18 December 1998

Characters: David, Jill, Lizzie, Nigel, Phil, Ruth

• The hangovers from the combined parties last night continue into the morning for several of the participants. Nigel’s been ringing around seeking information about grants, but they’re be no decisions until well into the New Year.
• Brookfield might wish the same timespan was true of their TB tests. The ministry returns to look for reactors to the latest batch of testing – and finds eleven infected cows. Everyone’s shocked at the extent of the reactors. It’s going to make life even harder than it was already.
• David’s going over the figures and it will need a lot of belt-tightening, but he says to Ruth that, despite the problems, he doesn’t want her to take the consultancy job – some thing are more important than money and their lifestyle, together, on the farm, is one of the them. She tears up the form, moved by what he said.

Summarised by: Chris Harrison