Lynda makes peace and war with Joe; Adam makes plans for researching the venison market.

Radio Times: Inspiration at the Farmers’ Market.

Characters: Adam, Brian, David, Joe, Lynda, Ruth

• Lynda is making her peace with Joe. She brings him some plants from the garden centre to make up for those damaged by the llamas – won’t be so good as his hollyhocks, he reminds her, in true pathetic Joe-fashion … But it’s the best she could do and at least Robert is making some progress digging for Joe in the garden. Lynda’s not too sure that Joe’s insistence on ‘double-digging’ will be doing Robert’s back any good at all! Anyway she’s going to study her manuals to make sure that she can prevent any further llama disasters.
• Adam has persuaded Brian to visit the farmer’s market in Hollerton. He is enthusiastic about the prospect of selling the venison there, and Brian seems impressed by the way the market has grown since he was last there. They collar Ruth – a typical housewife! – for some tongue-in-cheek market research! Would she be interested in fresh local venison? Well – yes if it was shaped into nuggets and coated in breadcrumbs for her lot! Or perhaps for a special occasion. As far as their Hereford beef is concerned, they’ll sell it at the farm gate – it would be too difficult to staff a market stall.
• Joe is busy in the Grundy field mending a water trough in preparation for some rams that Eddie will be renting grazing to. Linda appears in a far less congenial mood than earlier – her studies have revealed that Wolfgang and Costanza couldn’t possibly have caused the garden devastation claimed by Joe. Their feet are much too tiny and they only might nibble a few choice flower heads … It can only have been that delinquent Bart – so she’s withdrawn Robert’s labour and is taking away her plants – so there!!! Oh and while she’s there, has Joe got planning permission for that pole barn? And a shed now – for Eddie’s gnomes? Gnome farming?? How original! What will the council make of that???
• Adam is now working hard to convince Brian that the start-up costs of selling venison at the farmer’s market would pay for themselves within a year. There’s definitely no one else doing it at Hollerton. Brian suggests Adam should do some research at the other markets and produce some proper figures. One thing though – Adam would have to do the selling. No way will Brian stand around in a stripy apron being nice to people all day!
• David is looking forward to his lunch courtesy of Ruth’s trip to the market. Lynda has other ideas and barges in to ask David what, as a prospective parish councillor, he’s going to do about the eyesore that is Grundy’s pole barn. Even the Fletchers are up in arms about it! They would be, conjectures David, but promises to ask George anyway. Lynda sniffily expresses some gratitude and as she leaves, Ruth reminds him that he’ll have to get used it – she’s the electorate … !