David and Ruth have plans for Brookfield (and, unsurprisingly, so does Elizabeth) and the calendar is threatened

Radio Times: David gets an idea.

Characters: Caroline, David, Elizabeth, Kevin, Phil, Ruth, Shula, Tim

• David’s like a kid in a sweet shop at Smithfield, drooling over new tractors, although Ruth has her eye on a (cheap) farm in France … but the real revelation is in traditional breeds. David’s convinced that, with stock prices so low, that now is the time to look to exploit the niche marketing appeal of tradational breed beef. Later, over dinner, David reveals a little disappointment over Phil’s lack of actual retirement, but they know he can’t go on forever and they also know that they need to make Brookfield work because neither wants to go anywhere else.
• A typical Ambridge moment as, in the middle of a working day, Shula, Caroline, Tim, Phil, Elizabeth and Kevin, the new Brookfield herdsman all congregate around a single gate and stare at a bull. Shula’s there to ask Phil for the loan of a heffer for the nativity, Caroline’s there to meet Shula to then go swimming with Daniel, Tim’s there to canvas for more models for the calendar (David’s not around and Kevin’s from Darrington and is too busy anyway), while Phil and Kevin had driven the bull down and impress each other with their handling skills. Elizabeth, it appears, is at an enforced loose end and is there to promote the further involvement of consultants in the running of Brookfield. (What is her plan? To remove David entirely by small increments …?) Phil wonders whether getting Alan back with a wider brief might not be such a bad idea …
• In the Bull, Caroline tells Shula of her invitation round to Grange Farm by Oliver Stirling, Shula digs and wonders whether he’s as charming in private as he is in public … when in wanders Tim. Caroline passes on the news that Jean-Paul would be willing to do his duty and pose for the calendar although Tim’s not sure there will even be one as his photographer friend has had to drop out …