The Great Italian Escape

After six years living the dream in Tuscany, Richard and Sarah Turnbull are trying to go totally self-sufficient while putting their hard-won experience to good use by helping other Brits who are following in their footsteps. Sarah has spent all their savings on a pregnant thoroughbred horse to try and kick-start her dream of expanding the farm into horse breeding.

Richard and Sarah Turnbull started a new horse breeding business to try and boost their farm’s earning potential. But they’re also relying on a good crop from their 350 olive trees. The harvest will be turned into top quality olive oil, which on a good year could net them up to five thousand pounds of vital income. Sarah’s hoping to widen her market by selling it in a new virtual farm shop, along with other choice bits of local produce.

Sarah helps out with the hi-tech yearly bean harvest, while Granny tries to get to grips with a whole new language. Richard keeps busy by helping a visiting writer find an inspirational Tuscan retreat.

It’s dawn on the farm and the Turnbulls are already up and preparing to face another hard day’s graft ... just as soon as they’ve had breakfast! But Greg finds that the chickens have only laid two eggs today. Fortunately there are still eggs left from yesterday, so everyone gets to dunk their soldiers.

As summer draws to an end for the Turnbull family, Richard tours the olive groves in preparation for the olive harvest in November.