Talks

The last few years I've given many dozens of talks to garden clubs and garden festivals and have discovered it's something I absolutely love doing and have a real passion for. 

I bring my full passion for gardening, smallholding, preserving and my very hands on life to the talks, as well as my sense of humour!

The following is the talks I have available at the moment. They are all extensively illustrated with digital images. I have lots of feedback at the bottom of the page as well!

Unusual Fruit and Veg I

Lots of edible plants for people to learn. A really fun talk that is often the first talk I do for garden clubs. Lot of people go away with a list of things they'd like to try after having seen this talk. 

Preserving the harvest

Far beyond jam and chutney. How to waste less from your garden and deal with gluts! Dehydrating, canning, fermenting! Literally my favourite subject, there aren't many weeks in the year where we don't preserve something for future use! 

Unusual Fruit and Veg II

Because one talk wasn't enough on the subject! 

I had such good feedback from my first talk on the subject I decided that there was plenty left to do another talk about it - in fact I think I could do even do a third, there are so many interesting things out there to eat.

Here I talk about another host of fruit, veg and herbs, many people already have growing in their garden without even realising it and some they will have never heard of!

A Talk About Our Homestead & How We Got Here

I've had a few requests to give a talk about our lifestyle and what we get up to. I love giving this talk, I try to add in lots of funny stories and even the story about how my wife and I delivered our son on the bathroom floor. I constantly update this one and it's never the same twice! 

NEW TALK  - Self Sufficient Fruit Grower

I'm so excited to put this talk together. I am so passionate about growing lots of fruit here on our smallholding. We have over 70 varieties of apple, 15 plus varieties of plum, loads of damson and bullaces, dozens of soft fruit bushes. A mix of usual and unusual, all as we strive to grow enough fruit to enjoy year round. 

This talk will start with a virtual tour round the homestead, seeing some of our fruit growing areas and where we've squeezed in different trees and bushes. Then sections about grafting and propagation, harvesting, storage, preserving and usage. 

We do a healthy bit of preserving but also show how we use the items we store in our pantry, think delicious apple crumble made with dried apples, or cherry upside-down cake made with cherries canned in syrup. 

Many garden clubs have said how they like having a few talks a year that are about growing food and this one will fit the bill perfectly, I grow fruit in many different scales, from a full orchard to cordon apple trees planted 2ft apart or a trained plum grown at the back of a shipping container.  

New Talk - Seed Saving For The Veg Garden

I've been an avid seed saver for well over a decade now, making seed saving a big part of my gardening each year and planning crops around it. 

Each year I give away between 1000 - 2000 packets of seeds and love growing crops that I think people will enjoy receiving the seeds from. Some seed saving is very straight forward, while others require a bit more care. In this presentation I talk about how to start in seed saving, what seeds to watch out for, I also talk about seed swaps, adaptive agriculture and trying to select seeds and varieties that are good for your own garden. 

Each of my talks is filled with lots of information, but also lots of funny stories and anecdotes of family life here, with three young children involved in everything day to day there are a few stories to tell! I am enthusiastic about what I do and love to share it with everyone. 

I cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and South Shropshire, but please email me if you're in any doubt. 

Please send me an email at kevalviti@hotmail.com to find out more information and current pricing.

Prices start at £135 for the talk plus 55p a mile from WR13.

Talk Feedback:- 

"I just wanted to thank you so very much for the talk you gave last night in Berkeley. I thought you were amazing! The best talk we have ever had. You have a wonderful family, I am sure your cubs must love you and how you do all you do makes me feel very lazy. You are a very special person....Keep doing what you are doing. You are an inspiration." - Mrs B -  Berkeley Garden Club

"On behalf of the BMC Garden Society a very many thanks for your exceptional talk last Saturday. I have received all week a lot of praise from the members who attended. Everyone has requested that I rebook you for the future. I know you inspired a number of member. Once again many thanks." Brimpsfield And Mid Cotswold Garden Society 2024

"Just a quick note to thank you for your talk yesterday evening. All our members were very interested and I am sure some will be growing your suggestions next year.

May I apologise for the problems we had with the venue and I must thank you for your tolerance in putting up with the need to change venues at the last minute. It was very good of you.

I am sure members would love you to return so I will put you on my list to contact for 2025-26 when I start planning ahead!" - Berkeley Garden Club 2024

"Hi Kevin, just to say many thanks for fascinating talk last week. Everyone enjoyed it and I think you had a lot in common with some of our members. It did make me realise how boring we are with what we plant. 

Hope it continues to go well and thanks again" - Corvedale Garden club 2024

"It was another very entertaining talk, both informative and amusing.

There was nothing but high praise from all members and requests for us to book you again, soon.

How you find time to do all you do, nobody could understand, well done." - Northwood Green Garden club 2024

"Thank you again for a very enjoyable and entertaining talk last night. Our members enjoyed it very much and were amazed again by your energy and enthusiasm." - Gotherington Gardening Club 2024

"Many thanks for your energetic and interesting talk at Stoke Lacy this last week - 

there was a very enthusiastic response from those present, who enjoyed hearing about your vegetables and your lifestyle. We hope we will be seeing you for another talk in a year or so." Stoke Lacy Gardening Club

"Thankyou for your thoroughly entertaining and informative talk to our Society which was so well received by our members.  Although preserving is a particular passion of mine, your energetic and entertaining talk has done much to inspire other members to have a go." - Bourton Vale Horticultural Society

"Hi Kevin, thank you so much for giving your wonderful talk last night. Everyone said how much they enjoyed it. The members are very keen to hear your talk on unusual fruit and veg. If you are not fully booked we would love to welcome you next Autumn." - Puddleston Gardening Club

"Thanks to Kevin Alviti for a greatly interesting and well presented talk, which our members so thoroughly enjoyed. We would recommend him without hesitation to other gardening club's as a speaker." - Alderton garden club

"Thanks again for a great talk on Friday evening. I’ve had lots of very positive feedback from members. You were a hit!" - Brockweir, Hewelsfield & St Briavels Garden Society

"Thank you for a fascinating talk, I've only heard good things about it from the members." - Colwall Horticultural society

"Thanks for a most enjoyable lecture. I am sure we were all impressed with your energy levels." - Wellington Heath Garden club

"Thank you so much for your talk last Saturday. Everyone I spoke with said how much they enjoyed it and can you come again!!!!" Worcester Black Pear Gardening Club

‘Our gardening club very much enjoyed Kev’s talk on his Homestead and found him a very entertaining, interesting and informative speaker. We were inspired by his enthusiasm, energy and vision. We have already booked him to return next year to give us another talk.’ - Gotherington Garden Club 2023

"We have had a lot of well-deserved positive comments about your very well delivered, informative and entertaining presentation "Unusual Fruit and Veg" on September 28th.

The talk was so well received that I have been approached by a number of members asking for more! So please can I book you for the talk on Preserves?" - Fownhope Garden Club 

"Thank you for last night. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening!" - Hereford Fuchsia Society

"I know we said thank you yesterday evening but wanted to write to say how much everyone enjoyed your lively talk!  I knew you would be good from reading other gardening clubs comments.  So thank you. I am sure we will want to book you again!" - Lydbury North Gardening Club

"Kev's talk last night to Slimbridge Gardening Club was truly uplifting, his enthusiasm for a sustainable life style is inspirational, you really feel like anything is possible after an evening spent in his company. We will certainly be inviting him back next year to enjoy another of his delightful talks" - Slimbridge Gardening Club

"The whole presentation from start to finish was informative, inspiring and delivered with a humerous bent that cheered the whole audience up no end! There was a buzz in the room afterwards and everyone enjoyed the evening. There have already been requests to ask you to return to give one of your other talks. Real praise indeed!" - Northwood Green Garden Club

"Your talk was much enjoyed by all. Humorous, informative and very interesting. You are a natural speaker and so many members commented on what a good evening it was. We are all looking forward to having you back again next year. Thank you!" - Kings Thorne and Little Birch Garden Club

"A very lively and interesting talk" - Caynham Gardening Club

"Thank you very much for your talk, it was much enjoyed by everybody and we're now looking forward to the next one. Your enthusiasm come through and really enlivens your talk, I'm afraid to say I have dropped off with the odd speaker that we have had in the past, no chance with you! I will of course recommend you!" - Risbury Gardening Club

"You inspired, informed and entertained" - Hereford Seed Swap

"An Excellent talk, something quite different!" - Hamnish Garden Club

"Once again I would like to thank you for your enjoyable and informative talk last evening. I’m sure most of our members learned something new and your enthusiastic and engaging manner made the evening quite memorable.
I’ve no doubt several of us will be trying out a few new ideas in the future but whether we shall be able to match your success, I don’t know!" - Severn Side Cottage Garden Society 

"Many many thanks for such an enjoyable talk at Cottage Garden Society last night.
It was so interesting and informative and with your humorous slant.
I have heard Mark Diacona do a similar talk on unusual veg and fruit ( that's why I knew more of the answers than most of the audience!) but your talk was  certainly as good as, if not better than his. 
There are so many pictures in my mind of your lovely children, sharing and eating the produce, getting muddy and having fun  and of course, helping you with all the tasks!!
I shall be passing your name to my other Garden group as a being a good  speaker to have on the programme." - Mrs Shelia F 

"...all enjoyed your talk very much and were very impressed with your enthusiastic delivery.  We liked your  youthful exuberance and your alternative approach to life in general bringing your children up to enjoy a relaxed and happy childhood...
...May I thank you most warmly for standing in at the last minute. We really appreciated that you came to our rescue at such short notice.
The committee wishes you well  in the future and may you continue to spread the word  so enthusiastically," - Mrs Edna W Eastwood Garden Club

"Thank you so much for coming to our garden club and giving a great talk on "Preserving the Harvest from your Garden".

We were all truly entertained and loved your ideas, enthusiasm, knowledge and your whole way if life! How you fit everything you do into your days is unbelievable but you have given us  a lot to think about and we will certainly try out some of your ways of preserving all the lovely fruit and vegetables that we grow instead of wasting it." - Sue Mansel Lacy Garden Club

"The gardening club was very fortunate to an informative and entertaining talk and left plenty of food for thought!" - Orleton and District Gardening Club

"Kev Alviti of An English Homestead was our speaker last night. He is a stay-at home dad/part-time carpenter. His wife works full time and they have three children. They have 52 veg beds, chickens, an orchard and a coppice. What an interesting and informative evening it proved to be. This is definitely “The Good Life” in action, though one that actually works. Kev is knowledgeable about all types of preserving and proved to be a very enthusiastic and entertaining speaker. It was great to hear his children are being taught to process food, which will be very useful to them throughout their lives. Hard to believe two girls under the age of 10 can pluck, dress and freeze pack chickens so efficiently and love doing it. I was reminded of all those old American films which showed the whole family being involved in homesteading. Kev has a website you will find interesting englishhomestead.com This is the place to visit if you want to learn more. For those who couldn’t come, you missed a great evening." - Bream Gardening Society

"I’ve had lots of positive feedback following your talk which members found both informative and entertaining.  I’ll be interested to see if any of them enter any of the vegetables you mentioned in the ‘any other vegetable’ class at the show!" - Malvern Hills Gardening Club

"Thank you so much for your interesting and informative talk last night. I enjoyed it greatly and from the comments made afterwards, I know our members did too. Hopefully we will be in a position to hear another of your talks before too long." - Hucclecote Gardening Club

"Thank you so much again for last nights talk. We were so grateful to you for stepping in at short notice to come and rescue the evening.
As always your enthusiasm for your subject just shines through and makes for a really entertaining and informative evening. We look forward to inviting you back next year for your talk about preserves!" - Northwood Green Garden Club

"Over 38 at Gardening Club today and they all paid their subs for the year! Your talk went down very well with the members! They enjoyed hearing all about your journey towards self sufficiency and were quite amazed at your energy and how much you have achieved. It was a great start to our new season. Thank you again." - Selsley Gardening Club

"Everyone I spoke to really enjoyed your talk, and we were so impressed by how much ‘Preserving of the Harvest‘ you manage to do.
The real stars of the evening were your 3 lovely children who are amazingly trained into your ways at such a young age." - Wotton Under Edge Garden Society

"Thank you for entertaining Slimbridge Gardening Club on Tuesday. We
always enjoy your enthusiastic and inspiring talks." - Slimbridge Gardening Club

I even got to do a growing forum with Terry Walton where we answered lots of questions about growing your own - Great fun and such a great guy! 

Another Q&A Panel where I got to answer questions alongside Tasmin Westhorpe, John Cunningham, Andy Walton and have Terry Walton as our roving mic around the audience!