Growing for Seed AND Meeting the Challenges with Regenerative Practices

1.     Cross-Pollination Risks
One of the biggest headaches in seed production is preventing cross-pollination between crop varieties. Crops like wheat and barley, along with insect-pollinated plants like oilseed rape and peas, need to be carefully managed to stop contamination from other varieties. Even a little cross-pollination can ruin seed quality.
At Lower Blakemere, we make sure crops are isolated and plan our planting schedules carefully to avoid this. But with other farms nearby, it’s not always easy to manage—and it can mean less land for other crops.

2.     Cutting Down on Chemicals with Regenerative Farming
We’re committed to using fewer chemicals, which means no synthetic fertilisers or pesticides unless absolutely necessary. This focus on soil health and biodiversity makes our farm more sustainable, but it also complicates seed production. Pests and diseases can threaten crops like grass seed, wheat, barley, oilseed rape, and peas—and fighting them off without traditional chemicals can be tough.
Instead, we use natural methods like crop rotation, cover crops, and encouraging beneficial insects. These methods are more labour-intensive and take time to see results, but they’re key to building healthier soils and creating a more resilient farm ecosystem.

3.     Quality Control
Seed production is all about quality. Seeds need to be pure, viable, and disease-free. We test everything rigorously, especially with our grass seed, wheat, barley, oilseed rape, and peas, to ensure they meet strict industry standards.
Our shift towards reducing chemical use means we can’t always rely on conventional pest and disease treatments. That makes the process more complicated, but we’ve developed robust systems to ensure our seeds meet all the necessary criteria without compromising our commitment to the environment.

4.     British Weather
Let’s face it: British weather is unpredictable. Wet springs, dry summers, or an unexpected frost can all impact seed yields, particularly with crops like wheat, barley, and oilseed rape. Seed crops are more sensitive to environmental stress than those grown for food.
But with regenerative practices—building healthier soils, improving water retention, and using minimal tillage—we’re getting more resilient. Healthier soils help buffer against the extremes of weather, and that means better, more reliable seed production.

5.     Expertise
Growing for seed isn’t simple—it takes a lot of technical know-how and hands-on work. Harvesting at just the right time, handling the seeds carefully during processing, and ensuring they meet germination standards all require skilled labour.

6.     The Market
The seed market is competitive, with big players dominating the space. For a smaller farm like Lower Blakemere, producing seeds like grass seed, wheat, barley, oilseed rape, and peas means working hard to stand out. We’ve are dealing with tight profit margins, especially since we’re committed to using fewer chemicals and sticking to sustainable practices.