Some of Norfolk's best-loved farm animals and pets are waiting to meet show visitors at Knot Farm, a new farm area.

Named to commemorate the Stafford family who once lived at Costessey Hall, the farm will include cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, ducks, rabbits and guinea pigs. There will be heavy horses too and demonstrations and talks.

• A gadget that tells you just before the sheep escape, or that stops hens pecking their eggs would be useful. Or how about one that not only moves the feed to the right place but also opens it and shares it out, or that convinces the cockerel to keep quiet until a reasonable hour?

To celebrate the anniversary of the 60th show at the Costessey showground the competition has been launched for manufacturers of either a new agricultural machine or gadget, which may become a great asset to the agricultural industry.

Inventions range from a three point linkage mounted under drainer from Richard Gott of Downham Market to a sheep- handling trailer by Martin Sillis of Norwich and a sprayer cab by Sands Agricultural Machinery of Stalham. All entries will be displayed over the two days.

• So how did their potatoes grow? Good compost, proper watering and a fair amount of cajoling and talking to have all helped the crops in the Grow Your Own Potato competition.

Come and see the results of the schools competition. This followed more than 100 local children, aged between six and nine, receiving top tips on getting the best results from planting two potato varieties.

• Have a go on a trials bike with Savage Skills, the UK's leading freestyle mountain bike stunt team. They have displays four times a day, at 10am, noon, 2pm and 4pm, and between displays the Savage Skills team will be offering advice and coaching for have a go riders.

It's all happening in the YO.LK area, where there will also be the Star Flyer, a high-flying chair-o-planes ride giving views across the showground. Look out too for sports activities, Norwich City Football Cub, Combat Paintball and children's entertainment.

• The Royal Norfolk Show Bandstand is a hugely popular place to stop, sit and listen.

New this year to the music scene are the Norwich Samba Band, who will also be performing around the showground, and a variety of street entertainers.

Ten different bands play on the bandstand throughout the two days, with the first at 9.15am.

On the Wednesday expect the Wymondham College Jazz Orchestra, the Norwich School Senior Concert Band, Broadland Brass and, in the evening, The Joe Ringer Band.

On day two bands include Norwich High School, Notre Dame High School Wind Band and the Top Brass.

• Remember days gone by and step back to see what was working in our fields when the show first moved to the Costessey showground 60 years ago. The Vintage Farm Machinery display concentrates on machinery available in 1954 and will include a vintage harvesting demo. Every competitor will receive a diamond rosette.

• Axe racing and forestry skills from the Welsh Axeman are a new attraction in the Countryside Arena this year. These axe-wielding experts will be showing their speed and agility when it comes to tree felling and climbing as they race each other, and the clock, to climb a tall log with only an axe and a couple of small boards to help them.

• It wouldn't be a Norfolk show without the limelight-loving woolly treasures in the Sheep Show. This is an educational show about sheep and wool and the opportunity to see and compare several different breeds, but don't miss the dancing sheep! There's a busy timetable at the Countryside arena, with dog and duck displays, Parelli Horsemanship, hounds and raptors too.