It's back! Rare Breed - A Farming Year returns

Scott Lilburn and his brothers are washing and packing potatoes, Craigavon

Reserve a place on the sofa, grab the remote and tune in at 7.30pm for the new series featuring new farms, new families and new stories.

However its not all new as Mark McFadden returns once again to narrate each episode.

There’s plenty of local interest in this season opener.

Geroge Bingham, dairy herd in Templepatrick, Antrim

Viewers will meet George Bingham, who runs his family’s dairy farm with more than 600 milking cows in Templepatrick, Co. Antrim. To prepare for the New Year George is organising his large dairy herd for their TB tests.

Meanwhile, close by in Ballyclare and breeding bulls since 1970 is the Robson Farm. For brothers Michael and Norman Robson January is a critical month preparing their prize Simmental bulls for next month’s annual sales in Scotland, which Michael describes as “the Olympics of bull sales”.

Twenty seven year old, Scott Lilburn is on the family farm in Craigavon, Armagh packing and sorting potatoes with his brothers, father and grandfather. Scott is passionate about farming, choosing to return to the family business after studying finance and marketing.

Viewers will also meet Chris Johnston who runs a beef herd near Fivemiletown in Tyrone. While caring for his own stock, in 2013 he diversified his business by travelling to farms to scan pregnant cattle, sheep and goats.

Tonight’s episode is the first in a 12 part series which will chart the highs and lows of farming life in Northern Ireland throughout the agricultural year.