by Lisa Schauer
Patrons of Morgan County Public Library are sometimes startled when they open an old card catalog in the lobby.
“Oh!” they exclaim when they see seed packets inside the wooden drawers painted with corn, carrots and radish.
Instead of index cards for books, long replaced by computers at the library, this card catalog is filled with packets of heirloom seeds.
Future Harvest seed library has resided at the library for a while now, yet it remains little known.
Anyone can take a maximum of three seed packs a week, one per variety, for free. Just fill out the form and leave it in the basket on the card catalog.
Some seeds are raised locally, harvested and donated by members of Morgan County Master Gardeners.
Others are commercially raised, and all are organic, with no hybrids or GMOs accepted for donation.
Seeds less than two years old are accepted for donation at the circulation desk. The ideal time to donate seeds is after the fall harvest.
According to library director LaCretia Kithcart, seeds were formerly provided by West Virginia Extension for the seed library.
Due to changes in SNAP funding, the library is no longer receiving seeds from the Extension office, so Morgan County Public Library is keeping the seed library going with donations, Kithcart said.
“Our goal is to share locally grown, open-pollinated, organic seeds with our local community. Seed saving helps to preserve our local cultural heritage as we pass on seeds from our gardens.
“We hope to share a love of plants, food sovereignty, and friendship with others. Keeping and sharing our local seeds is a step towards food security,” reads a statement posted on the library’s website.
Morgan County Public Library, and its seed library, is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Learn seed starting
Now’s the time to start planning your garden for the Spring. Gain an advantage with expert advice from a green thumb.
Anyone interested in learning how to start seeds can attend a free program to be held by Morgan County Master Gardeners.
“Learn the basics for successful sprouts” will be held on Saturday, February 14 at 10 a.m. in the Blue Ridge Meeting Room, 109 War Memorial Drive in Berkeley Springs.
