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Charity Synopsis
True Harvest Seeds is a dedicated ex-situ seed bank for all our wild flowers, shrubs and trees. Ireland’s flora is generally regarded as being a subset of European flora. We at True Harvest Seeds question this and suggest that this is a broadly sweeping assumption.
It is for this reason we have set up a dedicated centre for the research into and preservation of flora from the island of Ireland. In April 2014 we were awarded charitable status. Along with prior knowledge on seed technology, farming naturally without chemicals, horticulture and business we approached Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank Partnership and in November 2014, two of their experts generously came here to stay with us for three days. They gave us training in making the high quality seed collections and much much more. In 2016, founder Debbie Gillies undertook a three week live-in course on Seed Conservation Techniques at Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank. Today she passes on her knowledge to the volunteers who collect, process and store the seeds in our seedbank.
The ongoing aims of True Harvest Seeds are to build a Seed Centre of excellence; an indigenous plant resource centre on the island of Ireland. This would contain a gene bank, a high quality scientific collection of each native species from each habitat; a research facility for genetic testing of our DNA sampling and information dissemination about the findings; an ongoing source of native-origin seed, available via the seed bank for research or seed packets for everyone; a hub for visitors to enjoy a day, exploring the plants that provide us with our unique natural heritage and the life they support; a herbaria so future generations can see what the seed collections should look like if they grow out some seeds and an opportunity for learning and becoming involved in this detailed work in practice – collecting seeds and specimens – growing in the nursery and seed banking techniques.
Contact Details
Office: +44 (0)28 4488 1736
Chief Executive, Debbie Gillies mobile: +44 (0)7516 264888
Marketing Executive, Michael Thompson: +44 (0)7899 894205
Corporate Images
Please credit images: True Harvest Seeds
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