The Cowichan Library branch in Duncan has now opened their free seed library for their second season.
“We are very excited to celebrating our second season,” said the branch’s customer services librarian, and founder of the seed library, Dalia Levy. “We’ve been working all winter preparing packaging and gathering seeds from local sources as well as receiving a grant from West Coast Seeds. It is an honour to provide this resource to our nature and garden loving community in the name of eco-literacy, food security and outdoor learning for all ages. It’s a lot of work but well worth it.”
All one needs to dig in, and check some seeds out is a valid library card.
READ MORE: New seed library in Cowichan hopes to grow attention, and more local gardeners
Cowichan Food and Farm Hub and West Coast Seeds provided most of this year’s seeds. Those who would like to donate labelled seeds that are less than two years old can do so at the front desk. Levy said that participating in the seed library is an excellent opportunity to support local seed sovereignty and increase the collective seed bank in the region.
In 1950, 85 per cent of the food consumed by residents on Vancouver Island was grown here. That number has now significantly decreased to 10 per cent.
Conglomerate seed production by big corporations threatens local seed bio-diversity, said Levy, which in turn raises food and land purchase costs. The climate emergency requires resilient crops and plants that can withstand a changing climate and encourage pollinator and native habitats.
Levy founded her first seed library in April 2021 at the Nanaimo Harbourfront. She launched the first season of her second one last spring out of the Cowichan library branch in Duncan.
“It was very successful,” said Levy. “We gave away over 3,000 seeds and had patrons clamouring for more so we are doing our best to keep up with demand and could really use seed donations from 2022 or newer. We also attended Duncan’s Seedy Sunday for the first time and are looking forward to attending the Downtown BIA Earth Day event on April 20 with more seeds and information to share with the community.”
This year’s seed library will offer an array off goodies for community members who are looking to get their hands dirty with heirloom veggies and herbs, wildflower pollinator seeds, and regional non-hybrid varieties from local seed-savers. Levy noted that they will also have more seeds for pollinator flowers like cosmos, phacelia, violets and calendula as well as more varieties of lentils, bush beans and tomatoes, and even restocked their more popular crops including basil and lettuces.
“I’ve got planting instructions, book lists and gardening materials for patrons to take home with their seeds to learn to grow their own food and be empowered and inspired in new ways even if they just plant out a few pots,” said Levy. “We’ve got you covered with the information you need so you’re set up for success and seeds don’t go to waste. My hope is for the seed library to herald a new community of local gardeners, urban ag enthusiasts, seed savers and farmers of all ages, in turn, increasing food security in our region especially for families where one in six face food insecurity with the prices at the grocery store that aren’t going to back to what they were pre-pandemic. Free accessible seeds is one more way we can encourage patrons to engage in life-long learning in a truly empowering and hopeful way.”
For regular library hours visit virl.bc.ca/branches/cowichan.