Fergus Collins

3 weeks ago | countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Fergus Collins

When walking across the countryside, you've likely stumbled across a kissing gate. While we all seem to know they're called, have you ever wondered about the meaning behind the name? What is a trig point? Discover the secrets behind these odd pillars that dot the UK countrysideBritain's best country pub walksSmall wonders: Britain’s best easy hill walksA kissing gate is a single gate that pivots on a semi-circle between two posts, allowing humans to wriggle through but not livestock.

1 month ago | countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Fergus Collins

It was once easy to tell a carrion crow from a raven, despite similar looks. Until about 30 years ago, ravens were rare and confined to the uplands of the north and west of Great Britain, so any large black bird was likely to be a crow. But in recent decades, with less persecution from farmers and gamekeepers, the raven has made a comeback across the UK, and its range heavily overlaps with that of its smaller cousin. Therefore, greater skill is needed to tell them apart.

1 month ago | countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Fergus Collins

It used to be simple. There was red wine, there was white wine and there was rosé. Now orange wine has become popular. The name was coined in 2004 by wine importer David Harvey due to the wine’s warm, amber colour but the wine-making technique is ancient and originates from what is now Georgia. Orange wine is produced using white grapes but with a red-wine technique, where the juice is fermented with the skins and seeds of the grapes for weeks or even months.

1 month ago | countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Fergus Collins

How long cows live depends on several factors, such as whether they've been industrially farmed – and what for. The natural lifespan of a cow is 20-30 years naturally. Dairy cattle are usually slaughtered at around five years, beef cattle at 18 months, and veal calves at four to five months old. Cattle raised purely for beef are bred selectively to grow big and muscular – and do it quickly. They are slaughtered between 18 and 22 months old depending on sex, breed and feeding system.

1 month ago | countryfile.com | Lauren Franklin |Fergus Collins

Brown rats and mice (especially house mice) are attracted to human dwellings for two reasons: food and shelter. This is particularly true in autumn and winter when it’s cooler outside and nutrition is scarcer. Often the first signs of their presence are raided bags of rice or cereal – and trails of droppings. Generally, these intruders are unwelcome as they can make a mess and, on rare occasions, carry diseases. But getting rid of mice and rats, especially humanely, is tricky.