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Where and when?

 2026 at Trill Farm Garden

Course content

Join Ashley Wheeler from Trill Farm Garden and Tim Williams of Earth Farmers to learn about the seed saving that they do in the market garden, not only for themselves but to produce for seed companies.

The course will cover some of the basic botany that is necessary for understanding how flowers are pollinated and what we need to know as seed savers to put in place to ensure that we are getting what we want from the seed. We will talk about some of the strategies that we use to isolate crops so that they do not cross, but 

• Inbreeders and outbreeders - what's the difference and how does this affect seed saving?
• Integrating seed saving into a market garden or veg growing context
• Growing seed crops
• Harvesting seed crops
• Processing seed crops: threshing and cleaning
• Storing seed crops: drying down and storing your seed to ensure longevity

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This course is suitable for both experienced small scale growers as well as home gardeners interested in saving some seed for themselves.

Course cost

£150 for the day (includes tea/coffee and a delicious lunch from The Old Dairy Kitchen).
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There is a 10% discount available to Landworkers' Alliance and Organic Growers Alliance members, please contact us with details of your membership to receive the discount code. 

One bursary ticket (half price) will also be offered to those who cannot afford the full ticket price. To apply for this please email [email protected] with a little bit about yourself, what you would like to get from the course, and why you think you should be considered for the bursary.

Course leaders

Ashley Wheeler has run Trill Farm Garden with his partner Kate since 2010. Brought up on an organic smallholding, he learnt a huge amount from his parents who ran a box scheme in the 1990's. After his Horticulture degree at Reading University he and Kate came across the opportunity at Trill Farm to rent 2.5 acres to run their own market gardening business. They now rent 5 acres and sell salad and other vegetables and herbs to around 30 different restaurants, cafes and caterers almost all within 8 miles of the farm, along with the box scheme delivering vegetables door to door.

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Tim Williams is an accomplished regenerative pastoralist with an expertise in grassland management. He has many years of experience and learnings from agro-ecological, organic, and biodynamic systems, with a focus on restoring soil health. Tim and his partner Clare and currently regenerating both Erth Barton Farm and Ince Estate in Cornwall. Tim and Clare are one of our farm partners, and will be trialling Climate Compost at both of these locations.
These two are truly leading the way, working with them is a joy. Over the next month and years we are together developing Climate Compost production in Cornwall for application both in physical compost form and as an extract / tea in order to boost microbial function and enhance the health and resilience of each farming system.
“As we transition towards a system that goes beyond sustainability, into a management style of farming that can actually repair damaged ground it is important that we understand the processes involved and the practices in place to achieve positive outcomes. When you know better, you do better.”
Follow Tim at erth.farm or here @erth_farmer

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