Ruth proposes staying in dairy but with big changes in the way they operate.

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Characters: David, Jill, Pip, Ruth

• Cup of tea? Ruth has had a lie in after her epic journey. She confesses to have had some things to work through – which she has – but that can wait until later. David, still unsure of what he is going to hear, assures her that though they managed without her (apart from the odd broken arm), they missed her hugely; he just wants to get back to the way things were. No David, that can’t happen.
• Pip and David are tending the sheep, though David is in his currently enforced spectator role. He had sent Ruth all the dairy figures, warts and all.
• Ruth shares her distilled wisdom from down under: milk yields are not what really matters. She has looked at their farming from a new perspective. Ray, the NZ farmer was amazed at the figures; he was surprised at their costs. They should cut back on costs, calve in spring when the grass is growing and change to a breed more suited to the new approach. They would produce less milk but make a profit. Yes, the autumn calving was Ruth’s idea but she got that wrong. There’s more – but Pip’s phone call interrupts proceedings.
• How do they undertake the change? They could take 10 years to breed the herd they need but it would be better to sell the herd, for good money, and buy the cows they need. Phew, that’s a lot to take in. Pip will sound out Matthew to tap his experience.
• Ruth finds David wistfully looking at the herd that they have painstakingly and lovingly built up. He feared Ruth would have something to say about their relationship. He is not sure that Pip is on board with the proposed change but Ruth is sure that she will be forensic in analysing Ruth’s figures; if they stack up she will get behind it. Ruth assures him that, though she did meet some hunky shearers, she would not swap him. Wherever they are going, they are in it together.
• The scriptwriter for this episode was the agricultural adviser, Graham Harvey.