Charlotte Smith visits Sedgemoor Auction Centre in Somerset just by the M5 motorway, one of the regional marts which have replaced small town and village livestock markets. And this place is more important than ever as a social hub, she's told. Without it, one farmer says, he wouldn't see another farmer all week. At Sedgemoor, Charlotte hears typical tales of modern farming: the difficulties of making a living on rented land, farmers getting to grips with new scientific data, and farming electricity - is solar saving the small farmer?

Producer: Chris Ledgard. Show less