Sea Spring Seeds is based at Sea Spring Farm, a specialist market garden in West Dorset. Its sister business, Peppers by Post, was Britain’s first mail order chilli company, and both are owned and managed by us, Michael and Joy Michaud.

All seeds offered by Sea Spring Seeds are of varieties that we have grown ourselves and are ones that we consider to be exceptional in their class. For instance, every variety has some significant worth in the garden, whether it is particularly early, easy to grow or high yielding. Then, as no vegetable is worth its place in the garden unless it is good to eat, they also all have particular value in the kitchen – they may have an especially good flavour, be used for a specific culinary purpose or could be just an exceptionally good all rounder.

For now, as it is what we know best, the range of chilli pepper varieties in our catalogue is the best developed, and includes some varieties developed by us that are unique to Sea Spring Seeds. However, it is our aim to eventually offer the full range of vegetable and herb seeds for the kitchen garden; and we are gradually expanding the range of varieties on offer.

Open day: 22nd August 2010

Every year we have an open day to which everyone is invited; this year our open day is on Sunday 22nd August. Visitors will have the chance to walk around our polytunnels and field to see the variety trials. Many of the varieties in our catalogue as well as new varieties that we are looking at in the trials will be on show.

As it is our speciality we mostly have chillies growing in our polytunnels, but there will be a sweet pepper trials and some tomato and cucumbers on display. Fresh chillies, seeds and potted chilli plants will be available for sale.

Do come, it will be a great day! Please bear in mind, though, we are a small market garden and a visit is not likely to be a whole day event. So plan on taking advantage of your trip to West Dorset, it is a beautiful part of the country with lots to see, and we are just a quarter mile from the sea. Please wear appropriate clothes and footwear for the weather.

Shows

Every year we also attend several shows. So if you live close to one come and say hello to us, and if you are a regular customer please introduce yourself! At some shows we will only be selling seeds, but at others it will be any combination of fresh chillies, chilli plants and seeds.

At the moment the ones we plan on attending, but not all are confirmed, are:

• 21st March: Get Growing in Spring (River Cottage).
• 2nd May: Frome Valley Food Fest and Dorset Knob Throwing. 
• 19th June: Bridport Food Festival
• 3rd-4th July: Bath Food Festival
• 17th July: Leigh Village Food Festival and Classic Car Show.
• 24th July: Wyke Food and Beer Festival
• 6th-8th August: Chilli Fiesta, West Dean 
• 22nd August: Sea Spring Seeds/Peppers by Post Open day (see details above)
• 27th August: Melplash Agricultural Show.
• 4th-5th September: Dorchester County Show
• 11th-12th September: Sturminster Cheese Festival
• 18th-19th September: RHS Hyde Hall Chilli Weekend
• 18th-19th September: Abergavenny Food Festival
• 5th-6th Octobner: RHS Autumn Show
• 16th-17th October: Eat Dorset, Parnham House, Dorset.
• 23rd-24th October: Wimbourne Food Festival 

Other shows and their dates will be posted as soon as we know them.

        Michael and Joy
        Sea Spring Seeds
        Sea Spring Farm
        West Bexington
        Dorchester
        Dorset DT2 9DD

        01308 897898