Seasonal & Holidays
5 Libraries In Putnam Offer Seeds Shared For Spring Planting
"If you can find a little space, you can try your hand at growing a pot of herbs or starting a vegetable patch," said Jen Lerner of CCEPC.
PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Seed Libraries are sprouting up in five local libraries, thanks to the master gardener volunteers of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County. (Pun intended!)
Have you ever saved marigold seeds from year to year? Or noticed tomato plants coming up in your compost heap? A seed library is a community-based resource for using all that seed power.
Here's how it works: Gardeners "borrow" seeds at planting time. At the end of the growing season, they save the seeds from their plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library.
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This growing season, in collaboration with CCE Putnam, five libraries — Brewster, Patterson, Mahopac, Putnam Valley, and Reed Memorial—are offering seed libraries.
"If you can find a little space, you can try your hand at growing a pot of herbs or starting a vegetable patch. Our volunteers have provided the seeds," said Jen Lerner of CCE Putnam.
Find out what's happening in Southeast-Brewsterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The aim is to offer an opportunity for residents to grow their own food while spreading awareness of heirloom and open-pollinated plant varieties.
"Seed saving is something humans have done for over 10,000 years. Rejoin the ritual and start to save seed and share the abundance in your community," said the folks at the Seed Libraries website.
Some libraries will even offer coordinated garden programming.
Need more help? A dedicated resource page on the CCE Putnam website will guide you towards growing hints and educational fact sheets to help you on your gardening journey.
Master Gardener volunteers are also available to help you 9 a.m. to noon weekdays on the Horticulture Hotline (845) 278-6738 or via [email protected].
By the way, Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteers raise funds to support community projects like this by hosting an annual plant sale, this year on May 11 at Veterans Park on Gypsy Trail Road. Don't miss it.
For information about Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County’s community programs and events go to cceputnamcounty.org/. Stay connected to CCEPC on Facebook at Facebook.com/cceputnam, and Instagram at Instagram.com/cceputnam and Twitter/@CCEPUTNAM
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