Ear to the Ground

Fighting the banks, taking on the supermarkets and a 19th Century bake-off, on the first episode of the new series of Ear to the Ground.

Ella rescues horses and donkeys in shocking states of neglect, Darragh gets a birds-eye view of machinery magic and Helen enjoys a feast in a field.

Helen Carroll reports on plans to extend the high voltage electricity network across the South, Midlands and West of Ireland; Ella McSweeney meets Ireland's broccoli baron; Darragh McCullough travels to Leitrim to investigate the problem of Ash dieback

The IFA presidency, a Mayo couple from sea water and Darragh is in the Arabian desert visiting one of the world’s largest dairy camel farms.

This week Helen Carroll reports from Tipperary on rural homelessness, Ella McSweeny asks a Roscommon dairy farmer is dairy expansion the next bubble? In this week’s Food Journey Darragh McCullough meets Liam Ryan of Moyleabbey Farm in Kildare.

Darragh meets the farmers who won’t say “I do” until they have a pre-nup, Ella’s not kidding; Ireland faces a shortage of goats cheese and Helen reports on a lifeline for the unemployed.

Ella kills a turkey with her bare hands, Helen visits a community mobilised in the spirit of giving and Darragh’s Christmas comes early at a mini machinery Mecca.

Darragh Mc Cullough reports on the extraordinary success of the Mayo Greenway and on this week's Food Journey Helen Carroll meets Monaghan dairy farmer Donal McDaid who supplies local dairy Linwoods of Armagh and whose milk cannot use NDC's Farmed in the Republic of Ireland label.

Darragh McCullough meets the inspiring farmer who orchestrated his own rescue operation, on this week’s Food Journey Ella McSweeney investigates the phenomenon of micro vegetables, and Helen Carroll visits an enterprising youngster

Ella finds herself in the middle of a row over childhood obesity, Helen visits Killowen Farm in Wexford and Darragh turns his hand to horse ploughing.

This week Ella follows pigs through each stage of life, from farm to sausage roll. Helen Carroll meets renowned American animal scientist Dr Temple Grandin and Darragh McCullough meets a Kilkenny farmer who is in the process of appealing the LPIS review of his land.

This week Helen Carroll meets a group of Irish preppers in a forest in Tipperary and Darragh McCullough meets Mayo farmer, Chris Ginnely, who lost 2 acres of his farm to the sea in the recent storms.

Ella McSweeney reports from Longford on antibiotics in the food chain. Helen Carroll traveled to Offaly and was surprised to witness a resurgence of 'tug of war' among women. Darragh McCullough travels to Laois to ask if we should continue to prop up the beef industry?

Ella Mc Sweeny on building a food fortress, Helen meets a meat family and Darragh on designer cows.

Ella spends a day with the enthusiasts who are working hard to rescue our native breeds from extinction; Helen Carroll meets Tipperary hurler Kieran Bergin who returned to Ireland from America last year to work on the family farm and Carlow tillage farmer Kevin Nolan talks about his futuristic farm.

Last in the highly acclaimed series: an equestrian special, covering the highs and crashing lows of one of Ireland’s foremost sports. Ella is inspired by paralysed former jockey Jonjo Bright, Darragh harvests 100,000 bales of hay on Ireland’s biggest farm and Helen unearths the secrets of Coolmore’s breeding success.