Beyond River Cottage is the fourth series of the Channel 4

Channel 4

Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...

 programme that follows Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a British celebrity chef, television personality, journalist, food writer and "real food" campaigner, known for his back-to-basics philosophy...

 as he pursues the ideal of rural

Rural

Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...

 self-sufficiency

Self-sufficiency

Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy...

 as a farm-owner in Dorset

Dorset

Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...

.

Show summary

This series begins five years after Hugh first left the city and moved to River Cottage

River Cottage

River Cottage is a former weekend and holiday home that was originally a game-keeper's lodge in the grounds of Slape Manor, Netherbury, Dorset. From 1998 it was used by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall as a setting for three television series: Escape to River Cottage, Return to River Cottage and River...

. With a growing family, Hugh, his wife, and their two young sons, move to a 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) farm, which is ten times larger than the original River Cottage property. Hugh also buys an old dairy farm and -- over the course of the series -- renovates its buildings into "River Cottage H.Q.", a sort of kitchen, café restaurant and teaching centre.

List of episodes

Ep.	Air Date	Summary
1	1 October 2004	Hugh moves to a new farm with a far larger number of animals to care for. This includes eight cows, which Hugh and his veterinarian check for pregnancy. Later Hugh goes fishing and brings home a bounty of sea bass European seabass The European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, also known as Morone labrax, is a primarily ocean-going fish that sometimes enters brackish and fresh waters. It is also known as the sea dace... . Hugh inspects several locations in search of a site for River Cottage H.Q. before settling on a nearby dairy farm. Hugh briefs Michael Michaud on his ambitious plan of transforming the cow stalls into planting beds and growing a garden directly off the leftover cow dung Cow dung Cow dung is the waste product of bovine animal species. These species include domestic cattle , bison , yak and water buffalo. Cow dung is the undigested residue of plant matter which has passed through the animal's gut. The resultant faecal matter is rich in minerals... . As demolition work begins, Hugh constructs a makeshift barbecue on the site and cooks lunch for the workers: spicy sea bass fillets in foil pouches.
2	8 October 2004	Hugh's invited 50 friends to a Valentine's Valentine's Day Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...  dinner at River Cottage H.Q., which gives him only two weeks to transform a manure-encrusted barn into a working kitchen and dining room. Later, Hugh visits an oyster Oyster The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....  farm and takes his sheep's skins to a tannery Tanning Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning... , where they are transformed into rustic seat coverings for his dining room. Hugh serves his guests a romantic Valentine's dinner of nettle Nettle Nettles constitute between 24 and 39 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae, with a cosmopolitan though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, but some are annual and a few are shrubby...  soup with oysters, and hogget hearts and tongues prepared as a papricaş Pörkölt Pörkölt is a meat stew which originates from Hungary, but is eaten throughout Central Europe and the Balkans.-In Hungary:Pörkölt is a Hungarian stew with boneless meat, paprika, some vegetables and no potato... .
3	15 October 2004	Hugh can't open River Cottage H.Q. until he installs a loo Toilet A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory... . He learns how to treat wastewater Wastewater Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. It comprises liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations...  with ponds of reed Reed bed Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...  and willow Willow Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...  plants. Hugh experiences a Native-American-style sweat lodge Sweat lodge The sweat lodge is a ceremonial sauna and is an important event in some North American First Nations or Native American cultures...  followed by a chilly dip in the ocean and warming Bull Shots he's made with beef stock and vodka. Then Hugh partners with local farmers to sell purple-sprouting broccoli Broccoli Broccoli is a plant in the cabbage family, whose large flower head is used as a vegetable.-General:The word broccoli, from the Italian plural of , refers to "the flowering top of a cabbage"....  and blue cheese Blue cheese Blue cheese is a general classification of cow's milk, sheep's milk, or goat's milk cheeses that have had cultures of the mold Penicillium added so that the final product is spotted or veined throughout with blue, blue-gray or blue-green mold, and carries a distinct smell, either from that or...  at the Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...  farmer's market.
4	22 October 2004	Hugh sells waffle Waffle A waffle is a batter- or dough-based cake cooked in a waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape. There are many variations based on the type and shape of the iron and the recipe used....  breakfast to Morris dance Morris dance Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers... rs at a festival. Then he sets about open River Cottage H.Q. to paying customers, and for opening night he wants to serve up a giant lobster Lobster Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most... . However, his giant trap catches only a conger eel. Hugh poaches the eel in a court-bouillon, and deems it appealing enough to serve (alongside smaller lobsters which he's purchased from a local fisherman.) He also serves roast beef sirloin and fresh asparagus Asparagus Asparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and... , which had been harvested only an hour earlier and delivered by motorbike.
5	29 October 2004	Hugh constructs new polytunnel Polytunnel A polytunnel is a tunnel made of polyethylene used to grow plants that require a higher temperature and/or humidity than that which is available in the environment.... s and plans the year's plantings. Then, Hugh joins John, a mushroom hunter Mushroom hunting Mushroom hunting, mushrooming, mushroom picking, and similar terms describe the activity of gathering mushrooms in the wild, typically for eating... , as they search out morel Morel Morchella, the true morels, is a genus of edible mushrooms closely related to anatomically simpler cup fungi. These distinctive mushrooms appear honeycomb-like in that the upper portion is composed of a network of ridges with pits between them.... s growing in suburban flowerbeds. Hugh makes a chicken and morel mousse Mousse Mousse is derived from the French word mousse which means "lather" or "foam". A mousse is a prepared food that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light and airy texture... , which he takes to a picnic Picnic In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...  gourmet competition. Then Hugh sets up a potted orchard at River Cottage H.Q. and learns to hand knead and shape bread at a bakery in Bridport Bridport Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre... .
6	5 November 2004	Ken, a local bee keeper Beekeeping Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...  teaches Hugh to set up his own hive and captures a rogue swarm which he relocates to Hugh's farm. Mark and Candida, fellow downshifted Simple living Simple living encompasses a number of different voluntary practices to simplify one's lifestyle. These may include reducing one's possessions or increasing self-sufficiency, for example. Simple living may be characterized by individuals being satisfied with what they need rather than want...  smallholders, ask Hugh to host their wedding. For the feast, Hugh stalks, shoots and spit roasts a roe deer Roe Deer The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from... . He makes a pâté Pâté Pâté is a mixture of ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste. Common additions include vegetables, herbs, spices, and either wine or cognac, armagnac or brandy...  from the liver. The bride and groom pitch in, gathering gooseberries Gooseberry The gooseberry or ; Ribes uva-crispa, syn. R. grossularia) is a species of Ribes, native to Europe, northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia...  and fishing for trout Trout Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water... . The wedding cakes comes in the form of a three-tiered pavlova Pavlova (food) Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. It is a meringue with a crisp crust and soft, light inner. The name is pronounced or , unlike the name of the dancer, which was or .... .
7	12 November 2004	At his family farm, Hugh buys a gaggle of geese and ducks. It's the height of summer, and Hugh meets up with fisherman friend John as they sell whelk Whelk Whelk, also spelled welk or even "wilks", is a common name used to mean one or more kinds of sea snail. The species, genera and families referred to using this common name vary a great deal from one geographic area to another... s to tourists on the beach at Lyme Regis Lyme Regis Lyme Regis is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. The town lies in Lyme Bay, on the English Channel coast at the Dorset-Devon border... . Hugh invents an Asian-inspired whelk dish with an aromatic salsa. Then he and John participate in a wheeled race around the town's pubs. At River Cottage H.Q., Hugh holds a tomato festival. The festival-goers sample Hugh's panzanella Panzanella Panzanella or panmolle is a Florentine salad of bread and tomatoes popular in the summer. It includes chunks of soaked stale bread and tomatoes, sometimes also onions and basil, dressed with olive oil and vinegar...  and Gil's tomato ice cream, and Hugh competes against Ray the butcher, Mike Michaud and Barbara Gunning in a ketchup Ketchup Ketchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...  competition.
8	19 November 2004	Hugh harvests his first honey and samples mead Mead Mead , also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It may also be produced by fermenting a solution of water and honey with grain mash, which is strained immediately after fermentation... . At a bee keeper's show, Hugh's honey wins first prize, though his honey-based fudge Fudge Fudge is a type of Western confectionery which is usually very sweet, and extremely rich. It is made by mixing sugar, butter, and milk and heating it to the soft-ball stage at , and then beating the mixture while it cools so that it acquires a smooth, creamy consistency...  and cake don't fare as well. Then, Hugh attempts to convert the public to eating tripe Tripe Tripe is a type of edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals.-Beef tripe:... , which he sells stewed with beans at market. To relieve stress, Hugh visits Eleanor, a herbal healer Herbalism Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy... .
9	26 November 2004	Hugh commissions Tim, a potter, to produce chicken bricks, traditional ceramic jugs used for cooking chicken. Tim fires his Japanese-style kiln Kiln A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...  on Guy Fawkes Night Guy Fawkes Night Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding... , and turns the process into a party. Hugh provides wood-fired pizzas with buffalo mozzarella Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Buffalo mozzarella is a mozzarella made from the milk of the domestic water buffalo.-Areas of production:Apart from Italy, its birthplace, buffalo mozzarella is manufactured in many locations around the world...  made fresh in Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... . Hugh and John the mushroom hunter hatch a madcap plan to search for mushrooms by paraglider Paragliding Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure... , and they eventually discover some delicious parasol mushroom Parasol mushroom The parasol mushroom is a basidiomycete fungus with a large, prominent fruiting body resembling a lady's parasol. It is a fairly common species on well-drained soils. It is found solitary or in groups and fairy rings in pastures and occasionally in woodland... s.
10	3 December 2004	In this hour-long special "A River Cottage Christmas Feast", Hugh prepares a gluttonous ten-bird roast: a woodcock Woodcock The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus Scolopax. Only two woodcocks are widespread, the others being localized island endemics. Most are found in the Northern Hemisphere but a few range into Wallacea...  in a partridge Partridge Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...  in a pidgeon Pidgeon Pidgeon is a surname from an archaic spelling of pigeon. Notable persons with the surname include:* Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom and the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly...  in a pheasant Pheasant Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...  in a guineafowl Guineafowl The guineafowl are a family of birds in the Galliformes order, although some authorities include the guineafowl as a subfamily, Numidinae, of the family Phasianidae...  in a mallard Mallard The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....  in a chicken Chicken The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...  in an Aylesbury duck Aylesbury duck The Aylesbury duck is a breed of domesticated duck, bred mainly for its meat and appearance. It is a large duck with pure white plumage, a pink bill, orange legs and feet, an unusually large keel, and a horizontal stance with its body parallel to the ground...  in a goose Goose The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....  in a turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... . Hugh also learns how to build a smoker and makes sausage baubles for the Christmas tree. Then he joins the cider circle for some mulled cider Cider Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...  and wassail Wassail The word Wassail refers to several related traditions; first and foremost wassailing is an ancient southern English tradition that is performed with the intention of ensuring a good crop of cider apples for the next year's harvest... ing in the orchard. The River Cottage H.Q. team is treated to a day of squid Squid Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles... fishing. Finally, all of Hugh's friends join him in the medieval-themed feast.