Feel free to toss this new library item in the dirt.
I’ve always liked public libraries. They are a great place to gain a significant amount of information through books, magazines, newspapers, film and audio recordings, as well as a fairly quiet place to just sit back and relax while enjoying some fiction.
But who says information is the only thing a library can lend? There is a national trend happening right now involving public libraries across the nation that I am really happy about. It’s called seed lending. The Duluth (Minnesota) Public Library now has a lending program, providing heirloom seeds from fruit and vegetable plants to people in the community. You can see the website here.
The library’s goals are to foster healthier eating and to increase the number of locally-grown plants that are traditionally adapted to the Northland. The library is partnering with other local organizations on this project, including the Institute for a Sustainable Future, the Duluth Community Garden Program and the St. Louis County Master Gardeners.
The library asks only that borrowers return some of the resulting seeds from the plants they grow to the library collection bank. And that’s the best thing about this program. All the seeds that the library lends will be for open-pollinated plants best suited for the northern growing season.
Heirloom plants have lineages not affected by hybridization, which reduces diversity in favor of consistency of a few select traits. In addition to the seeds, borrowers from the Duluth library will have access to educational materials and classes pertaining to gardening and seed saving.
There must be close to 100 such seed-lending libraries across the country by now. I’m not a particularly trendy guy, but this is a trend that I can get onboard with.
How about you? If your local library were to offer free seeds for you to use and then replenish with the seeds from the resulting vegetables and fruits that you would grow, would you get involved? What types of seeds do you think you might want to borrow? Do you think highly enough of this idea to mention it to someone who works at your local library?
Our library began doing this 3-4 years ago. We are a small town in a Northen Nevada.
I just missed a seed swap in Chico California (I’m new to the area) but from what I’ve checked out so far it is an annual event & I believe one of the libraries in Butte county (which is in Northern California) may also have a variation of/or a seed swap as mentioned in your article. Marvelous idea & you can bet I’ll be doing some more research as I am definitely an interested person. Thank you for bringing this type of program to our attention. Blessings
This is a great idea however if your local library isn’t doing this there are resources for heirloom seeds. Google heirloom seed sources and you’ll find many sources. It is important to take control of our food sources. One of the main issues with GMOs is that they are manufactured not to reproduce. What that means is large Agra businesses like Monsanto will eventually have complete control of our food sources if GMOs are lleft unchecked. You can argue about whether or not they pose a health threat but there is no arguing that if GMOs become our main food source then we will have lost control of our food sources. Farmers in third world countries have already experienced the devastation that GMOs can produce. Told that these GMOs will produce more harvest and would be disease resistant they were not told that they couldn’t reproduce. These very poor farmers depend on using a part of their harvest to plant the next harvest they were further impoverished when they were unable to grow new plants. Imagine what will happen once Monsanto takes over all of the US agriculture and it is what is happening. It’s a very dangerous thing that is happening and there is little conversation about this aspect of GMOs.
This is a good idea. In southern Maryland, the Master Gardeners sometimes have seed exchanges. Now if we could just get them, as a group, to see Mother Earth News as having legitimate information. I would love to see seed exchanges as a regular feature.
I am all for it and it is a marvelous idea.
Wish I had thought of it! I have only one concern I can think of at the moment. How could we be sure the seeds coming in are truly heirloom seeds and not contaminated ones? How does Duluth do it or are they not concerned about it?
hi frank; i buy my organic cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers from my local kroger store. i take the seed from them and plant it in my garden. Alice
I would most definitely get the seeds and replace them later, as long as the sees are not touched by government people at all!!!! Do you know of one close to me? I live in st. Mary’s West Virginia. Next to the Ohio river.
I’d love to have this program in our rural library, but alas the funds are not available. We do a small garden at the library every year and all the produce goes free to the community.
Absolutely a great idea, I would definitely be a part of it.
I don’t frequent the library like I used too.
But a program like this would have me dusting off
my library card. I think this idea is brilliant. I can’t wait to check with my local libraries to find out if
they have or are willing to start this program.
Thank you,
Patriot Headquarters for the great info.
you need to be very careful and not cross pollinate the plants when you plant them. like beets and swiss chard will cross. you will need to know what plants will cross. once they cross you can not uncross them.
I didn’t know about beets. I learned something new. I do know that you’ve got to keep your popcorn far away from your other corns because they won’t pop if they’ve been cross-pollinated.
I believe this is one way our country will thrive, community helping community. Thank you all.
i already have your different seeds but i did not plant it because i need to have plant bed and besides here in las vegas it is so hot andi am worried how to do it and what season of the year is best to start planting. anyway, i am thinking of fall to start with. thank you
I have the same dilemma. I live in West Texas where it is dry and hot. It can be difficult to grow plants that are not designed for this climate. I did try a garden once before but was invaded by pests like squash bugs and huge caterpillars. Got only a handful of veggies and many of my plants died from the heat.
The stupid govt/monsanto will find a way to shut it down, mark my words. Let’s see- these plants will endanger spotted purple ladybugs Or they will be taxed out of existence. Or the govt will mandate GMO seeds for some farfetched reason. Or the plants will be a health hazard to people with allergies- wouldn’t want to offend anyone by making their allergies worse, ya know. God only knows what these idiots will come up with. Oh, I know- these plants will be deemed harmful to box turtles- that’s it! Or the seeds must be pasteurized, and on and on and on.
I hate to be so negative, sorry. I was reading political news a while ago, maybe I’ll just get a cold one and try to relax.
I do think it’s a great idea, however.
It’s a great idea. If only the heirloom seeds were
for southwestern states as well. I live in Arizona
where the planting season for seeds like tomatoes
is completely reversed from northern states because
of the summer heat.
Think positive. Take the seeds while u can get them.
Life is,short. Pass it along.
Truly one of the best ideas I have heard of in a long time. The problem I see is one of accessibility to those that could really benefit from it (inner city children) and the homeless. Perhaps it could be done through local churches in concert with the local government for the space necessary to grow? Small raised 4 foot square gardens could provide sufficient vegetables for a family of 4 to supplement their diet. Just a thought.
This is a terrific idea. I have forwarded this article to our local library, and will follow up with a personal visit to the librarian. This is a farming community, but I am interested in the heirloom seeds.
As a long time collector and grower of heirloom seeds I believe this to be one of the best ideas I have heard. It could be the only way to get control of our food sources,
since they have been taken over by big Agribusiness. Power to the People.