I'm a commercial organic vegetable and seed grower, and Regional Coordinator for The Gaia Foundation Seed Sovereignty Programme. After working in formal horticulture for several years, I followed my passion for all things soil and seed and made the leap into market gardening.

There is an urgent need for us to grow much more of our own seed in the UK. The purpose of my Fellowship is to explore farmer-led, collaborative and dynamic approaches to seed production to facilitate the creation of a resilient diverse food system.

Participatory plant breeding empowers farmers, breeders and customers to come together to improve crops specifically adapted to local areas, soils and local markets Ð regaining seed sovereignty. It is a partnership that focuses on resilience and adaptation and allows natural diversity to thrive. I plan to learn these techniques and practices from pioneering growers in the USA and Canada who are experimenting with diverse plant populations, building resilience and quality.

By implementing these practices and sharing my research with my own farming community and beyond, I hope to reconnect people to a more sustainable way of producing food, cultivate curiosity and inspire.