This Farming Life

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Nature Documentary hosted by James Thornton, published by BBC in 2016 - English narration

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This Farming Life Documentary series following the struggles and triumphs of five very different farming families in some of Scotland's most beautiful and remote landscapes.

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It is autumn on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and sea shepherd Sandy gathers in a flock of wild sheep by boat, while on the mainland in the east Mel and Martin head to market to look for the perfect rams to impregnate their ewes. In central Scotland near Loch Lomond, hill farmers Bobby and Anne health-check their flock to make sure they are fit to breed, and in the far north John has 4,000 ewes to check, but is also expecting thousands of visitors from all over the world as he hosts the World Sheepdog Trials.

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In Argyll, George and Sybil set off to gather in their sheep from over six square miles of rugged mountainside before taking some of them to market, while soon-to-be-wed couple Martin and Mel introduce their newly purchased rams to their flock of ewes. In the far north beyond Inverness, John heads to market to teach his 13-year-old son James how to buy a good flock of ewes, and Sandy sets off on a 1,600-mile journey from his home on Lewis to sell his specialist Hebridean mutton and beef around the UK.

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On the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, ex-barrister Sandy Granville and his fellow crofters collect their sheep from the moor and club together to dip them in insecticide before mating time. Meanwhile, on the mainland in the west, Sybil and George Macpherson gather their herd of cattle and separate the cows from their calves before they are sent off to lowland farms for the winter.

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The early winter is a time of year that brings new life on the farms and Martin's sheds are full of pregnant cows - but there are two he is particularly concerned about. The vet arrives on Lewis to do an annual blood test on Sandy's Highland cattle during a Force 11 gale, while back on the mainland Sybil nearly gets carried away when she and George head to market to buy rams to breed with their ewes.

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Christmas is looming, and in Inverness, Martin Irvine's sheds are now full of cows and their newborn calves. One was born prematurely and with such a low weigh his chances of survival don't look good. Cameras also follow the drama in Argyll where the weather takes a turn for the worse, just when Sybil and George Macpherson must load more than two tonnes of fleeces into a haulage lorry.

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On the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, crofter Sandy Granville assesses the damage to his croft after one of the worst storms on record. Meanwhile, farmers in the north of Aberdeen and near Inverness scan their pregnant ewes, and on the West Coast, two hill farmers try to return four male tup lambs to a close friend. Plus, John Scott and Martine Irvine head to the Stirling Bull Sales in the hope of selling their best bulls.

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Lambing season is just a month away for most of the farmers and to the east of Inverness Martin tends to 500 pregnant ewes and gets the birthing sheds ready with help from his dad Stevie. Further west in Argyll, George takes a group of Belgian hunters out on a deer-stalking trip, and later he and wife Sybil co-host a judging competition where knowledge of blackface sheep is put to the test. In the far north, John heads to the vet with a pedigree ewe that's pregnant with triplets.

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Spring is in the air and John hires extra help for the lambing season, with New Zealander Emma helping a ewe to give birth to triplets and hoping the smallest and weakest one will survive. Martin invests in some hi-tech kit to alert him when his cows are calving and collects semen from his prize bull to sell, while Mel spends her birthday at a cattle auction.

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In Central Scotland, Bobby and Anne must gather their pregnant ewes from the hills ready for lambing, while east of Inverness, Mel and Martin move into a caravan on site to deal with the imminent arrival of hundreds of lambs. On the Isle of Lewis, Sandy makes tweed curtains for the holiday let as Easter approaches, and an unexpected tragedy hits the Lennoxes.

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Sybil prepares for George's 50th birthday and the arrival of her sister and niece from England, while persistent rain means Martin's cattle are yet to be turned out of their winter sheds into the fields. Bobby and Anne hold an open day to educate the public about farming and John has to urgently call the vet when one of his heifers gets into difficulty calving.

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Summer arrives, and in the east of Scotland, Martin prepares two young bulls for the biggest event of the farming calendar - the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh. First they need their nose rings, an accessory no bull can do without. Martin and Mel's wedding is also looming, and while he goes for his final kilt fitting, Mel meets her Dad to discuss their plans.

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The farmers give their reflections on what each season means to them. In autumn, Argyll, Sybil and George gather their sheep from over six square miles of mountainside, while in the east of Scotland, Mel and Martin buy rams for their flock. In spring, Martin collects semen from his prize bull, John deals with an emergency caesarean, and Mel fights to save a poorly lamb's life. As summer arrives, the farmers can finally put their cattle in the fields, with Martin's having been indoors for eight months.