Family-Owned Farm Hosts 'Seed Swap' Encouraging Biodiversity

A family-owned Hampshire farm has partnered with Greening Shedfield Parish to host a ‘Seed, Seedling, and Plant Swap’ - a community-driven event aimed at encouraging sustainable gardening and biodiversity.

Westlands Farm Shop in the heart of the Meon Valley recently hosted the free-to-attend event for all ages in support of the Greening Campaign by Shedfield Parish.

The Greening Campaign aims to bring communities together through a program of 'Engagement' to give Hampshire residents a voice in how they tackle climate change.

Event attendees were able to bring excess seeds and plants from their own gardens and trade them for new varieties, helping to reduce waste, increase plant diversity, and promote self-sufficient gardening.

Other Greening Campaign activities across Hampshire include tree planting in Waltham Chase and creating pollinator-friendly patches in Bishopstoke.

Chris Parker from the Greening Campaign said:

“We're thrilled to partner with Westlands Farm Shop for this event. Community-driven initiatives like this are vital in empowering residents to make sustainable choices and protect our local environment and build community.”

Kayleigh Collett runs Westlands Farm Shop with her husband, Graham. She said:

"Encouraging local people to grow their own food and plants is not just great for the environment, but also builds a stronger, greener community."

"Attendees were encouraged to bring what they could and take what they needed. We’re proud to support this initiative and look forward to hosting similar events in the future."

"We had a great morning with around 25 attendees across the two hours, including families."