If you’ve ever taken a stroll a little way back in the Commerce Township Community Library, perhaps back behind the adult reference desk, you may have noticed a small green drawer. This is CTCL’s Seed Library! A seed library is a community resource that allows patrons to take packets of seeds home for planting. The goal of our seed library is for patrons to save seeds from the plants that they propagate, and donate them back to the library to resupply the seed library for future patrons. All you need to do is drop them by the reference desk in an envelope or bag with the type of plant written on them, and we take it from there!
If you have never saved seeds for future use before, fortunately we have several books for checkout located back by the seed library. Here are a few that will point you in the right direction for hanging onto those seeds…
Saving Our Seeds: The Practice & Philosophy by Bevin Cohen
Seed activist and local author Bevin Cohen takes a deep dive into the “hows” and “whys” of the modern seed saving movement. A great how-to guide, leading the reader step by step through the process of saving their seeds from 43 different crops; from adzuki beans to wheat and everything in between. Seed savers of all levels will benefit from Bevin's easy to follow explanations on important techniques such as hand pollination, isolation, vernalization and even basic flower structure. A book like this would not be complete without stories that honor the many gardeners, farmers and seed savers that have dedicated their lives to stewarding these heritage varieties. Within these pages, the seed keepers themselves share their stories and help the reader to understand the importance of saving our seeds.
Beginning Seed Saving for the Home Gardener by Jim Ulager
Many people garden because they enjoy the independence of producing their own food. Yet for many, the how and why of producing seeds remains mysterious and even intimidating. This book explores how seed saving is not only easier than we think, but why it is essential for vibrant, independent, and bountiful gardens.
The Seed Farmer: A Complete Guide to Growing, Using, and Selling Your Own Seeds by Dan Brisebois
Whether you're interested in growing your own seeds for farm use, selling seed on contract, or scaling up for retail sales, The Seed Farmer is the essential resource you need to integrate organic seed production into your small-scale farm or market garden sustainably, profitably, and successfully.
Our collection of seed saving books includes but is not limited to these three titles. They should be extremely helpful in providing guidance for seed saving. Keep on the lookout for your Commerce Township seed library to be completely restocked, and have a brand new look! As always, we are eager to provide the best experience for you either by providing the seeds ourselves or sustaining the local ecosystem by using yours!