This weekend we have our first farm event for sea buckthorn. Since 2008 both Matt and I have visited conferences around the world to piece together how we are to develop sea buckthorn as a crop at Devereux farm. Matt has been to India; Tibet and Lithuania, I have taken in Siberia, Finland and several trips to Germany. Each of these is characterised by the openness of the community that makes up those involved with the plant. Networking is a key driver for development of all innovation in today’s world. In sea buckthorn we have the International Association based in Beijing that meets every two years. Across the world there are increasing numbers of interest groups being created. All of these help promote interest and understanding in sea buckthorn as a plant; its benefits and how to transfer those into product.

So Saturday is to be a gathering to discuss the role of the UK Sea Buckthorn Association. For some years there has been interest in Scotland based around an active practice of foraging for wild sea buckthorn. Engagement with Queen |Margaret University in Edinburgh has looked at the nutritional benefits and how they can be harnessed into product. We have two visitors from Cornwall with a sea buckthorn orchard being planted this winter. Growers are coming on the basis that we have invited Kirsten Jensen to come over from Sweden to give us advice from her experience as a sea buckthorn agronomist. The Devereux farm agronomist is coming too to compare notes and ensure we take as much from Kirsten’s visit as possible.
Sweden has a number of growers and a breeding programme for new varieties that are suited to their conditions.
Choosing the right variety is a key factor always and although access to plants is sometimes difficult I am hoping that we will learn of the advantages of varieties that are not widely in circulation.
Harvesting will be under discussion. The use of shakers seems to be an option but again not widely talked about.
One of the primary interests I have personally is how to prune my plants. With German plants now 6 years old these need some radical pruning. The Siberian plants are still immature so they will need a different treatment. This sort of knowledge is obtainable from books, but it is so much better to have practical advice first hand.

When we have had visitors before our kitchen has been bubbling and brewing new recipies using our berries. The latest offering is some spectacular Turkish delight really catching the unique flavour of sea buckthorn.

It promises to be a great way to start the year. The year when the primary problem to solve will be to keep birds off the crop. Having overcome disease problems in 2013, I feel confident that we will solve this in 2015.