Visit our website • Forward to a friend • Join us • Donate • View this newsletter in your browser

Seed Libraries Across Canada, Part 6

We continue our journey zigzagging across the country exploring the many, many Seed Libraries popping up in seemingly every nook and cranny of Canada. Seed Libraries have been around for many years now, but have increased substantially since the pandemic began.

Through sharing seeds and resources, these initiatives bring communities together to protect and provide public access to seeds, building food sovereignty at a time of so much uncertainty within our food systems.

Do you know of any Seed Libraries in your neck of the woods? We want to know about them, too!

And here we go - travel with us to BC and ON:

The Fibre Seed Cabinet - Vancouver BC

Instead of starting with a little free seed library, it actually started with a little free yarn cabinet. I had a neighbour who suggested to put a small section for seeds. The seed portion of the library was very successful and was used a lot. People that had used the seed portion of the library gave really positive feedback and they were really excited about it. This led me to getting a grant to make a larger seed library next to the yarn cabinet.

My dad (with a little help from me) made the libraries (the cabinet was made out of a recycled cabinet, and my dad put a roof on it), and my brother made the signage (@twocleverotters). They are at the end of my driveway in front of my house. This means that the library is always open. This is different from many other seed libraries as it relies on people to truly take what they need and give if they can. In this way it has made accessing seeds barrier free, there is no sign out and no promises of having to seed save. This is one of its greatest successes as well as greatest challenges. This means that some people may take way too many seeds for what they need, but it can also mean that people wouldn't have taken seeds in the first place.

So far this year we have given away over 2700 small packets of seeds, last year was 2000. This does present a challenge that we are having issues keeping it stocked! Any donations of seeds would be wonderful, as we always make smaller packets with the seeds in order to give to more people.

I have met so many of my neighbours because of my little library. Whenever there is someone at the library, I try to always say hello and we often stop to chat. It is a way to start having a conversation, as it's rare to stop and chat with people you don't know.

Instagram: @fibre.seed.cabinet

The Sunnyhill Homestead - Cambridge ON

In April of 2021 our urban homesteading family wanted to find a way to share the love of gardening, while making it accessible to everyone!

A little seed library seemed perfect and our community agreed! Installed at the end of our driveway and stocked with seeds from our own collections, our community members have also generously donated any of their own extra seeds in order to help keep the little library thriving!

Our kids are always wanting to help and lend their hands by dividing up large amounts of seeds into individual coin envelopes, so more gardeners can benefit! We have been blessed through social media to have followers outside our community mail us many seeds to share and we have started to do the same for anyone within Canada!

By July 2022 we had already gifted away 500 packs of seeds, and by the end of 2023 we are on track to hit the 1000 pack mark! It has been a wonderful project that we hope to continue for years to come!