me looking at me now would be very proud of me, to be honest,
01:26I'd say, because the jump to go from what I've done to this is actually huge,
01:33like, when you think about it.
01:3620 or so, so we have loads there.
01:38Oh, yeah.
01:39No, I'm enjoying my internship.
01:41I have officially three months left, but I'm quite happy here for three months,
01:45and who knows after that, like, yeah, don't want it to end yet anyway.
01:48Like, you know, maybe when the rains fall or the snow falls, it could change then.
01:52But so far, yeah, keep it going the way it is, happy out.
01:58When you see the veg boxes, you could have X amount of veg boxes going out,
02:02and you know they're going to a family of, I don't know, a couple with kids and that,
02:06and they're eating such healthy food.
02:07It's just, like, it's just, that's the sense of achievement that's kind of there as well.
02:12Like, you know, you're just spreading something good, you're doing something good.
02:15And I got to grow, it had a team of three or four of us here,
02:18and we've grew the whole lot and fed hundreds and hundreds of people.
02:22Like, it's amazing.
02:25And next up in the growing team, it's Anya,
02:28and she too used to have a completely different career.
02:31Proof that it's never too late to try something new.
02:34For 25 years, I worked with horses in the equine industry,
02:39from racing yards to show jumping, mares and foals.
02:43I was the assistant gardener in Corrimore House for two years for Lord and Lady Watford,
02:49and I also took care of the care of some of their horses.
02:52This is my first role as growing vegetables.
02:55Like, so, I'm, look, I'm learning day to day,
02:59and I'm kind of embracing the whole journey of here.
03:02Like, so, yeah, but it's a great interest,
03:05and I couldn't be in a better place for me, personally, anyway.
03:09Like, me being autistic, this is just super environment for me,
03:13because, like, Colm is amazing,
03:15and Gary, we get on really well, and Richard, of course,
03:18when he's not off high-flying when movie-making.
03:22But, yeah, I love it.
03:23It's small groups, it's quiet, everyone gets on,
03:26and we all just pitch in, and we have the laugh and the crack.
03:30The walled garden, it's just, it's so vast, the space,
03:33and, like, what we're growing, it's just,
03:36there's even, we could do it more room, do you know what I mean?
03:38But it's super, the way everything grows,
03:41and the land is so rich, like, and fertile, it's brilliant.
03:45The hardest part is keeping it on top of the weeds, to be honest with you.
03:48As you can, no, what weeds, you're saying?
03:51But, yeah, look, it's all part of it, they just grow and grow and grow,
03:55and when the weather is sunny and warm, they love it, like, and they just appear.
04:02But when I feel comfortable in an environment, and the people I'm around,
04:05I can be myself, and I can let that guard down,
04:08and then really just embrace the whole environment and the journey then.
04:21It's early May on the farm, and the sun is splitting the stones down in Waterford.
04:26It's great weather for sunbathing,
04:27but not so great for some of the vegetables that have recently gone into the ground.
04:32With no rain on the horizon and pheasants on the loose,
04:35Richard is out checking the crops to see what's thriving and what's struggling.
04:38Strawberries are flowering, but unfortunately, the very dry hot weather means that there's quite a few misses with ones that
04:54haven't taken.
04:59Pheasants, they make life twice as hard as it should be here.
05:04I shouldn't have to net strawberries until the fruits have formed,
05:08and you can just leave the bees to come in and out.
05:10There he is, sitting on the net, waiting for me, probably, to take it off so they can feast on
05:14strawberries.
05:16Oh, well.
05:18I'm going to have to learn how to cope with pollination and pheasants,
05:21but every year's a learning year.
05:24Next, Richard is looking at the onions,
05:26who, if you remember, had an early visit from rabbits when they first went in,
05:30so let's see if the crop has bounced back.
05:32See the rabbit damage there,
05:34and they're sending out new leaves and growing through it, which is fantastic.
05:38Looking good.
05:39Hopefully, we'll get a nice crop of onions,
05:41so I'll cover them over just to keep the rabbits and pheasants off them and leave them to it.
05:49While out in the field, the radishes and salad leaves are hanging in there,
05:52though the heat is starting to crank up.
05:55But for now, Richard seems happy with what he sees.
05:58Maybe a quick taste test is required to confirm?
06:01Lovely radishes there.
06:03I give my gardeners a wash.
06:05Apparently eating a small amount of soil is good for you.
06:12Delicious.
06:12They'll go well in the box.
06:16The only worrying trend now is that with no sign of rain,
06:19will some of the seeded crops survive the hot weather.
06:22They've already lost the sowing of carrots,
06:24and right now it's not looking good for the second sowing.
06:28You see the top inch or two there is bone dry,
06:34and that is where your seeds are going to live.
06:39And it's very hard to get seeds to germinate,
06:41particularly fine seed like carrot.
06:43And you can see here that deeper down,
06:47there's lots of moisture.
06:51So for transplanted crops, that's fine.
06:53They'll grow into that,
06:54and they'll mine the soil as the roots are growing.
06:57You've got a month or so,
06:59but for the seeds, they need it now.
07:02What's the solution?
07:04The only way really to get the seeds germinating is irrigation.
07:08If we don't get any rain the next week or two,
07:10we won't be able to manage with our salad sowings
07:13and our carrot sowings really give us a poor range of produce.
07:20And unfortunately, that's expensive.
07:22If you're going to buy something that can scale up
07:24and be part of an irrigation program here,
07:27then we're talking to quite a bit of money.
07:29And if you buy cheap stuff, then it's no use for future years.
07:32So I have to have a conversation with Mick.
07:34If there's no money in the kitty,
07:35then we just have to scrub carrots
07:37and possibly salads from the menu.
07:40If we do have a bit of money for irrigation,
07:42then we can keep that moving.
07:47After weeks of dry weather and rising temperatures,
07:50the rain finally arrives on the farm.
07:53It's a welcome relief for the crops,
07:55but also for the growing team,
07:57who've been doing their very best to keep everything alive.
08:00With the ground now getting soaked, the pressure eases.
08:03Well, at least for now.
08:07And look at it now.
08:08That really is soil that's as moist as can be.
08:14We've had two weeks of really good rain,
08:17and now that has as much moisture as it can hold.
08:22I'm a very happy grower.
08:24And I think I'd probably told Mick that it was brilliant deduction on my part,
08:29but it's just luck.
08:30It's like betting on the horses, really.
08:33Betting on the Irish weather is not going to make anybody rich.
08:37Earlier in the series,
08:39we saw Jen panicking when she first arrived at Bloom,
08:42and nothing was built yet.
08:43But after all the setbacks, late nights, and last-minute panics,
08:47they finally have the garden ready.
08:49The plants are in, Mick has arrived on site,
08:51and the GIY team is ready to show what they've been working on.
08:54But is it going to help sell veg boxes?
08:57Is it a brilliant opportunity for veg boxes?
08:59Probably not.
09:00Like, don't tell Jen that,
09:01because she's already a bit pissed off at me about that.
09:05I have a plan to maybe to try and increase a few veg box numbers.
09:10I'm not sure if Mick's going to like it.
09:12So Jen's idea is Mick heads out and about,
09:15in search of celebrities to get selfies with,
09:17and then convince them to promote the veg boxes on their social channel.
09:21I mean, what could go wrong with this idea?
09:23Oh, like, I'm fecking terrible at this stuff, like.
09:26I'd be slobbering over my words.
09:28What's the result here?
09:29Like, a picture of me with Donald or Nevin or Rory O'Connell?
09:33All right, I'll do my best.
09:38Shameless being the operative word, like.
09:40I actually feel kind of queasy in my stomach,
09:43because this is, that's how cringy this is.
09:47No, I'm not good at this at all.
09:49Okay, so like, I guess this is my hit list of famous people,
09:54because all the famous people are the cooks, right?
09:57Waiting, waiting, waiting for celebrities to walk past the doorstep.
10:03So I'm just going to go over and see, can I, like, muscle in here?
10:08What do you need?
10:08I need a whole social media campaign.
10:11I can give you a photo.
10:12I need the Eurovision song.
10:13For now, a photo.
10:14Okay, a photo.
10:15Let's do it.
10:16Let's do it.
10:16Cheers!
10:21We've got Donald anyway in the bag.
10:23The torture continues for another little while.
10:27I think I've spotted Kitty and Colm from Homegrown.
10:32Great show.
10:33Hi, guys.
10:34Hey.
10:35How's it going?
10:35How are you?
10:36Well, John.
10:37Long time, no see.
10:38I'm on a mission today to doorstep celebrities.
10:41Okay, oh, wow.
10:42You must keep looking, son.
10:44Don't be so humble.
10:45Very honored.
10:47Cheers.
10:47I'll get my people to talk to your people.
10:52Rory O'Connell is over there, so that might be a bad one.
10:56Do you know Rory?
10:56How big is Rory's following on social media, I wonder?
10:59You mind?
11:00Would that be all right?
11:01Absolutely.
11:01Even though I'm slightly embarrassed about how dowdy I look by comparison to you.
11:06But you probably beat your hair and make, obviously, as well.
11:08Exactly, yeah.
11:10Great, see you.
11:10See you soon.
11:11Okay.
11:12Yeah.
11:12I think Dermot Gavin would be cool, so it's not all just cooks.
11:15Chef, sorry.
11:17I know.
11:18Did you see?
11:19I've just had the side eye.
11:20I know, yeah.
11:21Well, it was more aggressive than side eye.
11:22But anyway, like, it was all going very well.
11:25We were building momentum with Donal.
11:28But Nevin is like a fucking mystical presence off somewhere in the distance.
11:34Like, where's Wally?
11:36But, like, Nevin's the motherlode.
11:38The money shot.
11:41That's a good shot.
11:42That's a good shot.
11:43Yeah, thank you.
11:44So Mick heads off.
11:46Nevin is nowhere to be found.
11:47Or was he?
11:49Look who the crew bumped into.
11:51It's the elusive Nevin.
11:52Better look next time, Mick.
11:57It's been three weeks since soil expert Mike Walsh visited the farm.
12:01And today he's back with his lab assistant, Patty, to start gathering soil samples.
12:06Never been here before.
12:08And it's very interesting to go, to just be able to see the soil and take it in.
12:13We'll be bringing it to the lab to test.
12:16The soil hasn't been touched in 50 years, I think, Mike said.
12:19Okay.
12:20So this is it.
12:22The last day was a first visit.
12:25And it was really just having a look at what we see on the surface.
12:30So we'll just get the kit out, get going.
12:33The solution today is more about taking the samples back and looking at the micro, at the biology in the
12:40soil, the organic matter, and getting into the actual life in the soil.
12:45We'll do the normal, the standard W pattern for our soil samples and have a look at what they've got
12:53here.
12:54And for sure we'll be right down on top of a rock.
13:00Okay, that's not a bad core, eh?
13:02Okay, it's nice and uniform, all the way down.
13:07Okay.
13:08Yeah, first of all, done.
13:09Yeah.
13:13So it'd be great to see microbial communities, what way the chemistry of the soil is, so the nutrients, the
13:18phosphorus, potassium, and then do soil textural analysis as well.
13:22And the organic matter is a big thing too.
13:25So then we'll be able to do DNA extractions as well on the soil and we'll look at microbial communities,
13:30which is fascinating for something not touched in 50 years.
13:35Plenty of work ahead of me.
13:41It's another busy day on the farm and everyone is working away and Richard has invited Katie from the marketing
13:47team to help with the pigs.
13:48The primary reason we have the pigs here is to clear land. Obviously, we will use them as pigs are
13:56used for, but they're excellent at clearing vegetation.
14:01I've never touched a pig before in my life. Look, I'll give it a shot.
14:05Clearing the land without the pigs would be a lot harder work.
14:09I don't know about this narrative.
14:11We're going to move those pigs onto a bit of fresh ground that I'd love to know what's down there.
14:16I'll have you walking behind.
14:19Why do I have to go behind?
14:21I guess I'll find it more amusing, really, if they start nipping you.
14:25Okay.
14:26And are they strong?
14:27Yeah, they...
14:28Will they knock me over?
14:29Yeah, well, they could and they can give you the odd nip, but they're not...
14:32They're omnivores, not carnivores.
14:34You'll be grand.
14:35Like sharp teeth.
14:36Come on, pig, pig, pig.
14:38We're going to some new pastures.
14:40Come on, Katie, jump over.
14:41Come on, pig, pig.
14:43Come on, pig, pig, pig, pig, pig, pig.
14:45Pig!
14:46We're losing one behind there.
14:47Pig, pig, pig, come on.
14:49He's not interested.
14:51Drop that one down like Hansel and Gretel.
14:54Oh, it stinks, Richard.
14:58One, two, three, four, five, six.
15:00We've got six.
15:00Come on.
15:02Come on.
15:03Oh, there's a tree here.
15:05Yeah, here we go.
15:06Have a look.
15:07This is pig heaven.
15:08Richard, I'm struggling here.
15:11Come on.
15:11So let's tip the food out here then.
15:13Okay, guys, come on.
15:14Come on.
15:16Come on.
15:17Why aren't they eating my food?
15:19You just haven't got the touch.
15:21So I've brought the pigs the whole way down here, and now they're not, oh, they are eating
15:25my food.
15:26Well, I've just got what it takes to attract pigs, really.
15:29Hi.
15:29There we go.
15:30They're calmed down now, and we can back the fence up, bring the house down.
15:34So this is going to be their new home.
15:36They're going to be chilling out here for a while.
15:38Yeah, and have a look where they've got that acre to clear.
15:41Not a lot of work to do.
15:42They'll be busy pigs.
15:43Yeah.
15:43They'll need the food.
15:49It's different than sitting on a laptop all day now.
15:52It's kind of some real work.
15:53My hands are extremely dirty.
15:54My jacket's dirty.
15:56Very different to what I'm used to, but I actually really enjoyed it.
15:58Richard said their teeth aren't actually that sharp.
16:00They just have strong jaws.
16:01I told her that pig's teeth weren't very sharp because they can take the odd nip.
16:07That's actually not true, but she believed me anyway.
16:09So she had lots of confidence that it wasn't going to remove any flesh in case they nipped her.
16:18From herding pigs to selling produce, there's lots of moving parts on this project.
16:23And meanwhile, back at the GIY shop, there's one place where all that hard work in the fields
16:28ends up, the GIY shop.
16:30It's a very small shop, but at the heart of it is Clodagh.
16:34I've taken over into this whole section.
16:37This was all completely new.
16:38We'd never, we'd like had a little kind of gift shop, but there was no kind of grocer.
16:42There was no larder.
16:43There was no weighing things.
16:44There was no anything on this side.
16:46So it was all new.
16:48So it was great to kind of try and build it up as best we could.
16:51Like Clodagh's amazing.
16:52You know, she's brilliant customer service.
16:55She's like, customers absolutely love her.
16:57I know about their kids.
16:58I know about what they did the weekend.
17:00I know their favourite colour, their favourite food, what foods they come in for.
17:04So it's not just a transaction.
17:06It's like an actual chat and a service that we do.
17:08Sorry.
17:09Thanks.
17:10She's selling veg boxes.
17:11She's talking to customers.
17:13She's kind of explaining some of the challenges we have, like with the hens being locked in
17:18and all that, you know.
17:19So she's really good at kind of telling that story and that's a hugely important part of it.
17:28So when we do the veg boxes, we do try and, like, there's communication between me here, the kitchen and
17:34the garden.
17:34There's no one team that just does veg boxes.
17:36We're all kind of involved in it.
17:38So trying to get the numbers up, I think it takes all of us to kind of be a part
17:42of it because if one part of it is lacking, you know, the whole thing is lacking, then everything needs
17:47to work together in that.
17:48It's the one thing stopping someone is I still have to get up on a Saturday.
17:52Maybe they want to stay in the pyjamas all day.
17:54Maybe they have kids running around.
17:55They don't have the ability to come in and pick up the box.
17:58So I think once we do deliveries, that'll open a lot more availability to customers.
18:02I think I sell my fair share of veg boxes here as well.
18:05It's not just down to the marketing team.
18:08Like, a lot of their stuff might be seen online, but they could be anywhere in the world.
18:12At least when customers come in here, they're going to get a veg box here and they're going to talk
18:16to us here.
18:17So it's better.
18:18And it, like, Clodagh is, like, really, really important part to this team, like, you know, so we're very lucky
18:24to have her.
18:25It'd be a big problem if she wasn't around, you know.
18:30Mick!
18:31Sorry, Clodagh, but Mick is already gone.
18:34He's heading back to the farm because...
18:37Very early in the series, the team were hit with the devastating news of a nationwide outbreak of bird flu.
18:43They were forced to keep the hens confined to the hen houses.
18:46It's, like, disastrous news.
18:49It's been a difficult time for the hens and the team here on the farm.
18:53But now, 12 weeks on, and there is finally good news.
18:58It's an exciting day now.
19:00It's the 10th of May.
19:02And we'll be given the word by the department that we can let the birds out today.
19:07So the hens will be given their freedom again, which is massively important for healthy, happy hens and good quality
19:15eggs.
19:15People have probably seen the kind of imagery of cows being left out after the winter, and they're kicking and
19:20they're dancing and frolicking.
19:22That's what I'm expecting or hoping for.
19:24I think they're going to be delighted to get out, and it's going to be an absolute joy to see
19:27it.
19:28Mick, yeah, he's probably overexcited about it all, as is his way.
19:35All right, Richard, come on.
19:37Are we going to let them out?
19:37Just hang on a minute, Mick.
19:39We've got to get the fence secure.
19:40I'm not even escaping on the first day out.
19:42This is just, like, my most exciting thing that's happened to me in about six years.
19:47Okay, here we go, ladies.
19:49Liberation Day, part deux.
19:51It is time for your freedom!
19:59Mick, come out of the way, I think.
20:01You're scaring them, Mick.
20:02All right, come out of the way, then.
20:06It's not quite, like, D-Day landing level of...
20:11No.
20:13That one's trying to get back in.
20:15Yeah.
20:16It's scared.
20:18But don't worry, a moment later, and the hens start to stream out into the field, albeit a bit slower
20:24than what Mick may have wanted.
20:28Why does everybody take videos of things, they say?
20:31Right.
20:31Because this is, like, social media gold, Richard.
20:35Look, these people are so sad, they want to watch videos of chickens running around grass.
20:39Yeah.
20:39Why didn't they just get some chickens and look at their own?
20:43Well, that's the whole point of social media.
20:46You live your life vicariously through other people's lives.
20:49What sad bastards.
20:53I think this is just fantastic content.
20:56I'm very pleased with this.
20:58And all our followers on social are going to be delighted.
21:03Yeah, like, it's just such a brilliant ending to a shit situation that we've had to deal with for a
21:08couple of months.
21:09And, like, to do it in glorious sunshine today, happy hens, hopefully amazing eggs again.
21:15And all's well that ends well, eventually.
21:18And I was right about how liberated they would be.
21:24Now that the chickens are out, the production team have decided to test another theory.
21:29This one is about plant-based nutrients.
21:33They've arranged for Mick to do a carotenoid scan.
21:35I genuinely am really nervous.
21:39This quick test reveals the presence of carotenoid stored in your skin.
21:43So, in theory, if you eat lots of nutrient-rich vegetables, you will have a high carotenoid count.
21:48But if you don't, you will have a low count.
21:52There's been a lot of, kind of, jeopardy in this series.
21:55But, like, this is actually, feels like my entire life's work being exposed to scientific rigor for the first time.
22:02This could be really, really, really bad, like.
22:05So, we're about to see, because the carotenoid measure is, in fact, it's almost like a lie detector test for
22:10the type of nutrients that we're consuming and the type of products that we're consuming.
22:14Like, what if I'm really low?
22:16I don't think it's a great idea, actually.
22:18I think it's, like, just too much pressure for me.
22:24So, we're going to take three scans of the tip of your right index finger.
22:28Okay.
22:29Each test takes roughly about 10 to 15 seconds each, so not too long.
22:33And what we're going to get is a score which gives us your average score for your skin chronicles.
22:37Right.
22:38It's called average population.
22:39Irish population, 150, 200.
22:41So, what could go wrong?
22:43It could be 50.
22:45So, if you just pop your right index finger in.
22:48My heart rate is quite escalated as well.
22:51Our second scan is underway.
22:53This feels quite high stakes, I'm not going to lie to you.
22:56I have confidence in it, I think.
22:58Do you?
22:58Yeah.
22:58Just pop your finger out again for five seconds.
23:01One, three, two, one.
23:03Then we'll do the last one.
23:05So, happy there.
23:07Yeah.
23:08And our last scan is underway.
23:10Ta-da!
23:11Woo-hoo!
23:13Told you.
23:14Didn't I tell you?
23:15Oh, my God.
23:16That's class.
23:17That's class.
23:17So, that's proof that when you do it right, you get the score.
23:22Wow.
23:23I feel like an overwhelming wave of relief, I don't mind saying.
23:27I'm a bit relieved too.
23:28Exactly, yeah.
23:29Yeah.
23:30So, we don't need to retire.
23:31No, we keep going for a while.
23:32Go working a fast food joint.
23:33So, that's good.
23:34It doesn't lie.
23:36No.
23:36Yeah, that's super.
23:37Well done.
23:38Next week on Our Farm, panic is setting in.
23:41The veg is growing faster than it's selling,
23:43and the team scrambled to stop it from ending up as pig food.
23:46Mick and Richard clash as the Hungry Gap hits hard,
23:49and with the veg box number stalling,
23:51Ali launches a plan B.
23:53I'm going to come up with ways to sell it.
23:54Meanwhile, the team head to Kilruddery House for a bit of inspiration,
23:57while Dermot Gavin drops by to explore the roots
24:00of one of Ireland's most famous gardeners, William Robinson.
24:03Mick's on the phone trying to shift veg any way he can,
24:06and just when the pressure peaks,
24:08Ali delivers good news...
24:09Give me a little smile.
24:10...that could change everything.
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