WILD SEED PRODUCTION AT EMORSGATE

SEED PRODUCTION

Seed crops are field grown, in the open, using specialist machinery and drawing on years of experience. Each species requires a different approach to growing and harvest, and at present we grow up to 200 species on over 150 acres, divided between Limes Farm in Norfolk and Manor Farm at Bath. Harvesting of the crop is by hand, purpose built machines, or by combine harvesters, and the seed is then dried and cleaned using seed cleaning machinery.

The entire process, from hand collecting wild stock seed to harvest of the first commercial seed crop takes from 3-10 years depending on the growth rate of the species.

SEED STORAGE

Stock seed and crop grown seed is stored in cold stores with humidity and temperature regulated to maintain optimum viability.

SEED QUALITY

Having produced seed by the above process, and retained control at all stages, we are able to guarantee the origin, trueness to type, age and storage conditions of the seed. Stock records are held at Limes Farm in Norfolk, and this is also our main site for cleaning, storage and despatch of seed.

FLORA LOCALE

Flora locale is a national charity which promotes the responsible use of wild seeds and plants through education, technical notes and guidance on best practice. Emorsgate Seeds has signed up to the ‘Flora locale Code of Practice’ and we also take part in the summer season of training days organised by Flora locale (www.floralocale.org).

EUROPEAN SEED REGULATIONS

These regulations require us to supply only certified seed and approved varieties of certain species of flower and grass, such as Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Fescues and Red Clover. For a variety to be on the approved list it must have desirable agronomic characteristics and be genetically distinct, uniform and stable. True wild plants, by contrast, do not generally have desirable agronomic characteristics, and are not distinct, uniform and stable. We are therefore unable to comply with these regulations.

Emorsgate Wild Seeds
Wild Flower Seed &
Wild Grass Seed
Growers & Suppliers

Regrettably we only
provide seed to
the UK market.