George Eaton in north Buckinghamshire has about 5 big bales of hay from a small species-rich meadow which are available to anyone who would like to use them as seed sources for restoration projects.
The site was originally reverted using an Emorsgate mix 12 years ago, but now has naturalised and includes yellow rattle, knapweed, yarrow etc.
Each bale should fit onto a flat-bed trailer, and could do with being used quickly.
Contributions in the order of £12-15 per bale would be welcome towards costs, but for more info speak to George direct on 01280 848587.
Hi Meadowmaker
Presumably, the emmorsgate mix would be classed as "native seed" with no agricultural/amenity varieties requiring royalties to be paid? However, if the field had been been sown with ag/amenity grass varieties before this, but post 1970, would this mean the site could not be classed as "native" due to the potential of previously sown ag/amenity cultivars being present in the mix? Is this right, or am I confusing things?
Posted on behalf of George Eaton:
Thanks for the feedback. The field itself was reverted straight from arable using the Emorsgate mix, but as I said, has pretty much naturalised and found it's own composition now. Where I've been using this field as a source of green hay to floristically enhance my own arable field margins, a) should I have been paying royalties on this? and b) how is this calculated?
I've done this for several years working my way gradually around different margins, and seem to have had a reasonable 'take' of flowering species. After I've spread the green hay on the margins, each margin is cut and carted once each year.
Having flower-rich margins suits us, because they're so easy to access with the mower, and I believe they provide added benefit by ensuring I keep fertiliser etc out of the hedgerow base.
If George was collecting seeds from plant cultivars that had been bred by plant breeders, then he would need to be paying royalties to those that bred them - bit like saving your own cereal for planting. However, as the seed is from “native” plants and not agricultural/amenity cultivars, then there is no need for this. However, George does need seek approval from FERA (Food and Environment Research Agency) to move “native seed” (called "preservation seed") around. This may seem like an added hassle, but I believe it was set up as a way of keeping the plant breeding industry happy with what was going on with regard to seed collection/movement for conservation.
I believe the process is straightforward and it does add a further ck that the seed is from an assured source. I attach a guide to applying for authorisation to market preservation mixtures, which provides more information. Im afraid I dont know whether you need to register if you were just using the seed on your own holding - you would hope not!