Ok, I have the lift repaired, and have been standing my villager on it, and it has rained. Is there something else I need to do when the villager is lifted up to collect the seeds to plant trees?

A seed should drop, just drop a villager on the seed and they will plan it. You can only have 3 trees, after that your people will just place the food in the grainery.

Ok, guess I was not being patient enough I will keep trying, thanks.