Shire Horses Harvest British Wildflower Seeds the Regenerative Way at Golf Course.

In April 2025, a new 1,200 square metre meadow was sown at Winter Hill Golf Course in Cookham, Berkshire. Get Golfing appointed Natural Shoots to plan and execute the installation. The new habitat was created using a wildflower seed mix containing both annual wildflower seeds and seeds for perennials, designed to attract pollinators, restore biodiversity, and create a vibrant display of meadow flowers throughout the summer. 35 individuals contributed volunteer hours to prepare and sow the new meadow habitat. They came from Berkshire Careers Springboard, a jobseeker group, employees from Avanade, located in Maidenhead and Caversham, Cookham Explorers, and residents, some of whom are members of Wild Cookham.  

By July, the results were spectacular — a blaze of colour from red poppies, blue cornflowers, yellow corn marigolds, and purple nodding catchfly, alongside emerging perennial flowers such as pink sainfoin, white campion, and yellow black medic. The meadow was also sown with yellow rattle, a semi-parasitic plant that helps to keep grasses in check and allows wildflowers to thrive.

Harvest Time for Wildflower Seeds

After such a successful flowering season, it was time to collect this year’s British wildflower seeds for future meadow creation projects. Seed harvesting is a vital part of regenerative land management — allowing us to preserve the genetic diversity of the meadow, create a local seed bank and reinvest it into new spaces that support bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

There were three possible methods:

• A motor-powered harvester, fast but damaging to soil and insects.

• Scything by hand, beautiful but challenging after heavy rain and lush grass growth.

• Or the traditional, gentle way — using Shire horses.

A Regenerative Harvest with Shire Horses

Working with Oakwood Heavy Horses (oakwoodheavyhorses.co.uk), we chose the last option — a truly regenerative approach. Two magnificent Shire horses, each weighing over 850 kg, pulled a unique ground-driven seed harvester across the 1,200 m² meadow.

As the harvester passed over the mixed wildflower seeds in the meadow, rotating brushes gently knocked ripe seed heads into the collecting bin. Flowers still in bloom, including the yellow rattle plants, sprang back upright, continuing to set seed later in the season.

This method also protects wildlife. The brushes allow bees, bugs, caterpillars, spiders, and flies to drop safely into the collection bin and escape unharmed — something impossible with powered machinery.

Protecting Soil and Wildlife

The Shire horses’ broad hooves distribute weight evenly, preventing soil compaction and erosion while supporting soil structure, carbon sequestration, and healthy root systems. Their quiet, rhythmic pace and zero fuel emissions make this technique an ideal model for sustainable meadow management.

Heavy machinery may be efficient, but it comes at a high environmental cost, and increasingly a high operating cost if one takes insurance, operator costs, and the initial purchase price into account. By contrast, horse-powered harvesting keeps the meadow ecosystem intact — preserving pollinators and soil life essential for next year’s growth.

From Meadow to Seed Bag

Once collected, the wildflower seed mix was spread on tarpaulins in a barn to dry naturally. Three cuts were taken, high, medium, and low, and bagged separately so the yield could be measured. When dry, the husks and stalks are removed, and the seeds for perennials and annual wildflower seeds are sieved for purity before being bagged for use in new meadows.

The next stage will involve scything the remaining stalks once they have finished flowering. These will be left briefly on the meadow to allow any remaining yellow rattle seed and other species to fall, before being raked off to prevent rot and mould.

Closing the Regenerative Loop

This project is a celebration of how traditional methods can align perfectly with modern conservation. By combining horse-powered harvesting with regenerative principles, we’ve demonstrated that it’s possible to manage meadows productively and gently — without disturbing soil, insects, or biodiversity.

Every bag of British wildflower seeds collected this way will help create new habitats, filled with meadow flowers, yellow rattle, and the hum of pollinators. It’s a gentle reminder that sometimes, the best way forward is to look back — to slower, more natural ways of working in tune with the land.