Discover the Countryside
At the heart of the show, you’ll find the Discover the Countryside area. Here you can truly connect with the countryside and discover the huge variety of employment and leisure experiences it has to offer. There will be demonstrations and interactive workshops to keep the whole family entertained including, sheep shearing, trug making, fly casting and much more!
Kindly sponsored by Mid Sussex Timber.
The Countryside Hub
Come and find out about the work of the South of England Agricultural Society, plus you can milk Buttercup our model cow and meet our ewe who will be illustrating our Loan a Lamb project.
Cost: included in ticket price
NEW! Woodland & Rural Crafts Area
Further additions to this year’s lineup include the Woodland Craft Area, featuring demonstrations in ancient skills such as trug, stick, hurdle and basket making, and hedge laying. You can even make your own corn dolly.
Cost: included in ticket price
Hedge laying demonstrations
Visit our new Woodland Craft area to meet the hedgelayers! It might seem easy, but we can assure you that the practice of hedge laying is much harder than it looks, requiring skill and experience. The wonderful team at the South of England Hedge Laying Society will be on hand throughout the event, demonstrating the traditional craft of hedge laying in the South of England style.
Cost: included in ticket price
The Sheep Show
The Sheep Show is an educational and humorous live stage event starring a cast of ewes and rams led by Nobby the Norfolk Horn and his two-legged MC.
Cost: included in ticket price
The Story of Wool
With the help of the National Sheep Association South East, 100 sheep will be sheared over the 3 days with local sheep farmers talking about sheep farming and wool production. There will be a range of fleeces on display from different breeds so you can really understand the differences in the wool. You can also meet the East Grinstead Spinners & Weavers who will be demonstrating and talking about their age old skills.
Kindly sponsored by Jones & Tomlin.
Cost: included in ticket price
Forestry with Balcombe Estates
Meet the team from Balcombe Estates and find out how they manage their land and grow trees, and what they do with the wood.
Cost: included in ticket price
Young Farmers’ Clubs
Meet the young farmers who will be sharing information about their various Young Farmers’ Clubs throughout the region. You’ll also be able to see their competition entries and enjoy the spectacle of their tug of war competition.
Cost: included in ticket price
NFU Discovery Barn
Families with younger children will love the interactive nature of the NFU’s Discovery Barn, which helps youngsters understand more about their food. There will be a wide range of activities, including quizzes, puzzles and a chance to learn about tractors and new technology.
Cost: included in ticket price
Land-based colleges
Representatives from local land-based colleges and schools will be on hand to demonstrate the amazing range of skills they teach, and talk to you about their courses.
Cost: included in ticket price
Trug making
A Sussex trug is a light but strong basket made from willow and sweet chestnut. The village of Herstmonceux has been known as a centre for this traditional craft for at least two hundred years, although there are records of trugs and makers dating back to the sixteenth century. Representatives from Thomas Smith Trugs, the original makers of the famous royal Sussex gardening trug baskets, established in 1829, will be demonstrating this traditional craft across all three days of the show.
Cost: included in ticket price
Stick & hurdle making
Hurdles are made from wattle – usually of hazel or willow – by placing upright sticks into holes in a log and weaving split branches between them. The craft of stick making is one of the fastest growing pastimes in the country! Come and watch the incredible workmanship involved in these traditional woodland crafts.
Cost: included in ticket price
NEW! Countryside Ring
Our new Countryside Ring has displays on all three days and will include falconry, ferrets, the Lowland Search & Rescue dog team, Adam’s Axe wood chopping, and more!
See the Countryside Ring timetable here.
Kindly sponsored by Agrifactors.
Cost: included in ticket price
Chainsaw carvings
Watch our talented wood carver demonstrate amazing live chainsaw wood carvings.
Cost: included in ticket price
Bees & Honey
Watch live bee demonstrations and observe their hides. Plus there will be the opportunity to talk to local producers and buy their products.
Cost: included in ticket price
Fly casting
If you have an interest in fishing, you can come and learn all about fly fishing – an angling method in which an artificial ‘fly’ is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel and specialised weighted line. Learn how to fly fish for yourself with Cinder Hill Trouting Syndicate, which will be giving daily demonstrations and lessons. The Fly Dressers Guild will also be available to show you how to tie the intricate flies, which will help to lure the fish on to the hook.
Cost: included in ticket price
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the show has to offer
Membership
If you enjoy attending our shows, find out more about Membership. You can attend each day of our four seasonal shows, access Members’ areas including parking, and you will be helping us to continue our work to fund and support agricultural education and countryside learning.
