National Trust: Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker - Episode Guide

Matt Baker helps the National Trust find a new tenant for the vacant Wallington Estate farm in Northumberland and its 340 acres of grassland, woodland and wetland. Matt follows the process as seven applicants for the 10-year lease spend three weeks demonstrating they have what it takes to be chosen for the position. In this first episode, Matt arrives at the estate to meet the seven applicants. It's lambing season, so the hopefuls get straight to work.

One pair of hopefuls become the first to spend a night in the farmhouse, with the responsibility of looking after the animals. As the temperature drops, the outside water pipes freeze, forcing them to fill buckets from the farmhouse for the livestock to drink. The National Trust set the hopefuls a task to prepare for the arrival of beavers into a 60-acre enclosure on the farm.

The applicants come to the end of their first week on the farm. Giles and Sally prepare to host the first round of business meetings at the Wallington Estate's grand house, where two hopefuls are selected to pitch their vision for the farm. The applicants all head to Hexham Farmers' Market to learn about marketing and selling produce direct from the farm to the public, engage with customers and work alongside fellow farmers.

Following the first elimination, six applicants now remain in the process, all hoping to secure the farm tenancy. With the ewes lambing, they need to be looked after at all hours. Matt introduces the next task - hosting a farm visit for a group of schoolchildren. Giles and Sally want to see the children learning about farming, conservation and food production, and of course, the children must have fun too.

The wannabe tenants are tested on how they would fit into the local rural community at a livestock auction mart, where they must buy cattle for a buyer who cannot be there. Some of them have never bought livestock before, while others are regulars - can they all meet the criteria they've been given and buy within budget?

The four remaining applicants have one more chance to impress Giles and Sally, before the National Trust pick their final three. First up, they're tasked with creating a rotational grazing system to manage livestock in a sustainable way that benefits nature restoration. After a busy night in the lambing shed, Sally and Giles observe the wannabe-tenants' livestock handling skills, as they herd cattle from the neighbouring farm to administer a health check.

The three finalists explore the wider Wallington Estate and meet other farm tenants to demonstrate how well they might fit into the local rural community. They get to work on three very different farms and learn more about what life is like as a tenant on the historic estate. Back on the farm, they work alongside the National Trust ranger team to extend an old footpath through the fields and past the beaver enclosure to help improve public access on the estate.

The remaining three hopefuls face Giles and Sally for the final time, while an event at Cambo village hall is the perfect opportunity to mix with the locals. Before that though, there's plenty of work to do on the farm including keeping the animals fed, watered and happy. Also on the agenda is gathering the ewe lambs from the rotational grazing system, so they can be protected against a parasite called liver fluke.

On the first day, all the hopefuls arrive on the farm and head to the main barn to meet each other, Matt, Giles and Trystan. Then it's straight to work as the applicants are challenged to use sheepdogs to gather a flock of over 130 sheep from the farm's mountain pasture. After a challenging first day, the applicant that impresses the most is appointed temporary farm manager, spending the night in the farmhouse and taking responsibility for the livestock on the farm, including a flock of lambing ewes. On day two, the applicants must sort the flock, but things don't go to plan as they try to herd them into the handling pens. Who'll get off on the right foot to impress Giles and Trystan? 

Matt Baker and the National Trust are searching for a new tenant for a 600-acre dream farm in the spectacular Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Along with fields, woodland and mountain pasture, the farm comes with a beautiful four-bed farmhouse, holiday letting accommodation, views of Wales's highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa - and access to a spectacular lake. Seven applicants living and working on the farm take on tasks designed to prove their skills with livestock, passion for conservation and ability to run a successful business if they're chosen to take on the tenancy. Monitoring their every move are Eryri General Manager Trystan Edwards and the National Trust's Land and Estates Director, Giles Hunt. Who will they choose to win the life-changing 15-year tenancy of this incredible farm? In this episode, our hopefuls are mid-way through sorting a 130-strong flock of sheep. Having lost control of the sheep while moving them from the fields into the handling pens, they've only just got them back into the right place. With things back under control and lambing in full swing, the applicants are set the task of welcoming their first tourists to the farm. Split into two groups, they prepare the two-bed annexe for a group of friends and the bothy (described as a 'stone tent') for a mum and her two children. They're also tasked with providing breakfast and a farm tour for both sets of guests. Who will impress Giles and Trystan the most to become the next temporary farm managers and move into the farmhouse?

Matt Baker and the National Trust are searching for a new tenant for a 600-acre dream farm in the spectacular Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Along with fields, woodland and mountain pasture, the farm comes with a beautiful four-bed farmhouse, holiday letting accommodation, views of Wales's highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa - and access to a spectacular lake. Seven applicants living and working on the farm take on tasks designed to prove their skills with livestock, passion for conservation and ability to run a successful business if they're chosen to take on the tenancy. Who will Eryri General Manager Trystan Edwards and the National Trust's Land and Estates Director, Giles Hunt, choose to win the life-changing 15-year tenancy of this incredible farm? At the end of the first week on the farm, it's time for one applicant to leave the process. But first, the hopefuls must prove their livestock handling skills when they're challenged to bring a herd of Welsh Black cattle in from the field, split off a one-tonne bull and safely administer some vitamins. They must also demonstrate their head for business as they present their visions for the farm to Giles and Trystan. From their finances to their ideas about sheep, cattle and welcoming tourists, all essential elements of making a viable business on the farm will be scrutinised. Who'll impress the most and be appointed the next temporary farm manager, and who'll be the first to leave? 

Matt Baker and the National Trust are searching for a new tenant for a 600-acre dream farm in the spectacular Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Along with fields, woodland and mountain pasture, the farm comes with a beautiful four-bed farmhouse, holiday letting accommodation, views of Wales's highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa - and access to a spectacular lake. Seven applicants live and work on the farm as they take on tasks designed to prove their skills with livestock and with business, and their passion for conservation. Who will Eryri General Manager Trystan Edwards and the National Trust's Land and Estates Director, Giles Hunt, choose to win the life-changing 15-year tenancy of this incredible farm? The sun's shining as the remaining six hopefuls welcome a new sow and nine piglets to the farm, and are challenged to construct the perfect pig pen and shelter for them. And when some of the applicants pick up the pigs from a nearby farm, it becomes apparent that herding piglets can require a lot of speed and agility. And everyone heads to the stunning nearby tourist hotspot of Portmeirion to demonstrate their sales prowess. With direct selling featuring in the majority of the applicants' business plans, they need to prove that they can sell premium Welsh produce direct to consumers. Who can impress Giles and Trystan, and who'll be asked to leave the process? 

Matt Baker and the National Trust are searching for a new tenant for a 600-acre dream farm in the spectacular Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Along with fields, woodland and mountain pasture, the farm comes with a beautiful four-bed farmhouse, holiday letting accommodation, views of Wales's highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa - and access to a spectacular lake. Seven applicants live and work on the farm as they take on tasks designed to prove their skills with livestock and with business, and their passion for conservation. Who will Eryri General Manager Trystan Edwards and the National Trust's Land and Estates Director, Giles Hunt, choose to win the life-changing 15-year tenancy of this incredible farm? The five remaining applicants get to grips with the spectacular natural beauty that surrounds the farm, as they head to the summit of Yr Wyddfa and to a glorious picnic area near the farm's lake to work with a team of National Trust rangers on the footpaths. Moving stories emerge as we discover how much this place means to all of the hopefuls. Next, their livestock judging skills are put to the test as they're asked to select a breeding ram for the farm's flock of Welsh mountain sheep, before Giles and Trystan reveal which of the applicants have impressed them the most. Who'll be the next temporary farm manager, and who'll be next to leave? 

Matt Baker and the National Trust are searching for a new tenant for a 600-acre dream farm in the spectacular Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Along with fields, woodland and mountain pasture, the farm comes with a beautiful four-bed farmhouse, holiday letting accommodation, views of Wales's highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa - and access to a spectacular lake. Seven applicants live and work on the farm as they take on tasks designed to prove their skills with livestock and with business, and their passion for conservation. This time, Eryri General Manager Trystan Edwards and the National Trust's Land and Estates Director, Giles Hunt, want to see whether the four remaining hopefuls have the skills to look after the rich mix of landscapes that make up the 600-acre farm. So they challenge them to tame invasive species, create new life from seeds, and prove that they can care for what is the National Trust's most nature-rich farm in Wales. Then it's off to the local livestock mart, where the potential tenants must demonstrate their ability to select, bid on and buy livestock in this fast and furious environment. Who will Giles and Trystan think has shown enough promise to stay, and who'll be leaving the farm for good?

Matt Baker and the National Trust are searching for a new tenant for a 600-acre dream farm in the spectacular Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Along with fields, woodland and mountain pasture, the farm comes with a beautiful four-bed farmhouse, holiday letting accommodation, views of Wales's highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa - and access to a spectacular lake. Seven applicants live and work on the farm as they take on tasks designed to prove their skills with livestock and with business, and their passion for conservation. Who will Eryri General Manager Trystan Edwards and the National Trust's Land and Estates Director, Giles Hunt, choose to win the life-changing 15-year tenancy of this incredible farm? This time, the final three hopefuls must prove that they have the ability to look after the farm's buildings, as they work together to transform a disused building, unearth its treasures and breathe new life into its historic walls. But that's not all... To show that they would be successful in welcoming tourists to the farm, each applicant must pitch a water-based activity on the farm's stunning lake to a group of adventurers, before making a splash on their paddleboards. Who will Giles and Trystan send through to the final, and whose dream is over?

Matt Baker and the National Trust are searching for a new tenant for a 600-acre dream farm in the spectacular Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Along with fields, woodland and mountain pasture, the farm comes with a beautiful four-bed farmhouse, holiday letting accommodation, views of Wales's highest mountain - Yr Wyddfa - and access to a spectacular lake. Seven applicants live and work on the farm as they take on tasks designed to prove their skills with livestock and with business, and their passion for conservation. Who will Eryri General Manager Trystan Edwards and the National Trust's Land and Estates Director, Giles Hunt, choose to win the life-changing 15-year tenancy of this incredible farm? As the selection process comes to an end, just two applicants remain, both hoping that they'll be offered the tenancy of their dream farm. But first, they must demonstrate that they have the skills, knowledge and passion to make a success of living and working on the farm in two final challenges. Giles and Trystan ask them to take part in a sheepdog trail to prove their ability to work with the farm's Welsh Mountain sheep across rugged terrain. Then they each pitch their vision for life on the farm for the next 15 years. After all the hard work and determination, who'll be chosen to take on the life-changing tenancy?