Cannon Hall: A Yorkshire Farm | Preview (Channel 5)

Presented by Jules Hudson, this series is a celebration of farming across the country and across seasons as we open a scrapbook that looks back on our time with The Nicholson Family at Cannon Hall Farm in Yorkshire along with Helen Skelton, The Yorkshire Vets, JB Gill and other friends.

Each episode remembers time-honoured traditions and the impact of mother nature, while looking ahead to new farming technology, ideas and the next generation.

In this opening episode, it’s springtime, a much-anticipated season when the countryside awakens from its winter slumber. As new life bursts into fields and barns, Orchid the heavily pregnant shire horse awaits the arrival of her new foal.

In Lincolnshire, one of Britain’s youngest farmers, eight-year-old Joe faces up to his first-ever lambing season and is helped through it all by farmers Rob and Dave. Back at the farm, dad Roger Nicholson adopts a new family of ducklings and prepares them for a new life and safe haven at the farm’s pond.

JB Gill travels to England’s largest forest, Kielder Forest, to meet sheep dog trainer Michelle Anderson at her farm on the edge of the Northumberland National Park as she welcomes the arrival of newborn puppies.

Back at Cannon Hall Farm, Rob makes a late-night rush to the cattle barn when donkey Blueberry goes into labour. Then Yorkshire Vet Matt Smith arrives to check on the 12-hour old foal. The Nicholsons have their hands full again when they take on an orphaned goat and ask farmer Kate to help introduce youngster Milo to Dorcy their milking goat.

And Adam Henson uses love, patience and a sturdy rope to halter train Capri the Albion calf. This is all-important work because Albions are one of the rarest breeds and on the survival watch list with only 150 cows remaining in the country.

Begins Thursday 29th February at 7pm on Channel 5.