Week Beginning: Sunday 22nd January, 2012
Sunday 22nd January
There is no stopping Tracy. Meanwhile, the work mounts up for Tony.
Pat, Helen, Tom, Tony, Neil, Susan, Tracy
- Helen gives Pat a hand as they talk excitedly about the launch, though Pat is worries about the HEF inspection on Thursday - the first since the E. Coli outbreak. She worries about Tony, too. With Tom off to Shrewsbury, Tony has a lot on his plate.
- Tony helps Tom move the arks, and treats him to a class one moan at the same time. Tom offers to milk this evening as well as Thursday and Friday, which goes a small way to cheering Tony.
- As Neil goes to The Green to fill in the trench, he sees that someone has filled his skip with black bags. The culprit is Tracy, who is busy clearing out family junk from what will be her room. Susan is upset to see Ivy's sewing machine in the skip, but Tracy is determined, and when she points out that the clearance will hasten her departure from Neil and Susan's, Susan offers to hep her sister. They indulge in some sisterly giggles over teenage magazines and valentines. Then Susan finds her old dolls' house, which she wants to renovate for Keira.
- Tom's promotion at Jaxx looks like being a success, and Kenton needs more sausage and bacon. The only problem is that Tom will have to deliver it - just when he was due to do the milking. Tony is understandably unsurprised.
Summarised by Jo Saunders
Monday 23rd January
Brian walks into a heated debate and Adam is feeling isolated.
David, Adam, Pip, Pat, Brian, Jennifer
- It's the day of Pip's presentation to the members of the Hassett Hills board, and for once her supreme self-awareness appears to falter, as she stays in the car looking over her notes while David has a chat to Adam. Adam comments ruefully that it must be wonderful to be on such good terms with one's offspring, and praises Pip's initiative. Things between him and Brian are no better, to say the least, following his comments on Radio Borsetshire. Job's comforter David remarks that Adam must have known everyone would recognise his voice.
- Smug Brian shows Jenny the new BL website, which cannot fail to convert people to the mega-dairy idea. Jenny is not so sure, but Brian just dismisses her concerns.
- Pip's presentation goes well (of course), and David is very proud. But more ideas flow from the marketing genius that is Pip; lamb burgers and other products on a par with Tom's new venture. If Tom can turn around the fortunes of Bridge Farm, then Pip can do the same for Brookfield.
- Brian's smugness takes a knock when he encounters a furious Pat, who tells him exactly what she thinks of his factory farming idea. He retaliates by patronizing Pat's 'niche farming' business, but despite his blustering, is forced to retire to Home Farm to lick his wounds. He gets minimal sympathy from Jenny, who tells him he should be trying to build bridges with Pat and Tony. Weakly, Brian says that he tried.
- David has to point out to Pip that there is just no money to carry out Pip's ideas, good though they are. But to Pip that is backward thinking. Instead of paying £22K for a slurry tank, they should be looking to the future and investing in her ideas, complete with her amazing virtual lamb.
Summarised by Jo Saunders
Tuesday 24th January
Neil lends a helping hand, while Susan inadvertently causes offence.
Susan, Clarrie, Jim, Neil, Tracy, Jennifer
- With her accustomed lack of sensitivity, Susan tells Clarrie how busy she is - and that it must be nice for out-of-work Clarrie to have some leisure time. Clarrie responds by commenting how good Keira is for her, but not for Emma. Susan is forced to agree. Clarrie's job-seeker's allowance runs out in March, so if she can find work, Emma will have to make other arrangements. Clarrie is going to do her food hygiene and catering certificates.
- As he arrives to get on with the new bathroom, Neil finds Tracy in a state because the paint she has bought will not cover the original colour. He tells her it needed an undercoat, and finds himself offering to bring some white emulsion from home
- Jim calls at the shop and tells Susan he wants to ask Neil to make an offer for the auction of promises. She tells Jim that Neil has too much on, so Jim will have to ask Neil. Meanwhile she suggests Clarrie, whose knowledge of flowering plants even impressed Alan Titchmarsh. Modest Clarrie is persuaded and accepts, very pleased.
- Jennifer calls at the shop, where Susan babbles tactlessly on about the Radio Borsetshire interview with Adam. Not content with that, she comments that so many people are against the scheme that Brian can no longer show his face in The Bull. Jennifer makes a feeble attempt at defending Brian, but leaves the shop in high dudgeon.
- Neil brings some paint, as requested, but finds himself applying it to the wall after some pleading from Tracy. Susan is not pleased when she hears. She admits to Neil that she has put her foot in it with Jennifer.
Summarised by Jo Saunders
Wednesday 25th January
Brian tries to win friends and Jim is typically outspoken.
Brian, Jolene, Jim, Mike, David. Oliver, Ed
- Feeling that the world is against him, Brian goes to The Bull to put his case to anyone who will listen. Jolene expresses surprise at seeing him, and Brian is quick to say it is because he has been so busy. He tries to get Jolene to tell him what popular opinion is about his scheme, but she is evasive. Knowing the NFU are meeting upstairs, and in the face from some sarcasm from Jim, Brian seizes the moment and joins them for the discussion on badgers.
- Oliver has been to look at a vaccination scheme in Gloucestershire, and puts the case to the assembly. Ed supports him, but Mike is cynical. They all express surprise at Brian's presence; he is not usually interested in such things. Mike says how impressive the new BL website is, but is hastily silenced so the meeting can begin.
- Jim has enjoyed his farmhouse breakfast, though Jolene thinks Jaxx has had greater success. It seems that Jim's auction of promises and Jolene's pancake night will clash, but she assures him it will be mutually beneficial. His problem is a lack of definite promises, and he hopes Mike will offer some tree surgery. Meanwhile he is mystified by the popularity of Harry's gardening offer.
- Oliver's presentation convinces the assembly, and they vote to go ahead. Ed is suspicious of Brian's sudden friendliness. This friendliness translates itself into Brian going downstairs to order 5 pints of Shires (and to listen to a tirade from Jim on the philosophical untenability of the scheme.) As the pints are served, Brian's 'friends' disappear - Mike to play Darrell at darts, the others to discuss the way forward with the vaccination programme. It seems you can't buy friendship when you are planning a mega-dairy.
Summarised by Jo Saunders
Thursday 26th January
Pat waits on tenterhooks. Meanwhile, the divisions widen at Home Farm.
Helen, Tony, Pat, Brian, Jennifer, Adam
- Helen plays with Rowan and Henry when a cross, cold Tony comes in. He had to make an extra delivery to Jaxx, since Tom was too busy elsewhere. Helen asks him not to say anything to Pat, who is worried about the HEF inspection.
- Brian is still sore after the way the village treated him at The Bull, but says he needs to have a higher profile in the village now. Jennifer's coffee soothes him, until Brian spies the Echo. It carries two columns of adverse comment about the mega-dairy, including one from 'an extended family member' as well as a blistering attack by Adam. Brian is furious.
- To Pat's immense relief, the dairy is given a 5* rating. She is rewarded with hugs from Helen and Henry. Tony later admits that he was the extended family member to speak against Brian in the Echo.
- Brian finds Adam and tells him in no uncertain terms what he thinks of Adam's treachery. The Echo has also quoted 'an extended family member' with similar views to Adam. Adam tries to defend himself, but Brian is in no mood to listen. Adam tells him flatly that other people share his views; the village just doesn't like the scheme.
- Oblivious to his father's weariness, self-satisfied Tom returns to tell them how well his day has gone. They are planning to launch the ready meals in March. Sourly, Tony asks whether Tom might be able to fit some milking in. Tom agrees to do the evening and morning milking, but will not, after all, be able to do Friday afternoon, as he has to see a cafe about the ready meals launch.
- Brian goes for a walk to calm down, and later tells Jenny he does not know how he can go on working with Adam. Jenny tries to defend her son, but Brian refuses to listen. Adam is a loose cannon.
Summarised by Jo Saunders
Friday 27th January
Adam tries to set the record straight, and Joe plans a research trip.
Adam, Ian, Joe, Jim, Jennifer, Debbie
- Adam rings his mother to ask her to tell Brian that he will be catching up on paperwork at home this morning. He is worried Brian will now accuse him of shirking after their dreadful row yesterday. Ian suggests that he ring Debbie to put the record straight. She might be more sympathetic than Adam thinks.
- Jim and Joe take a look at the apple orchard with a view to planting more trees, Jim wants variety; Joe prefers known varieties, but suggests some research - cider tasting in various hostelries. Jim is more anxious about the accuracy of the volunteer records. Joe thinks the volunteers are falsifying them, and offers to sort them out himself. Jim has other ideas' it needs someone impartial.
- A worried Jennifer goes to se Adam at work. She feels caught between Adam and Brian, and realises Adam is only standing up for his principles, but Brian refuses to discuss it with her. Ian tells her that he wants Adam to ring Debbie, which cheers Jennifer up. Debbie is so clever, she is sure to have a way round the problem.
- Adam does indeed ring Debbie, who tells him roundly that he is an idiot, and that his lack of thought has caused enormous harm. But after a while she rings him back, and mends fences. She still thinks he is an idiot, but can also see that he is in an impossible situation. Whatever has happened, he is still her brother and that means a lot. They will survive. But she is not sure that Brian will ever forgive him.
Summarised by Jo Saunders
Credited scriptwriter: Mary Cutler
