Tag Archives: UK

Seminar on Community Seed Banks in Oslo

On 31st October, I took part in a seminar at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Oslo on Community Seed Banks with interesting talks and discussions with pioneers of the seed saver movement in Europe from Pro Specie Rara (Switzerland), Heritage Seed Library (UK) and Aegilops (Greece). Videos of all the talks can be seen by following the link: https://www.fni.no/news/community-seed-banks-as-springboards-for-enhancing-food-and-crop-diversity-article2178-330.html
In my short 10 minute introduction to Norwegian Seed Savers, I talk about one of the pioneers and the person that inspired me into seed saving, Lawrence Hills of the Henry Doubleday Research Association. The first newsletter I received from HDRA in 1980 was about the World’s Vanishing Vegetables…almost exactly 40 years on it’s a very interesting read:  https://www.fni.no/getfile.php/1311057-1573120703/Dokumenter/Kvann%20-%20powerpoint%20presentation.pdf
Thanks to Regine Anderson of FNI for arranging this event!

Wild edibles in SW England in late February

In late February last year I was in Cornwall for a short visit and had a head start on the year’s wild edible foraging with two less hardy species in particular that I’ve struggled to grow in the past….Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), suspected to be one of the plants brought north by the Romans for food and common particularly on coastal areas in the UK, and Navelwort (Umbilicis rupestris), another plant at the north of its range in the UK.  I was surprised to find Alexanders almost in flower, perfect for delicious stir-fried wild greens with Alexanders broccoli and navelwort greens served over soba (buckwheat pasta)!