Harvest - 3. Fruit: Sweet Treats
In this third episode it's all about the 2013 fruit harvest, as we visit a pioneering cherry grower in idyllic Herefordshire. Gregg and Philippa join farmer Andy Hunt as his workers struggle to pick 40 million cherries by hand in just a few short weeks. The cherry was once Britain's favourite summer fruit but the traditional 20-metre trees were too tall for the speedy harvest demanded by the supermarkets. Amateur grower Philippa discovers how farmer Andy has nurtured remarkable new dwarf cherry trees over years to help bring about a revolution that's put British cherries back in our shops. Gregg joins the well-drilled squad of 250 pickers to discover how to harvest cherries quickly by hand without damaging the delicate fruit. Stefan Gates reveals why winter chill, pollination and ripening are so critical to a good crop. Gregg takes part in the Scottish strawberry harvest to discover if they can claim the sweetest strawberries in Britain. And Philippa discovers how blackcurrants must be harvested by extraordinary machines in a matter of a few hours before they ferment on the trees.
For the first time on TV, the series will reveal an early Harvest report for the UK, which will give an indication of which crops are likely to be the winners and losers in 2013. Fruit has had a bumper crop this year but which have been the sweetest of all? Harvest 2013 tells the story of food through the high and lows of a remarkable year of weather.
Harvest 2013 is supported by BBC Learning who have a produced a booklet to explain the science behind producing UK crops together with recipes from Gregg Wallace using harvest produce. The booklet will be available online at www.bbc.co.uk/Harvest.
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