Melplash Show 🐑🐄🐖🐐

Melplash Agricultural Society and their education group, @discoverfarming will again partner with the @marshwoodvalefarmers for Open Farm Sunday on Sunday 7 June 2026. This FREE event gives the public the opportunity to learn about the essential roles farmers play in producing our food, caring for nature, and safeguarding the environment for generations to come. This year, Open Farm Sunday will be hosted by @coppethill in Broadoak, near Bridport. Visitors can enjoy tractor-trailer rides around the farm, stopping at a range of informative points along the way. A selection of farm machinery will be on display, alongside demonstrations of different cultivation systems and the journey of wheat from field to bread. There will also be a special focus on the wool story, including sheep shearing and demonstrations showing how fleece is transformed into insulation, rugs, and spun or woven into wool products. A variety of farm animals will be on show, including sheep (with Dorset breeds such as Portland and Dorset Horn), Shetland cattle, Saddleback pigs, calves and chickens. The Discover Farming team will be running a range of hands-on farm-to-food activities—perfect for curious young minds! In addition, representatives from related industries, including Wessex Water, Brit Valley Landscape, and Dorset Wildlife Trust, will be on hand to share their expertise. Local food and drink will be available, including pulled beef baps and locally made dishes from Yum Luscious, coffee, Clipper tea and Baboo Gelato ice cream and sorbets. There will also be a large picnic area for families to enjoy for those who wish to bring their own food.

Tickets are on sale for our 2026 show! Our show offers something for everyone! The showground is packed full of exhibits including livestock, horses, homecrafts and horticulture. There are over 400 trade stands selling everything from locally produced food to tractors… and plenty in between! Our Main Ring welcomes the amazing team from @brokefmx and the brilliant fast-paced @shetlandponygn Around the showground there will be a countryside arena with gun dogs, falconry, terrier racing and more, a Bee Circus, music, dancers, lots of surprise walkabout entertainers, snakes & reptiles, Punch & Judy. and much, much more! A great day out for the whole family! Thursday 27th August 2026 West Bay Showground, Bridport, Dorset. To buy tickets click the link in our bio. Children aged 16 years and under FREE

Melplash Show 2025 📍 @chrisatkinsvisuals 🎬

There is never a bad time to visit and stay with us in Beaminster, but we thought we would highlight a few summer weekends that might be especially appealing if you enjoy pairing your stay with events happening locally. Saturday 27th of June to Sunday 5th July - Vibrant town of Beaminster plays host to the annual Beaminster Festival of music, theatre, literature and art. Sunday 2nd August - Buckham Fair returns with its much loved mix of livestock, countryside tradition and community spirit, founded by Martin Clunes. Thursday 27th August - The Melplash Show, a celebration of local farming families, heritage and rural life. Sunday 23rd August - The Bridport Torchlight Procession, from Bridport down to West Bay, thousands of lit fire torches making their way to the coast. Saturday 5th September - Bridport Hat Festival, a unique event that fills the town with colour and creativity in a way few places could. @visitdorsetofficial @discoverbeaminster @beaminsterfestivalofthearts @melplashshow @buckhamfair #Beaminster #VisitDorset #Dorset #Hotel #Summer

Entries are open for our 2026 show! To browse classes and enter online visit /events/melplash-show-aug-2026 We have classes for everyone, so be a part of Melplash Show 2026! Sections include: 🐄 Cattle 🐑 Sheep 🐖 Pigs 🐐 Goats 🐴 Horses including Heavy Horses 🥕 Horticulture 🍰 Homecrafts 💐 Floral Art 🍯 Honey 🌾 Farm Produce 🐏 Fleeces 🥚 Eggs 🍏 Cider ⛏️ Rural Crafts 🪴 Garden & Allotment 🚜 Farm & Crops

On behalf of the Melplash Agricultural Society, Secretary Lucy Hart is seen recently presenting the Triple Sparkle Award to trophy winner, Shirley Booth Moore, of Dottery. Newly created for 2025 it was awarded at the Melplash Show last year for the Best Exhibit in the wines, spirits and cordials classes (Shirley won it for her Bullace and Shiso Liqueur) but, because it had never been given before, the actual trophy had first to be created and engraved. Hence the delay in presenting it. The beautiful hand-turned cup was donated by Jennifer Horsington, Chairman of the Homecraft Section of the Melplash Show, and is named after her and the two other ladies Nicola Bagwell and Julia Stantiford, who work alongside her. As Lucy explains “The three ladies always enjoy a glass or two of prosecco once the judging is completed….a celebration of another successful show….so that’s where the Triple Sparkle comes from! This years’s show will be held on 27th August, and no doubt there will be keen competition in the Homecraft tent once more! An event not to be missed. Written by Shirley Booth

Last week we welcomed our members to an event at the beautiful @hopefarmdorset for a dinner and speaker evening. Thank you to Sue and her team at Hope Farm for providing the most stunning venue and delicious meal and to our speaker Silas Hedley - Lawrence, @grassfed_farmer an Agroecological Coach and Consultant. A super night for our first catch-up for the year! 📸 Finlay Sinclair @ NFU Mutual Sherborne & Beaminster

Hear our Vice Chairman, James Bowditch on @second_natureuk podcast - Dairy Farming in Dorset: More Than Just a Pint- Down in Dorset Episode /the-podcast-1/episode/7d5164d5/dairy-farming-in-dorset-more-than-just-a-pint-down-in-dorset-episode-4

Are you getting your garden or allotment ready for the new season? The Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual Gardens and allotment competition is a great opportunity for you to get your effort and dedication recognised. The competition celebrates the commitment and expertise of local gardeners residing within a 12-mile radius of Melplash village church, who do not employ a gardener for more than 8 hours a week. Categories include small, medium and large gardens, as well as allotments. All entries must be submitted by Monday June 8th. For more information and to enter online please visit /latest-news/2026-garden-and-allotment-competition-now-open-for-entries/

🌿LEAF OPEN FARM SUNDAY 2026 📍 Coppet Hill, Denhay, Broadoak, DT6 6RL 📅 Sunday 7 June | ⏰ 10am–4pm 🎟️ FREE ENTRY A free family day out where you can join us for our 4th Open Farm Sunday, this year at Coppet Hill, hosted in conjunction with the Melplash Agricultural Society and the Marshwood Vale Farmers Cluster 🚜🌱 Discover the vital role farmers play in producing our food, caring for nature, and protecting our environment 🌍 🚜 Tractor & trailer rides around the farm 🌾 From wheat to bread demonstrations 🐑 Sheep shearing & the story of wool 🐄 Meet the animals – sheep, cattle, pigs, calves & chickens 👩‍🌾 Hands-on farm-to-food activities for kids Plus, meet local experts including Dorset Wildlife Trust, Wessex Water & more 🍔 Local food available including slow cooked beef baps and the Yum Luscious Food Truck ☕ Coffee, tea & ice cream on site 🧺 Or bring a picnic and enjoy our family-friendly picnic area Come and meet your local farmers and see how your food is produced – we’d love to welcome you! #CoppetHill #melplashagriculturalsociety #OpenFarmSunday #LEAFOpenFarmSunday #DorsetEvents @melplashshow @discoverfarming @visitdorsetofficial @farmer_in_training @marshwoodvalefarmers @leaf_farming

What a great day at the @discoverfarming classroom with local chef, Andy Tyrell of @wearesoulshine . We welcomed pupils from St Mary’s school in Beaminster to our Chef on the Farm day where we foraged and cooked a delicious lunch! Nettle soup, Koftas, flatbreads, salads and finished off with rhubarb crumble! The children all got involved and produced a wonderful feast! Great cooking skills by everyone, well done St Mary’s!

It’s all go at the @discoverfarming classroom at @washingpoolfarm ! Thanks to the team at @phhardwill who are creating a covered area meaning we can hold more sessions outside whatever the weather! Our new building will be finished soon ready for our next school visit on Wednesday!