Series Re-Pack. (Originally posted March 2016)
Documentary series following the struggles and triumphs of five very different farming families in some of Scotland's most beautiful and remote landscapes.
(12 episodes in this series)
Ep01 - It is autumn, the time of year to prepare for the upcoming mating - or tupping - season. On the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, sea shepherd and ex-barrister Sandy gathers in a flock of wild sheep from a remote Scottish island by boat. Later, he and wife Ali attempt to train two wayward Highland cattle calves. On the mainland in the east of Scotland, fiances 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're fit to breed. In the far north, large-scale sheep farmer 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. Further east, Martin must bring his barley in before the rain comes if he has any chance of saving his crop, but his new combine harvester is playing up.
Ep02 - It is late autumn and the farmers are on the move. In the west of Scotland in Argyll, husband and wife sheep farmers George and Sybil set off to gather in their sheep from over six square miles of rugged mountainside. It is an emotional day when Sybil has to then take some of them to market. In the east of Scotland, soon-to-be-wed couple Martin and Mel introduce their newly purchased rams to their flock of ewes - but has Mel chosen well? They also visit the humanist celebrant who will perform their wedding to try and agree on their wedding vows. 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. It's pay day for Martin who also travels to an auction mart, taking his best four bulls to sell - but things don't quite go to plan.
Ep03 - The farmers get ready for winter. On the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, ex-barrister Sandy and his fellow crofters gather in their sheep from the moor and club together to dip them in insecticide before mating time. On the mainland in the west, Sybil and George battle to gather in their herd of cattle, who are a bit frisky after living freely on the hills for many months. Sybil, who has individual names for them all, must separate the cows from their calves before they are all sent off to lowland farms for the winter.
Ep04 - It's early winter and although the weather is getting colder and darker, it's a time of year that brings new life on the farms. In the east of Scotland, Martin's sheds are full of pregnant cows - and there are two expectant mothers he's particularly concerned about. In central Scotland near Loch Lomond, Anne and Bobby must gather in their remaining sheep from the mountains with very little daylight - and when a heavy mist comes down, Anne worries for Bobby's safety on his trial bike.
Ep05 - In central Scotland near Loch Lomond, Anne is left in charge of the farm on her own and begins by feeding breakfast to over 2,000 animals. East of Inverness, Martin tends to their 500 pregnant ewes - and gets the lambing sheds ready with 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, and the vet decides to perform a caesarean. Bobby returns and selects the sheep to go for slaughter. Martin takes two of his top bulls to market - they failed to sell before and this is their last chance. Martin's farm depends on them making a good sale, but will they attract the buyers?
Ep06 - It's January and the new year brings wild weather. On the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides on the edge of the Atlantic, ex-barrister-turned-crofter Sandy Granville is surveying the damage to his croft after one of the worst storms on record. North of Aberdeen, Martin Irvine and fiancee Mel are braving the freezing temperatures to scan their pregnant ewes to see how many lambs they can expect in the spring. Further north near Inverness, John Scott is doing the same with his flock, but has a surprise when he scans some ewes sold to him by his brother-in-law.
Ep07 - Lambing season is just a month away for most of the farmers. In central Scotland near Loch Lomond, Anne is left in charge of the farm on her own and begins by feeding breakfast to over 2,000 animals. East of Inverness, Martin tends to their 500 pregnant ewes - and gets the lambing sheds ready with 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.
Ep08 - Spring arrives at last for the farmers - the busiest time of year for new lambs and calves. In the north, beyond Aberdeen, John is expecting more than 6,000 new lambs, so hires in extra staff to help. New Zealander Emma helps a ewe give birth to triplets, but will the smallest and weakest one survive? John rescues a lamb from its aggressive mother, and takes his son James to sell his chickens and ducks at an auction. On the isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Sandy celebrates his 61st birthday after bracing a storm to feed his two pregnant Highland cattle.
Ep09 - In central Scotland near Loch Lomond, Bobby and Anne must gather their pregnant ewes from the hills ready for lambing, and all the family help out. Bobby's father's 90th birthday is looming and thoughts turn to who will run the farm when it is time to hand it on to the next generation. East of Inverness, Mel and Martin move into a caravan onsite in the lambing shed to deal with the imminent arrival of hundreds of lambs - but as lambing begins, the weather brings unseasonal snow. It's an exhausting time with Mel spending several hours a day bottle-feeding the orphan lambs.
Ep10 - In Argyll, Sybil prepares for George's 50th birthday and the arrival of her sister and niece from England. Sybil and George are also looking after a desperately ill cow. Julia K had a traumatic caesarean and is too weak to stand up on her own, so they decide to lift her to her feet twice a day using a sling and a forklift truck to help build her muscles up. East of Inverness, persistent rain means Martin's cattle and young calves are yet to be turned out of their winter sheds into the fields. Sybil's sister and niece arrive and there's tension over the question of who will take on the family farm in the future.
Ep11 - Summer arrives at last. 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. Martin goes for his final kilt fitting and Mel meets her dad to discuss their plans. Ahead of the wedding they are 'blackened' by family and friends with feathers, flour and treacle in an old Scottish ritual. Back from their honeymoon, Martin and Mel must shear half their flock of sheep with a team of helpers. Then all the farmers travel to the Royal Highland Show, where Bobby enters a bake off, Sandy and Ali try to sell their mutton, John puts all his faith into his prize bull and Martin gets a surprise result when he enters a young novice bull into the competitions.
Ep12 - This final episode features all the farmers from across the year reflecting on what each season means to them. In autumn the programme revisits sea shepherding with Sandy on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. In the west in Argyll, Sybil and George gather in their sheep from over six square miles of mountainside. As everyone looks forward to mating, or tupping time, in the east of Scotland Mel and Martin head to market to buy rams for their flock, then introduce the lads to the ladies. As winter descends over Scotland, the farmers reflect on this time of year. It's bitterly cold but this is also a time of new life for the farmers. Martin has a shed full of pregnant cows and dramatically has to save the life of one calf. Lewis is hit by a series of violent storms, one just when the vet is due to arrive to inspect Sandy's highland cattle.
It's a huge relief when spring arrives. Martin collects semen from his prize bull, and Sandy and Ali welcome two new calves to their croft. In the far north, John is in the midst of lambing over 4000 ewes and also has to deal with an emergency caesarean on one of his prize heifers. Mel fights to save the life of one very poorly lamb, number 119.
Thanks Max 🙂