Passionate About Seeds

Peter completed his formal studies on Biodynamic Agriculture in Jarna, Sweden, in 1984.  Ever since then he has been working with and on the land in one way or another.

From 2001 till 2006 he worked for the Biodynamic Association as Seed Development Fieldsman when he traveled from farm to farm, working with and assisting farmers to save their seeds.

Together with Pupak Haghighi, he established Open Pollinated Seeds Initiative in 2010 in England to raise awareness and promote the practise of using and investing in the open pollinated seeds throughout the world.

He offers talks and workshops, writes articles, contributes to seed-related conferences and campaigns, grows OP seeds, organises Seed Swap events, does these and more besides, to bring our attention to the simple and profound fact that we have lost OP seeds, our global communal bank of biodiversity, at an alarming rate over the last few decades.  He encourages farmers, vegetable growers, allotment holders, indeed anyone concerned with food growing and eating to use open pollinated seeds, to make a way for a resounding come back of biodiversity to our plates and palates, and indeed to our planet.

Talks & Workshops

Peter offers talks and workshops on a number of different themes concerning Open Pollinated seeds and also on Biodynamic principals and approach to farming and gardening.

Here are several themes that can be combined in a talk or integrated in a workshop, as requested.

On OP Seeds

• Vegetable seed-saving and seed-growing methods. Technical, theoretical, crop by crop seed-saving, and where possible practical hands on demonstrations.
• The seeds in the packet and for our food. Present day seed issues – seed and plant ownership –laws and regulations. Do plants have rights?
• From Open Pollination to F1 Hybridisation. (From sensitivity and flexibility to uniformity and rigidity)
• Transition seeds and seeds of resilience. Upholding bio and genetic food plant diversity. Why local communities should get more involved in seed saving. Ways to network and co-opperate.

 

On Biodynamic approach

Topics for talks and workshops.

• What is Biodynamics?

• How to apply BD principles in seed-saving and vegetable-growing.

• Perceiving the farm and garden as a kind of individuality and organism. How can one use this  perception to understand better the place in which one works and lives.

• The Biodynamic preparations, their importance and contribution.  How to make and apply them in farm and garden.

• Working with the Biodynamic sowing and planting calendar.

Fees for talks and workshops

Evening talks;  1 hour.  Fee. £ 60 plus travel expenses

Workshop charges.  £ 35 an hour

Full day workshop fee,  £ 220 plus travel expenses

Full day workshop   –   9.30 am – 17.00 pm

Two day workshops can be arranged.

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