Seedlings 🌱 #frithfarm #seedlings #permaculture #horticulture #csa #salad #birdseyeview

What a chore but what satisfaction! An afternoon well spent getting the rest of the beds lined out, now just to get some veggies in. #frithfarm #farmingthefuture #csa #permaculture #horticulture #cultivation ... See more

Strawberries are in flower 🍓. #frithfarm #farmingthefuture #strawberries #strawberry #inbloom #inflower #horticulture #permaculture #csa

Blooming nettle! #nettle #inbloom

A day well spent at Humber street vegan market today. The place was packed with like-minded people and it was great to hear such a positive response from people about local farming. Hopefully, you managed to catch us and some of our produce, if not watch this space for more markets in the future. ... See more

Plenty of wonky carrots here at the farm.

Billions of pounds of perfectly good produce are being wasted simply for being the wrong shape, color, and size. But Imperfect has a great solution!
www.imperfectproduce.com
Like Rob Greenfield for more videos like this! ... See more

Out of your pantry and into your garden - Millie Ross shows you how to grow black beans and chillies in your backyard.

Birdseye view of the farm

We spent the day up in the northeast, experiencing other CSA's and organic farming practices. We had a walk around Nafferton farm, showing us their research on organic methods vs conventional methods. We finished the day with a presentation documenting the evidence that organic foods were higher in antioxidants and omega fatty acids, while been much lower in carcinogens like cadmium. It was the positive affirmation we needed, a real buzz around small-scale organic farming is building. ... See more

We've made a film describing the work we do with our producer and distributor members. We launched the film on Saturday at the Land and Food Forum and are thrilled to be able to share it with you now..... Give it a watch, then share it across your social networks! Thanks to the lovely Black Bark films for their amazing work. ... See more

The European Parliament called on Tuesday for weedkiller glyphosate to be phased out in the next five years, prompting the European Commission to drop its proposal for a 10 year license extension.

EU lawmakers demand five-year phase out of weedkiller glyphosate The European Parliament called on Tuesday for weedkiller glyphosate to be phased out in the next five years, prompting the European Commission to drop its proposal for a 10 year license extension.Europe has been debating the use of the... ... See more

Would you like to try your hand at your own #Christmas decorations?

Come along to our #Natural #Christmas #decorations course and make a #handmade wreath to hang pride of place on your front door.

You may even want to treat a friend or family member for the perfect festive gift. Places are limited and early booking is recommended.
🎄🎄🎄🎄 ... See more

Make your own natural Christmas decorations at: Ryton Organic Gardenson: Thursday, 7 December 2017 - 1:30pm to 5:00pmNEW AFTERNOON SESSION Get into the festive spirit and have fun using materials from our gardens to make natural decorations. You will be shown how to weave your own willow wreath that... ... See more

Meet our Move More Eat Well team who are getting ready to deliver active travel and food growing/healthy cooking sessions in schools.

Also take a look at their forthcoming activities, including their #Halloween Ride & Community Event at The Hollymoor Centre, Northfield. ... See more

Read what Move More Eat Well have got in store this autumn to get you healthier... in all weathers!
http://mailchi.mp/d64c63ed47ed/move-more-eat-well-newsletter-may-460567

Would you like to know how to grow your very own #pumpkins and #squashes for next season?

Take a look at our 'How to grow' card for a step by step guide to #planting, #growing and even eating your your final veg.

Go on, have a go and let us know how you get on 👍 #Mondaymotivation ... See more

We're launching a series of free workshops for Southwark residents as part of the charity’s Southwark Food Poverty project.

Our team of volunteer Southwark Master Gardeners will be delivering the workshops throughout November & December. ... See more

Southwark residents invited to learn how to grow their own organic food Garden Organic is launching a series of free workshops for Southwark residents as part of the charity’s Southwark Food Poverty project.The workshops, taking place throughout November and December, focus on different aspects of o... ... See more

It's been a busy few days for our Golding Growing Buddies team.

Everyone enjoyed their planting session at Park Wood Maidstone.

Dwarf daffodils, tulips, muscari, paperwhites & hyacinths at the bulb planting session Park Wood Maidstone.

Do you know your Sweet dumpling from your Turks Turban?

With the #Halloween season 🎃 fast approaching, they'll be a variety of colourful #pumpkins and #squashes adorning windowsills and porches.

We're interested to know what you've been growing and how you intend to use them.

If you're interested in #growing a variety from the #cucurbit family, Here's a quick guide to help you choose your favourite for next season. #pumpkins #squash #cucurbits #halloween ... See more

Pumpkins, squashes and the whole cucurbit family From bright orange winter pumpkins to summer's soft green courgettes, the cucurbit family is an easy vegetable to grow organically. And they taste good! Roasted and softened with garlic; stewed in soups or curries; sweetened in pies; even the seeds ca... ... See more

Three-quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say.

Three-quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say

Looking for activities to keep the kids busy this #October #Halfterm?

Come along to Ryton Gardens and take part in our GO Discover #creature trail. You'll #discover a whole host of creepy crawlies and wildlife - let us know if you spot them all! 🐞🐝🐛🐜🦋🐌

Pick up your activity pack from reception. We're open Monday to Friday between 9am & 5pm. #Halfterm #activities #creepycrawlies #wildlife #discover ... See more

We are really pleased to release our new seed packaging today! We decided a new corporate image was long overdue.

For the last day of #seedweek we'd like to talk about the Open Source Seed Initiative.

Patents & licenses on seed have spread to many parts of the world. Soon, farmers and gardeners may be unable to do anything more than rent seeds from the companies who control them. Already, the purchase of many seeds in the U.S. by a farmer is actually a one-time rental of the seed for a single cropping season. The license prevents farmers from saving, replanting, breeding, and sharing seed that has been rented, not purchased. Even plant breeders are prohibited from using these seeds to improve the crops. These legal restrictions benefit a few companies but threaten the food security of our societies.

Open source seed is seed of a plant variety the genetics of which cannot be restricted by patents or other intellectual property rights. Originally developed for computer software, the open source idea makes something like computer code, or seeds, freely available for use, and makes sure it stays freely available. The material is placed permanently in the public domain. It can still be modified, shared, bought, sold, and reproduced. Some people might may choose to improve the material to make something new. But the original material, and any derivatives must remain free for others to use forever, and cannot be restricted through patents and licenses.

You can read more about open source seed on the OSSI website below, or on our website at Real Seeds here: http://www.realseeds.co.uk/ossi.html ... See more

Free the Seed!

It's #seedweek! Read about the grassroots #seedsovereignty movement of across the UK and Ireland.

"Only 3 corporations sell 75% of the worlds seed; if we all start sowing open source, organic seed, we can grow a democratic food system." David Price, Seed Cooperative, Lincolnshire, UK

https://spark.adobe.com/page/TPzSXT2LOg0bB/?fbclid=IwAR0p2U0IevkBfVcswO-ba0r2PbF-AUZSeWqYAFPwuiXoHNE-I5JgMnhDFgs ... See more

New Seed envelopes in action! All running smoothly now after only a few adjustments: Our Ballard Brown Bag Seed Packing Machine from the 1880s. This is the first trial run of our new Art Nouveau paper envelopes, custom manufactured for us as part of our drive to reduce plastic packaging. ... See more

Exciting parcel from USA! First trial batch of custom-made paper seed envelopes for our 1880's "Ballard Brown Bag Seed Packing Machine"! Don't they look fine? Bottom picture shows the back when closed & opened - the green stripe is the latex stickum to hold the flap shut.
Next step is to test them in both our envelope printer and the packing machine.
(they did unfortunately use a draft copy of the artwork rather than the final version, but that's why you get trial runs done rather than just ordering 100,000 👍 ) ... See more

Great to see everyone at Newport Seedy Saturday today. thanks to everybody who came ; hopefully we'll see you all again next year with loads of home saved seed 🙂

Just getting ready for our own Seedy Saturday here in Newport. Anyone local, see you at the Tabernacle Chapel vestry (opposite Long Street carpark) 10am to 1pm 🙂

We got our latest shipment of seed from Italy yesterday, and Kate noticed the boxes on the pallet were now labelled in English. Read the small print 🙂

Are you part of a community seed bank project? The Community Seed Banks Academy may be able to support you with training, information and exchanges. They currently have a call out for applications.

Hopefully you're all enjoying the beautiful weather. This is just a reminder not to get *too* optimistic about sowing just yet.

Remember, in most of the country soil temperatures outdoors won't get above 7 or 8 degrees C until into March. Realistically beetroot, carrots, parsnips etc will just tend to sit and linger in cold soil - even allowing for the fact that we are very likely to get another cold snap.

We find that delaying sowing until late March or into April gives much better results, with later sown crops coming on quicker and more able to outgrow slugs & other pests.

Similarly, sowing indoors on a windowsill may be very tempting, but remember that your crops will need warmth *and* light once they're up, so make sure you'll have somewhere suitable for them to grow on. We've sown our peppers and aubergines in a heated propagator, they'll go out into an unheated greenhouse insulated with bubblewrap, but we'll bring them indoors overnight if the weather is particularly cold. Tomatoes will go into the propagator this week.

My main exceptions to the 'don't sow too early' rule are onions (need a little heat to germinate but then will stand any amount of UK- level cold) and peas which you can start in modules or trays and then put out as soon as they're an inch or so high. Again they'll happily sit through frosts. I'm going to sow my new favourite Jessy sugar snap peas today 🙂

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/germination.html ... See more

To see what we're up to on the farm and in the office as we grow and try new varieties, follow our Facebook or Instagram pages