A Year on the Farm
Milk now sells for less than the price of water and dairy farms are closing, rapidly, currently at a rate of nearly one a day. It’s a relentless struggle for farmers to stay afloat and their devotion to their land and animals does not always guarantee success.
A Year on the Farm captures the hidden rural dramas that take place every day across our land. With exclusive access to four family farms, the series provides a rare insight on the significant financial risks farmers are taking to rear high quality produce, using some of the best practice available.
The series reveals the magical world of cows, sheep, pigs and poultry by filming for a year in farms from Essex to Glamorgan, Cumbria to Sussex. Farms occupy two-thirds of the land in Britain but the farming culture and way of life are little known about by the UK’s urban population. As well as market challenges farmers face, there are other threats to their livelihood and livestock such as the outbreak of disease that would destroy a farm to a snow storm that could kill hundreds of sheep. There’s a lot that could go very wrong, very quickly and have devastating effects.
In spite of these challenges the series reveals the incredible beauty of these farms and the quirky, surprising nature of the animals. These farmers are steering away from the mass produced, industrialised farming techniques that are typically used to supply produce to our supermarket shelves. Instead they are opting for a more holistic and ‘closer to nature’ approach.
The programme is overseen by Channel 4 Documentaries Commissioning Editor Michelle Chappell, the Exec Producer is Kari Lia. Chappell said: “A Year on the Farm shows a world of farming we often don’t see from the farm gate. These are family farmers committed to quality, and the clear working bond between the animals and their owners is extraordinary. Who knew cows line up to be milked and turkeys give back chat?
Kari Lia, Exec producer on the show says: It’s an incredible privilege to be let inside this unique world – a million miles away from the urban hustle. Our farmers’ relentless dedication and hard graft of is truly inspiring.
Starts Wednesday, 16th August at 9pm on More4.
Credits
Executive Producer
Kari Lia
Series Director
Toby Trackman
Producer/Director
Callum Webster
Assistant Producers
Alex Hudson
Jo Prichard
Editors
George Taylor
Gwyn Jones
Giles Llewellyn-Thomas
Production Executive
Trevor Lopez De Vergara
Production co-ordinator
Shelley Wallis
Narrator
Vicky McClure
Composer
Alex Menzies