Ep. 87 Behind the Zigzag Cleaner – Kate McEvoy and Ben Gabel, Real Seeds
Kate McEvoy and Ben Gabel run Real Seeds in Pembrokeshire in west Wales.
In this episode, Ben and Kate discuss their company structure that operates without shareholders to prioritize high quality seed, fair staff wages, and customer education over profit extraction.We talk about DIY equipment such as their Zigzag seed cleaner and 3D-Printed Seed Measuring Scoops. That they have shared both these designs with the broader seed community. We get into selecting varieties for cool and humid conditions.
In the deep dive, we discuss growing kale for seed. We tackle the challenge of distinguishing between Brassica oleracea and Brassica napus kale species. Ben and Kate outline their complete process for growing kale in West Wales, covering how they manage severe pigeon pest pressure, their approach to post-winter selection, how they construct field staking, and why harvesting early when seeds just begin turning brown inside the pods is critical for avoiding bird loss and achieving top germination rates.
Enjoy the conversation!
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Episode links
Real Seeds website https://realseeds.co.uk/
Real Seeds on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/realseeds/
Open-source Seed Cleaning Machine https://realseeds.co.uk/seedcleaner.html
Open-source Seed Measuring Scoops https://realseeds.co.uk/handscoops.html
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