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00:00So how do you feel about watching your boy doing this sort of stuff?
00:03Incredibly resilient and, well, and capable.
00:06Oh, hello.
00:07We've got a bit more to tidy up now.
00:09That's a learning lesson.
00:30Every landscape tells a story of farming families who've worked it for centuries.
00:46Growing our food, caring for nature and ensuring that rural traditions thrive.
00:54For many of them, farming isn't just a job.
00:57It's a way of life, handed down through the years.
01:00The only thing I can see myself doing, really.
01:02Over four countryfile specials.
01:04My word, I'm a bit nervous.
01:06I'll be travelling to Somerset, Leicestershire, Worcestershire and Wiltshire
01:09to meet some of those families that have farmed these agricultural heartlands for generations.
01:15Don't work with animals and children. Somebody say that.
01:18From grandparents to grandchildren, everyone plays their part.
01:22I'll be getting a glimpse into the way they work together day to day,
01:25the challenges they face and the inventive ways that they're keeping their farms thriving for the future.
01:36Today I'm in Wiltshire, joining the Lemon family, near the village of Wilton.
01:42It's mainly an arable farm, but things are evolving, and the family are starting to rethink how they work the land.
01:53From the crops they grow...
01:55This is going to the dock for export to, I'm afraid to say, the Europhys lager market.
02:01To the more unusual side...
02:03I've got all kinds of creatures.
02:05Oh, my word, I'm a bit nervous.
02:07Three generations of family are working together.
02:10He's very good at delegation, Peter, isn't he?
02:13He's learnt that skill already.
02:15To keep the family farm thriving for the future.
02:19I can't wait to just sort of do this full-time and this to be my life.
02:23We'll also take a look back through the Countryfile archives.
02:27It can be quite a juggling act.
02:29Revisiting some of the other amazing farmers we've met over the years.
02:35Oh, my word, look at it all going on here.
02:46Manor Farm's story began with David Lemon,
02:49who then handed it down to his son, Peter, in 1970.
02:5420 years ago, Peter's son, also called David,
02:58took over the reins with his wife, Millie.
03:01Of their four children, 18-year-old James is already a keen farmer,
03:05working alongside his parents and grandad,
03:08whenever he's not in college.
03:11It's a beautiful sight, dotted with historical buildings,
03:15including a 16th-century barn and a 200-year-old windmill.
03:22But it's the scale that impresses me.
03:24This is a big farm.
03:27Around 1,335 hectares of wheat, barley, oilseed rape and maize.
03:35We're starting the day at the 6,000-tonne grain store,
03:38where 29 tonnes of barley are being loaded onto a lorry.
03:42Everyone has their part to play.
03:46Grandad Peter is in the office, recording weights
03:49and writing the all-important ticket and passport
03:52for these red tractor-assured grains.
03:5718-year-old James is operating the telly handler and loading the lorry.
04:01Which means I can have a catch-up with his dad, David.
04:09Now, where's the barley going, David?
04:10So, this is going to the dock for export
04:13to, I'm afraid to say, the Eurofizz Lager Market.
04:17So, not beautiful English pale ale?
04:19No, I'm afraid not. No, no.
04:21It's a variety that yields well,
04:25but that's what they want out in Germany,
04:26so that's what we grow them.
04:27Sure.
04:28It's all about the margin, isn't it?
04:30So, how do you feel about watching your boy do this sort of stuff?
04:33Yeah, it's great. It's great.
04:34I mean, he hasn't done a huge amount of lorry loading,
04:37but he's keen as mustard and just can't get enough of it,
04:39which is lovely.
04:40Quite a responsibility for an 18-year-old.
04:42Yeah. Yeah, it is.
04:43I mean, you know, as we all make mistakes when we're young,
04:47we just hope it doesn't make too many.
04:49And for you, growing up here, were you in a similar situation?
04:53Yeah, I was.
04:53I did my first harvest when I was 17, same as him.
04:56And I did the general dog's body harvest from about the age of 14,
05:00where you drove a broom or a shovel most of the summer.
05:03I was exactly the same.
05:04And looking back, I suppose, particularly the men who took on the farms,
05:09you know, they did amazing things at young ages.
05:11Yeah, my grandfather left home.
05:14He was farming near devisers with his father.
05:17He up sticks and came here at age 18,
05:20took a rent from a farm above the windmill here.
05:23I'm just sort of thinking, at 18, would I have been capable of doing anything?
05:26I mean, loading a lorry would have been about it.
05:28Yeah, sure.
05:29Not starting up my own farming enterprise.
05:32Incredibly resilient and, well, and capable.
05:35Oh, hello.
05:36We've got a bit more to tidy up now.
05:38That's a bit...
05:40That's a learning lesson, isn't it?
05:41That's a learning lesson, yeah.
05:41Yeah, so he just overcrowded the bucket a little bit.
05:43He did.
05:43Yeah.
05:44He did.
05:44As far as the future of the business goes,
05:53I mean, you're still a young man.
05:54How do you see that transition?
05:56So, yeah, I mean, I'm in my mid-40s.
05:58I would love a bit of time farming with my son
06:01before I hand it over completely.
06:03I'd love to farm with him and farm together.
06:06He's a bit more interested in livestock than I was, which is fine.
06:10But, so we're just starting on a little enterprise there.
06:13But, yeah, I mean, as long as the arable keeps going and...
06:17And with the system, that sort of...
06:18Are you going down the regenerative route,
06:20looking after your soils, growing mixed cropping and that sort of stuff?
06:23Yeah, we've definitely...
06:24We've moved a huge, huge stride to that end.
06:28The amount of cultivation we do
06:29and the disturbance of the soil is drastically reduced.
06:32Yeah.
06:33Inputs are very focused, but we're still chasing yield, you know.
06:37We're trying to farm as regeneratively as we can
06:40while still turning the biggest profit we can.
06:43Yeah, absolutely.
06:44And that's what it's about, a margin, isn't it?
06:45Yeah, it's all about a margin.
06:46Because the first rule of sustainability
06:49is that I can be sustained and still be here farming next year.
06:51Exactly.
06:51Yeah, it's about cash.
06:52Yeah.
06:59It's good to see father and son working so well together.
07:03And obviously with grandad involved as well.
07:06And all quite patient and giving towards one another.
07:09You know, having the time to be able to learn on a farm is very important.
07:14You've got to be able to make your mistakes and learn by them.
07:17And, you know, James is a very young man, but this is quite a lot of responsibility.
07:21That lorry load of grain is worth a lot of money.
07:27That legacy of passing it on to the next generation is a really fantastic thing, I think, in agriculture.
07:34For me, I'm a tenant farmer, and my children have gone off to do other things,
07:37and I would support them in that, of course I would.
07:40But it must be very special for, you know, three generations to be working together,
07:47passionate about the same industry.
07:50That's sort of quite warming in the heart, I think.
07:53This is a good position to be in, because I can commentate whilst not having to work.
08:03I'd better go now.
08:15By the way, boy, this is a warning. If it happens again, you'll have to face the music.
08:20All right. We're not doing it twice just to save your blushes.
08:25You'd have never done this, though, Peter, would you?
08:27I still do.
08:28Not in your day.
08:33All the unspilled barley will be malted and used in the brewing industry.
08:39But barley isn't the only crop that's crucial to make the perfect pint.
08:43Back in 2016, Anita visited a farm in Surrey that was on a mission to revive the age-old
08:52tradition of hop growing to the area.
08:55At the industry's height, there were nearly 3,000 acres of hop grounds throughout the county.
09:01But by the start of the 20th century, disease had all but wiped out hop growing in Surrey.
09:06By the 1970s, there were fewer than 30 acres still in production.
09:14Hop plants have been used in brewing for more than 1,000 years.
09:18Its pungent flowers give flavour to our beer.
09:22And growing them takes age-old skills.
09:24This is the last commercial hop producer left in Farnham.
09:33Putnam Hop Garden, managed by Bill Biddle.
09:36Well, I've never seen hops growing, so...
09:39Well, they're very different to a field of barley or a field of wheat.
09:42So this is it? These are hops?
09:45These are the real thing, yes. These are Fuggles hops.
09:48That's the variety we grow. This is what we're looking for.
09:51That's a very small example. And that's it. Grab it together, push it around and sniff it.
09:57Oh, wow. And you'll get the bitterness coming through.
09:59Bitterness, really fragrant as well. It's in the air, Bill.
10:02It's all around us. Yeah, it is. It's all around.
10:03And that's part of the drying process as well.
10:07How fast do they grow? Well, they grow very fast,
10:09because in April, they're just starting down at the bottom in the ground.
10:13So they live in the ground all year round.
10:15Some of these plants, these are about 35 years old.
10:17And then in April, they start growing very fast.
10:21And we want them on the top wire, up there, by the 21st of June.
10:26And if they're doing that, we're happy. In two months, they grow that high?
10:29They're sort of supersonic runner beings. That's incredible.
10:31And is it very difficult to grow? Lots of maintenance?
10:34Do you have to keep an eye on them? It's very much hands-on, yes.
10:37We need to actually train each hop plant to go up the string.
10:41So we've handily put a string in here.
10:44There's a coir string with lots of fronds on it.
10:47So the young hops at an early stage can actually hang on to those fronds
10:51and they go start moving and twiddling round.
10:53So somebody has to come and do that.
10:55This is quite labour-intensive, isn't it? It's hugely labour-intensive
10:58at various times of the year.
11:11Once the picking is done, it's over to the shed where the vines are plucked.
11:18So this is the next step of the process. This is quite impressive.
11:22This is where the vines... This is called the vine track.
11:25And this is where they're put up individually in order to go through the plucking machine.
11:29And how long have you had this piece of technology?
11:32This wonderful bit of technology has been with us since, I think, 1962.
11:36Fantastic.
11:37But would you like to have it go?
11:38Well, it would be rude not to.
11:39Couple of gloves. Come on.
11:42So are you spending the whole summer doing this?
11:44Just September.
11:45Just September.
11:46Do you get any nice perks? Free beer?
11:48Free beer. Free ice creams.
11:50Oh, free ice creams.
11:53Done. I'm sold.
11:55Yeah, yeah.
11:56Right.
11:59The plucking machine separates the leaves from the hop flowers.
12:04Then the hops make their way along a series of conveyors where they're sorted by hand
12:08and any waste picked out and discarded. Finally, they're bagged and transferred to an attic
12:13for probably the most important part of the process, drying.
12:17A gift of hops.
12:21Do we just grab them?
12:22Right, we just pull the bags off and drag them along.
12:25OK.
12:26The man in charge of drying is Paul Thompson.
12:30His family has been involved in hop growing and drying for generations.
12:34And then they go.
12:39So how are they dried in here?
12:41Well, they're dried by hot air.
12:44The air gets blown through the floor, the slatted floor,
12:47and then it just goes through the hops and then out the top.
12:49And out the top there.
12:50Yeah.
12:51So it's a perfect, it's a system that works and has been doing for years and years.
12:55Well, yes.
12:55And how many hours does it take?
12:57Well, eight hours in here and it reaches a temperature 140 Fahrenheit and then they're
13:02cooled down outside because you can't put them in the pockets warm.
13:06What are the pockets?
13:08Well, they're the bags you press the hops into.
13:10Right.
13:10Well, let's see that bit of the process.
13:11Yeah, yeah.
13:13The pockets are filled in a traditional way, using a wooden scuppet.
13:18Right, here we go.
13:19Oh, this is satisfying.
13:22OK.
13:23And I think it's filled up.
13:24Can you shut the door?
13:25Yeah.
13:28Right, and then push the green button on the side.
13:31That's it.
13:36The Putnam Garden pockets bear the emblem of a church bell,
13:43a sign that they're from the Farnham area.
13:45It's all part of a tradition that stretches back to Surrey's hop-growing heyday.
13:50But the real proof is the tasting.
13:53And here at the Hogsback Brewery near Farnham,
13:56each new season's beer is greeted in time-honoured fashion with a grand tasting.
14:02And today is the big day.
14:04All these people have gathered here to drink tea.
14:08Yep, that's right, tea.
14:10Rupert Thompson, the brewery owner, is going to tell me all about it.
14:16So, Rupert, what's tea?
14:18Tea is traditional English ale.
14:20And this is traditional English ale with green hops added.
14:24So they came from Putnam.
14:25We picked them in the morning and we added them straight into the boil.
14:29Do you want to try it?
14:29I would love to. So you don't dry it?
14:31Not that, no. And what this gives it is it gives it a lovely,
14:35softer, slightly, there we go.
14:39There we go. I think you should have one too.
14:40Yeah, no, I'm going to try one.
14:41Yeah, definitely.
14:42So you don't dry the hops.
14:44We don't dry them.
14:44They've come from Putnam where I was this morning.
14:46Yep.
14:47It smells lovely. It smells really fruity, doesn't it?
14:48Yeah, yeah, it does.
14:49Cheers.
14:49Cheers. Good health. Good health.
14:55It's good. It's really good.
14:56Good.
14:56Delicious.
14:57And is it popular?
14:58Well, this is the first time we've brewed this, so you're going to have to find out.
15:02Ah, well, I will.
15:03Also sampling this new release are members of the Tongham Traditional English Ale Club.
15:08So what do they make of this brand new brew?
15:11It just has a nice, fresh taste to it.
15:14It's very easy to drink, isn't it?
15:15I know, that's the trouble.
15:17It's got a nice, nice head on it.
15:18Yeah, it does.
15:19Lovely.
15:21Good colour.
15:22Golden.
15:26Cheers.
15:27Good health, me too.
15:29Nice to see you.
15:29Yeah, I love this.
15:34Mmm.
15:36Oh, I like it.
15:40Back in Wiltshire, the Lemon family have finished loading their barley,
15:50and it's now on its way for export, which means it's time to crack on with some maintenance.
15:55All right, what's the plan then, James?
15:57Under the watchful eye of Grandad Peter.
16:01I'm going to give James a hand.
16:03So have you been busy with this machine yet this year?
16:05So this is the first time we're actually going to be doing it this year for footpaths.
16:09He's using this topper to cut in a new footpath and create field margins around the crops.
16:17Yeah, so that shaft will then power the blades and, uh, and like a great big glorified lawnmower,
16:23really, isn't it?
16:23Yeah, exactly that, yeah.
16:25So what's next now?
16:26So we'll probably clean it off, the whole thing, just brush it off with our hands,
16:29and then we need to grease up.
16:31James is about to finish his studies at Agricultural College, but I'm keen to know what's next for him.
16:36And the plan is to come home, is it then, James?
16:40Well, so next year, my plan is to go to New Zealand.
16:43Oh, is it? Yeah, great.
16:45Farm out there and sort of learn as much as I can about other ways and other methods,
16:50different ways we can be more sustainable and work things out from that.
16:54It's great to get away from the farmer bit, Peter, isn't it, when you're young?
16:58I am a great believer that no farmer's son should go home immediately after college.
17:06Yes.
17:07You will make man management mistakes, and if you go home,
17:11your mistakes will be there for the rest of your life.
17:14Sure.
17:14If you go and work on another farm and run that, you make mistakes with men, you always will.
17:21We all have.
17:22Yeah.
17:23But you then leave it behind.
17:24Yeah, sure.
17:25Yeah.
17:25Good advice.
17:26Yeah.
17:27Yeah, absolutely.
17:28Yeah.
17:29So, your grandad gave me some advice when I was, well, a little bit older than you,
17:33when I was out of college.
17:35My dad rang him up and said, you need to come home and put my boy straight.
17:38So, and he came and gave me some very good, worldly advice.
17:43In fact, it made me feel a little bit inadequate, to be honest.
17:45I realised I had to step up to the plate a bit.
17:49Well.
17:50But we've been successful ever since, so that's all right.
17:52That's good.
17:52Yeah.
17:53We'll grab the grease gun then and give it a grease up.
17:55Yeah.
17:56When you've finished your travels, James, what's the plan then?
18:02So, currently looking at unis and things, so Harper Adams and Siren Sester, maybe Newcastle.
18:08Yeah.
18:09But just sort of need to get the right UCAS points for that.
18:13Sure, yeah.
18:13Work a bit harder, I think.
18:14But, yeah, if we...
18:15There's a middle one as well, so.
18:17I mean, important to get your qualifications if you can, isn't it?
18:20Definitely.
18:21I mean, farming is a complex and complicated business, isn't it?
18:25Yeah, exactly, and being able to learn the managing skills and other things like that.
18:32Yeah, important to get it right.
18:33Yeah.
18:34And, erm...
18:35Go on, I'll get my hands dirty, I didn't want to work.
18:40He's very good at delegation, Peter, isn't he?
18:43He's learnt that skill already.
18:44Get someone else to do your dirty work.
18:46Yeah, he's well-taught by the master sitting over there.
18:49Exactly.
18:50Yeah, exactly that.
18:52So, travelling for a little while.
18:54Yeah.
18:55Then off to uni, hopefully.
18:56Yeah, that's the plan, yeah.
18:57Get your studies done.
18:58Yeah.
18:59And then home.
19:00And then home, and then kick Dad out, and...
19:03How easy is that going to be, Peter, moving Dad to one side?
19:06It's a very important part of farming.
19:11Yeah.
19:12When David decided to come home, we sat in the office with a sheet of paper,
19:18my name, his name, and a line down the middle.
19:21And we discussed every aspect of the farm and who was doing what.
19:27Yeah.
19:28Good way to do it, isn't it?
19:29You know, sort out those responsibilities,
19:30otherwise you're stepping on each other's toes.
19:32That was the point.
19:33Yeah.
19:33And it worked.
19:35Hopefully Dad and I can have the same as him and his father.
19:39Who rules the roost, your mum or your dad?
19:41Well, I think Mum calls the shots, yeah.
19:45So, are machines your thing?
19:47Is arable your business?
19:48Well, I do love arable farming, but I've convinced Dad to get some cows.
19:53And the idea is just to get on our feet with the livestock.
19:55Yeah.
19:56And then eventually we'll move, buy our own beef cattle,
19:59when hopefully the market's dropped a bit.
20:01Yeah, sure, yeah, the price is flying at the moment.
20:03Yeah, exactly.
20:03And how come you're into livestock?
20:04Because were you a livestock man, Peter?
20:07Years ago, we used to have two dairies on the farm.
20:11The last one went in summer 63.
20:15Right.
20:16Because of the 62 winter, it snowed on Boxing Day,
20:20and the snow left on April the 15th.
20:23Wow.
20:24And we had no grass, therefore no silage, no nothing.
20:28Yeah.
20:29And we sold the cows.
20:31Yeah, yeah.
20:32And then, um...
20:34That's a lovely peacock in the background.
20:37Fantastic.
20:39So this is now a reintroduction of cattle to the lemon family.
20:43Yeah.
20:43That's good, it's nice, isn't it?
20:44A lot to look forward to, yeah.
20:45Yeah.
20:45Fantastic.
20:46Right, let's get this thing rolling.
20:49Planning for the future is never easy on a family farm.
20:52See you later, Peter.
20:52Yep.
20:53OK, bye-bye.
20:55But here in Wiltshire, the succession plan looks to be firmly on track.
21:09Back in 2018, in the hills of North Wales,
21:13Jo met another family with their own take on securing the next generation.
21:17And on the Jones family sheep farm, they certainly start them young.
21:25Meet the Jones boys.
21:28They're from a family who've tended flocks here for more than a century.
21:33They're serious about sheep farming.
21:37And they're six and two.
21:41This is Alfie and Luca.
21:47Their farm is in the north of Gwynedd, on the outskirts of Caernarvon.
21:53Gerath Jones is their dad, and Alfie Senior is their granddad.
21:59So Alfie, how long have you been doing this?
22:01How long have you been here?
22:02My parents bought the farm back in 1951.
22:06How many sheep did you keep?
22:07Roughly just over 300. Half of them are Welsh Mountain sheep,
22:14and the other half are Llin Cross sheep.
22:17And this family interest is continuing, because Gerath, you come up here as well,
22:20don't you? I mean, you're part of the farm. You helped dad out?
22:22Yeah, yeah. I've been doing it all my life since, well, since I was a little boy.
22:27It'd be a pity if I was the last generation to carry on farming here,
22:31and I'm glad that Gerath has taken an interest.
22:34And the boys as well.
22:37Yeah, so let's talk about the boys. So, what, six and two?
22:41They seem very keen, is that right?
22:43Yeah, they're very interested.
22:45They love coming up here to feed the sheep.
22:49So, yeah, hopefully it's in their blood as well.
22:51How involved can the young lads get with the sheep on the farm?
22:54Yeah, they like to be, like to get involved. But these sheep, they can be a bit wild.
23:00Mm-hm.
23:01So, I don't think it's a good idea to put Luca in a pen, especially being so small.
23:07Yeah, so that's why we decided to do something different.
23:12And so Gerath and his wife Kerry added to their growing flock.
23:17These are valley black-nosed sheep, known for their sociable, docile and friendly nature.
23:22Come on, girls. Hello.
23:25For Kerry, they're now a real part of the family.
23:28So, we have Elsa, Diva, Eden and Amelie.
23:34So, what is their temperament like? How are they around the children?
23:37They're really, really calm. They have such a placid nature.
23:40It just means that the kids can get involved and feed them and wash them.
23:44They thrive on human contact, so they love that interaction.
23:47They're super intelligent as well, so they respond to their names, most of them in the flock here.
23:53Each one of them, they've got different characteristics, you know,
23:55and their own little personalities.
23:57And with the kids, you know, do they interact as well as you'd hoped?
24:00Uh, yes, they do. I mean, the only thing we say with the children is
24:03they've got to be, you know, careful around their holes.
24:05It's not that there's anything malicious about the breed.
24:07Yeah. But because they're over-friendly, you know,
24:09sometimes you can get knocked by a horn and stuff.
24:11I keep feeling it on the back of my leg.
24:13Yes, you keep feeling it on the back of your legs.
24:14Yeah, you'll end up with a bruise on the back of there.
24:17Valley were imported here from Switzerland about five years ago.
24:22Today, it's thought there are around 2,000 across the UK.
24:26Kerry and Gerrath certainly went the extra mile to get theirs.
24:30I think within a space of five months, we travelled five and a half thousand miles.
24:34What?
24:35Yes, throughout the UK, up north, all the way down south,
24:39just to kind of hand-pick our ewes.
24:41So we kind of cherry-picked from blocks...
24:43Oh, my goodness. ..just to build our breeding foundation up.
24:46So all of this, to get your boys into sheep farming.
24:49Er, yes.
24:50It's quite extravagant, isn't it?
24:51It is quite extravagant.
24:53But, I mean, the hours of pleasure that they have and stuff,
24:55it's all really worth it.
24:59What's lovely about the Joneses flock is they're truly part of the family.
25:02And like every family, each member has a different relationship.
25:05The reason I love these valley sheep is that they're so friendly.
25:11And if you can do anything with them, they come towards you in the field.
25:15They're completely different to the sheep that don't run away.
25:17Last year, we went to the local show,
25:22Shoe Eglisbach, where Eva, our youngest daughter,
25:25she showed a few of the ewes for the first time.
25:29And she got, I'm sure, a supreme champion.
25:32My favourite is Eddie, purely because he was our first valet ram.
25:38When he arrived on the farm, the addiction started.
25:41Not at all convinced to start with, but they're quite docile,
25:46great for the kids, and they seem to be blending in well with all the other sheep.
25:53But ultimately, the flock is about these two.
25:57Hi, boys. Now, I hear you're the real sheep farmers around here.
26:02Is that right? Yeah.
26:03Yeah. Shall we go and have a look at your flock?
26:05Yeah! Come on, then. Here we go.
26:12Come on in, Alfie. Introduce me. Who have we got here?
26:16Fifi. This is Fifi. And who's this one?
26:20Flossie. Hello, Flossie.
26:23Do you have to make sure you pat each of them?
26:25Yeah. What happens if you don't?
26:27They are going to be jealous. Are they?
26:29What do you feed them? With nuts.
26:32You feed them with some nuts. Do you want to be sheep farmers when you grow up?
26:38Yeah. Do you? Do you want to be a sheep farmer?
26:43Excellent. And who's this one over here? We haven't met this one.
26:46Esmeralda. And what's special about Esmeralda at the moment?
26:50I think she's getting a baby.
26:53A baby. A baby? Wow!
27:05Since filming, we hear Lucas making his mark in young handler's classes,
27:09while Alfie is showing his sheep at top-level shows.
27:18Back on the Lemons Farm in Wiltshire, I'm joining James as he works on some of the 40 hectares
27:24they've put aside through Countryside Stewardship.
27:27A government scheme that helps farmers support wildlife and protect the landscape.
27:34Well, it's a beautiful part of the world, isn't it?
27:36And obviously, a very privileged position to be in, as long as you want to be a farmer.
27:40But it seems like that's your dream now.
27:42Oh, yeah, exactly. That's the only thing I can see myself doing, really.
27:47With James's brother pursuing a career in professional rugby,
27:51and his sisters still a bit too young to be thinking about the future,
27:55James looks set to be the next generation to take the farm on.
27:58How well did you get on with your dad?
28:02Er, I'd say, like, very well, yeah.
28:04Do you ever have other clashes?
28:06Yeah, of course, everyone does, but, er, sometimes I think I know more than him,
28:11and I probably don't, but, er, and he definitely listens to me sometimes,
28:15and then he'll listen to me and then prove to me that I'm wrong.
28:17OK, right.
28:19But, you know, it was like the worker it doesn't.
28:21Yeah, exactly, yeah.
28:22So the farm is very much in your hands, then, to take it on?
28:25Yeah.
28:28So with the scale of the business, do you feel the pressure of taking it on?
28:37Er, yeah, obviously there's a lot of, er, connections you need to keep and, like,
28:43friendships you need to maintain, whether that's with a dealership or a partner or, er,
28:48or anything, really. Er, so it's just being able to communicate, I think, is the main thing.
28:53Yeah.
28:54You need to keep a good balance.
28:55About relationships, yeah, yeah.
28:57And having been to, you know, school and now college, do you think culturally the attitude
29:05towards agriculture and farming is changing?
29:09I think there's a lot more people understanding that it's not just, you know,
29:13sit in the tractor and, erm, there's a lot more that goes on, might finish a day at nine o'clock
29:19and at night and then, erm, cows will be out or, or there'll be something else, and you never
29:23quite know when you're going to end up going out.
29:25Yeah, 24-7, isn't it?
29:26Yeah.
29:27And what about things like, sort of, working hours and mental health? Do you think younger
29:34people are being more receptive and responsible?
29:37Yeah.
29:38I think, erm, there's definitely a world that everyone can speak how they're feeling a lot
29:43more openly and even so there's still, erm, people who I know who have taken their lives
29:50and, because he had to take on the farm and, you know, it's just...
29:54Yeah, horrible.
29:55Yeah.
29:56It's really, really sad and you just, like, you don't know how to talk to people, I don't know.
30:01Yeah.
30:02It's, it's, yeah.
30:03It's tough, isn't it, that whole world of, you know, poor mental health?
30:06Yeah.
30:07In particular agriculture is one of the worst industries, isn't it?
30:09Yeah, so, you know, for you and your friends to be able to communicate and chat about life
30:14is, er, is important, isn't it?
30:16Yeah.
30:16That certainly seems to be getting better.
30:19I agree, yeah.
30:20Yeah.
30:21James' attitude to farming is really encouraging to hear.
30:24He's so positive and grounded and with his tractor skills, he's clearly got a bright future ahead.
30:32Very good.
30:33Ten out of ten.
30:34I'd give you a job.
30:35Great.
30:36I'll take it.
30:37If you're suffering distress or despair and need support, including urgent support,
30:44a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk forward slash action line.
30:52Or you can call for free to hear recorded information on 0800 066 066.
31:03Now, last year, I met a young farmer in County Down.
31:07who has worked incredibly hard to diversify and develop her own father's farm.
31:12I caught up with Emily when her latest venture, a flower picking event, was in full bloom.
31:23Hi, Emily.
31:23Morning.
31:24How are you today?
31:25Good to see you.
31:25You all right?
31:26You all right?
31:26Yeah, very well, thank you.
31:27My word.
31:28Look at it all going on here.
31:29Is that amazing?
31:29You have brought the sun.
31:30It's great.
31:31Looking out across the lock with all these beautiful flowers.
31:34So, so blessed.
31:35And heaps of people.
31:36Lots of people.
31:37The sun definitely brings people out.
31:39So, tell me what's going on at the front here.
31:41So, the way we have this set up, this is like a little coffee area.
31:44So, the public are welcome to come in for a coffee,
31:47or they're very welcome to enter the event, which is just behind us.
31:51If you're picking flowers, it's free entry.
31:52If you're not picking flowers, there's a general entry fee.
31:55Okay.
31:55So, we've wildflowers, sunflowers, and dahlias right at the top of the hill.
31:59Wonderful.
31:59Can I take a look round?
32:00Yeah, let's go.
32:08You've got a lovely mix of reds and blues and yellows in here.
32:11How difficult were they to establish?
32:13The sunflowers, I remember Dad calling me one morning and being like,
32:17there's no sunflowers.
32:18They haven't emerged at all, but actually they've done okay.
32:21You're dealing with nature.
32:23Totally.
32:24It's quite tricky, isn't it?
32:25Totally.
32:25And if you're dealing with one crop, it would be a lot easier.
32:28But because we have essentially four,
32:30trying to get them all to come at the same time has been hard.
32:33But some things close to right, and some things that we can improve on.
32:38What does your dad think?
32:39Because this is quite different, isn't it, to his journey in farming?
32:42Oh, yeah.
32:43He'll tell you himself.
32:44You know, he planted veg for so many years and had a great time,
32:50but it was always, you know, you were dealing with supermarkets
32:53and it was just a negative experience mostly.
32:55But this, you're dealing with the public and, you know,
32:59people are here for a family day out and it's just, people are happy, which is great.
33:03Emily's dad, Adrian, may have taken a step back from the day-to-day running of the farm,
33:11but he's still very much involved and ready to lend a hand.
33:15And a lot of farmers would perhaps be a bit more controlling of their children and
33:20want them sort of doing it the way they've done it for years and years.
33:23But you're quite open-minded, you know,
33:26you don't mind a bit of entrepreneurialism sneaking in there with Emily.
33:30Well, I think with Emily, it's hard to hold her back.
33:33She has that enthusiasm and energy, wants to keep doing things.
33:36But that is something that, as farmers, we all should be better at, probably.
33:42Just let them at it.
33:44If they have to make a few mistakes, so be it.
33:46And how do you feel about it as a farmer, as an individual?
33:50Has it sort of given you a new lease of life?
33:52Yeah, totally. Your weed came from an industry which was waning.
33:56Vegetable production has been really tough, but this opens up with the sunflowers.
34:01The light starts to come into the farm again, and I'm so delighted.
34:08Lots of us could learn a thing or two from Adrian about unleashing the next generation of farmers.
34:13It's only the second year Emily's put on this event, but with her dad supporting her,
34:18she's confident enough to throw the kitchen sink at it.
34:21There's a lot of investment with something like this, you know, with seed and our container and
34:25our picnic benches, everything like that. And my aim was to cover the costs.
34:30And we did that last weekend, so we're making a bit of money now, which is good.
34:33That's fantastic, isn't it? Great.
34:34I know.
34:35Then you can sell these things to your dad even more.
34:36You see!
34:37When you're making a bit of profit.
34:38It always helps.
34:40And that is what it's all about. You know, that sort of sustainability, the ability to last,
34:45is about making money so you can reinvest, so you can move things on.
34:48Exactly. And it's just finding ways. Our current farming setup, there needs to be income from
34:53elsewhere. So, hence why we're doing things like this.
34:56Diversification can be vital for smaller farms like Emily's. And between the flower picking,
35:03coffee and maize maize for the kids to get lost in, this event should provide an important
35:07boost to the farm's finances, alongside their commercial chickens and sheep.
35:12So, in here we've this year's lambs, which we're actually doing quite well.
35:16How many sheep have you got?
35:18About 200 commercial use.
35:19Okay.
35:20So, not quite small, really, considering.
35:23With you being more at the helm in the business now, what are the highs and lows?
35:28The shop, I am trying to create it as a standalone business. And in terms of the farm,
35:34I'm still learning. And, you know, Dad has all the knowledge on how to grow veg and how to do it
35:39all. So, it's trying to soak up as much of that as I can.
35:43Well, I have to say, you know, there's a lot going on here. You've got your core
35:46businesses. But with the diversification you've got, it's very impressive just being brave,
35:52because you've taken some quite big risks, haven't you?
35:54No, absolutely. And risks take investment. But if you're not growing, you're going backwards,
36:01in my opinion. So, you just have to try things. We need to learn from this year and see how we can
36:07evolve that. In terms of the farm, it's very difficult to make a farm make money. So, all these
36:13little bolt-ons are what is making this place survive. Well, it's been lovely to catch up with
36:18you. And I'm very impressed by what you're achieving. So, well done.
36:21Back in Wiltshire, I've been hearing how James has plans of his own for the family farm,
36:37including bringing cattle back into the mix.
36:41And he's not the only one in the family keen on having animals here.
36:45Hi, Millie. Hi. Got everything you need for your menagerie? I think so.
36:51Have you got loads of animals? I have lots of animals. Yeah, David's arable farm,
36:57which is heading to a mix farm. I've got all kinds of creatures. We seem to inherit
37:04slightly obscure animals.
37:13Oh, my word. I wasn't expecting this. Emus.
37:16Yeah, we've got emus during lockdown because they were cheaper than chickens.
37:22That's extraordinary, but not quite as easy to look after.
37:25They're really easy to look after. Are they? Yeah. They're really friendly.
37:31They generally don't escape. Right. Oh, my word. I'm a bit nervous.
37:36Apparently, their brain is smaller than their eyeball.
37:40Stop. They're very greedy, aren't they? They're very greedy, but they're very friendly.
37:44And how many have you got? These three? Yeah. She's a female and these two are boys.
37:48OK. People riding down here on their bikes must think it's extraordinary. Yeah.
37:52People leaving the pub, people walking past, everybody is intrigued by them. And they're
37:58so curious and they always bring their head over, they'll chat to anybody. But they are very friendly.
38:03And do you use them for anything? Do you keep their eggs?
38:05Last year, we got our first eggs. We gave them away and everyone was intrigued by them.
38:09And we've had one batch this spring as well. And as far as... Can I stroke it? Yeah. Yes.
38:17Absolutely. I've seen emus a lot, but I've never actually touched one.
38:21They have, like, waterproof feathers on the outside and warmer feathers on the inside.
38:25Go on, then. Have they got names?
38:27She's called Petrie, Bluey and T-Rex. I can see why.
38:35But I hear emus are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Millie's menagerie.
38:40We've got alpacas, goats, chickens, turkeys, peacocks, less traditional tortoise, budgies.
38:50Really? Yeah. Wow. A lamb that lives in the house often.
38:53A lamb that lives in the house? Yeah, she comes and goes, but she thinks she's a dog,
38:57because there's only one. Wow. And is that OK, having a farm animal in the house?
39:01Oh, Dave is quite tolerant, luckily. Is he? Yeah, yeah. He's got used to...
39:05We've had lots of animals in the house. Have you? What else?
39:08We had a pig called Blossom. Ponies have been in the house.
39:11The kids must just love that, mustn't they? Well, they think it's normal.
39:14Do they? Yeah, yeah.
39:15You could open to the public. You've got a zoo. Yeah.
39:17And what do you think about, you know, the next generation coming into the farm?
39:21Oh, well, I think it's amazing that they have the opportunity to, you know, live this slightly
39:27extraordinary lifestyle and have the opportunities to do things that they want to do.
39:33Of course, you know, there is quite a lot of pressure on a young person,
39:35because this is a big, serious business to look after. Yeah, I think it's really serious,
39:41and I'm really proud that our children and the next generation are taking it so seriously.
39:47Are you worried about the responsibility that James would be taking on?
39:51Oh, I think he, um, I think it's an enormous pressure, but he's really enthusiastic about it.
39:57And he's had some training, but he's also got an incredible grandfather and father to help him.
40:02Oh, I think it's a great way to learn. There we go. Look, they've eaten all their food.
40:07That's very, very good. I enjoyed that. Yeah, they are friendly.
40:21It's been absolutely glorious today in Wiltshire, but I wonder what the weather has in store for
40:29the week ahead. Here's the Countryfile forecast.
40:31Hello there. Good evening to you. Hard to believe we're nearly at the end of July already. What a
40:44month of contrast it's been. Because if you cast your mind back to the beginning of the month,
40:48the 1st of July, in fact, we saw the highest temperature of the year so far. That was 36
40:53Celsius in Favisham in Kent. That came off a very hot, dry, sunny June as well. Since then,
40:58it has cooled down gradually. We've seen some thundery downpours in the mix, though not all
41:03areas saw the rain, and we still remain in drought conditions for much of the UK.
41:08Now, for the last week of July, it looks like it's going to be much the same as we've had over
41:12the last few days. It's occasional rain, not that much really. Some drier and sunnier moments,
41:17and temperatures remaining around the seasonal norm. In fact, for the upcoming week, we will hold on to
41:22this pressure pattern with higher pressure down towards more southwestern areas of the Atlantic,
41:27lower pressure to the north, and that's feeding in this fresher Atlantic airflow. And that has
41:32brought a few showers around. We did see a few today across the UK. They fade overnight,
41:37clearer skies, temperatures into the low teens for most. So how does Monday start? Mostly dry,
41:42on a fresh note, in fact, with northwesterly winds continuing. Because we've got a ridge of
41:46high pressure across the UK, it'll stay mostly dry. We could see an isolated shower in the afternoon,
41:51but sunny spells continuing those temperatures around the seasonal norm again. High teens in the
41:55north, low to mid-20s in the south. As we move out of Monday into Tuesday, we could see this
42:01tangle of weather fronts pushing off the Atlantic. So it looks like at this stage,
42:05Tuesday will be a cloudy day with some much needed rain, but it won't be widespread rain.
42:10Some of it could turn heavier as it spreads across the Midlands into southern and eastern England later
42:15in the day. And with more cloud around Tuesday, it'll feel a little bit fresher. I think we're
42:20looking at 18 to around 21, 22 degrees. We move out of Tuesday into Wednesday. Similar sort of pattern,
42:27those weather fronts clear away, and another ridge of high pressure builds in from the southwest. So a
42:31drier picture for mid-week, I think, with quite a bit of sunshine to start. Could be that the cloud
42:36tends to build in through the afternoon, could herald the odd shower. But again, most places will be dry,
42:42thanks to that ridge of high pressure temperatures. High teens, low 20s, maybe up to 24, 25 degrees.
42:49Now we're stuck in this pattern again as we move towards the end of the week. So for Thursday,
42:53could see another cluster of weather fronts start to push into northern and western areas. That could
42:57bring some substantial rain, perhaps for a time for Northern Ireland and into Scotland. But for England
43:03and Wales, closer to the higher pressure to the south, it could be that it stays mostly dry here,
43:07with sunny spells continuing to the low to mid-20s, at mid-to-high teens further north. As we move out
43:14of Thursday into Friday, which is the 1st of August, these weather fronts could be loitering across
43:19northern and eastern areas. So it could be a bit of an unsettled start to August, although it's quite
43:24a long way out here. It could be some rain at times for Scotland, northern England, maybe into the
43:28southeast. And further south than west you are, you're closer to the ridge of high pressure,
43:31so it could stay mostly dry. And again, those temperatures mid-to-high teens in the north,
43:36low 20s in the south. And we maintain this pattern as we move into the first weekend of August too,
43:42with lower pressure to the north, higher pressure to the south, and fresh winds coming in from the
43:47Atlantic. So again, those temperatures will remain around the seasonal norm, with a greater chance of
43:52seeing much needed rain across more northern areas, largely staying dry in the south. And there are no
43:56signs of any heat waves on the horizon, or substantial rain either. Of course, stay tuned
44:02with the weather forecast for where you are or where you're going using the BBC Weather app.
44:05That's it from me. Take care.
44:16I'm spending the day on Manor Farm with the Lemon family. They've been farming this land for three
44:22generations, with a fourth, son James, showing a keen interest to take it on.
44:27The only thing I can see myself doing, really.
44:32The Wiltshire landscape is ideal for arable crops,
44:36and its rich pastures are just as well suited to grazing cattle.
44:40But last year, Matt visited a farm just a few miles north of the Lemons, with some slightly more
44:50unexpected goings-on in the fields, thanks to its unique set-up on Salisbury Plain.
44:59Farming is a difficult job at the best of times, but when your neighbours are busy soldiering on all
45:05around you with training exercises involving trundling tanks and rifle practice, it can be quite a juggling act.
45:15Neil Harley is a third-generation farmer working with his cattle on the plane,
45:20and knows farming can be a bit of a military operation in itself.
45:25On this farm, we're running approximately 500 mainly Angus cows. There are approximately 40 tenants
45:31on the plane, of which we're one. Across these farms, there's a wide variety of arable farming,
45:37along with a mix of livestock. They train everywhere, so we quite literally farm amongst
45:43the military whilst they're training. Farming on Salisbury Plain is very different to farming
45:48anywhere else in the country. I mean, obviously we don't have fields as you would normally recognise
45:53them with nice fences. It's a vast open area with tanks and troops rolling around.
45:57I've grown up with it, which gives me a sort of unique perspective, and to me that's how you're
46:04supposed to farm, but of course everyone else would look over the fence and consider it absolutely mad,
46:09really. One of the hardest parts of farming here on Salisbury Plain can be making sure that you're in
46:17the right place at the right time, avoiding any military operations that might be going on.
46:22Livestock are kept in a series of pens scattered throughout the plane, so keeping track of all
46:29the penned areas and animals can be quite a mission in itself. Warrant Officer Class 1, Jeff Elson,
46:37is responsible for this part of the Salisbury Plain Training Area, and he's a key figure in
46:43coordinating who goes where. It's quite a big job, the coordination of the farmers and the military
46:51on the plane. We have a monthly meeting. Once the deconfliction of the training units has occurred,
46:56we then have a pennings meeting at which the farmers have submitted their requests to where they want to
47:03graze on their licensed areas, and what we then do is we balance that against what the military are doing
47:09so that they don't interfere with one another.
47:15Not always is it a smooth transition. Farmers sometimes put the animals in the wrong place
47:20because there's better grass or better feed. Sometimes military training forces a move of the
47:27pennings at short notice. Sometimes we do have units who don't see the fences. At night especially,
47:35we have vehicles who sometimes drive through the pennings, and then we have to call the farmer and
47:39ask him to gather his cattle or his sheep and put them back in the pen.
47:46Hi, girlies. Neil's herd is divided into smaller groups to make them easier to manage,
47:53and today he's moving a group of 145 cows from pen 6 to pen 41, using maps and an online GPS to get the job done.
48:07So this herd, originally called herd 1, they've been grazing here for just over a week.
48:12They've had all the best of the grass. They've opened up the sward really nicely,
48:15so they're going to move on. That'll give them fresh grass, which will be good for the cows,
48:19and it'll allow this patch of ground to recover and turn into a beautiful flower-rich sward,
48:25which, as you can see behind us, where we were grazing a few months ago. They graze each patch,
48:29sometimes twice a year, sometimes they'll be left for an entire year. It just depends what we're
48:32trying to achieve with each individual area of grassland. But as you can see, they're very happy,
48:37very healthy. They only ever have grass. There's no supplementary feeding out here. It's a very simple
48:42system in that way, and it produces one of the healthiest types of beef you can get, really,
48:47all organic and pasture-fed. With everything meticulously planned out,
48:53there's only one job left to do. It's time to move some cows, ably assisted by stockmen Malcolm
49:01and Lewis from Neil's Farm. OK, come on then, girls. I assume you've turned the fence off.
49:07All right, sweetheart. Come on, girls. Let's sit.
49:13So the cattle, they're all into their new pasture. As you can see, they're just going to go and
49:31have a bit of an explore, make sure everyone's there. They're calling to each other, and they'll
49:35settle down in the next 10 or 15 minutes, put their heads down, and they'll start enjoying the new grass
49:39they've got there. We move them every week, so they're used to it. In fact, I mean, they look
49:43forward to it. It's probably their favourite time of the week when they can go and all get the
49:47freshest bite of grass. So they look around the pasture, find the best bits, and that's where
49:51they'll all be for the next hour or two before they settle down and sit down and chew the cud.
49:56Moveable fencing secures the cows in their new patch, so it doesn't take long for them to feel at home.
50:02But how did they react to the tanks and manoeuvres during military exercises?
50:07The cows here, they don't notice the tanks at all. If they do, mainly it's just curiosity. They like to
50:11wander over and have a look. The big bangs, the helicopters, the planes, all the noise and
50:16disturbance, they really aren't bothered by it in the slightest. They're quite used to it. Out here,
50:20these guys were all born here and grew up in this one place, so to them it's completely normal,
50:24and they're very happy with it. Being out here, you get to see all sorts of things that farmers
50:31just wouldn't see or wouldn't even imagine. I mean, you know, it's not uncommon to be moving
50:35the cattle and have to stop to let the tanks roll through.
50:41It all adds to the spice of life, that. I would never farm anywhere else. This is one of the most
50:47glorious environments you can find, and we're absolutely privileged to be out here.
50:58A stone's throw from Salisbury Plain, the Lemon family farm is a world away from military manoeuvres,
51:05but strategic forward planning is essential here too, as son James is adding a new chapter to this
51:11large-scale arable farm by bringing cattle back into the mix. I'm joining him and his dad to see the
51:19plan taking shape. I'm loving this, David. Cows on the farm. It's your fault, James. It's his fault.
51:26Well, that was my idea to originally supposed to get beef, and the price of beef is quite high at the
51:33moment, so we found another way to get cows on the farm. So how does this work? They sort of come in
51:38from another farm, and the farmer pays us to look after them and feed them and bed them up.
51:42So, literally, it's like having them here B&B. Yeah, sure. Yeah, you're just looking after them and
51:46feeding them. Yeah, check them twice a day. And so these are dairy heifers that, once they're a bit
51:51bigger, will go back to the dairy farm? Yeah, exactly, yeah. Great. And being a man of crops with now
51:56cows about, how are you finding it? Well, I haven't come out in a rash yet. No, actually, I'm really
52:02enjoying it. It was lovely all winter coming up here and spending, you know, an hour a day up here just
52:07feeding them, looking after them, looking over them. Is this sort of part of a regenerative
52:11farming journey? Yeah, definitely. I think it's all to do with sort of not getting fertiliser out
52:16of a bag and artificial fur, whereas we can get fertiliser from here. It's great for the soil,
52:21but also it's nice to have livestock and makes it feel more like a farm, I think. Yeah.
52:28And that regenerative farming system is about livestock, isn't it? It's about the sort of
52:32rotational grassland, livestock, muck and arable farming all mixed in together. Yeah,
52:37a lot of the regen is what my grandfather would have called mixed farming, you know. I mean,
52:43it's probably mixed farming with the benefit of hindsight. The principles that were right then
52:46are probably still right today. So actually, your minds are set alike, really, you know,
52:52sort of you're working together on this. Yeah, absolutely. And you've asked me to carry
52:56these stakes. What are we up to? Well, when we put the cows out,
53:00we were expecting to put nearly 50 out here. We've actually only got 30 and
53:04we're going to reduce the size of this plot because we're doing mob grazing here,
53:10because it's better for the soil. We allow the grass to recover and then move them on,
53:14but we probably need to half the width of this paddock. Okay. Yeah.
53:18All right. I'll give you a hand. Right. Thank you.
53:20They look fit and healthy, James. Yeah, they do. Yeah, they look happy. They seem,
53:29they're pretty quiet. So, yeah. It's quite important to have them quiet. We've got two
53:33footpaths that run across this field. Oh, okay. Yeah. And, you know,
53:36certainly don't want them escaping. We don't want them on the run. Definitely. No.
53:41So, if we run the wire off the post just to get a straight line and then we'll peg it.
53:47So, how many places? Uh, seven. Seven only? Seven only. One, two, three.
53:55There we go. So, I'm the heavy one that can put it in. Yeah, because you can get them in.
54:00So, how do you, are you enjoying this so far then, James? Yeah. I mean, it's really fun. It's like
54:05a dream come true. It's, um, yeah. I'm just so chuffed. We've got some livestock now and, um,
54:11sitting on a tractor all your life wasn't for you then, you don't think? Well, no, I don't mind it,
54:14but it's, um, it's nice to have a change and, um, some cheerful faces around, really. Yeah.
54:19They're always smiling, aren't they? So, more expansion. Yeah. More animals. More animals.
54:24As many as we can get, really. But, with a caveat, he's off to New Zealand on a gap year. Okay.
54:30And, uh, we'll keep going as we are until he gets back and then we can make another plan. But
54:35Muggins here is not becoming the cowman. While he's away. While he's away. Yeah.
54:40And with that, with him going away, you know, some young people getting into the family businesses
54:47feel some pressure? Yeah, they do. These kids have to grow up to be happy. If they don't want to farm,
54:53they don't have to farm. It is, it's a wonderful life, but it is a millstone around your neck. And if you're not
54:58up for it, then don't do it. Don't live unhappy. Yeah. That would be my very strong advice. I've got,
55:04yeah, that, we know too many people that have struggled with it. Have struggled with it. Yeah,
55:08indeed. It is a wonderful way of life. You know, we're very, very privileged to be able to do this.
55:13Yeah. Um, to be able to be out here doing this today, you know, we could be sat in an office working
55:19through some accounts. Yeah, sure. And, uh, although we do have to do that. How do you,
55:23do you feel positive then? I mean, you seem like a pretty upbeat character and excited about the
55:28future. I can't wait to just sort of do this full time and this to be my life. I mean, at the moment
55:33at college, it's great, but, um, I'd love to have this in my life. Finding out different ways that we can
55:38keep cows in the pasture and keep, keep the arable farm going, then that'll be the best way to do it.
55:45Built a positive boy there. Yeah. Yeah. Wonderful. And what about Peter, granddad? How do you think he
55:50feels looking on? Oh, I think he's absolutely made up with it. I think he's delighted that there's
55:54going to be another generation that want to come and farm. Um, you know, he's passed on a legacy
55:59not only of, of, of high quality farming, but he's been, uh, a stalwart for the local community
56:04because it's very easy to forget that, you know, farmers, we don't move. So people come and go in
56:08and out of the villages, but farmers, we don't move. So if you can be positive for your community,
56:14um, then that's a great thing because you're always going to be here. If there's a flood,
56:19we're out trying to help. If there's snow, we're out shoveling it. Um, it's all part and parcel of,
56:25of, of life here. It certainly seems that by working together so closely,
56:32the family are ensuring a strong and secure future for their farm.
56:37But for the final word on that, it's back to Millie. James did say it's mum that calls the shots
56:43around here and I'm a little taken with those emus. What's a, what's an emu cost?
56:49Uh, 40 pounds. Really? Yeah. I might get, I'm going to guess some.
56:55Now then for you and your family, what's the plan? Oh, I think, um, always moving forward,
57:01things are changing in having the cows, um, on what was a traditionally arable farm. Yeah. Um,
57:09is, is great and exciting. So moving forward. And you get even more animals.
57:13Yeah, more animals. What could be better? It's very exciting.
57:15Next week, it's over to John, who as a proud Yorkshireman is celebrating the heritage of the county.
57:32I've spent half a lifetime telling stories from all over the UK countryside.
57:38Well, that's quite a climb. But now, in four special countryside programmes, I'm back on home turf.
57:47Frame descent. Frame descent. Don't you know that? No.
57:50Get yourself organised. Everybody says that to me. Exploring the traditions.
57:56You can taste the difference, can't you? The heritage. Oh, yeah, there we go.
58:01Carry on, carry on. Whoa. Whoa. The legacy and the characters.
58:08That make me so proud that I was born here in Yorkshire.
58:14Would you like to drive? Really? Yeah.
58:18I'm an engine driver.
58:26Hope to see you then. Bye for now.
58:27And in September, Countryfile on stage. In Conversation at Kew Gardens. Tickets available at
58:38inconversationlive.co.uk now. And there's been a big Strictly announcement today. Find out more
58:44tomorrow morning on Scott Mills' Breakfast Show with some very special guests. Listen from 6.30 on BBC Sounds.
58:50Kew Gardens.
58:56kew
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