# 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 ginger nuts. 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 make our own knives guided by a man with an incredibly sharp sense of humour. And I get to experience the thrill of getting dangerously close to a herd of wild deer. What a drama queen. First up, we meet deer farmers Tim Aitken and Lucy Robertshawe, whose love of deer farming and family is a total inspiration. Their daughter Willa shares Lucy's love of horses, and son Jim and his boarding school mates have great fun being farm boys in the holidays. Their commitment to ecologically sustainable farming has won them local and international awards. Tim's a self-taught deer farmer. He started out farming sheep. TIM: Back in the '80s, I managed my family farm with my father. We had just under 6000 breeding ewes, and I ran the whole thing by myself, and I got to hate sheep. You hate sheep. That's how you got into deer. Yep. So it is an easier way than me, crouching and drenching sheep. And where does all this venison go? And where does all this venison go? A lot of it goes into Marks & Spencer and Waitrose in the UK. Creme de la creme of venison. Creme de la creme of venison. It's the best you can get. Creme de la creme of venison. It's the best you can get. Bloody Poms getting all our meat. ALL LAUGH They'll pay for it. The Kiwis won't. They'll pay for it. The Kiwis won't. Yeah, they want their venison to be free, up in the hills, buddy. Most people know venison, but they don't understand farm venison is more tender, not that gamey taste. Yeah. Yeah. It just melts in your mouth most of the time. > These are weaner stags. 6 months old. Yeah? They're pretty cute, aren't they? Yeah. The ones with the yellow tags are auntie hinds. They're in there to teach them all the good habits, making sure they don't go off and do anything naughty. Doesn't work all the time. Sometimes the auntie, she's the worst. She's the drinker and the smoker in the family. Got one of those too? Got one of those too? Yeah. Got one of those too? Yeah. BOTH LAUGH How about we go and have a look at one closer up? We got some in the shed. Yeah, that sounds good. What's his name, Rudolph? GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC These are Eastern red deers. So they're a bit bigger, grow faster. They come from Yugoslavia and Hungary, originally. He's a handsome devil, eh? You're a natural there, Jools. We might just have to keep you on as our deer whisperer. Oh, I love my animals, eh. I really do. You're gonna grow up and be a big stag. I don't want to ruin your time here, Jools, but... is there any chance of cooking something up? ALL LAUGH Didn't hear that, buddy. You didn't hear that. Didn't hear that, buddy. You didn't hear that. ALL LAUGH Yeah. Good boy. Traditionally, it's the wife who's usually doing the cooking. I was brought up with only my father for a long time. He wasn't the best cook. If you wanted to eat something edible, you cooked it yourself. If you wanted to eat something edible, you cooked it yourself. Oh, yeah? No, I enjoy it. It's relaxing. Oil the top. You don't want the meat drying out too soon. It also adds some flavour. A bit of lime and garlic. A bit of rosemary as well. And just a bit of salt. It always goes well on a bit of meat. It always goes well on a bit of meat. Looks pretty good. Best piece of meat you can get. And that's it. You're pretty passionate about these deer. They're an amazing animal ` the first animal in 500 years to be domesticated. And in only 25 years of farming them, we don't really know a lot about them still, so it's all new. Yeah, they're a majestic animal. They're just beautiful. It seems like you've actually fallen in love with deer. I think I have. It's hard to explain why. I think it's everything ` seeing them playing on a sunny day... They play? They play? Yeah. They'll chase each other, and they pick up bags or bits of stick, and they'll play tag with it and... very social. They've got a hierarchy. They always have a dominant hind that runs the mob. So a bit like Camp Mother? So a bit like Camp Mother? Oh, very much so. So a bit like Camp Mother? Oh, very much so. BOTH LAUGH But they're also fantastic as the meat we get off them as well. And what about Lucy? She's a good Hawke's Bay girl too? Yeah. Country girl; loves the farm and the animals; feeding out, shifting the animals. Doing everything like that. Yeah, I try and help out. I come from a family of six daughters, so there were no, kind of, delineation between boy and girl stuff, cos there weren't any boys to do the boy jobs. We just did everything. It was just jobs. It was just like us growing up, cos it's always called a farming family, isn't it? What more could you ask for, eh? What more could you ask for, eh? Yep. What more could you ask for, eh? Yep. Got everything you need ` horses,... Yep. Yep. ...farm, a lovely farmer. Mm-hm. Mm-hm. (CHUCKLES) Where did you meet Tim? Where did you meet Tim? We're pretty certain that we met when we were about... 3 or 4. Farmers' wives used to go to town and drop the kids off at the old Farmers department store creche. And there was this big rocking horse I used to get on. It was just heaven on a stick for me, and I can distinctly remember this boy complaining to the management no one was giving him a turn on the rocking horse. You were hogging the horse. You were hogging the horse. I was hogging... (LAUGHS) the rocking horse. And Tim remembers complaining. And Tim remembers complaining. Oh, OK. And Tim remembers complaining. Oh, OK. Pretty certain we go back that far. It was meant to be, I think. Who ended up with the rocking horse? Who ended up with the rocking horse? She did. Lucy's determined. So I suppose you could call her a dominant hind. Yes, and I say that in the nicest possible way. (CHUCKLES) < The kids are really a big part of this place, aren't they? < The kids are really a big part of this place, aren't they? I` I` I love my kids dearly. My mother, she, um... She left me when I was quite young. Well, left the family. It was a tough time. Yeah. Yeah. Very early on in my life I said, 'I'd never do that to them.' I wanted to give my kids a good, stable family home. Lots of laughter, a lot of love and... mm. When they handed me Jim the first time, it was just the most amazing thing. You hear it time again, but it was. Suddenly you have that protective feeling that they're mine, and I'm gonna do the best I can for him. Pretty proud of those kids, huh? Pretty proud of those kids, huh? Oh, very. Very. Willa with the horses and the dressage with her mum. Lucy and her are doing really really well. Willa and I try to do our thing now and again and get out with the horses. We go` We go and have lots of fun, camp out on the track. Rough it a bit. The girls' night out, is it? The girls' night out, is it? Yeah. (CHUCKLES) Can't wait till she gets to drinking age, then we'll have a bit more fun. Can't wait till she gets to drinking age, then we'll have a bit more fun. BOTH LAUGH Do Tim and Jim get a bit of time together? Yeah. They both go clay bird-shooting, so Tim goes and supports Jim in that, and fishing. They go out in the old boat. Jim bakes his bacon-and-egg pie for them, and they go out and spend the day out and catch nothing, come back again. And they're happy as Larry? And they're happy as Larry? Yeah. Oh, yeah. The reason you get out of bed and farm is for your family and children. They're number one. They're number one. Yeah. Yeah. Are you proud of them? Are you proud of them? Oh, yeah. Unspeakably. > And have there ever been times here at this farm that it's been, you know, hard times? Oh, yes. Yes, got really tough. It'd be 10 years ago now. I stopped farming and decided I wanted to sell the place and just get out. I'd had enough. I` I really struggled. Lost all enthusiasm. But you persevered, eh, and now you've got all the awards on the mantelpiece to show for it, eh? Yes. Yes. I'd never have believed five years ago that we've won the farm of the year, the Marks & Spencer Award, an environmental award. It's just been great. You've got a pretty good life here, haven't you? You've got a pretty good life here, haven't you? We do. The kids are around us, and Lucy and the horses and the animals, it's` Yeah, you couldn't ask for much better. Is he a good husband? Is he a good husband? Yeah, he's awesome. Who'd have thought that little boy would have grown up to be a farmer like that? Yeah. So, you're making a sauce to go with the venison? So, you're making a sauce to go with the venison? Yep. It's really basic. It's just a bit of sour cream and some mustard ` whole mustard ` and some brandy. I like the barbecue too. I'm a bit of a barbecue buff. I won this barbecue. I won this barbecue. Did you? I won this barbecue. Did you? It's been great. You're a lucky man, aren't you? You're a lucky man, aren't you? (CHUCKLES) We've had some luck in the last few years. I'll have one of those. This absolutely magic sauce that Jim's made. Made everything on the barbie. He's a bit of a barbie maestro. (CHUCKLES) That knife just fell through it, buddy. That knife just fell through it, buddy. MAN: Sweet. > Mmm. We've been patting deer, and now we're eating them. What a fabulous combination. What a fabulous combination. ALL LAUGH 1 Hello, NZ. This week, we're making a Vietnamese peanut sauce. And I'm making a beautiful cucumber boat to put our sauce in. In my pot, I've got hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and some ginger. Camp Mother, look at my beautiful colander I found. It also makes a beautiful hip hop hat. (CACKLES) (RAPS) # We're down in Hanoi, and I'm eating bok choy. # We're doing our spin with the Vietnamese mix. # We're doing our spin with the Vietnamese mix. (BEATBOXES) # And we got sauce. # BOTH LAUGH BOTH LAUGH Oh, I don't know what came over me. We're having so much fun cooking. Here we go. We put some chilli flakes in, a little bit of spice in your peanut sauce. And of course, the fabulous ingredient ` peanut butter. I'm just gonna scoop that out with my hand, because all the best chefs in the world use their hands. There it is. Look. Isn't that magic? I'm gonna pop that in now. Right, I'll just get that off my hands. We're just gonna give that a vigorous whisk. We're just gonna give that a vigorous whisk. CLATTERING, METAL SCRAPES SOFTLY Here you go, Camp Mother. Here's your little Chinese boat. Camp Leader, you'll have to spoon that out into the cucumber boat, please. Nice big dollops. Get it in. That's lovely. It's going in there so beautifully. And a little finishing touch ` a little Vietnamese mint on the top. Just sprinkle that on. That's lovely. There you go ` my Vietnamese peanut sauce with venison skewers. No mess, no fuss. IDYLLIC MUSIC Steve Martin hasn't always been a knife-maker. Far from it. In fact, his first passion was manufacturing women's lingerie. It was here on the wild west coast of the South Island that Steve found the piece of metal that changed his life. He took it home, heated it up, bashed it into shape, and Barrytown Knives was born. Girls, don't kill each other till you've paid. BOTH: All right. (LAUGH) BOTH: All right. (LAUGH) Right. Now, we're up and underway. Steel in the fire. It's just starting to come up to heat now. When it gets up to orange, there's about 1000 degrees centigrade, so it's very hot. there's about 1000 degrees centigrade, so it's very hot. Mine's hot now. Mine's orange. On the anvil. And we're gonna hit down on this edge. And away you go. Good and hard. Perfect. On the anvil. That's it. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Excellent. One, two, three, and into the water. One, two, three, and into the water. Coming in, Toppy. One, two, three, and into the water. Coming in, Toppy. Hold there for roughly 10.2 seconds. So this part here on the short knife, this is going to be antler. So we're gonna fine it down a bit from there. The longer knife will be a base, but imagine how proud you'll be when they hold it up in court. but imagine how proud you'll be when they hold it up in court. BOTH: Yes. (LAUGH) METAL SQUEAKS METAL SQUEAKS You're cutting like a girl. Unbelievable. A new record. Unbelievable. A new record. That's how it's done, Jools. Unbelievable. A new record. That's how it's done, Jools. Yeah. LAZY MUSIC We make about 2500 knives a year. But we could make more. We're still wasting several hours a night sleeping. Out of the way, Jools. A big knife coming in. Out of the way, Jools. A big knife coming in. (CHORTLES) Mine's delicate. Steve's got all these beautiful, beautiful old antlers here. I think that one might be a bit too big, so I'm gonna go for that one, that little one there. What sort of antler is that, Steve? What sort of antler is that, Steve? This is from a red deer called Horace. (LAUGHS) That's it. Slowly. Perfect. Down you go, you funky thing. We had a little French girl here, and I was asking her if she was right or left-handed. 'Actually,' she said, 'I'm amphibious.' I thought afterwards, 'Maybe that's why they're called frogs.' 'Maybe that's why they're called frogs.' ALL LAUGH All right, enough racist jokes. So, good hand at the top. We started off making spoons, but no one came. Changed to forks, and still no one came. I was going to give up altogether. It was a toss-up between chopsticks and knives. Ended up making knives. The rest is history. We've made over 17,000 in the last nine years and in 108 countries around the world. At least 108 countries at last count. You've got a lot of friends, eh? You've got a lot of friends, eh? Well, I'm going to print a T-shirt that says, 'Don't mess with me. I've got 17,000 friends, and they've all got knives.' ALL LAUGH But from knickers to knives. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Knickers to` Well, in fact, they are knickers, aren't they? Cos I've given myself a nasty nick with them. Same sort of thing ` get the curves in the right place, and you can't go wrong. Do the ladies usually make a little knife? Uh, no. They tend to like the big, pointy, stabby, pokey ones. Uh, no. They tend to like the big, pointy, stabby, pokey ones. (LAUGHS) They do. They make weapons. Lynda, you've been very modest compared with most women. And as for yours, Jools, all I can assume is you're coming back to make a serious one at another stage. Yep, rub in good and hard. That's German. If you look after it, they'll last indefinitely. The knives are essentially the same as they were 2500 years old. And what are we eating? And what are we eating? Venison. Wild venison. Stir-fried. Yep. It only took me a few minutes to do it too. It's a really quick, easy meal. In fact, I hardly even noticed myself doing it. In fact, I hardly even noticed myself doing it. ALL LAUGH It's ironic we're eating with chopsticks, don't you feel? But we used the knife to whittle them out. That was the main thing. Yep, champagne, sharp knives, windy roads, fairy-tale ending. Now, Jools, that's what I call a knife. Without a good knife, no tucker. Without a good knife, no tucker. That's right, buddy. That one there, that's the prettiest knife ever, eh? What do you think? That one there, that's the prettiest knife ever, eh? What do you think? I can do a lot more with my knife. Oh, I don't know about that. Oh, I don't know about that. You reckon? Makapua Station at the foothills of the Ureweras is home to Colin and Marg Baynes and their 20 working dogs. Colin is a rugged Kiwi bloke and a passionate deer hunter, who has turned his love of hunting into teaching people, especially teenagers, about the thrill and rigour of the hunt. Whoo-hoo! Whoo-hoo! This is Nick. Hey, there, buddy. Hey, there, buddy. And Annie Oakley over there. That's` That's Kate. You actually shot it, did you? You actually shot it, did you? You've got bragging rights now. You actually shot it, did you? You've got bragging rights now. KATE: Yeah, definitely. > I've shot one before, but this one's a bit bigger. I've shot one before, but this one's a bit bigger. Oh, you're an old hand at it, eh? Yeah, getting there. Yeah, getting there. You've got a smile on your dial, eh. Yeah, getting there. You've got a smile on your dial, eh. ALL LAUGH HEARTILY Margie wants to cook a bit of something, all right? Margie wants to cook a bit of something, all right? Yeah, sounds good. Hi, guys. Hi, guys. Hey, Marg. How do you do? You've got a nice bit of meat here, buddy. You've got a nice bit of meat here, buddy. Marg likes the rump. You like a bit of rump, do you, Marg? I'd like a little less. I'd like a little less. ALL LAUGH Whoa. Righty-ho. There you go. Whoa. Righty-ho. There you go. That's beautiful. Well done. Well done. Well, Kate, I know your mouth's watering for this one, isn't it? Well done, Kate. Well done, Kate. Thank you very much. Yeah, it is well done. She's done a great job. I'm off to the kitchen duty. I'm off to the kitchen duty. I'm coming with you. You've got the food. See you later, team. I'll see you at the hut later. FUNKY GUITAR MUSIC It's quite isolated up here. You like living up here? We love living up here, yes. You'd be surprised at how many people we actually see. Especially when a deer's been killed. Especially when a deer's been killed. Yeah. What beautiful meat it is, eh? Not a skerrick of fat in there. Putting some green curry paste in there. Smells good. Smells good. Onions first. And then while it's still really hot, we throw in the meat. Tomato... and coconut milk. What's so good about wild venison? What's so good about wild venison? Well, it's fat-free, chemical-free ` Beautiful. Beautiful. never had a drench ` and it's free. It is free. It's free of all things. It is free. It's free of all things. It is indeed. It is free. It's free of all things. It is indeed. Including money. We need to heat that through, just till it comes to the boil, and then turn it off and leave it. Getting easier by the minute. We'll have naan bread with that. Colin is a keen hunter, but he's also passionate about preserving the native bush, and this means keeping the numbers of wild deer low. That's the wildies up there. It's like a holding paddock. It's like a holding paddock. Yeah. I've got a trap against the bush, just over behind that knob there. Bringing these wild deer down into here into the shed. We're going to try. We'll go up and have a go at them, eh? We're going to try. We'll go up and have a go at them, eh? Yep. Right. INTRIGUING MUSIC Several times a year, he rounds up wild deer on his farm, which end up as fancy wild venison on tables all over Europe. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC (GRUNTS) Whoo. Whoo. Beauty, Lynda. Thank you. Well done. They were coming back too, weren't they? They were coming back too, weren't they? They were coming back. These deer were caught last night, and they've never had any human contact before. And now we're going in to ear-tag them. He is crazy! OK, we've got them into a smaller area now. It's getting just a little bit more tense. Just keep right behind me. If one jumps up, you just hang on to me. You trust me here. Yep. Yep. If you ever have a deer standing up, just put your hand up high, and they think you're taller. Whoa, fellas. Whoa, fellas. Whoa, fellas. Beauty, Lynda. Beauty, Lynda. They're in. Good on you, buddy. Beauty, Lynda. They're in. Good on you, buddy. Beauty. Well done. UNSETTLING MUSIC Now we've gotta to go and tag some ears. Very exciting, actually, to be that close to wild deer. You'd think they'd be leaping all over the place, wouldn't you? They settle right down. It's amazing that we're in here with these wild deer. It's the last thing you'd expect to happen, really, isn't it? Beauty. Thanks for your help there, Lynda. Beauty. Thanks for your help there, Lynda. < No probs. These wild deer now get sent out into the paddock to fatten up before they head off to Europe. Did you grow up on a farm? Did you grow up on a farm? Yes I did, a sheep and beef farm. Did you get to shear the sheep? Did you get to shear the sheep? I did. I started learning probably when I was about 11. A little birdie told me that you've got a bit of a title somewhere. Yeah. A few years ago, I decided I'd like to do a record with one of my girls, just before I got too old. just before I got too old. And you were going for a new record? Yes, setting a record. Yes, setting a record. < Setting a record. Yes, setting a record. < Setting a record. A two-stand women's world record. We shore 903 between us. Wow. What about the old man? Was he pretty proud? Oh, he was proud, yes. Oh, he was proud, yes. BOTH LAUGH Yeah, yeah. It was a great day for the family. Is Colin a good dad? Is Colin a good dad? He's a great dad. He's good with all kids, actually. He's great with our kids, and he was great with other kids that want to learn to hunt. He likes to pass on his knowledge. You might need a bit more flour there. Is he passionate? Is he passionate? I'd call him passionate about... Everything? Everything? ...deer-farming anyway. (LAUGHS) And deer. He must have been passionate, cos you've got five kids. He must have been passionate, cos you've got five kids. BOTH LAUGH You didn't have too much to do in the winter, eh? You didn't have too much to do in the winter, eh? Something like that. (LAUGHS) Wow, that's the best one I've done. Wow, that's the best one I've done. That looks pretty good. Wow, that's the best one I've done. That looks pretty good. OK. Over 250 mainly young hunters have shot their first deer since we've been here. I just love the hunting aspect of it, bring young hunters out here. I've been hunting since I was 16, and, um... you know, your first is so special. Somebody said to me one day, 'It's like a rites of passage going from a boy to a man.' And with some of them, you just see the chest come out, and you see a change in them. They become so proud when they've entered that hunting realm. What happens if it's a girl? What happens if it's a girl? Same thing. No, we` we` No. What happens if it's a girl? Same thing. No, we` we` No. BOTH LAUGH Oh, look, no. We have had fathers, daughters. Special moments with both. I love it. I've had parents say to me, 'My son and I haven't been getting along that well. 'We're not that well-bonded.' Yeah. Yeah. 'But after the trip, we talked all the way home, 'and we've had that bond going ever since.' And to me, to have been part of making that happen is... is pretty special. Mm. is pretty special. Mm. Yeah. < You see so much good emotion come out of it. No, it's good to be able to put something back into these young fellas. It's fantastic, yeah. Yeah, I love this place. Everything I want is right here. If you could make a sand pit for me to play in, Lynda, this is it ` the hunting; I love my dogs; um... What about your wife, Colin? Yeah, I love her too. Yeah, I love her too. BOTH LAUGH Is that a trick question? She came in last right in after the dogs there. Oh, well, she's supposed to be first, yeah, but... I thought you'd take that for granted. Yeah, I'm at peace with the world out here. This is me. JOOLS: (PLAYS GUITAR) Now, here we go, darling. # Huntin' and fishin' and cold beer. # Home-made bread and a pot of deer. # Outlaws... # in the bush. Don't you burn my bread, Marg. Don't you burn my bread, Marg. (LAUGHS) Righto. # Outlaws... # in the bush. # Yee-hee! I helped make this, Toppy. I helped make this, Toppy. You did a great job there, Jools. You are a good teacher. Absolutely beautiful, buddies. You are a good teacher. Absolutely beautiful, buddies. Mm. To Makapua Station... To Makapua Station... BOTTLES CLINK To Makapua Station... BOTTLES CLINK ...venison curry, best in the world. Beautiful. IDYLLIC MUSIC From our native bush to the Scottish moor, there's no finer beast than a stag in roar. A magnificent sight for a man to see, fallow, red or wapiti. I saw him there in the evening sky. And I raised the gun up to my eye. And I raised the gun up to my eye. What happened then, Ken? Just wait. A flicker there. A gentle doe. I drop my gun... and shoot my toe!