Episode 1 This was first broadcast on Thursday 8 January 2009 at 9 pm. The would-be farmers move into a disused
cottage. This requires much renovation: replacing the
coal-burning range, cleaning the
chimney and refuelling from a narrowboat on a nearby
canal; cleaning the bedroom by removing dead birds, disinfecting against
bedbugs with
turpentine and salt, restoring the
lime plaster and redecorating. In accordance with custom, they assist in the
threshing of the previous year's crop of wheat, using a steam-powered thresher. A field is
ploughed,
harrowed and
sown with the next year's crop using
horse-drawn implements of the era. Apples are picked, milled and pressed to make
cider while other fruits and berries are preserved as a spicy
chutney. A flock of
Shropshire ewes is acquired and the first meal is cooked and eaten: a leg of boiled
mutton.
Episode 2 As winter draws on, animal fodder and shelter is provided.
Mangelwurzels are stored in a
clamp and then chipped with period machinery to feed the cows. A
pigsty is built upon a foundation of bottles to provide insulation and three young
Tamworth pigs and a pregnant
Gloucestershire Old Spot sow are housed there upon completion. A
ram is added to the sheep flock and marked with a
raddle to ensure that he impregnates all the ewes, so that they will lamb in the spring. A
shire horse, named Clumper, is also added to the livestock and training in his use as a draught animal is performed. Domestically, the weekly
laundry is done in a Victorian style.
Stain removal is first performed, for example, using milk to remove an ink stain. Then the clothes are hand-paddled,
mangled and
ironed over a period of several days. Christmas is celebrated with a
church service; the Victorian novelty of a
Christmas tree; a
plum pudding and a roast
turkey; and presents are exchanged such as some hand-made
braces.
Episode 3 New Year arrives and the farm needs emergency repairs, with the help of the woodsman, the blacksmith and the basket maker. Ruth has a go at some traditional potions and remedies. When the wheat crop comes under attack, it is time for some pest control, Victorian style, as Alex and Peter join a pheasant hunt. Alex goes out catching rabbits with a team of Victorian poachers. And with spring around the corner, the first baby animals are ready to be born.
Episode 4 It is spring and there are lambs and pigs to be delivered, which means Alex and Peter need to master animal midwifery. A prized ewe is in danger and a lame horse may jeopardise vital work on the farm. The team witness the birth of many chicks and ducklings, along with 8 (originally 9) piglets from the pig Princess. The team turns to Victorian science in a bid to save their struggling crops. If they succeed, they will have something to celebrate at the May Day fair. If they fail, all their hard work will have been in vain.
Episode 5 In this episode, the team embarks on a trip by steam train, Ruth begins a tough task in the dairy, Alex tries his hand at beekeeping, the sheep get sheared using the latest time-saving technology, and the lengthening summer days allow Alex and Peter to try out the new Victorian sport of
cricket. It is also time for the hay harvest, weather permitting. Ruth makes cheddar cheese in the dairy with her daughter, Catherine Goodman, using milk from the cow Forget Me Not and
rennet from a neighbour's male calf. The sheep shearing is a life saver because it turns out that the sheep have severe
fly strike. It is Alex's birthday and Ruth makes him a cake and a picnic, while Peter buys him a book about setting up an
apiary. The boys make a predator-proof cover for the landlord's raspberry patch.
Episode 6 It is the end of their year on the farm. They sell off the pigs and sheep they successfully bred and raised. Ruth learns
straw plaiting and makes a hat and cooks a Victorian style curry. Everything is now focused on the wheat harvest. Peter and Alex get the dray and a reaping and binding machine repaired and brew beer for the harvest. The harvest is completed just before the rain comes, with Ruth harvesting the last of the corn. Once the wheat is dried and stored they ring the church bells, enjoy a
harvest festival and reflect upon their time on the farm. They hand over the key to their landlord and depart the farm. ==Related programmes==