Dear Friends,
In this newsletter,
and I ( ) wanted to give you a glimpse into what’s going on at the farm, especially some of the projects I’m involved with or leading. The side you usually see here on Substack is when ingredients reach my kitchen, but I actually spend more of my time in wellies, sowing seeds, preparing soil, planting trees, and catching escaped chickens (which I’m rather good at).Huw wanted to share this side of what I do with you, so he persuaded me to stand in front of the camera with him to make a video about it. But I also wanted to share more down here in the written part of the newsletter.
Before we jump in, I want to take the opportunity to thank Huw. He doesn’t know I’m sneaking this in here, and he’ll likely skim read what I’ve written, so he might not even notice. But I really appreciate how much he values and supports the projects I’m involved in (especially the oats) even years before he was ever interested or excited about them. Without him, this wouldn’t happen.
On with the newsletter!
Sam’s Corner: A Wild Garden to Reclaim
Sowing the Seeds of Our Future: The Revival of Welsh Landrace Oats
6,000 Plants: Our Plant Nursery, Dyfi Plants
My New Garden
To put it briefly, there was a small plot at Dan Yr Onnen (the seven acres of land we lease from the larger farm) that someone else used as an allotment before I took on its stewardship. It’s smaller even than the garden Huw and I wrote The Self-Sufficiency Garden about, and I’m keen to explore a different approach, one that doesn’t centre on yield or efficiency.
For me, time is always the hardest thing to balance, and I never seem to have enough of it. So I’d like to focus on shaping the garden into a perennial foods space, where longevity takes precedence over productivity. My plan is to build the infrastructure, both living and structural, so that in five to eight years it becomes a balanced ecosystem of dwarf tree varieties, sunny corners for hungry plants, crops that evolved on woodland floors, and as many soft fruits and herbs as I can fit in.
As a lover of tea, I’m also relocating as much fireweed (rosebay willowherb) as I can find, to make my year’s supply of Ivan Chai (which you can read about in my newsletter from last year)
If you want to know more about what I have in mind and hear some of Huw’s suggestions, watch the video above. But for now, I’m busy reclaiming the land from the wildness that befell it over the last year. I’ll be sure to post updates if you’re interested in following along and seeing what sort of weird decisions a fermenter and forager makes when it comes to gardening.
Seeds of Our Future
A quiet revolution is taking root in a sleepy corner of Wales, one that reaches deep into the past to secure the future of food. All over the world, seeds lie the bedrock of civilization, providing crops for food as well as resilience in nature. In recent decades, seeds have been quietly curated and commodified by a handful of companies looking to make profit whilst wearing the masks of sustainability, progress, and compassion. In parts of Africa, (particularly Kenya and Tanzania) the Seed and Plant Varieties Act Cap 326 of 2012 prohibits farmers from sharing, exchanging, or selling uncertified and unregistered seeds. Violations of this law can result in penalties of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 1 million Kenyan shillings (approximately $7,500 USD), or both. In Tanzania, it’s a minimum of 12 years in prison or fines exceeding €205,300, or both. With pressure on seed swapping and trade of landrace varieties (old, naturally selected seed stock passed down for generations) it’s no wonder more farmers are turning to patented seed and the fertilisers and pesticides they’re bred to depend on. Read more here.
In the heart of Wales, a movement called Llafur Ni is taking place. A collective of farmers, growers, and seed savers dedicated to reviving rare and endangered Welsh oat varieties that many thought lost decades ago when our own agricultural landscape was changed forever. These landrace oats, once staples of our ancestors' diets and homes, are being brought back to life, not just as crops, but as symbols of resilience, biodiversity, and cultural heritage.
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The Lost Grains of Wales
Over the past century, industrial agriculture has prioritized uniformity and high yields, leading to the disappearance of countless traditional crop varieties. In Wales alone, 108 unique oat varieties have been identified in gene banks, remnants of a rich agricultural tapestry that once thrived across the land. These oats, adapted over generations to the specific climates and soils of their regions, hold genetic traits that modern varieties have lost, traits that could prove invaluable in the face of climate change and food insecurity moving forward.
I recently posted about the importance of preserving these rare varieties from extinction, partly for their diversity, but also because they hold the genetics required for GMO crops. Whatever you believe the future of farming looks like, we need crops like these to move forward. After posting about it, I received quite significant backlash from the die-hard fans of GMO who seemed to think I was pursuing some sort of prehistoric fairytale foods, going as far as to accuse me of promoting a dangerous message.
It doesn’t matter what we think the future of food looks like, we need to safeguard crops like these all over the world or there won’t be any kind of farming that can support us. https://www.seedsovereignty.info/seed-week-2025-what-does-seed-sovereignty-taste-like/
Llafur Ni: A Collective Effort
Llafur Ni, meaning "Our Cereals" in Welsh, is more than a project, it's a community-driven initiative that brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds to cultivate and preserve these heritage grains. From seasoned farmers to enthusiastic volunteers, each member contributes to a shared mission: to grow, study, and share these rare oats, ensuring their survival for generations to come.
Stories from the Fields
Caerhys Farm, Pembrokeshire: Gerald Miles, a veteran farmer and activist, has been instrumental in the revival of Ceirch Du Bach (small black oats). After discovering that his family's traditional oat variety had vanished, Gerald embarked on a quest to find and reintroduce it to Welsh soil. His efforts have not only restored a piece of agricultural history but have also inspired a new generation of growers.
Penpont Estate, Brecon: In collaboration with Action for Conservation, the Penpont Estate is integrating traditional farming practices with modern ecological approaches. By cultivating seven varieties of Llafur Ni oats, they are exploring the potential of these grains to contribute to a more sustainable and biodiverse agricultural system.
Dan yr Onnen, Ceredigion: Chef Sam Cooper and gardener Huw Richards are experimenting with Dyfed oats in their terraced beds. For Sam, these oats offer a unique culinary opportunity to reconnect with ancestral flavors and promote food sovereignty.
Dynyn, Machynlleth: Musician Owen Shiers, inspired by Welsh heritage and music, is growing Ceirch Du and other varieties, linking agricultural revival with cultural preservation.
Holden Dairy Farm, Lampeter: Patrick and Rebecca Holden are integrating heritage oats into their organic dairy operations, demonstrating the feasibility of incorporating traditional grains into modern farming systems.
Machynlleth Allotments: Herbalist Beth Maiden is exploring the medicinal properties of different oat varieties, highlighting the multifaceted value of these grains beyond nutrition.
Why It Matters
The revival of landrace oats is not merely an act of nostalgia; it's a strategic response to the challenges facing our food systems. As Dan Saladino emphasizes in his book Eating to Extinction, the loss of crop diversity poses a significant threat to global food security. By cultivating a wide range of genetically diverse crops, we enhance our resilience against pests, diseases, and changing climate conditions.
Moreover, these efforts foster a deeper connection between people and the food they consume. They encourage sustainable practices, support local economies, and preserve cultural identities tied to traditional agriculture.
SHOYU
One of my projects in recent years has been the development of a fermentation technique tailored to such oats. I’ve been testing it with wheats and barley too. Such older crops are tough to process, often requiring highly specialized equipment that just isn’t made anymore. They also sometimes possess mycotoxins that require special treatment to remove. Through fermentation, specifically koji fermentation, I hope to sidestep the need to process (remove the hull) and neutralize these toxins. I’m still a way away from finding the results, but with the help of others and lab testing, I hope to have a technique down for a truly special shoyu by the time we’ve built the seed stock up enough to produce a lot of it.
If you’re interested in learning more, let me know. I’m more than happy to share my trials.
Join the Movement
Llafur Ni's work is a testament to the power of community and the importance of preserving our agricultural heritage. While current seed quantities are limited, the collective aims to expand its reach and share these precious grains more widely in the future. If you're interested in participating or learning more, please contact Katie Hastings at katie@gaianet.org.
This year, Llafur Ni is under funded for their operations and they’re calling on us for the support they need to continue their work. If you are in a position to, and could be so kind, the link below will take you to their donation page. Thank you.
https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05WS0000027imLYAQ
Together, we can ensure that these ancient grains continue to nourish both our bodies and our cultural landscapes.
DYFI PLANTS
Finally, Dyfi Plants, our new plant nursery is now fully operational. Flying into action, we’ve been fulfilling online orders, attending farmer’s markets, and selling through local vendors across mid Wales. It’s honestly been a crazy period of time, but one that is deeply rewarding. After years of growing these interesting and niche plants (mostly edible ones), it feels so good to be able to share them directly with you.
If you happen to live in the UK, or better yet, Wales! Do check out our website or come meet us at one of the markets we show up at. All the information can be found on our shiny new website.
https://dyfiplants.co.uk/
As always, I find a way to ramble on about these things, but I hope you found it of interest. Next week we’ll jump back into some recipes involving ingredients both fresh and fermented. But for now, I wish you all the best and I hope you have a great weekend.
Warm regards,
Sam
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