# Left my home town of Huntly... Jools and I are country-singing cowgirls from Huntly and spent our childhood helping Dad on the farm and eating Mum's amazing home cooking. The Topp Twins have been around the world making people laugh, but it's always good to get home to NZ and a good old cheese and Marmite sandwich. and a good old cheese and Marmite sandwich. Or one of Mum's gingernuts. This country is overflowing with incredible produce and amazing home cooks. We're hungry for a new adventure, so we're hitting the road in search for the true food heroes of NZ. Yeehah! # I'm just a local farmhand # working the land. # This week we've got our hands full of lovely, warm sheep's udders. And we sing for our supper. We experience the dust, drama and taste of a high-country muster of 20,000 at Castle Ridge. But first we meet the special sheep raised by Linda and Murray Harmer in the foothills of mid-Canterbury. Wow, what a beauty old John Deere, Toppy. Look at that. Wow, what a beauty old John Deere, Toppy. Look at that. Very nice. Rumour has it that the land that comes off this place ends up on a dinner table in England. Lizzie, mother of four. You know who that is, don't you? Lamb fit for a queen. Hey-ya. Howdy-doody. > I'm Jools. I'm Jools. I'm Murray. I'm Jools. I'm Murray. Good on ya. Linda. Linda. Linda? You're Linda, are ya? That'll be confusing. Yeah. (LAUGHS) You got some chores for us? You got some chores for us? Lynda and are off to the kitchen. You got some chores for us? Lynda and are off to the kitchen. Are we? What are we doing, matey? What are we doing, matey? We're gonna go and find some sheep. What are we doing, matey? We're gonna go and find some sheep. Sounds good to me, buddy. Don't worry about the dogs. They've been fed today. Don't worry about the dogs. They've been fed today. Righty. (CHUCKLES) UPBEAT GUITAR STRUMMING These lambs that we've got here have been specially bred for the Waitrose supermarket. Waitrose has a warrant to supply, uh, the royal household. It's a very upmarket supermarket. It's possible some of these lambs will end up on a plate in Buckingham Palace? Oh, I suppose anything's possible. Oh, I suppose anything's possible. That's exciting, though, isn't it? Oh, I suppose anything's possible. That's exciting, though, isn't it? Yeah. The sheep seem to like it up here. They got fresh air and clean water. The sheep seem to like it up here. They got fresh air and clean water. Sweet green grass. Exactly. Yeah, I wouldn't mind being a sheep myself. Yeah, I wouldn't mind being a sheep myself. (CHUCKLES) Wow. Wow. It is a pretty little spot. Wow. It is a pretty little spot. Yeah. Well, they're, uh, a Longdown lamb, specially bred for their, uh, taste. A lot of emphasis on taste. We don't even get to eat them in NZ. They're gonna end up in London, like most Kiwis. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. (LAUGHS) They're not frozen, right? They're not frozen, right? Chilled. They're not frozen, right? Chilled. Chilled, OK. They get processed, and it takes about, uh, six weeks on the boat. We turned a negative into a positive, because all the meat gets a chance to age. Aged meat has a much better taste, much tenderer. As far as growing the lambs, yeah, they just seem to thrive on this sort of country. I think they put half their weight on just looking at the view. Wow. That's a big pile of meat. (CHUCKLES) Half a lamb. Half a lamb. Half a lamb there? Half a lamb. Half a lamb there? Half a lamb. That's what we're cooking? That's what we're cooking? That's what we're cooking ` a nice big leg. What's your favourite cut of meat? Well, Murray and I, we like the rack. Well, Murray and I, we like the rack. Yeah. It's got the bone. It's something you can pick up with your fingers and really get your teeth in. You know, you want it all over your mouth and... You know, you want it all over your mouth and... BOTH LAUGH Action food. Action food. Action food. You know, we're not gonna cook that one today, are we? Is that all right? Yeah, then I'll have that another night. Yeah, then I'll have that another night. BOTH LAUGH That'll do, Smoke. Good boy. Come up, Smoke. That'll do, Smoke. Stay there, Duke! And the dogs, they just love this work, eh? And the dogs, they just love this work, eh? They do. They work` Sit down, Duke. Out, Smoke. Without the dogs, we wouldn't be able to handle the sheep. If I asked you to go get these sheep for me, Jools, you'd chase around here all day and probably get very pissed off and end up eating one. and probably get very pissed off and end up eating one. (LAUGHS) Out. Left, Duke. They scatter pretty quickly, the lambs, eh? They scatter pretty quickly, the lambs, eh? Stay there, Duke. They'll scatter, all right. Out, Smoke. Stay there, Duke. Pretty good lifestyle, innit? Pretty good lifestyle, innit? It is a good lifestyle. We don't do it for the money, Jools. Got three girls here. Got three girls here. Yeah. Two are real keen on farming. Two are real keen on farming. Oh, yeah, and one's a townie, eh? Two are real keen on farming. Oh, yeah, and one's a townie, eh? Yeah, and one's a townie. Yeah. A nutritionist. A nutritionist. OK. Proud of them no matter what they do. Yeah. Any waiting in the wings to run the farm? I tell them I'm gonna live till 150, so they'll have to wait. You just might live till 150 if you hang out in the hills long enough. You just might live till 150 if you hang out in the hills long enough. LAUGHS: Yeah, I might to. And Linda, she seems like a good girl too, eh. Yeah, but don't tell her that. Yeah, but don't tell her that. OK. (LAUGHS) It's teamwork between Linda and myself, producing good healthy food for everybody. Good boy. So, we've just got` well, it's just over a cup of rolled oats. And then we've got some nice mint out of the garden. Yep. Yep. And it just really goes in. Then we add some bush honey ` local bush honey. It's local? What's the flavour in that? It's off the black beech tree. It's off the black beech tree. Black beech? Sounds good to me. It's off the black beech tree. Black beech? Sounds good to me. Yeah. It's really like a stuffing on the outside, but just makes that nice crust when the lamb's cooked. That'll go golden brown, and it'll have honey and lamb fat and mint. Mint infused. Mint infused. (CHUCKLES) Do you want to have a taste of this? This is bush honey. Do you want to have a taste of this? This is bush honey. Yeah. How amazing. Here we go. Yeah. Wow, it's amazing. That is so sweet, it's unbelievable, but got a real tang to it as well. That's all you do, really. That's all you do, really. Looks simple as, eh. That's all you do, really. Looks simple as, eh. Keep it simple. Into the oven? Into the oven? Into the oven. Into the oven? Into the oven. Can't wait. Looks good. Still a little bit of honeydew in there. This is the beech forest here, Jools. This is where all the bush honey is found, commonly known as honeydew. There's a little bug that lives in these trees, and he secretes a little drop of dew ` just on the end of here. He's producing that? He's producing that? He's produced that little drop. If you can collect that, put it in your jar, in two or three weeks you'll have a jar full of honey for us. in two or three weeks you'll have a jar full of honey for us. (LAUGHS) I can see there's all sorts of wasps flying around too. Right now the wasps are prevalent, and they'll come flog it all. Right now the wasps are prevalent, and they'll come flog it all. Oh, OK. The bee does the same. I can see them taking that wee thing off. It's amazing, absolutely amazing. The easiest way ` we wait for the bees to get it, then we steal it off the bees. Right, well, you can buy it in the shops, can't you? Right, well, you can buy it in the shops, can't you? You can. Let's get some on the way home. Let's get some on the way home. Either that or I could leave you here for a couple of weeks, and I'll come back and see how you're getting on. and I'll come back and see how you're getting on. I could collect little drops here. Yep. Can I eat it? Can I eat it? Yep. Can I eat it? Yep. This is really weird but beautiful. There you go. There you go. Yeah, get plenty on. Get a good taste. That's the mid-Canterbury honeydew. That's the mid-Canterbury honeydew. Yeah, it's pretty damn good. There's a little mite in there, and he's a red fella. Under one of those hairs, you can just about see one. Yeah, I can see one just there. Up there. Right there. Right there. Wow. Every one of those hairs there is connected to one. They're doing a great job producing that honeydew. Well, this is like` this is prehistoric. This is just weird. Well, this is like` this is prehistoric. This is just weird. BOTH LAUGH I can't believe there's hairs growing out of trees in mid-Canterbury with a bug inside a tree that makes honeydew for Linda's dish back down at the farm. Unbelievable. You learn something new every day, don't you? You learn something new every day, don't you? Yeah. Thank you, Mr Attenborough. (CHUCKLES) Thank you, Mr Attenborough. (CHUCKLES) No problem. You getting hungry, matey? You getting hungry, matey? I am. You getting hungry, matey? I am. Righty-oh. (CHUCKLES) Oh, looks amazing. Smells amazing too, buddy. There's plenty for everybody. There's plenty for everybody. I might give you a corner. There's plenty for everybody. I might give you a corner. ALL LAUGH Look at that, Jools. You can see it glistening. You helped with that, Lynda? You helped with that, Lynda? I didn't do anything. Linda did it all. There we go. Have a taste. There we go. Have a taste. Here we go. I'm going in, I'm going in. Does the trick? I'm drooling, like you said I would, and` I'm drooling, like you said I would, and` OK, I'm going in. I'm going in. I'm gonna have that nice bit there. I'm gonna have that nice bit there. I'm gonna carve up some more. I'm gonna have that nice bit there. I'm gonna carve up some more. Look at that. You got guests coming tonight, so we're eating your dinner? You got guests coming tonight, so we're eating your dinner? The girls are coming home. Well, we've been allowed to have one little taste of the Queen's lamb. You must be really proud that you made that lamb. You must be really proud that you made that lamb. I didn't actually make it. ALL LAUGH ALL LAUGH But we did` we did nurture it. It's absolutely beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful. Linda cooked it beautifully. It's absolutely beautiful. Linda cooked it beautifully. Yeah. And you picked a goodie in Linda there, didn't you, Murray? Think she's married me for my body. Think she's married me for my body. ALL LAUGH On that note, I think we might leave, Murray. On that note, I think we might leave, Murray. ALL LAUGH Get the last bit there, Toppy. Grab a bit for me as well. Here you go. Here you go. See you later. Here you go. See you later. Fit for the Queen. Bye. > Bye. > See you, folks. Bye. > See you, folks. OK, bye. The best roast lamb I've had in a long time. Even better than Mum's, it was. BOTH: Don't tell Mum. BOTH: Don't tell Mum. (CHUCKLES) JAUNTY MUSIC Today I'm going to make a lovely Greek sauce ` tzatziki ` to go with my lovely lamb rack. Grate those for me, Camp Leader. In my bowl, I've got three cups of yoghurt,... In my bowl, I've got three cups of yoghurt,... GRATER WHIRRS ...some garlic, and some salt and pepper. And I'm going to add a little bit of lemon juice to that. And I'm going to add a little bit of lemon juice to that. GRATER CONTINUES WHIRRING Is that enough in there, Camp Mother? Is that enough in there, Camp Mother? Yes, that's good, Camp Leader. Squeeze all that moisture out first, Camp Leader. Squeeze all that moisture out first, Camp Leader. (GROANS) (BLOWS RASPBERRY, LAUGHS) (BLOWS RASPBERRY, LAUGHS) This is a lovely, fresh summer sauce. And I'm going to add a little bit of mint for a little bit of tang. Now, that's going to sit in the refrigerator for about two hours just to set. I've prepared one earlier. I'm going to fill that up with tzatziki. I need a lot of it. There you go. And I'm just going to put a few olives on there as a garnish. And there it is. Smell that, Camp Leader. Smell that. Absolutely magic. It's lovely. It's lovely. There it is ` rack of lamb with tzatziki. None of the sheep at Kingsmeade are destined for the table. No, this flock hail from Swedish stock and are just as happy to be patted as they are to be milked. Miles and Janet King are an award-winning cheese-making, shopkeeping team with a shared passion for producing top-quality sheep's milk cheeses. Can't wait to get my hands on some. Go on, go on! As you see, they're all very very kempt. Yeah, they know where the shed is. Look at that beautiful udder. Is that an udder? Is that an udder? ALL LAUGH I believe it is, Jools. Go on, go on! Growing up on a dairy farm, we did a lot of cow milking, but we've never milked a sheep. Oh, done a few cows in our time. Hello, darling. Hi. Aren't you beautiful? Hi. (GIGGLES) Righty-oh, Lynda, you ready? Come on, Blossom. Come on, bubby. Whoa. Whoa. Slow down. It's almost automatic. They're just so beautifully trained. Look at them. (CHUCKLES) Magic. Righty-oh, that's the last bus. That's it. Good girl. You're on the next one. We're checking the udders and make sure it all looks good. We're checking the udders and make sure it all looks good. That one's quite full. Sorry, darling. Sorry, darling. BOTH LAUGH Right. Cups on. BOTH GIGGLE BOTH GIGGLE We're milking sheep. BOTH GIGGLE We're milking sheep. BOTH LAUGH I'm putting a little bit of pressure on the udder, and there's still quite a bit of milk coming out of this one. Good on ya. She's a good milker, this one. That's the one that doesn't like you, Toppy. That's the one that doesn't like you, Toppy. No, she doesn't like me. Getting back into the old thing of being a dairy farmer's daughter. My udder's starting to look like a prune, so I think I can take those cups off. Come on, baby. Little bit more here. Good girl. What do you reckon, Toppy? Got a rhythm going here with our noise. I can feel music coming on. Here, we got a microphone each. (CHUCKLES) MACHINERY THUMPS RHYTHMICALLY, BOTH YODEL BOTH CONTINUE YODELLING (CHUCKLES) I'm sure milk production's gonna be up tonight. I'm sure milk production's gonna be up tonight. Oh, yeah, I reckon now. Or down. Or down. ALL LAUGH Your turn now, Miles. Any good on the yodelling? No good on the yodelling. No good on the yodelling. (LAUGHS) Miles loves sheep and worked for much of his life as a shepherd, but that all changed when he discovered he had the knack for making cheese. That's a big old block of cheese, ain't it? That's a big old block of cheese, ain't it? They're about 15 kilos. Oh yeah, that's a lot of cheese. (LAUGHS) There's a Manchego here that won a gold medal. Pretty exciting for you. Pretty exciting for you. Very, very. Pretty exciting for you. Very, very. The Olympic Games of cheese, was it? You're on the podium, and they played our national anthem? You're on the podium, and they played our national anthem? Not quite. (CHUCKLES) Come and have a look at the blue room. Come and have a look at the blue room. Oh, the blue room. Sounds like a hotel. (CHUCKLES) We started cheese-making 14 years ago. He taught himself to make cheese. I think that your blue is as good as any French I've ever tasted. I think I'm a bit of a connoisseur on blue cheese. That's my favourite cheese ` blue cheese. I'm going back in. Look at these heart-shaped crackers. You're a bit of a romantic, are you, Janet? You're a bit of a romantic, are you, Janet? Aren't they gorgeous? They are gorgeous. You bring this crackers out for Miles especially, do you? We've been married 40 years, and he deserves a nice cracker, doesn't he? We're a great team. I reckon it takes a real special relationship to work together. Mmm. Wow. That's a good blue. That's a good blue. Sheep cheese is distinctively different from cow's cheese. Here you go. The proof is in the pudding. And she's wider than she is long, you will note. (LAUGHS) You like cheese? Mm. Wow, it looks amazing. In some ways, Miles, it's quite romantic to be a cheese maker, innit? It's a bit like making wine, because you're really perfecting something that takes a long time. There's so many steps in the process. It's a really fantastic feeling to take something from the paddock through to the plate and then tasting at the end. Does it taste pretty good? Does it taste pretty good? It tastes wonderful, I reckon. Blue cheese is my favourite. It all seems to be working, buddy. It all seems to be working, buddy. Yeah. There's a lot going on in here. Hey, I'm making cheese. (CHUCKLES) Cheese-making starts with separating out the curds from the whey. I have been a bit of a stirrer in my time ` in my youth. (CHUCKLES) But never cheese curds. We're turning this 320-litre batch into Manchego. Each of the well-loved sheep on this farm produce 20 kilos of Kingsmeade cheese a year. As with a lot of our cheeses, it is a handmade product, and this proves that. I've done a little bit of cheese-making myself at home just with the lemon juice, you know. Really simple cheese. I fancy myself as a bit of a cheese maker. I'm not the world's best cook, but there is a mushroomy thing I like to do with cheese. Put a blob of butter in the centre of each one for me. I think blue cheese and mushrooms are absolutely perfect together. That's gonna melt into that mushroom, isn't it? That's gonna melt into that mushroom, isn't it? Oh, yes. It'll be rich, it'll be decadent, and it will be just beautiful. And lashings of black pepper and salt. Let's get it in the oven, shall we? Let's get it in the oven, shall we? It's the taste test. Do you get excited every morning about getting ready to make cheese? Oh yes. When a consumer comes to the farmer's market and says, 'I really like that; you're` you've done a good job,' that gives you great satisfaction. Makes my hair stand up on the back of my neck. Makes my hair stand up on the back of my neck. (LAUGHS) It's just beautiful. It's so simple. Amazing. Where's my wine? Where's my wine? (LAUGHS) Where's my wine? (LAUGHS) Allow me, allow me. Beautiful combination, eh? It's quite a process making this cheese topping. Yeah, I'm the cheese maker now. Yeah, I'm the cheese maker now. ALL LAUGH Anyway, here's to the ladies out in the paddock. To the ladies. To the ladies. To the ladies. Nothing like a feed of old grapes and a little bit of mould... (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) ...and some fungus. Couldn't get any better. ALL LAUGH GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC Broken in by intrepid Scottish settlers, high-country sheep farms were once the backbone of farming in the Kiwi economy. But these days, only the brave farm sheep. Kerry and Paul Harmer are passionate high-country sheep farmers living the dream on Castle Ridge Station under the Southern Alps. How are ya, folks? Gidday. Gidday. All loaded up? You must be Kerry. Gidday. All loaded up? You must be Kerry. Yep. Hi, Paul. How many sheep have we got to muster today? About 20-odd thousand. About 20-odd thousand. 20,000? About 20-odd thousand. 20,000? 20,000? (LAUGHS) Righty-oh. Better go mustering. Righty-oh. Better go mustering. We had. Hey, buddy, how ya doing? Hey, buddy, how ya doing? Good on ya, boy. Don't pat that dog, Lynda. You'll spoil it. Don't pat that dog, Lynda. You'll spoil it. BOTH CHUCKLE Do you eat lamb? Do you eat lamb? We probably don't eat so much young lamb. The bulk of ours are, like, straight merino, and they take a little bit longer to mature. It's just got more flavour, straight merino, and that's a fine-grained meat, and it's yum. And NZers probably wouldn't get to eat much merino. Yeah, the bulk of them will probably end up in Europe. Is it a good life? Is it a good life? It is. It's busy, but it's great. Wouldn't swap it for anything. Did you grow up on a farm? Did you grow up on a farm? No. You're a townie? You're a townie? Yep. And when I was about 12, I said, 'All I ever want to do is live in the high country.' Never dreamed it would ever happen. Saw Paul about that stage. Saw Paul about that stage. Was it love at first sight? Saw Paul about that stage. Was it love at first sight? No. (LAUGHS) That sounds awful. No, I was` I got set up on a blind date, who happened to be Paul's mate, and during the evening, Paul had a dance, because the mate had said, 'Have a dance. See if she likes me.' It was all history after that. It was all history after that. So it all worked out good? He was a high-country boy, and that would've helped. He was a high-country boy, and that would've helped. That was a bonus. I certainly didn't go looking. (SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY TO DOG) Once we get these sheep in, what happens? Once we get these sheep in, what happens? These sheep all settle for a bit, and then the ewes will be separated off from the lambs. Do you like cooking? Do you like cooking? I do. What's your best meal you cook? What's your best meal you cook? What they love the most, actually, is still a roast mutton. Roast mutton. Roast mutton. Love their roast mutton. They'll say, 'No, we could eat mutton every day.' And merino mutton is good stuff. We gonna have any lamb on the barbecue back at headquarters? We gonna have any lamb on the barbecue back at headquarters? Definitely have some lamb. We counted them all, and they were perfect ` 20,000 exactly. Whoo-hoo. Must be time for some tucker soon. Must be time for some tucker soon. ALL CHUCKLE Is there anything else special that makes these lambs the tastiest in NZ? They get hours of sunshine, and they're walking. You know, they're moving a lot. They're quite nomadic. They might be 2 K's in the evening away from where they were in the morning. And during that time, they've grazed a real range of clover, um, haresfoot trefoil as well as` you know, the wee herby things, as well as a bit of grass ` whatever they choose. So they're getting a bit of sugar and a bit of herbs? So they're getting a bit of sugar and a bit of herbs? That's right. So they're already seasoned up. So they're already seasoned up. Yeah, exactly. That's why they taste so good. Sprinkle some salt on the paddock so they're all ready for lunch by the time you got there. That'd be ideal. With the sheep, there's two big times of the year. One is shearing and one is this day. And they tend to just circle. They are going. ALL SHOUT AT SHEEP We're moving some lambs through a gate, but it doesn't seem to be working well. It's like trying to herd fish at the moment. The last thing you want to do is get 'em smothered into one big corner. It's like a whole lot of kids in a kindergarten without any teachers. It's like a whole lot of kids in a kindergarten without any teachers. ALL LAUGH It's rush hour at Castle Ridge, buddy. We've got some loin chops. We've got some loin chops. Nice. Jools, if you want to zest me some orange. Jools, if you want to zest me some orange. Yeah, OK. Um, and if we just strip some rosemary and chop it up nice and finely sliced so that it's bruised a little. How's that look? How's that look? That's pretty good. Yep. Here we go ` last bit of zest. Pretty colours. Lemon, Toppy? Squeeze that orange juice`? Squeeze that orange juice`? Just squeeze it all over the top. More the merrier with the marinade. How many people does it take to marinate chops? How many people does it take to marinate chops? ALL LAUGH It's quite fun when you're cooking together, though, isn't it? It's quite fun when you're cooking together, though, isn't it? Yeah. That looks like a red-carpet, bloody, dish to me. That looks like a red-carpet, bloody, dish to me. It looks pretty good, doesn't it? Ooh, nice and hot, Toppy. Ooh, nice and hot, Toppy. Yeah, it's good. Ooh, nice and hot, Toppy. Yeah, it's good. Real hot. Wonder a bloke hasn't come over here to offer help with the barbecue. Wonder a bloke hasn't come over here to offer help with the barbecue. ALL LAUGH They love the smell of barbecues, don't they? They smell good, eh? You can smell that rosemary. Ooh! There we go. Look at that. That's the fat. That's the good bit of fat that it needed. You hold that there. You hold that there. Lovely. Yeah, put 'em on there. Don't want to overcook your lamb. Yeah, put 'em on there. Don't want to overcook your lamb. No. Want to be pink in the middle. I'm gonna try one of those before you set 'em down. They'll go quickly. They smell amazing. They smell amazing. Look at that. Tiny little bit. They smell amazing. Look at that. Tiny little bit. Let's have a look. Oops, he's hot. Absolutely amazing. You can see all the rosemary stuck on it there. Absolutely amazing. You can see all the rosemary stuck on it there. Yeah. Unbelievable. That is the best high-country lamb in the world. (CHUCKLES) (CHUCKLES) Brilliant. It's a privilege to be in the high country and help out on the muster with Kerry and Paul. Let's face it, it's gotta be the most gorgeous office in the world. We should be proud of the produce we're turning out in this country and even prouder of the people who make it happen. Bloody gorgeous. (CHUCKLES) It's time again for mustering. It's time again for mustering. 'Get in behind,' the shepherds sing. It's time again for mustering. 'Get in behind,' the shepherds sing. 10,000 sheep come down that hill. Get out of it, Flo! Come up a bit, Bill. Come up a bit, Bill. They work that mob down to the shed. Come up a bit, Bill. They work that mob down to the shed. Get out of it, Flo! Get a way back, Ted. Get a way back, Ted. This high country life, oh, it is for me. Of man and dogs and Billy tea. Of man and dogs and Billy tea. But high on a cliff, there's a might ram. Bugger! The boys have missed him. Get a way back, Sam! Get out of it, you bloody mongrel! Get a way back, you bugger! Come here. Slow down. Bring 'em in.