The Future’s Green – by Peter Seabrook

As part of the annual Lincolnshire Brassica Week event, Elsoms hosts an Open Day in Spalding to showcase its growing portfolio and its expertise in breeding crops such as parsnips, swede, rocket, and dill, and its joint breeding programmes on Brussels sprouts and purple headed broccoli with Bejo. Guests from across the vegetable industry come to see the latest varieties, to talk about Elsoms’ seed treatments and to learn more about developments in Elsoms’ growing agricultural portfolio.

This year, gardening writer for The Sun, Peter Seabrook also attended the open day event. Peter spoke with several members of Elsoms’ breeding team and also with some of the Specialist Crop Managers. He learned about the latest developments in vegetable breeding and was particularly interested in Elsoms’ range of highly disease resistant parsnip varieties. He was also keen to learn all about Elsoms’ seed treatment processes, and the significant advantages they provide for promoting speed and success of germination.

Take the wholesale seed producer Elsoms. Celebrating their 175th anniversary next year, they staged a trial, the likes of which I have never seen for quality, exciting new introductions and row after row of the most perfect crops – every plant good enough to be cut and put on any exhibition show bench.

– Peter Seabrook

Following his visit, we were delighted that Peter wrote a long, illustrated article about Elsoms’ Open Day which was published in The Sun on 27^th October 2018, and which can be seen below. This article is supported by a podcast featuring an interview with Elsoms’ Crop Manager Keely Watson. Peter and Keely discuss her career and what led her in to horticulture. They also talk about who Elsoms are, along with the work that takes place on parsnip research and development, trials work, and our Open Days.

Peter’s podcast can be found by clicking on the ‘This Week in the Garden’ image below: