The Great Outdoors
Rural living encompasses so many different aspects of outdoor activity - whether it is for work or leisure - but there is one common thread throughout, every one of them involves conservation; preserving our countryside and woodland through regular management and maintenance.
Countryside
However, it’s not all work and no play as you will see! Down in the Countryside Area – conveniently located opposite the Food Marquee – you will find a Display Arena with a full programme of entertainment alongside a host of trade stands.
In the ring will be sheep shearing demonstrations with Brackenhurst College, working ferrets who race for fun, beautifully trained gundogs, mystic birds of prey and, that most relaxing of all country sports, a fishing demonstration.
Walking round the Countryside Area is like stepping into another world as you discover interesting and intriguing information on spinning dog hair, bee-keeping and what to look out for with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Historically, England used to rely heavily on waterways to transport goods so visit the Grantham Canal Restoration Society and the Trent Rivers Trust to find out why it is so important to maintain them.
Children will love seeing all the animals, such as Rand Farm Park, Lurchers and Greyhounds while the older generation can find out why the Council for the Protection of Rural England and the National Trust work so hard to preserve our natural and national heritage.
Throughout both days there will be demonstrations of countryside craftwork and spinning.
Rare breeds that could face extinction
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) monitors breed numbers and aims to secure the continuous existence and viability of the UK’s native farm animal genetic resources. Without this monitoring we could face losing some of our oldest breeds of animal; for many it is still a precarious situation.
Among the breeds listed by the RBST are Beef Shorthorn cattle, Teeswater sheep and British Lop and Middle White pigs. Equine breeds at risk include Dales, Eriskay and Exmoor ponies as well as the Cleveland Bay, once popular as a carriage horse.
Really fresh eggs
A wide selection of traditional and rare breeds of poultry will be on show in the Poultry and Wildfowl Display, presented once again by the Kay and Bett Families. Having your own chickens and collecting really fresh eggs has become increasingly popular and a visit here will provide you with lots of help, advice and the chance to buy birds and equipment. Among the large and bantam poultry will be Brahmas, Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Sussex, Pekins, Silkies Rhode Island Reds and blue-egg layers, Araucana and Legbars.
Waterfowl will be well represented with geese, Khaki Campbells and Indian Runner ducks among others.
Of special interest will be the display of historical photographs from the 1920s and 30s, all taken by Arthur Rice who started taking pictures of animals way back in 1910.
Forestry
Trees are not just attractive features of the countryside, among many of our day-to-day products they provide building materials, fuel, fencing and, of course, paper. They are also essential to the natural eco-system, providing shelter and wildlife habitats.
There is a fine balance between cultivating and harvesting trees; proper care and management is essential to ensure our traditional woods and forests are viably sustained. Who better to talk to about the different varieties and diversity of trees but the Woodland Trust? Representatives from the Trust will be on hand down at the Forestry Area where you can also see a display of logging work with horses. Horses are still used in many areas of forestry work as they cause far less damage to the ground than machinery, especially when it is wet.
Skilled craftsmen down at the Forestry Area will be demonstrating wooden wheel making (wheelwright) and stick dressing. Chainsaws will be buzzing as logs are cleverly carved into different shapes – can you make out what it will be before it’s finished?
Sheep Shearing
This is the time of year when farmers have their sheep sheared – a highly skilled job where the fleece is removed in one piece using electrical clippers. Students from Brackenhurst College will be displaying their skills at this traditional craft in the Countryside Arena or you may prefer to sit and watch the highly entertaining Sheep Show or the Sheep Racing taking place in South Ring.
