FLAT PACKS, FAGGOTS AND DIGS
Country Focus - Sunday 6th July at 7.30am, presented by Mel Doel.
There's some hammering and sawing going on in this week's programme as a flat pack chair is constructed by pupils from St Julian's Comprehensive school in Newport as part of a Forestry Commission initiative to teach about the sustainability of wood.
We hear how a typical 100 hectare cereal farm will emit the equivalent emissions of 78 cars or 50 average households in an average year according to a study by Natural England. Farmers in Wales are now being urged to use the CALM (Carbon Accounting for Land Managers) calculator to measure their farms' greenhouse gas emissions.
The humble faggot is enjoying a revival as a whole new generation discovers the dish. Faggots became popular with rationing during the second world war but Monmouthshire based master butcher Neil James has taken the delicacy to a whole new level.
And we look at an innovative company based at Machynlleth in Powys which has been making the most of sheep droppings and taking recycling to extremes with stationary and gift products under the brand name Sheep Poo Paper.
Then we dig a little deeper and find that the past fortnight has been an exciting time for the archaeologists of Pembrokeshire. In what is called a "taster dig" they've been exploring the remains of Nevern Castle which has long carried the legend that it dated back almost to Roman times before it became a Norman stronghold - with strong links to one of the greatest of Welsh princes - Lord Rhys. And in just a few days a remarkable array of interesting discoveries have been made...
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