A Rare Breed

While many of us are still celebrating the New Year, on farms across NI the working day is just beginning.

It is early spring and that means lambing season in Fermanagh. David Wilson has a tricky task getting a ewe to adopt a lamb. There is TB testing going on in Ballymena. Near Ardglass Allan Chambers has one eye firmly on the weather - he's trying a new venture this year, malt barley. Across our other farms, it is a time for hedge cutting and maintenance.

The weather warms and it is full steam ahead on our arable farms. Near Ardglass Allan Chambers can, at last, get on with ploughing and sowing. Up near the Giant's Causeway pedigree cattle are calving. Meanwhile, in Comber, this year's early potatoes are being planted and at an organic farm in Strangford the pregnant cattle are being scanned

The weather is unseasonably warm so down in Fermanagh David Wilson is shearing his sheep early. Tyrone pig farmer Mark Adams has his hands full with new arrivals. Miceal McCoy in County Armagh is keeping close watch as he has cattle that are due to give birth any day now. In Strangford, Dale Orr is worried about foxes taking some of his newborn lambs.

It's the Balmoral Show - the biggest event in the farming calendar.

The good weather continues, and it is time to bring in the Comber potatoes. Elsewhere in County Down, the good weather is bringing out the pests, so Allan Chambers is out spraying his barley. Across in Castlederg contractor Alwyn Young is itching to begin cutting the silage - timing is everything. Meanwhile, Cloughmills dairy farmer Wallace Gregg is investing in new cattle shed.

In Fermanagh, David Wilson is tackling broken machinery to get his silage in. Near Ballymena, Seamus Kane is getting ready for the arrival of 30,000 chicks. And, it might be the middle of summer, but Christmas has come early for Olive and Donald Elliot as they take delivery of hundreds of day-old highly prized Bronze turkey chicks.

A busy month of shows, sales and harvesting.

The busiest month of the farming year brings it own set of problems.

The wet and cold weather continues to cause major problems on many farms.

The continuing bad weather proves very costly for Down arable farmer Allan Chambers - his entire crop of linseed is wiped out.

The farming year draws to a close. In this final episode preparations for Christmas are in full swing but the hard work on our farms continues on regardless. In this final episode preparations for Christmas are in full swing but the hard work on our farms continues on regardless. It is also a time for reflection on the past year and a look at the future of farming.