The Small Farm Training Group

CREATING BODY PRODUCTS WITH PRODUCE FROM YOUR BEES!
2026-01-31 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | TBC, East Sussex, United Kingdom
New workshop for 2026!

Member and expert bee keeper, Maggi will lead this workshop
on how to use produce from the hive to make body and home products

A relaxing opportunity to enjoy a session using products from the hive
to make a lovely natural moisturising cream and lip balm
and have a go at rolling a beeswax candle to take home.

All attendees will be able to take home at least one moisture cream, a lip balm and a candle.

An ideal Christmas gift for yourself or a loved one!
Should you wish to book as a gift, book a space on our website as normal, then email gto@sftg.org.uk to request a gift voucher to give to the recipient.

Burwash Common Pavilion
31st January 2026
10am to midday
Refreshments provided

FRIDAY NIGHT TALK - FEBRUARY - ASIAN HORNETS
2026-02-20 18:30 - 20:45 | TBC, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Friday 20th February 2026
Burwash Common Pavilion
WARNING: ASIAN HORNETS IN ENGLAND
Protect our bees and pollinators. Protect our environment.
Asian hornets have been confirmed in this part of England. They are highly aggressive predators of honeybees and other vital pollinators.
Paul Lindstrom is an experienced bee keeper and member of The High Weald Bee Keepers Association.
His presentation will help you:
How to identify one
Whey they are a threat
What you should do
Your action matters. Every report helps slow the spread.
Stay vigilant. Report sightings. Protect England's bees and pollinators.

Doors open 6.30pm for drinks, nibbles, chat, library books and SFTG sale table
Talk from 7pm
Doors close 8.45pm
FREE to members and just £3 for non-members

FRIDAY NIGHT TALK - MARCH - COWS, METHANE AND HOT AIR
2026-03-20 18:30 - 20:45 | Burwash Common, United Kingdom
Friday 20th March 2026, Burwash Common Pavilion
COWS, METHANE AND HOT AIR
Speaker: Paul Lovatt-Smith
Has it ever puzzled you why cows get so much of the blame for global warming?
Do you question George Monbiot's assertion that eating a leg of lamb causes more greenhouse gas emissions than a flight to New York?
Come and listed to my theory of why science has got it wrong on this one.
Doors open 6.30pm for drinks, nibbles, chat, library books and SFTG sale table
Doors open at 6.30 Talk will start at 7pm
Doors close 8.45pm
FREE to members and just £3 for non-members

AN INTRODUCTION TO SMALLHOLDING - APRIL 2026
2026-04-11 12:00 - 16:00 | Foxwood, Hellingly, Cinderford Lane, Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL, United Kingdom
Perhaps you're about to take over a smallholding? Or are you relatively new to keeping land and animals? If so, perhaps you feel you'd like to talk the issues through with others in the same boat, and with someone who's been doing it for a while? If that sounds like you, then our "Introduction to Smallholding" workshop is just the thing for you.
Come and spend the afternoon finding out what smallholding entails from a practical perspective, as you visit this 7 acre plot. Paul Lovatt Smith has been working on the land for over 15 years, and has a wealth of knowledge that he's happy to share, including:

How to get started - we know it's all a bit overwhelming at first
What's involved with the paperwork and legal aspects, as well as the finances
A basic overview of keeping poultry, sheep, cattle and pigs
Growing veg
Making hay and growing small-scale cereals

Please note:
this course will be held outdoors (and partly in a barn) - so please do wear suitable outdoors clothing, bearing in mind that this is England - it may well be cold and damp (or warm and sunny, boiling and dry, windy and snowing... you get the picture).
Can't make this date? Event sold out? Please email our training organiser so that you will be on the list when we run the workshop again.

FRIDAY NIGHT TALK - APRIL - ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
2026-04-17 18:30 - 20:45 | Burwash Common, United Kingdom
Friday 17th April 2026
Burwash Common Pavilion
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
Kirsty will talk to us about the history of Fairfield House Vets, which has been in existence for over 70 years. She will share her experiences as a vet over the years and bring along some interesting pieces of equipment for you to see.

Fairfield House Vets have been caring for animals in Sussex for over sixty years, combining the traditional values of a long established independent veterinary practice with the up to date knowledge of an experienced and vibrant staff.
Doors open 6.30pm for drinks, nibbles, chat, library books and SFTG sale table
Talk from 7pm
Doors close 8.45pm
FREE to members and just £3 for non-members

Lambing Morning
2026-04-18 09:30 - 13:00 | TBC, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Come and visit the Lambing shed...
Simon & Rachael are Lambing their flock of 17 Ewes during April.
Visiting a lambing shed can be a delightful and educational experience! You may have the opportunity to observe the birthing process, see adorable new born lambs, and learn about the care and management of sheep during this critical period.
You may have the chance to help feed the lambs and learn about the care they need to thrive.
Safety Note, this event is not suitable if you are pregnant

Meet The Members
2026-05-06 14:30 - 17:00 | Jenny Cloke, The Oast Farmhouse, Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4EB, United Kingdom
Come and meet our long standing member Jenny Cloke.
Jenny lives near Hellingly on a 45 acre smallholding and your are invited to join her for a walk around her farm and to discuss how she manages her land and livestock
Jenny has a flock of pedigree Lleyn sheep that will have been lambing throughout April. She will explain how she handles lambing her ewes and her management of the flock throughout the seasons
Tea and Cake ( an important ingredient for any farm meeting ) will be available after the walk.
Jenny often has some sock lambs that need bottle feeding at around 4:30.
This is a members only event with limited spaces so please book early.
Please do not bring dogs to this event

FRIDAY NIGHT TALK - MAY - LOST WOODS OF THE LOW WEALD AND DOWNS PROJECT - BOB EPSOM
2026-05-15 18:30 - 20:45 | TBC, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs
Speaker: Bob Epsom
Friday 15th May 2026
Burwash Common Pavilion
The Lost Woods project is bringing local people together to learn about, explore, and care for woods across the Low Weald and Downs. It is funded for 5 years by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and is run by four partners: The Woodland Trust, Action in Rural Sussex, Small Woods and the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
The presentation will include where to go to find advice on managing existing woods and trees in farms and options for integrating more trees into the farmed landscape.
Doors open 6.30pm for drinks, nibbles, chat, library books and SFTG sale table
Talk from 7pm
Doors close 8.45pm
FREE to members and just £3 for non-members

An Introduction to Smallholding - May 2026
2026-05-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Hope Springs, Honeywick Lane, Chiddingly, BN8 6ET, United Kingdom
AN INTRODUCTION TO SMALLHOLDING
Hope Springs Smallholding, Chiddingly
16th May 2026 2-4pm
Perhaps you're about to take over a smallholding? Or are you relatively new to keeping land and animals? If so, perhaps you feel you'd like to talk the issues through with others in the same boat, and with someone who's been doing it for a while? If that sounds like you, then our "Introduction to Smallholding" workshop is just the thing for you.
Come and spend the afternoon finding out what smallholding entails from a practical perspective.

How to get started - we know it's all a bit overwhelming at first
What's involved with the paperwork and legal aspects, as well as the finances
A basic overview of keeping poultry, sheep and pigs and Goats
Growing veg

Please note:
this course will be held outdoors (and partly in a barn) - so please do wear suitable outdoors clothing, bearing in mind that this is England - it may well be cold and damp (or warm and sunny, boiling and dry, windy and snowing... you get the picture).
Can't make this date? Event sold out? Please email our training organiser so that you will be on the list when we run the workshop again.

Introduction to Kitchen Gardening
2026-05-16 14:00 - 16:30 | Oast house, Sandy Cross Lane, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 8QP, United Kingdom
Get the most out of your veg garden!

Not only will you learn how to grow veg for delicious year-round harvest, but you'll also get to learn practical methods for how to get the very best from your veg plants. Learn from a gardener with decades of experience in growing vegetables: SFTG's Jenny Huggett, who many of you will know from our regular Friday evening meetings, open farm days and annual picnics.
Although she wouldn’t tell you so herself, the chances are that if Jenny doesn’t know the answer to a question, then it probably doesn’t have an answer.
In this course, you’ll learn about such topics as:

What to plant for year-round fresh or stored vegetables, and when to plant it
Which vegetable varieties to grow, including what works well in this area (and what doesn’t!)
Caring for your vegetable plants
Feeding the soil so as to get the most from it
The benefits of no-dig gardening
How best to avoid pests without chemicals
Companion planting – which plants will help each other, and which will hinder?
Seed saving

Tea, coffee and homemade cake will be served afterwards, giving the group time to talk and ask questions.
Special offer: A free vegetable plant for every attendee to take home and nurture!

Want to find out more about the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026?
2026-05-19 17:00 - 19:00 | The Bear Inn, High Street, Burwash, East Sussex, TN19 7ET, United Kingdom
The new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer
will launch shortly for small farms.
Small Farm Training have organised a seminar in Association with High Weald National Landscape
If your farm or small holding is registered with Defra and has been mapped for previouse schemes including the Single Farm Payment, you should be able to apply.
The 2026 scheme has changed and been made simpler and this session will explain what is required to apply and how it is best to prepare for an application.
Come and listen to a presentation and the oportunity to talk with advisors who can help with your application.
The main speaker will be Charlie Reeve, local sheep farmer and grant wrangler
The session will cover
✔️ What’s changed in the 2026 SFI offer
✔️ What you need to apply
✔️ How best to prepare your application
The Bear Inn, High Street, Burwash, East Sussex TN19 7ET
This Event is free to members with tea and coffee available and a bar. Non members are welcome for a nominal fee of £3.00

Heathfield Show 2026
2026-05-23 | HEATHFIELD
Heathfield Show 2026
Saturday 23rd May 2026
Tottingworth Farm, Broad Oak, Heathfield TN21 8UE
Come and find us in Education marquee!
www.heathfieldshow.org

FRIDAY NIGHT TALK - JUNE - Ashdown Forest: Past, present, and future
2026-06-19 18:30 - 20:45 | Fairwarp Village Hall, Nursery Lane, Fairward, TN22 3BP
ASHDOWN FOREST: Past, present, and future
Beth Morgan and Ash Walmsley
Friday 19th June 2026, Fairwarp Village Hall
Off Nursery Lane, Fairwarp TN22 3BP
Ashdown Forest is a living time capsule of the culture and history of our county and nation. The internationally important heathland that the Conservators care for, alongside the woodlands, represent generations of human activity. At the heart of the Forest's ecosystem is grazing by wild and domestic animals that, alongside woodland clearance, created the original Forest landscape. Join Ashdown Forest's Head of Countryside, Ash Walmsley, and Head of Engagement, Beth Morgan, as they take you on a virtual tour of this special landscape, its wildlife, its people, and its diverse calendar of activities, sharing how its past has shaped the Forest we know and love today.
Doors open 6.30pm for drinks, nibbles, chat, library books and SFTG sale table
Talk from 7pm
Doors close 8.45pm
FREE to members and just £3 for non-members

Off The Line Vineyard Tour and Tasting event
2026-08-23 12:00 - 14:00
You are invited to join guided tour and tasting in Off The Line Vineyard in Hellingly,Hailsham BN27 4EA.
This event includes a 30-40 minute tour around the vineyard and winery followed by a wine tasting and delicious cheese or charcuterie board. Each board comes with a selection of local cheeses, homemade focaccia bread, homemade chutney, and olives.One board is ample for two people.
Off The Line Vineyard was established on a beautiful site in the Sussex Weald benefiting from south facing slopes. The site was prepared and the first vines planted in 2014. The focus being on growing Pinot Noir, Regent, Dornfelder and Rondo, all red varieties, that allow us to specialise in producing different styles of Rose.A further planting of vines was established in 2023, to include; more Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
After tasting everyone is welcomed to stay as long as they wish and enjoy more wine and the beautiful view.
We have created 2 tickets, one with the Cheese board and one for just the tour, so if you are coming with a partner and want to share a cheese board, buy one of each ticket

FRIDAY NIGHT TALK - SEPTEMBER - SPEAKER TBC
2026-09-11 18:30 - 20:45 | TBC, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Friday 11th September 2026, Burwash Common Pavilion

SAVE THE DATE!

MORE DETAILS AND TICKET RELEASE TO FOLLOW IN DUE COURSE

Doors open 6.30pm for drinks, nibbles, chat, library books and SFTG sale table
Talk from 7pm
Doors close 8.45pm
FREE to members and just £3 for non-members

Bring and Share Picnic 2026
2026-09-13 12:00 - 16:00 | TBC, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Join us for our Annual Picnic - this year's venue will be confirmed soon.
It's 'Bring-and-Share, so bring either a savoury, sweet or salad dish to share with everyone. You can bring some of your own produce - many people do!
It's a great chance to meet and socialise with other SFTG members share tips and advice.
Tea and coffee is provided.
Please bring your own cutlery, plates, glasses, drinks and chairs. Please label your dishes, for people with dietary needs.
Sorry, no dogs.
Please RSVP using the form below.

FRIDAY NIGHT TALK - OCTOBER - Managing Wild Deer in the High Weald
2026-10-16 18:30 - 20:45 | Burwash Common, United Kingdom
Friday 16th October 2026, Burwash Common Pavilion
Managing Wild Deer in the High Weald
Why are deer so important to the High Weald?
What problems are caused by excessive numbers of deer?
Without natural predators, how do we manage deer numbers and impact?
What types of deer are we dealing with?

Doors open 6.30pm for drinks, nibbles, chat, library books and SFTG sale table
Talk from 7pm
Doors close 8.45pm
FREE to members and just £3 for non-members

SFTG 2026 AGM
2026-11-20 18:00 - 22:00 | Village Hall, Punnetts Town, Hall, Battle Road, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 9DH, United Kingdom
You are invited to join the committee at Punnetts Town Village Hall for our AGM followed by a tasty meal...
This is a great value Friday night out. The AGM is not only the most important event of the year in terms of the running of the group, it's also a great social occasion.
Bring your own drinks to go with the meal but we supply the rest.
Doors open at 6.00 pm. The formalities will start at 7.00pm with a review of the group's activities over the last year at and our plans for the next one. We'll also be voting for the new committee.
This should take about an hour and then we'll eat, drink and - with any luck, be merry!
Put the date in your diary and watch this space... tickets will go on sale later in the year!
