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Vol. 53, No. 45
Milford (574) 658-4111 • Warsaw (574) 269-2932 • Syracuse (574) 457-3666
114 W. Market, Warsaw, Indiana 46580
Seed libraries
SPRINGING UP around the area
Text and Photos By LILLI DWYER Staff Writer “Take a seed. Leave a seed. Plant a seed. Enjoy a seed.” These words, displayed on the door of the Herndeen Orchard Seed Library, outline the basic principles of a seed library: a collection of seeds available for community members to take from and donate to. Once “checked out,” the seeds don’t need to be returned. Flower, fruit, vegetable and herb seeds are free for the taking. Silver Lake resident, Randy Hartman, built the seed library himself two years ago, at the small orchard he established on his family’s land. He was inspired by the concept of the Little Free Library, a public bookcase where people can freely take and donate books. “I thought, ‘You could probably do this with seeds.’ At the time, I didn’t realize there was one in the Warsaw library and stuff like
that, I didn’t know they existed,” Hartman recalled. Indeed, the Warsaw Community Public Library is one of several area libraries to establish one over the past few years. Theirs came to being in 2019. “The goal of our seed library is to have people take the seeds home, grow them and then to bring back seeds so we can keep it going. If they can bring it in, in a Ziploc bag and have it labeled, we can disperse those,” staff member Leslie Jeffreys explained. The idea is for seeds to be continuously in circulation. “We’re getting a lot of flower seeds, which is great, but I’d love to see some vegetable seeds come back,” Jeffreys noted. “Someone brought in milkweed for the butterflies.” Most seed libraries get started and are kept going by donations from local companies or community members. Tractor Supply Company gave a large amount Continued on page 2
PLANT HUSBANDRY — Hartman inspects the blooms on one of his apple trees. The small orchard he established on his family’s land also houses a seed library for public use.
SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY — The Herendeen Orchard Seed Library was established by Silver Lake resident, Randy Hartman. A piece of paper on its door lists the basic principles of a seed library: “Take a seed. Leave a seed. Plant a seed. Enjoy a seed.”
CHOCK FULL — The Herendeen Orchard Seed Library received a large anonymous donation this spring. Its shelves are stuffed with seed packets.
AT YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARY — Staff member Leslie Jeffreys shows off the seed library at Warsaw Community Public Library’s circulation desk. Several area libraries have established their own seed collections, including the Nappanee, Syracuse and North Webster public libraries.