Season Seven of this 12-part documentary series is filmed across an entire calendar year each episode explores what happens on a dozen Irish farms across an entire month. Meeting farmers producing food that is exported around the World.
Season Seven of Rare Breed, the ground-breaking 12-part series that takes viewers into the heart of the farming world is back.
Filming in all weathers, from the spring snows to the summer heatwave, the series follows several farmers and families on a variety of farms across 12 months. Rare Breed reflects the working lives on a range of farms in Ireland. Working hand in hand with nature and the weather we see how young and old share in this seasonal rhythm that brings food from the soil to our kitchen table.
We follow the producers of cattle, sheep, pigs, apples, eggs, trees and vegetables in the six counties of Northern Ireland. Our local produce not only ends up on our tables, it is internationally successful worth millions to the economy and provides work for tens of thousands of people.
Filmed throughout 2018 we see how 11 farmers cope with everything from freezing winter weather to record summer temperatures, we capture the highs and lows of the farming year.
This is a unique insight into one of Northern Ireland's largest and oldest industries.
The WILSONS in FERMANAGH return to our screens. Sons JACK and ROBBIE are studying hard for college and school exams and helping their parents CINDY and DAVID prepare young bulls for the Premier Hereford Bull Sales. In ARMAGH, PAT McKEEVER and son PETER are pruning their apple trees ahead of a new growing season. In TYRONE, RICHARD and SELINAS BEATTIE are scanning for pedigree Valais Blacknose lambs. It's a new venture for RICHARD whose main job is running several country marts. In DOWN, part-time farmers GARY HANNA and IAIN COLVILLE are taking time out from their day jobs as funeral director and barrister. They've founded a pedigree cattle herd and have high hopes for the coming year. JOEL KERR farms near Dungannon in TYRONE, January sees him doing essential work with his herd.
There's an unexpected and unwelcome TB test for RICHARD BEATTIE in TYRONE. Like thousands of other farmers he's hoping all is OK with his herd. The CHESTNUTT family are juggling roles at their farm near BUSHMILLS, they have beef cattle, sheep and a dairy herd ensuring there's always something to be done no matter the time of day. At JOEL KERR's farm in TYRONE, the vet is visiting to "squeeze" some young bulls. JOEL's also dealing with the aftermath of a dog attack on his small flock of Dorset Horn ewes. He's battling to keep some lambs alive. In FERMANAGH, EILEEN and JOHN HALL are welcoming a new flock of egg-laying hens. While the WILSONS are back at DUNGANNON MART for Beef Expo 2018.
The storm nicknamed 'The Beast from the East' sweeps in. The WILSON family in FERMANAGH bring young lambs in from the fields as they're worried they'll smother in the snow drifts. In ARMAGH, the McKEEVERS take the chance to do some field work in their apple orchards while the snow is on the ground. RICHARD BEATTIE is working at one of his four marts, DRAPERSTOWN, as the snow thaws he's busy selling record numbers of cattle. In ARMAGH, CARON McGEOUGH has her hands full with lambing, it's going well enough in the challenging weather conditions. TONY JOHNSTON grows Christmas trees in DOWN, in March he's trialing a new way of planting - potted Christmas trees.
Spring is late arriving for our farmers. CARON McGEOUGH in ARMAGH is relieved to finally get another batch of lambs out to the fields. In FERMANAGH, the HALLS' latest flock of hens is settling into laying eggs. TONY JOHNSTON is planting trees on the north coast of ANTRIM. Near DUNGIVEN, three generations of the McGILLIGAN family rear sheep, they're in the midst of lambing 450 ewes. Near NEWTOWNARDS, it's showtime for GARY HANNA, he's preparing cattle for next month's BALMORAL show. Vegetable farmer ALEX LYTTLE is busy sowing leeks at his farm on the shores of STRANGFORD LOUGH. JOEL KERR is turning cattle out at his TYRONE farm and cooking up new recipes in his Mum's kitchen.
In MAY the apple trees finally start to blossom at the McKEEVER farm in ARMAGH. The pressure is on GARY HANNA and IAIN COLVILLE as they show their Aberdeen Angus and Blue Texel sheep at BALMORAL. It's a huge event for them and a chance to promote their newly established pedigree herd. RICHARD BEATTIE is showing his Suffolks and Valais Blacknose while nine-year-old CAHIR McGILLIGAN is visiting the show with his family and dreaming of taking part himself one day.
In JUNE the summer heatwave starts and the farmers are busy cutting grass. In FERMANAGH the WILSON family is delighted to see a bumper crop of hay - it's usually too difficult to make hay as it needs consistent good, drying weather. VICTOR CHESNUTT joins 800 dairy farmers at a masterclass in HILLSBOROUGH. The McGILLIGANS are busy shearing their flock near DUNGIVEN. CARON McGEOUGH is happy to slurry-spreading in her red tractor while the McKEEVERS in ARMAGH are preparing to welcome hundreds of families to their orchards - it's part of the Open Farm Weekend Scheme. While in DOWN, TONY JOHNSTON is shaping his Christmas trees in the windy weather.
In JULY the unbelievably good weather continues. The WILSON FAMILY is competing at the National Hereford Championships at OMAGH Show. RICHARD BEATTIE is there too with his family showing sheep, he notes that sales are up at his Marts with the hot weather as farmers prepare for potential feed shortages. While CAHIR McGILLIGAN has got his wish granted and is competing with two lambs. VICTOR CHESTNUTT takes to the catwalk to raise money for the Air Ambulance and to show that farmers have a good sense of humour too. In DOWN, the hot weather means ALEX LYTTLE has to irrigate his scallions. In ARMAGH, at the MCKEEVER apple farm, PAT is dealing with sunburn.
In AUGUST the sunshine breaks and the rain is welcome. In DOWN, the Christmas trees at TONY JOHNSTON's farm are being graded and selected for harvest in November. JOEL KERR is preparing spice kits at LOUGHRY COLLEGE as he's been selected by a supermarket chain. In FERMANAGH, the WILSON's cattle are enjoying the sun but DAVID's still keeping a close eye on them as it's peak season for ticks. In ARMAGH, the apple harvest starts and a team of professional pickers arrive at the McKEEVER farm. While in DOWN, vegetable farmer ALEX LYTTLE is cutting wheat and barley.
