Why save seeds?
If we look back about 100 years, our food crops contained over 1500 plant types. Today there are fewer than 50, the bulk of which are corn, soybeans, wheat, and rice. The commercial seeds we see today are created for shelf-life and appearance, rather than taste. Most of these seeds are hybrid varieties that are made by artificially crossing two very different plants. You can be part of a community effort to conserve precious seed varieties by signing them out, growing, harvesting, and passing them on to other gardeners.
Like a traditional library, a seed library lends seeds to its patrons free of charge, but with a goal to create greener spaces, encourage people to grow their own food, and promote local seed diversity. Thanks to a generous donation by West Coast Seeds, we are able to launch a seed library to serve our community.
The seed library is stocked annually in late March. Check back for more specific details, or visit theseed library on the main floor of the library.
And for the fall, check out our Plant Swap event. Have a house plant that could spare a clipping? Put it in some dirt and bring the plant to the event in early November. Or just come and find a free plant to take home!
When and where? November 4th at noon; main floor of the library
How does it work:
"Borrowing" from the Seed Library is free and easy to use, and open to all members of the public. Click here to learn more about how to check out seeds.
The Seed Library operates on the honour system and patrons are encouraged to return seeds at the end of the growing season to keep the library well stocked. For non-expert seed savers, we recommend starting with beans, lettuce, peas, and tomato seeds.
If you are unable to save your own seeds, we gratefully accept donated seeds, too. But no pressure! We want everyone to try gardening regardless.
Just a few of the resources to help get you started:
Small-Space Vegetable Gardens
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Backyard Bounty - 2nd Edition
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The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds
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Apartment Gardening
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Never Out of Season
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