TV's favourite culinary farmer is back for another unique and fascinating insight into country life

The start of his third year at River Cottage finds Hugh happily ensconced with pregnant sheep and fattened pigs but as ever cash is in short supply. His long-term plan is to produce the ultimate free-range roasting chicken, but once that is set in motion with the purchase of three varieties of hen and an obliging Indian Game cockerel, he displays his normal ingenuity by selling home-made sorbets to tourists sweltering in the summer traffic jams, turning wood-pigeons into kebabs at the local race-course and even training Delia the pig to hunt for expensive truffles. Episode 1 Its February and while Hugh has survived the winter theres precious little to eat at River Cottage. But thinking of the future he gets busy building chickenopolis a complex of high-rise chicken accommodation to house the poultry for his latest money-making scheme: to breed the ultimate roast chicken. Episode 2 After several days and sleepless nights, Hughs first ewe finally gives birth to twins the perfect Easter present! Hugh arranges a meeting with Antony Hichens, his landlord from the big house, to discuss the prospect of Hugh acquiring the rights to fish for the huge grass carp that inhabit the muddy estate lake. Episode 3 Its late May, the vet calls and its bad news: Marge the cow is not as pregnant as Hugh once thought, therell be no more lambs and the first batch of eggs are all addled. But his spirits are raised by the news that huge shoals of cuttlefish are massing off the Dorset coast. Scenting a free meal he sets about designing a honey trap: a lobster pot fitted with a dummy female cuttlefish to lure in the eager males. Episode 4 Its mid-June and its time to make hay. After last years disaster, Hughs determined to get it right and calls in local farmer Paddy Rudd to advise. Good weather makes good hay and Paddy reckons that the next five days will give them the window they require to finish the job. Episode 5 Under the hot summer sun, the animals at River Cottage are giving Hugh considerable grief. Marges calf, Psycho, will not let Hugh anywhere near him even for routine veterinary treatment - so he calls in local animal healer Hilary Merrill. Dismayed by the calfs moniker, Hilary renames him and sets about trying to soothe the savage beast. Episode 6 Its high summer and with Hughs vegetable garden in fine shape hes decided to enter the Vegetable Challenge Cup at his local horticultural show. As information is power, Hugh decides to snoop on his main rivals Derek Purchase and, winner of the Longest Bean category for the last ten years, Roy Gunning. Episode 7 On his regular morning stock-check Hugh finds that one of his old ewes has died. Its a sad day at River Cottage as later on he sends off two of his pigs to the abattoir. Local charcoal-maker Sean Bridges comes round to lift the gloom by chopping down some of the trees which shade Hughs vegetable patch. Episode 8 As winter draws in, Hugh has one major money-earner up his sleeve. Hes teaming up with old rival and chilli-pepper-guru Michael Michaud, to capitalise on the huge profits available at the Borough Farmers Market in London. After stripping his polytunnel of his entire chilli crop, Hugh sets about designing his added-value take-away fast-food product the Mexican wrap.