What does it actually take to get food onto your plate? This year’s Farming Experience Zone at the New Forest Show sets out to answer exactly that – with a brand-new theme, What British Farmers Grow: From Soil to Supper, that takes visitors on a journey from the ground beneath our feet to the food on our tables.

Whether you’re a curious foodie, a family with young children, or someone who simply wants to understand a little more about British farming, this expanded zone has something new in store.

What is the Farming Experience Zone?

The Farming Experience Zone is a dedicated area at the New Forest Show designed to connect visitors with the realities and rewards of British agriculture. It blends hands-on activities, live demonstrations, and informative displays to bring farming to life in an accessible, entertaining way.

What’s new in 2026?

Several exciting additions and upgrades make this year’s zone the most immersive yet.

HUNT FOREST GROUP – MACHINERY DISPLAY

For anyone who’s ever wondered how a seed ends up in the soil at scale, Hunt Forest Group’s machinery display is a must-see. Kindly sponsoring the display this year, they’re bringing farm equipment that ties directly into the From Soil to Supper narrative – giving visitors an up-close look at the tools that make British crop production possible.

LITTLE JOE’S KITCHEN – BOOKABLE COOKERY SESSIONS

Formerly known as Fun Kitchen and previously found over in the Cake & Bake section, Little Joe’s Kitchen has a fresh home in the Farming Experience Zone this year. Running bookable sessions from a dedicated marquee, they’ll be helping visitors connect the crops British farmers grow directly to the food they can cook and eat. Sessions are expected to be popular, so booking ahead is recommended.

INTERPRETATION BOARDS & EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

A series of newly designed interpretation boards will guide visitors through four key topics: Machinery, Soil, Crops, and Food. Alongside these, a range of hands-on activities have been developed to engage and educate visitors of all ages:

• Soil Discovery Activity – explore how healthy soils support healthy crops, and discover that soil is teeming with life. Includes a soil layer display showing soil horizons up close
• Grain and Seed Art – a creative activity that helps visitors get to grips with the diversity of seeds and grains grown by British farmers
• Match the Crop to the Food – a fun, interactive game built around the message that every crop starts with a seed

Why does the ‘From Soil to Supper’ theme matter?

British farming feeds the nation, but for many people – especially younger generations growing up away from rural communities – the connection between a field and a fork can feel abstract. The Farm Experience Zone is a way to close that gap that’s enjoyable, and informative.

We hope visitors will leave with a real appreciation of the skill, science, and hard work involved in British food production – and perhaps a new curiosity about where the food on their own tables comes from.