Your seed collection is the base of your project. Decide where you are starting from as well as where you’d like to go. Many seed libraries start with donated or purchased seeds. Hopefully, over time you can build relationships with your members and community to transition to a local seed collection.
Questions to Consider 🤔
Building a thriving seed library requires a reliable and diverse seed supply. Here are some key avenues to explore:
1. Connecting with Local Seed Savers
5. Seed Companies
6. Local Nurseries
7. Explore Company Donation Programs
There are some organizations that donate seeds. Inquire around to find out who donates seeds. In the United States, Cooperative Garden donates to seed hubs. So if you have a cluster of seed libraries in close proximity, they donate to community hubs.
Individually Packaged Seeds
Some of the main places people get donations are seed companies, local nurseries, and Master Gardeners (who often get seeds from companies).
A seed company can have seed unpacked for years as long as the germination rate is within regulation limits, but as soon as it goes into an individual seed packet it is date stamped and must be sold that year. This is to ensure that the germination rate is acceptable according to guidelines so farmers and consumers have success with the crops. However, seeds will still be viable. You can request donations at any time, but the distribution will often be at the end of the year or in January because that is when the packed-for-this-year seed envelopes need to be discarded.
If you do self-serve, you can create a small adhesive label that says, "Take 2-3 seeds for each plant you intend to grow this year."
Older Seed
If people are donating old seeds, refer to this Seed Viability & Saving Chart to help determine if they are still viable. Remember that all seed packets should have at a minimum the common name, variety name, and year written on them. Consider posting a copy in your library.
Local Seed
While many seed libraries start with donated or purchased seeds, finding ways to obtain more local seed will ensure that the seeds you offer are more suited to your climate. This will become increasingly important as we experience more extreme weather events and a warming climate. It will also make your seed library more sustainable as it will reduce your costs.
As you start to connect with local seed savers, you will be delighted to discover people that are stewarding seeds that are important to them and who would like to share the seeds and the story with the community.
Some seed libraries are using local seed mixes, which have diverse parentage, contributed by various gardeners. These seeds adapt more quickly to a changing climate, and will reflect the preferences of the community over time. To learn more about these mixes and adaptation gardening, visit GoingtoSeed.org. They provide gardeners and farmers with the knowledge, skills and resources to grow locally adapted, genetically diverse crops, using traditional selection methods enhanced by ongoing learning and experimentation. They offer a free, online class on adaptive gardening that is an excellent resource to help you and your community adapt your seed to wacky weather and a quickly changing climate. They are also working with communities to increase food and seed sovereignty. Click here to learn more.
Questions to Consider 🤔
- Where are you getting your initial seeds from?
- Are you open to purchasing seeds? If so, what is your budget, and which companies meet your criteria?
- Are you willing to include commercial hybrid seeds if they are donated?
- Can you collaborate with horticulture programs, schools, or community gardens to grow or save seeds?
- Will you seek donations from seed companies? If yes, which companies align with your seed library's values (e.g., non-GMO, ethical practices)? How will you acknowledge their contributions?
- Are you interested in transitioning to more locally grown seeds? If so, what is your plan to achieve that? (e.g., partnering with local seed savers, growing seeds through community gardens, or hosting seed-saving workshops)
Building a thriving seed library requires a reliable and diverse seed supply. Here are some key avenues to explore:
1. Connecting with Local Seed Savers
- Tap into Local Expertise: Seek out local seed savers, seed-saving clubs, and gardening clubs in your area.
- Cultivate Relationships: Engage with members who save seeds, encouraging donations or even offering to host seed-saving workshops at your library.
- Provide Seed Saving Brochures: (ADD LINK)
- Offer Seed Saving Classes: (ADD LINK)
- Post Seed Saving Posters: (ADD LINK)
- Develop a One Seed, One Community Program: This is a program where you all grow the same variety and you provide them with seed-to-seed instructions. People love being part of something larger than themselves. In the process of building community, you can also increase the number of people who save seeds. Learn how to create a One Seed, One Community Program in your area.
- Create a Grow a Row Program: Invite individuals, schools, or others with land to grow a crop to seed for the benefit of the community to be shared through the seed library. The Grow a Row Program is a way to increase your seed stock and often people who donate will continue to do so for years.
- Extra Donations: Master Gardeners often receive seed donations. You can ask if they can direct some to your seed library.
- Promote Seed-Saving Education: Encourage Master Gardeners to teach seed-saving courses for your community. Check out our Seed Saving in Community Class. By providing a class that they can teach as-is or adapt to your community, will make it more likely for teachers to step forward. Organic Seed Alliance also has an open source seed saving class and OSA along with Seeds of Diversity (Canada) have a downloadable Training the Trainer's resource for seed teachers.
- Explore University Resources: Contact local colleges and universities with horticulture programs and inquire about any saved seeds that may be available for donation to your seed library.
- Demonstration Gardens: Inquire if they have a demonstration seed garden. Plant that seed in their mind if they don't.
5. Seed Companies
- Craft a Compelling Request for Seed Donations: Clearly articulate your seed library's mission and the positive impact it has on your community. Explain how you will acknowledge the donation. For example, maybe you include a thank you on your website or a social media post featuring their seeds. Focus on seed companies that share your values, particularly those committed to non-GMO and open-pollinated seeds or landrace diverse mixes. It's helpful to create a document of seed companies with addresses, contacts, and when and/if you received from the different companies. Google docs are a great way to go since the document can be accessed and edited by multiple members. The end of the year is the best time to request seeds as anything that was individually packaged needs to be discarded at the end of the year. When getting started, it’s essential to prepare a reusable letter for your seed library. This letter should include:
- The name and location of your seed library
- Information about how the seeds will be used and who will benefit
- Details on whether you are a non-profit organization (companies can receive gift receipts)
- Your contact information and mailing address
- Your plan for acknowledging contributions
- Tax ID information (if applicable)
- Purchasing Seeds: Your seed library may have a budget to purchase seeds. Buying seeds in bulk is much cheaper. Find seed companies that offer seeds in larger volumes. Find seed companies that sell regionally adapted seeds to support your local seed shed and farmers. If you decide to have an ongoing purchase program, we recommend you check out the Auto Seed Wrapper. (Scroll half the way down the page to "Auto Seed Wrapper - It's a Game Changer!") It's a spreadsheet where you can type the variety name and description and the scientific name, planting instructions, and seed saving instructions are already available for 30 common crops. From there the program generates envelope wrappers in multiple sizes based on your needs.
6. Local Nurseries
- You can also request seeds from local nurseries. If you are requesting seeds from a nursery, there may be times earlier in the year to acquire seeds. For example, tomatoes are a warm season crop so it is unlikely that they would keep them in stock until December, if you live in the northern hemisphere. Note that some seed companies have buy-back programs so the nursery can return unpurchased seed. Building relationships with nursery managers can ensure you’re considered when they need to discard seeds at the end of the season. Setting annual calendar reminders can help you stay on top of this.
7. Explore Company Donation Programs
There are some organizations that donate seeds. Inquire around to find out who donates seeds. In the United States, Cooperative Garden donates to seed hubs. So if you have a cluster of seed libraries in close proximity, they donate to community hubs.
Individually Packaged Seeds
Some of the main places people get donations are seed companies, local nurseries, and Master Gardeners (who often get seeds from companies).
A seed company can have seed unpacked for years as long as the germination rate is within regulation limits, but as soon as it goes into an individual seed packet it is date stamped and must be sold that year. This is to ensure that the germination rate is acceptable according to guidelines so farmers and consumers have success with the crops. However, seeds will still be viable. You can request donations at any time, but the distribution will often be at the end of the year or in January because that is when the packed-for-this-year seed envelopes need to be discarded.
If you do self-serve, you can create a small adhesive label that says, "Take 2-3 seeds for each plant you intend to grow this year."
Older Seed
If people are donating old seeds, refer to this Seed Viability & Saving Chart to help determine if they are still viable. Remember that all seed packets should have at a minimum the common name, variety name, and year written on them. Consider posting a copy in your library.
Local Seed
While many seed libraries start with donated or purchased seeds, finding ways to obtain more local seed will ensure that the seeds you offer are more suited to your climate. This will become increasingly important as we experience more extreme weather events and a warming climate. It will also make your seed library more sustainable as it will reduce your costs.
As you start to connect with local seed savers, you will be delighted to discover people that are stewarding seeds that are important to them and who would like to share the seeds and the story with the community.
Some seed libraries are using local seed mixes, which have diverse parentage, contributed by various gardeners. These seeds adapt more quickly to a changing climate, and will reflect the preferences of the community over time. To learn more about these mixes and adaptation gardening, visit GoingtoSeed.org. They provide gardeners and farmers with the knowledge, skills and resources to grow locally adapted, genetically diverse crops, using traditional selection methods enhanced by ongoing learning and experimentation. They offer a free, online class on adaptive gardening that is an excellent resource to help you and your community adapt your seed to wacky weather and a quickly changing climate. They are also working with communities to increase food and seed sovereignty. Click here to learn more.
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Xa Kako Dile Seed Library, Mendocino County, CA, USA offers genetically diverse, locally grown and adapted seeds.