Catch up TV

Series 4: Episode 12

It’s the height of summer - time to prepare for the colder months. This year, coronavirus means farmers are looking much further ahead, finding ways to survive in changing times.\n\nIn the Lake District, Matt and Dani Blair are almost a year into their new venture. Matt is preparing for winter, bringing in the hay while the sun shines. But his vintage, temperamental bailer keeps breaking down, and rain is on the way. Later, Matt embarks on a new plan for the farm, and together with Dani, their son James and right-hand man Murray, they consider how the new farm is fairing a year after the big move.\n\nIn Northumberland, Emma and Ewan have some big news. After five years working alongside Emma part time, Ewan has decided to leave the fire service and become a full-time farmer. But, their small 100 acre farm can’t sustain them both, so they begin their search for a new, bigger farm. When the ideal opportunity presents itself on the Isle of Bute, Emma and Ewan decide to go for it and make an offer. If successful, their lives could be about to change.\n\nJoyce Campbell is used to working her 6,000 acre hill farm on the northernmost part of the Scottish mainland alone. Because of coronavirus, twins Frances and Mure have been home from university for the last five months and are helping out on the farm full time. Working together, they move her herd of Saler cross cows two miles along the North Coast 500. Later on, Joyce reveals a very special lockdown purchase.\n\nFather and daughter team Frank and Georgia Hunter are continually finding ways to adapt and survive on their 600 acre mixed livestock farm. All farmers' markets are cancelled, so Frank instead sets up shop at the end of the lane and encourages people to buy their dairy and meat produce directly. Their decision to diversify into goat farming five years ago is really paying off, and they’ve got another cool idea up their sleeve: goats' milk ice cream.

Source: BBC 2