Seeds take root at local libraries

Emily Rauch at the Pound Ridge Library. A seed packet on file. Leslie Dock at the Katonah Library. Ellen Best photos

By ELLEN BEST

Seeds! Come take them or donate your extras. Seed libraries in Pound Ridge and Katonah are stocked up and ready for the season.  

The Pound Ridge Library will have a Seed Library Kick-Off on Sunday, April 12, from 2:20 to 4 p.m. There will be seed-starting information, demonstrations, giveaways, and, of course, free seeds and seedlings will be available to take home. 

So what exactly is a seed library? 

These collections give community members access to free seeds, with participants encouraged to donate seeds as well. Seed libraries within public libraries first began appearing in the U.S. around 2000 to promote agricultural biodiversity and food security. 

In an ideal world, a seed library would gradually accumulate seeds collected from local plants — creating a collection that is diverse, locally adapted and viable. Realistically, the goal is simpler: to encourage people to grow food and flowers.

Both the Pound Ridge and Katonah libraries have been offering seed libraries for several years, and by the end of each growing season their supplies — both native and non-native annual seeds — are usually cleaned out.

The Pound Ridge Seed Library was an idea from Pound Ridge Library Director Jennifer Coulter, who suggested the project to Carrie Sears and her group of volunteers she calls the “Green Team.” Coulter said last year seeds were taken by people of all ages, noting that “girls especially love flowers.” 

Emily Rauch, formerly the native plant program manager at Hilltop Hanover Farm, is now leading the effort.

She is part of the Pound Ridge Partnership’s Growing Pound Ridge, which supports the seed library along with the Pound Ridge Library. Their goal is to grow plants from these seeds for use in Scotts Corners.

In Katonah, the seed library was created by resident farmer Leslie Dock. She’s assisted by Maura Rosenthal, who does outreach for the library and focuses mostly on native seeds, many of which come from the Healthy Yards organization.

Although seed catalogs have been arriving in the mail for months, seeds can be costly.

“The seed library takes the hesitancy out of having a garden for new growers when they don’t have to invest too much,” Rosenthal said.  “We often steer beginning gardeners to start with beans.” 

Dock supplies the Katonah library with “donations from whomever will give seeds to me.”

This includes seeds she collects herself, along with contributions from commercial seed producers and Mill River Supply in Bedford Hills. Volunteers help her repackage the seeds into smaller packets, though she admits it’s a challenge to keep it stocked. 

Their next Seed Packing Party, with a tool swap, is scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. March 21.

Later in the season, on May 28, the group will plant a traditional “Three Sisters” garden outside of the library — an indigenous growing system where beans, squash and corn grow symbiotically together. 

Dock also teaches gardening and cooking classes at the library, completing the cycle of planting, growing, harvesting and eating the produce. Last May, the library received a Green Award from the Katonah Conservation Board for its environmental efforts, including the edible garden outside the library. 

Why all this attention to seeds? 

Seeds contain everything a plant needs to get started. They are essential to life on Earth, as well as carrying with them culture and traditions. Throughout history, immigrants have brought seeds from their homelands to “re-root” their traditions in new soil, sometimes sewing them into clothing, braiding them into hair, or hiding in sacks of food. 

Seed saving outside of the commercial realm is gaining popularity. Some gardeners seek out heirloom varieties that grow true to type, unlike seeds from hybrids that may reproduce a different plant. Other gardeners may be reacting to companies that patent certain seeds to maintain control whereby farmers are prohibited from saving and replanting patented seeds and must purchase new seeds each year.

Sears started the Pound Ridge Library Seed Library with the noble goal of creating a local seed bank, but when asked about how it’s  being used, she encourages everyone to keep things simple.

“Have fun, save a little money, and try growing something new,” she said.