18/12/25 Loss leaders, small ducks, historic houses

We ask why veg is always a loss leader at this time of year, and whether farmers suffer as a result. For the price of a first class stamp you could buy 21 kilos of carrots if you head to one of the discount supermarkets. The stamp would cost you £1.70, the carrots are on sale at 8p for a kilo. Who takes the hit?

Extreme weather events mean it’s become hard to predict how farmed poultry will turn out come Christmas. We meet an organic farmer in Devon whose birds are smaller following the hot, dry summer.

And should the old grand houses that dot our countryside be regarded as vital heritage which must be preserved? Or are there other ways of dealing with them? All this week we’re looking into what the future may hold for historic buildings in rural areas.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner.