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!
The Countryside Hub
Come and find out about the work of the South of England Agricultural Society, including information on the Countryside Code. Plus, you can milk Buttercup, our life-sized model dairy cow. The Sussex Police Rural Crimes team will also be on hand for a chat.
Cost: included in ticket price
Hedge laying demonstrations
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
Sheep shearing
Local colleges and the famous Sheep Show will be providing shearing demonstrations so that our visitors can watch this age-old skill up close.
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
Birds of prey
Come and see the array of birds of prey from Joe’s Bows. The team will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about these magnificent birds, as well as putting on twice daily flying demonstrations – a spectacle not to be missed.
Cost: included in ticket price
Chainsaw carvings
Watch our talented wood carver demonstrate amazing live chainsaw wood carvings.
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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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.