Libraries: Not Just For Books

March 25, 2013 11:11 AM

A seed library is a long-term lending institution, for plants. Seed Libraries Preserve Heirloom Varities

How To Save A Public Library: Make It A Seed Bank

Here's how it works: A library card gets you a packet of seeds. You then grow the fruits and vegetables, harvest the new seeds from the biggest and best, and return those seeds so the library can lend them out to others.

Basic Seed saving. Letting plants go to seed instead of harvesting can result in strange and surprising forms: turnips, lettuce, kale, asparagus, onion, carrots.
San Francisco, the Hudson Valley, Richmond, CA, Pima County, AZ, Los Angeles, and many other communities. If there isn't one near you you can start one yourself, or exchange seeds via the mail.
Seed libraries provide a resource for local, heirloom and traditional varities of fruits, vegetables, flowers and many other plants.

posted by the man of twists and turns (4 comments total)

Yeah, but now the corporations who are patenting seed varieties are gonna hit them with C&Ds...
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:48 AM on March 25, 2013

What is... oh, cease and desist. Well, let's hope not.
posted by gray17 at 2:27 PM on March 25, 2013

The Plant and Animal Genetic Resource Preservation Research Unit at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins, CO is very cool. I think I've toured it twice now, which is a perk of working for ARS.
posted by wintermind at 6:56 PM on March 25, 2013

Great post, TMOTT. Thanks especially for the link on starting a seed library.

I'm not very experienced with seed saving, but am proud to say that I've kept garlic going for four years now. It's not a fussy process, but it does take time and space, and there is a certain...aroma...for a while.

I'll be sending this post around to some local friends, in hopes of a small-scale exchange!
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:37 PM on March 29, 2013