Starting a seed library at Hardwood Creek Library had been something that Christina de Sobrino had thought about for some time. Yet, it wasn’t until a community member inquired if there was a seed library that she saw the opportunity present itself.
“I forwarded that (inquiry) to one of my supervisors and said, ‘If this is something that library administration is interested in, I’d be interested in helping to develop it,’” said de Sobrino, an adult services librarian at the Hardwood Creek Library.
That tip piqued the county’s interest last May, and de Sobrino alongside Kara Lundin at the Wildwood Library in Mahtomedi will open the pilot seed libraries for Washington County in April.
“Folks can come in and take up to five of these packets. You don’t have to donate seeds, but the more people who donate seeds, the more successful the seed library will be,” de Sobrino said.
The Hardwood Creek seed library will officially be available on Saturday, April 20, for anyone to access, not only library card holders. Residents can take a maximum of five seed packets per visit, but the idea is that it will be a self-sufficient seed library through donations of seeds from individuals who borrow.
“Sometimes people suggest that you grow a row for the seed library and just think about what you’re putting in your garden. And then set aside a couple of plants that you might let go to seed and then save those seeds for the [library],” de Sobrino said.
There will be specific criteria on how to drop off seeds, like they must be dry and labeled properly for the library to accurately put back into the seed library system.
Since the seed library is inside the library, librarians hope to have some gardening books nearby for people to check out.
“People will have the information in hand and then we’ll also try to have some information on our website,” de Sobrino said.
De Sobrino, who is a gardener herself, said that if locals select their best-growing plants to return to the library as seeds, the seeds in the Hardwood Creek Library bank will be tailored for this hyper-local climate.
“If we have people in the community who are growing plants, and then saving seeds from their really successful plants, then over time, we’ll develop a seed bank of plants that are adapted to our little community,” de Sobrino explained.
Not only is Hardwood Creek Library offering seeds for tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, peas and herbs, but there will be native grass and flower seeds available for area residents to take.
“If everybody, for 1 out of 4 people, has a native flower garden, that provides habitat for all the bees and birds and butterflies in that area,” de Sobrino said.
She explained that sometimes people feel deterred from planting native grasses or flowers, since they don’t have an acre of land to dedicate toward that. However, even a small patch could benefit the area.
With the variation of offerings, de Sobrino and Lundin will assess which seeds are most popular and shift focus if vegetables are more popular than native plants, or vice versa.
In the coming months alongside the new seed library, Hardwood Creek will host various informational events related to these topics. For example, the Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District will host an event from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, about traditional lawn alternatives.
“We have a bunch of those programs coming up,” de Sobrino said.
For beginners, she hopes the library can host an “Ask a Gardener” event where master gardeners will be available for area residents to ask some questions or host beginner vegetable gardening classes.
“I know that there are a lot of people who are interested in getting started with gardening. Seeds can be expensive, … so we’re hoping that we can help people for whom it might feel like a financial burden initially,” de Sobrino said.
In the future, de Sobrino hopes this seed library is able to plant the seed of interest in gardening or help area residents understand the benefits of native plants.
“It’s a great way to save money, too. Sometimes you go to the grocery store, and you’re like, ‘I could buy this head of broccoli, or I could buy this quart of ice cream,’” joked de Sobrino.
Even though there is still some time until the Hardwood Creek Library’s seed library officially opens, the Wildwood Library in Mahtomedi will open on Saturday, April 6. There will be an event from noon to 2 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the seed library. There will be educational resources and workshops available plus a seed swap.
“That’s going to be a big event,” de Sobrino said.
In comparison, Hardwood Creek will have a quiet opening of the seed library on Saturday, April 20, with seeds ready to be taken home and planted.
There is an upcoming volunteer opportunity from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, April 12, where participants will repackage donated seeds into labeled envelopes in preparation for the seed library’s debut.
“I do think it’s something that our communities have been really interested in for a long time. It feels really satisfying,” de Sobrino said.
More information about all upcoming events at both libraries can be found online at washcolib.org/events and by selecting the respective library you want to see events for.
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