May 16, 2023
I’m writing this article about Haliburton County Public Library’s (HCPL) Seed Library initiative and it’s snowing right now. But it won’t be for long! Now is a great time to start seedlings in advance of the warmer weather, and the library is here to help.
HCPL is a source for free, local, open-pollinated, pesticide-free seeds. Our Seed Library is turning 10 this year! It was formed in 2013 in partnership with Haliburton in Transition (HINT) and Harvest Haliburton, and it’s still going strong. You can take seeds for personal use, grow plants, and hopefully allow a plant or two to go to seed at the end of the season so that those seeds can be returned to the library to continue the cycle. Our Seed Libraries are located within the Dysart, Minden Hills, Stanhope, and Wilberforce library branches. The amount and types of seeds available are subject to supply (donations) and demand, and sometimes we run out. We ask community members who are dropping off seeds to please try to include the name and cultivar of the seed, what township it was grown in, and how many years it has been grown locally.
Seed library initiatives take place in hundreds of libraries across the country, open year-round. The purpose of the seed library is to provide a service to the public which preserves plant varieties through the growing and sharing of seeds. It’s also a great topic for all-ages learning about biology, food production, and… patience as you develop your green thumb. Fortunately, there is a lot of local help available, and the library is a meeting place for sharing ideas and solving challenges you might encounter if it’s your first time growing. We have nearly 200 books and several hundred digital magazines in our collection devoted to indoor and outdoor gardening to help you whether you’re new to the idea or still learning.
This year we’re hosting the Haliburton County Master Gardeners for some upcoming presentations. Maureen Moore is coming to the Dysart & Minden branches to run a series of workshops from May to October. These sessions will be 90 minutes long and cover tips for growing nightshades, and how to preserve your garden bounty by canning, pickling, drying or freezing. An October workshop will cover simple soil science and give you pointers on how to improve the health of your soil for next year. Of course, these are all free to attend. Be on the lookout for other seed and gardening programming throughout the spring and summer. We’re going to be doing some “pop-up” seed library programs this season. You’ll want to check out the Programs & Events page.
On the 10th anniversary of our Seed Libraries, and to launch into spring in a meaningful way, a special event recently happened at each of our branches. We ran a bookmark design contest through April and kids, teens, and adults were invited to submit original artwork to help us promote our Seed Libraries. A design from each age category has been printed and will be distributed at all library branches starting in May. The winning artwork was chosen by library staff across our organization and can be seen on our Spotlight page. Congratulations to these contest winners. We’re so impressed by the results and the other entries received, which made choosing this year difficult! In other good news, the Friends of the Haliburton County Public Library agreed to pay the printing costs for these three bookmark designs and we’re grateful for their help with this exciting initiative. Please ask your local branch staff for a bookmark or two this month.
For some of us, the mysteries of growing began in kindergarten. But the County’s library system is here to support you with lifelong learning, and there are community members and library staff committed to helping develop your green thumb. No mater what age you are or what your current skills might be, this could be your year to flourish in the garden! Stop into an HCPL branch to ask about resources and programs to grow your learning. And happy 10th anniversary to our Seed Libraries.
By Chris Stephenson