TERMS & CONDITIONS
Given the current state of the world seed supply, it is more important
than ever that people know how to save their own seed and select their
own strains. We do not deal in hybrid (F1) varieties, so you are free,
and very much encouraged, to save your own seed for the following
year. Instructions are supplied with every packet, and we are happy
to advise by e-mail if you need more help.
However, please note that this seed catalogue is the
sole source of funding for maintaining the Collection - we get no
grants - so while we hope you will keep your saved seed and even pass
it on to friends, we would of course appreciate it if you did not
use it to go directly into commercial competition with the Collection.
Much of our seed is produced by hand, and so is available in limited
quantities. Packets are pretty generous: you should get enough for
a family of three or four in a packet. Seed counts are approximate
- packets are filled by hand, not machine. Sadly, we cannot supply
bulk quantities (there are only two of us !). If you want to grow
really huge quantities, just save your seed using the instructions
supplied and sow as much as you like the following year.
We believe all our seeds are free from disease, breed true, are correctly
identified and truly edible. We want you to enjoy our vegetables!
But we have to say that there is no warranty, express or implied,
as to the type, description, or any other quality of the seed supplied,
and we cannot accept any liability in any way from the resulting crop.
Where we give information about the uses, qualities
or effects of plants, we have researched this as well as we can, and
believe it to be true - but our sources might be wrong, so we can
make no guarantee as to its accuracy. No medical claims are made.
We do take all reasonable precautions to research our plants carefully,
and try everything ourselves before we offer the seed. We steer clear
of things that have to be prepared in weird and wonderful ways to
be edible.
To the best of our knowledge these crops are correctly
identified, safe to eat, and are commonly eaten by large numbers of
people in their country of origin. However, different foods can affect
people differently, and with all new foods, it is wise to try tiny
amounts first, especially if you have a history of allergies to similar
plants.
Biopiracy: It is becoming sadly common for large companies to patent
traditional vegetable varieties, and claim them as their own. The
subject is complex, but we do not believe it is correct to patent
food plants. We reserve the right to refuse membership of our seed
club, and to refuse to supply seed to anyone, without explanation.
Likewise, as policy, we do not supply samples to other seed companies
or individuals involved in the trade.
OUR SEED CLUB
In the EU, there is now a list of 'official' vegetable varieties.
Seed that is not on the list cannot be 'sold' to the 'public' (even
though it is perfectly legal to grow it!). To keep something on the
list costs thousands of pounds each year, so it's only worthwhile
to 'keep listed' varieties that sell in bulk to farmers, who have
very different needs to home growers - a farmer wants their plants
to respond to precise chemical inputs, fruit all at once and be tough
to stand up to transport and packaging. You on the other hand, want
tender vegetables produced over a long season, even during variable
years.
Hundreds of thousands of old heirloom varieties (the results of about
eleven thousand years of plant breeding by our ancestors) are being
lost forever, due to some rather poorly drafted EU legislation. This
seems a little foolish. To us, what is important is that more people
get to grow these plants (which otherwise would become extinct). So.
. . . (and this is the small print) when you request seed,
you are also requesting membership of our seed club: 1p of your order
pays for a years membership of The Real Seed Club. We then deal with
your seed request as a member - so we are not dealing with the 'public'.
But this is truly not just an exercise to avoid falling foul of the
regulations. Feedback, suggestions, recipes, and donated varieties
from our members are genuinely important to us. Please let us know
(email or post) how your plants do. It gives us a much bigger picture
from the whole country rather than just our trials - many things have
been added (and removed) over the years due to feedback from people
all over the UK.
Members receive (again for free) a copy of our annual newsletter by
e-mail. (You'll need to give us your email address when you order).
This has more information about a whole range of vegetables that are
under trial, advice about seed saving, notes on cooking, and collated
feedback sent in by other members.
REGISTERED OFFICE ETC:
The 'Real Seed Catalogue' is a trading name of a membership-based
seed club organised by The Real Seed Collection Ltd.
This is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee: Company No:
5924934
Registered Office: Gadlys, Newport, Pembrokeshire, SA42
0RF. Registered for VAT No 841181938
