Wartime Farm - reality show

[Gingerella72]

Wasn't sure where to put this because it would fit in both Moving Pictures, WWII and Golden Era forums so feel free to move it if appropriate, Mods.

BBC living history series detailing rural farm life in WWII era Britain. It's available to watch in episodes on Youtube; this is the link to the first episode.

Three historians/archaeologists live for several months running a farm as it would have been managed 1939 - mid forties. If you're familiar with the PBS shows Frontier House and 1940 House, this is in the same vein but much more detailed and less soap opera-ish.

These same historians also did other living history series called Victorian Farm and Edwardian Farm, if you're also interested in those time periods they can be found on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltA-5bgqTCc

 

[RBH]

Very cool THANKS!!!
I had seen the site but could not find where I could watch it.
Thanks again.

 

[kiwilrdg]

Watched 3 episodes last night. It was really good.

 

[richie1958]

The actual farm is just five miles down the road from where I live in Hampshire. It's open to the public as a working museum and I regularly used to take my daughter when she was little. Kids could hold the lambs and feed the chickens and pigs etc.
I was particularly interested in the episode where they demonstrated the decoy fires to lure German bombers away from Southampton. When you think about it, an extraordinary and brave thing to do! I guess Southampton is about twelve or fifteen miles away from the farm. There were lots of targets around Southampton Water at the time, but the most important one had to be the Supermarine factory. My cottage is about the same distance from Southampton as the The 1940s farm, or Manor Farm as it's actually called and I've found German aircraft machine gun cartridges in my back garden!
Richie

 

[Shangas]

I've seen the other two seasons: Victorian Farm & Edwardian Farm (both are also on YT, I believe).

They were very good.

I think I will enjoy this one as well.

By the way, the people who produced those shows, also produced one called "Victorian Pharmacy" about the history of medicine. It may still be available on YouTube. Fascinating stuff.

 

[kiwilrdg]

I wish they could do shows like that in the US. If someone were to try, they would put Snookie or Honey BooBoo on the farm:eeek:

 

[Shangas]

I've never seen many American historical TV shows like this. There was "Frontier House" and "Texas Ranch House", but it's not quite the same thing. Those are more "reality" TV shows, and not so much "Educational History" TV shows.

 

[kiwilrdg]

The trouble is that the American shows were made with the intent to be educational but they keep making the modern people more important than the time period.

The BBC show Manor House in 2002 had a scullery maid that tried to act like an American reality show character, she did not last.

 

[Shangas]

The trouble is that the American shows were made with the intent to be educational but they keep making the modern people more important than the time period.

The BBC show Manor House in 2002 had a scullery maid that tried to act like an American reality show character, she did not last.

I remember that show. The butler, the chef, the housekeeper, the housemaids, the hallboy, stableboy, footmen, they all lasted out the months.

I think they went through something like three or four, or five scullery maids before the end of the series.

Being a scullery-maid was INCREDIBLY hard work. And the girls who signed on obviously had NO idea what they were getting themselves in for. None at all. Otherwise they wouldn't have signed up for the show. I agree, she didn't act in the way that would've worked with the show.

I understand what you mean about your comment that on the American shows, they make the people more important than the history. I recall an episode of "Texas Ranch House", where one of the female participants complained about not being allowed to do...something...cattle-ranching or an activity of that nature...and she complained that it wasn't Texas Ranch House, it was "Sexist Ranch House".

Wake up, lady. This is the 1870s in the middle of nowhere. Ranching is incredibly tough, backbreaking work. You should be glad that the men are doing it and that you don't have to risk your neck on a horse rounding up cattle every day.

That was the reality of life back in those days. And they simply don't understand that. And the people who don't understand that, wouldn't last a day.

 

[Gingerella72]

Yes, the "House" shows were made with more of a reality show bent to them, focusing more on the culture shock, fish-out-of-water scenario of 21st century people having to live in a way they were unaccustomed to and "however will they survive the ordeal?"

These "Farm" shows do away with all that and really focus on the historical aspect of it all, which I love. I like in this Wartime one where it's emphasized how much people had to go back to the "old fashioned" way of doing things in the shortage of modern equipment, hinting that the old ways are better in the long run and that it's important to not let the knowledge become forgotten.

In addition to the Edwardian Farm and Victorian Farm, these same people also did Victorian Pharmacy (mentioned by Shangas above), Victorian Farm Christmas, A Tudor Feast, and the very first one they did was Tales of the Green Valley which had them and 3 other people living in 1620 for a year. All of them were spectacularly done and fascinating to watch if you're a history lover. All are presently available to watch on Youtube, I believe. I think my favorite one is Edwardian Farm, but perhaps that's only because that was the first one of these I saw.

The "Trio" seems to be moving forward in time - Tudor, Victorian, Edwardian, now WWII - I wonder what time period they'll choose next? I hope they keep going, but I understand how difficult it must be doing these projects since an entire year is devoted to each one. I like how they incorporate Ruth's daughter in some of them, and I wonder how much the others' family members are present off screen while they're doing the project.

 

[Gingerella72]

The actual farm is just five miles down the road from where I live in Hampshire. It's open to the public as a working museum and I regularly used to take my daughter when she was little. Kids could hold the lambs and feed the chickens and pigs etc.
I was particularly interested in the episode where they demonstrated the decoy fires to lure German bombers away from Southampton. When you think about it, an extraordinary and brave thing to do! I guess Southampton is about twelve or fifteen miles away from the farm. There were lots of targets around Southampton Water at the time, but the most important one had to be the Supermarine factory. My cottage is about the same distance from Southampton as the The 1940s farm, or Manor Farm as it's actually called and I've found German aircraft machine gun cartridges in my back garden!
Richie

That is so cool that you live so close to it! I'd love to visit some day, and the other sites used like Acton Farm in Shropshire.

 

[esteban68]

all the shows from the Elizabethean farm onwards have been good but this has been the best IMHO, years ago (1970's???)I seem to remember a group of people built and lived in a recreated Iron Age homestead in the south/west of England somewhere...I may be mistaken but I think the buildings are still up?

 

[Gingerella72]

I remember that show. The butler, the chef, the housekeeper, the housemaids, the hallboy, stableboy, footmen, they all lasted out the months.

I think they went through something like three or four, or five scullery maids before the end of the series.

Being a scullery-maid was INCREDIBLY hard work. And the girls who signed on obviously had NO idea what they were getting themselves in for. None at all. Otherwise they wouldn't have signed up for the show. I agree, she didn't act in the way that would've worked with the show.

I understand what you mean about your comment that on the American shows, they make the people more important than the history. I recall an episode of "Texas Ranch House", where one of the female participants complained about not being allowed to do...something...cattle-ranching or an activity of that nature...and she complained that it wasn't Texas Ranch House, it was "Sexist Ranch House".

Wake up, lady. This is the 1870s in the middle of nowhere. Ranching is incredibly tough, backbreaking work. You should be glad that the men are doing it and that you don't have to risk your neck on a horse rounding up cattle every day.

That was the reality of life back in those days. And they simply don't understand that. And the people who don't understand that, wouldn't last a day.

I know! While I enjoyed watching it, I was also peeved at them the whole time. I mean seriously, what did they think they were signing up for? Did they honestly not know, or did the producers not tell them much on purpose to enhance the drama of it all? I'm thinking the latter. Or they just chose people who wanted to be on a TV show and didn't care two bits about the history. And lets not forget the travesty that was Colonial House and the athiest family getting all pissed off about having to attend church meetings, lol. But I digress.

Back on topic, I enjoyed the story in episode 2 of Wartime Farm about the Land Girls, and the story of the black girl who's discrimination got national attention that ended up with her being hired to a farm not far from where Wartime Farm is taking place.

 

[Gingerella72]

all the shows from the Elizabethean farm onwards have been good but this has been the best IMHO, years ago (1970's???)I seem to remember a group of people built and lived in a recreated Iron Age homestead in the south/west of England somewhere...I may be mistaken but I think the buildings are still up?

You mean this one? Living In The Past

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e7ZLWz3UMw

 

[angeljenny]

I love Wartime Farm! I have just bought the book and plan to buy the DVD.

I also have most of their other programmes on DVD as well as Frontier House. I just love this type of programme and was so excited when I saw that this one was based in the war years.

Ruth is amazing and just throws herself into everything - she is just so enthusiastic!

 

[Gingerella72]

I love Wartime Farm! I have just bought the book and plan to buy the DVD.

I also have most of their other programmes on DVD as well as Frontier House. I just love this type of programme and was so excited when I saw that this one was based in the war years.

Ruth is amazing and just throws herself into everything - she is just so enthusiastic!

I love these types of shows too! Can't get enough of them. I know there are others that have been filmed in other countries, I think there was one done in Australia called "Outback House" but I can't find it anywhere online to watch. In Canada they had "Pioneer Quest" that I saw bits and pieces of when it first aired on our PBS station but it isn't available anywhere online either. There was also another one in Canada that had a group traveling by sea in a 19th century vessel but I have no idea what the name of it is, or where it could be seen.

 

[angeljenny]

I love these types of shows too! Can't get enough of them. I know there are others that have been filmed in other countries, I think there was one done in Australia called "Outback House" but I can't find it anywhere online to watch. In Canada they had "Pioneer Quest" that I saw bits and pieces of when it first aired on our PBS station but it isn't available anywhere online either. There was also another one in Canada that had a group traveling by sea in a 19th century vessel but I have no idea what the name of it is, or where it could be seen.

Frontier House I could only find on the American region DVD but I just watch those on my laptop as things like Homestead Blessings aren't available on the UK region.

I am fascinated by history and be how ordinary people lived!

 

[esteban68]

You mean this one? Living In The Past

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e7ZLWz3UMw

That's the one, in the 70's they didn't even have to grow their hair as everyone over here at least still was in the iron age apart from the polyester we even wore clothes made from the same sort of materials!..now I'll have to watch it over again, I think that show started my interest in History /Archaelogoy, many thanks for taking the time to find it!

 

[Gingerella72]

That's the one, in the 70's they didn't even have to grow their hair as everyone over here at least still was in the iron age apart from the polyester we even wore clothes made from the same sort of materials!..now I'll have to watch it over again, I think that show started my interest in History /Archaelogoy, many thanks for taking the time to find it!

No problem, I had actually just watched it a few months ago so knew where to find it.

 

[fortworthgal]

I'm going to look for this! I absolutely loved 1940s House and own it on DVD. It is one of my favorites.

I've never seen many American historical TV shows like this. There was "Frontier House" and "Texas Ranch House", but it's not quite the same thing. Those are more "reality" TV shows, and not so much "Educational History" TV shows.

The American versions are horrid. By far the worst offender is Colonial House. I wanted to love it, but I had to quit watching after 2 episodes and could never bring myself to finish it. The participants were rude, lazy, and had zero interest in even attempting to live by the standards of the time period. Example: skipping church and going skinny-dipping. Really atrocious.

The only other historical-based reality show I can recommend is "Bomber Boys." I'm not sure if it was Canadian, BBC or American-produced, though. They had several descendants of WWII airmen (Canadian, British, and American) and put them through training as a Lancaster bomber crew. I saw it on PBS once a couple of years ago. It was quite interesting!

http://www.mfilms.com/programs.php?id=242