Seed Library may be closed but you can still get free seeds!

Boston pickling cucumber seeds and Straight 8 cucumber seeds are both available for free through Acorn Farmers Market starting this week

Since 2014, the Manchester District Library has been home to a seed library which serves two functions–to provide a platform for the exchange of saved seeds and excess commercial seeds (like a permanent seed swap), and as a way for the Manchester Community Garden Committee to distribute free seeds to community members to help enable and encourage vegetable gardening. With the Manchester District Library currently closed through at least May 28th due to COVID-19, the Community Garden Committee is temporarily teaming up with Acorn Farmers Market to fulfill the second half of the seed library’s function and offer free vegetable seeds through curbside pick-up to anyone who can use them, during their regular operating hours.

Acorn Farmers Market, located at 327 W. Main Street took a six-week hiatus but is reopening this week, and going forward will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 3 to 6 pm and Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm. Because of COVID-19, Acorn will be operating by curbside pick-up only, with no in-store shoppers. To pick-up free seeds, you can find the list of available seeds on their website www.acornfarmersmarketcafe.org, email them at orders@acornfarmersmarketcafe.org to request the seed list, or view the seed list in-person outside the store during business hours. You can request the seeds you want by emailing the above email address, by calling 734-428-7872 during business hours, or in person. Follow Acorn’s pick-up protocol, including social distancing, at the order/pick-up door.

The seeds being offered were all purchased commercially with funds from the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation and include vegetables and herbs. Almost all seeds being provided are open-pollinated (the few hybrid varieties state “hybrid” on the label). You can save seeds this fall from open-pollinated varieties for planting next year and you can donate the excess to the seed library. Some types of plants are very easy to save seeds from like beans, and others, like kale, are more complicated; so it is best to look up online or in a book how to save seeds from a specific type of plant.

Please consider donating back any of these seeds you don’t use, any excess seeds you have from other sources, and any seeds you’ve saved and don’t need to the Manchester Seed Library, once the Manchester District Library reopens!

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.