IT’S been a while since The Impartial Reporter last looked in on UTV’s hit show, Rare Breed, but for the farmers that the series is following it’s just been go, go, go.

The next episode of the hit UTV show airs next Tuesday night at 7.30pm, with Fermanagh eyes once again sure to be glued on the Littles – Maragaret and Andrew – on their farm near Tempo.

For them and the rest of the farmers across Northern Ireland in the show, it’s now October in the latest episode, with a range of late Autumn, early Winter issues and tasks rearing their head.

In the upcoming episode, it shows a stressful day for dairy farmers Margaret and Andrew Little, whose herd has its dreaded TB test, which take place every six months.

There’s a lot of preparation goes into getting the cows ready to be tested, as well as much work and record-keeping on the day itself.

Andrew points out that “You lose the whole day”, with the other farm work having to be done as well, but he laments, “What do you do?”

He’s hopeful that TB will be soon be a thing of the past – but for today at least, it’s another busy day for the Little farm, having a lot to do.

Of course, the Littles are just one set of the Northern Irish farmers being followed by the show, each of whom has a range of issues, and problems, that will be very familiar to many farming Fermanagh folk.

Over near Ballygawley in Tyrone, Des Kelly is keeping a close eye on the condition of his cattle, with 2020 proving a challenging year in more ways than one – the weather means an increased risk of pneumonia in the herd.

Des points out potential symptoms that some cows display if they are not well.

He and farmhand, Rodrigo, work hard to bring all the cattle into the sheds, and install a new feeder, with the grass not being great at this time of the year.

Outside Larne, Jonny Hanson and his team have no time to admire the lovely scenery at their farm overlooking Larne lough.

They’re busy finishing the year’s vegetable harvest, with Jonny grateful for an army of volunteers who have been putting together weekly veg boxes for customers ¬– a venture he’s hoping to expand on in 2021.

His colleague, Fern, loves Winter vegetables, and talks of their “hearty charm”, while Jonny talks of his “delight” at eating through the seasons.

Nothing goes to waste, with vegetables past their prime going to the pigs.

The episode shows another busy time over in Saintfield, in Down, where it’s a very early start for Emily McGowan – it’s the weekly town market, and this is just the second week that the farm shop has taken a stall.

Everything gets prepared on a Friday night for the market, with lots of toffee apples and pumpkins making up a colourful display.

Emily also points out that they’ve grown potatoes for the first time in 10 years, and they are selling well.

She’s glad that local people are appreciating local produce and local businesses in general since the lockdown started.

As well as the market activity, they also open the shop early on a Saturday morning to cope with demand.

As the month draws to a close, Clare Shearer and partner Davy Kinkead have taken young mare, Ellie May to Lisburn for some specialist spa therapy.

The mare has hurt her leg and Clare hopes the treatment will speed recovery.

Claire is delighted that the mare has coped with the water treadmill and the cold water spa, which after a week’s treatment seems to have worked well, with the swelling in her leg much reduced.

Clare is looking forward to getting her home to continue her treatment on a once-a-week basis.

As always, UTV’s Mark McFadden narrates the series, that is sponsored by Moy Park. Tune in to Rare Breed – A Farming Year, next Tuesday, March 30 at 7.30pm on UTV.