As the winter solstice approaches, we hope you have been able to rest as your garden begins to move towards stillness and hibernation.

We don't recommend doing any seed sowing in December, instead now is a great time to plan for the season ahead.

Inspire yourself by having a browse of our ever expanding seed catalogue, full of a diverse mix of varieties chosen for their flavour, beauty, yield, vigour, reliability and adaptability.

Why are open pollinated seeds more climate resistant?

Seeds from open pollinated varieties are genetically diverse compared to F1 hybrids, which means that they produce unique plants which will vary slightly genetically from their neighbours. In any planted population there will be a large diversity of characteristics, meaning that the plants are able to continually adapt in response to environmental changes.

Along with climate change comes the increased likelihood of plant disease. Warmer temperatures and milder winters means some pests and diseases can survive and spread in environments that were once inhospitable to them. When we have a more genetically diverse population of plants within a variety we can choose to save seed from the more resistant plants to a new strain of disease. This then increases the resistance to this disease in the next generation.

Open pollinated varieties have oftentimes been bred for decades, sometimes generations, with different growers and communities carefully selecting and breeding plants that grow well in their local conditions. This means that when choosing new varieties to try growers can pick specific varieties that are adapted to environments similar to their own.

By increasing the genetic diversity in the genepool and stewarding regional specific varieties, we can ensure the food system remains as diverse as possible and more adaptable to constantly shifting climates and growing conditions.

It's also worth a mention that the more diverse our food systems are the more diverse and nutrient rich our diets will be!

Here are four of our climate resilient varieties to try:

1. ​Broccoli ‘Piracicaba’ - This variety thrives in warmer conditions where other broccolis might struggle and is a brilliant choice for extending your season.
2. ​Perpetual Spinach ‘Erbette’ - Erbette is a traditional Italian variety that is a part of the chard family, tasting similar to spinach but with an earthier flavour. It is hardy, easy to grow and bolt-resistant in its first season, making it a good replacement for true spinach where growing conditions are difficult
3. ​Sweetcorn ‘Golden Bantham’ - This is the most popular open-pollinated sweetcorn variety for a reason. It was introduced in 1902 as a variety suitable for eating fresh and freezing and can be sown earlier than many other varieties as it thrives in colder soils.
4. ​Kale ‘Dwarf Green’ - This variety is extremely hardy and withstands frosts in the winter when no other brassica stays standing while also producing well when sown in spring for a summer harvest. It is a Scottish heritage kale dating back to the 19th century, originally known as ‘Dwarf Curlies’ or ‘Scotch’ kale. It grows to only 40cm high making it perfect for windswept sites or for growing in containers.

Beetroot, goat's cheese, toasted hemp and tarragon salad

A salad in winter you say!

If you're like me you might often struggle to get more beetroot into your life. Knowing new ways to cook or eat it are always welcome and with a myriad of benefits that support brain function, inflammation and liver detoxification, it's definitely something we should be eating more of.

Here's a recipe from Sarah and Aitana at the little cooking pot:

Serves 3-4

4 beetroot, scrubbed clean

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt & black pepper

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

Tarragon

Cider vinegar

100g organic goat’s cheese

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and pop in your beetroot. Boil over an ‘energetic simmer’ until a knife easily passes through them. Depending on the size of your beetroot, this will take between 30-45 minutes. Once cooked, drain and leave to cool, before using your hands to peel away the skins.

Slice the beetroot into thick rounds and pop on a serving plate. Drizzle with olive oil, a little cider vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Carefully massage the dressing into the beetroot, making sure all the pieces are coated.

Heat a cast iron pan and toast your hemp seeds until they pop. They will smell nutty like popcorn.

Scatter the goat’s cheese over the beetroot, followed by some hemp seeds and tarragon leaves. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and a final pinch of salt and pepper.

Tip: As beetroot takes a little while to cook, why not boil more than you need for this recipe to eat with other meals. They will happily stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for around 5 days before serving.

All the best and keep cosy!

Chloe and the rest of the team

P.S. If you're hoping to gift any of our seeds, seed collections or gifts this Christmas you have until Saturday 20th December to make your order!