Tales from the Green Valley

S01E07: March

Spring arrives, bringing the promise of longer days and respite from the cold weather. The farmers begin to sow seeds and brew beer in preparation for the year ahead - but must first dig up overgrown brambles and weeds. Newborn piglets bring welcome entertainment, and the team try out a dangerously addictive 17th-century gambling game

Overview

Follows historians and archaeologists as they recreate farm life from the age of the Stuarts. They wear the clothes, eat the food and use the tools, skills and technology of the 1620s.

Episodes

September

S01E01 September

August 19, 2005 30 min
Reality series in which archaeologists and historians reconstruct a 17th-century farm and maintain it for a year. Each episode follows a month's progress, as the experts attempt to grow crops and raise livestock using only...
October

S01E02 October

August 26, 2005 30 min
The pressure of 17th-century living mounts as the farmers race to harvest a crop of pears, and try to build a shelter for the livestock before the weather worsens. A thatcher builds a roof for...
November

S01E03 November

September 2, 2005 30 min
Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn make a wattle-and-daub wall for the cowshed, and a slaughterman arrives to kill the male pot-bellied pig. In accordance with 17th-century customs, the women in the group face the task...
December

S01E04 December

September 9, 2005 30 min
The historians and archaeologists try to take time out of their busy farming schedule to celebrate a 17th-century Christmas. They decorate their home with holly, ivy, rosemary and bay, and cut a giant yule log...
January

S01E05 January

September 16, 2005 30 min
There's little food to be harvested in January, so a meal is created using the ham that's been preserved since Arthur the pig was killed, with pease pudding and whole grains. Meanwhile, Ruth Goodman uses...
February

S01E06 February

September 23, 2005 30 min
A storm leaves the toilet damaged, so the team face the unenviable task of building another from scratch, while explaining the unusual ways in which human waste was used in the 17th century. A music...
March

S01E07 March

September 30, 2005 30 min
Spring arrives, bringing the promise of longer days and respite from the cold weather. The farmers begin to sow seeds and brew beer in preparation for the year ahead - but must first dig up...
April

S01E08 April

October 7, 2005 30 min
The farmers give the house a spring clean, sweeping the chimney with a holly bush and dusting the place with a goose wing. They also care for a newborn calf, and attempt to build dry...
May

S01E09 May

October 14, 2005 30 min
Alex and Fonz work overtime catching up on the spring sowing, opting to cut the furrows with their period breast plough instead of using the horse. Chloe milks the cow and the farmers make butter...
June

S01E10 June

October 21, 2005 30 min
Alex and Fonz face the daunting task of washing and shearing the sheep by hand, and are less than impressed with their refreshment - a 'posset' made from hot milk, ale, nutmeg and pepper. The...
July

S01E11 July

October 28, 2005 30 min
The women make the most of the July weather by washing all the clothes and bedsheets in 'lye' - a mixture of ashes, water and fermented urine. Meanwhile, the men tackle the job of making...
August

S01E12 August

November 4, 2005 30 min
The arrival of August sends the group into a frenzy of agricultural work as they prepare to leave, cutting the wheat and cooking the grain. Historian Stuart Peachey prepares the farewell dinner, including rustic goose...

Cast

Stuart Peachey
Himself
Ruth Goodman
Ruth Goodman
Herself
Alex Langlands
Himself
Peter Ginn
Himself
Chloe Spencer
Herself
Owen Teale
Owen Teale
Narrator

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