With all the countless things that chef Paul West has on the go at his little farm on the NSW South Coast, will building and operating a food truck be one project too many? Probably not - West always seems to be running around flogging stuff at markets anyway. And food trucks are all the go at the moment - they've become quite the tree-change fantasy for folks of a certain foodie bent.  
The fact that instead of frolicking among the trees they'd be working inside a cramped, sweaty aluminium box doesn't seem to bother them in the slightest. In any case, the cobweb-filled caravan seemingly destined to become the River Cottage Australia food truck is only a small part of this episode. Most of it is the series basics - West bartering goods and services with the locals, making improvements to his farm, learning new skills and cooking a wide variety of dishes. The bartering is always interesting - tonight he trades some chickens for the services of a stud goat, and some surplus piglets for the chance to blend his own wine and take a couple of cases home. As always, there's plenty of useful information for the home viewer, whether it be about building and operating a simple home smoker or the differences between rooster meat and hen meat. There's also the obligatory bit of veterinary grossness as a vet squeezes the smelly pus out of a pig's infected ear. The food looks great, though, ranging from an Asian-inspired smoked-rooster broth to a rainbow chard frittata, Monte Carlo biscuits and home-made marmalade (if you're not quick enough jotting down the recipes you can always find them at lifestyle.com.au). But, as with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's original British series, River Cottage Australia isn't just about growing stuff and eating it. It's also about playing an active part in the local community - a timely emphasis given how many of us tend to be more involved with digital communities - and it involves thinking about food more deeply. This season, for instance, there's a focus on food security as West tries to "future-proof" his farm with knowledge and techniques acquired from other producers. West - who looks every inch the country hipster now that his beard is longer than his hair - remains an engaging and enthusiastic sort, and River Cottage Australia remains interesting and inspiring viewing.
BN