Return to River Cottage

Now that he has some extra land to work with, Hugh purchases some livestock, prompting he and Angus Carmichael, a local carpenter, to build a fox-proof chicken coop. Hugh also goes scallop hunting, and enters a nettle eating competition.

Hugh's cattle and sheep are settling in, but a few of the chickens are not. Also, local vet Jeff Thomson helps with the delicate operation of castrating the calf, Hugh builds a polytunnel, and rabbits wreak havoc on the vegetables.

It is time for Hugh's landlord, Antony Hichens, to host his annual medieval fair, and Hugh decides to donate a pig for the feast. He also helps local bakers create a batch of traditional Dorset lardy cakes and learns hot to shear sheep.

Torrential late summer rains spell doom for Hugh's hay harvest, and only radical plant-surgery can save his tomatoes from blight, however the weather has helped mushrooms flourish. Hugh also enters a sheep in the Melpash Agricultural Show.

Hugh embarks to sell his entire tomato harvest at the Farmer's Market by offering a diverse range of products under the brand name: The River Cottage Glutton. Hugh also makes a bet with a rival grower as to who will sell more at market.

With a failed hay harvest, Hugh conceives a cunning plan to supplement the winter feed he will need for his animals by throwing a party, but instead of a bottle he asks his guests to bring a bale. Hugh also agrees to an unusual request.