Roaring Spring Seed Library Encourages Self-Sufficiency For Residents

So far this season, Roaring Spring Community Library has distributed more than 6,000 packets of seeds to amateur and experienced gardeners throughout Blair, Bedford and Huntingdon counties through its seed library program. Old card catalog drawers house thousands of packs of seeds ranging from herbs to vegetables to flowers, carefully selected and packaged to be delivered through the Library's already existing interlibrary loan program.

The seed library started during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is its second season in operation. Seed Librarian and PSU Master Gardener Alane Timmerman said that Library Director Michelle McIntyre had the vision for the project and had seen other places have similar programs. Last fall, the library contacted more than thirty seed companies, asking them to donate seeds. Between the donations and a grant from the Department of Environmental Protection, the library was able to purchase the supplies and have a large enough stock of seeds to launch the program for check-outs in Spring 2022.

Last year, they fulfilled 140 orders; this year, that number jumped to 243. Within the first 10 days of this season, orders came in for more than 3,000 packets of seeds. Residents of Blair, Bedford and Huntingdon counties can request vegetable, herb and flower seeds through the library system, and they will be packaged and delivered to the local library of their choosing.

Sometimes, "people get eager" and want to order and plant everything, Timmerman said. Each family can request 25 packets of seeds, and volunteers can help answer questions about planting. Many order vegetables, but flowers and herbs are also very popular. The library also has packs of microgreens available, which provide "the energy of the plant" in a small package, Timmerman said.

Timmerman said that the seed library program hopes to encourage home gardens to help with nutrition, food scarcity, and help empower people to feel a sense of success and accomplishment.

"People with home gardens tend to be healthier," she said.

As part of Penn State's Master Gardener program, gardeners must fulfill volunteer hours serving and education their communities. Timmerman and others would receive seed orders with hundreds of seeds, and volunteers would sort, fill and label seed packs for the library. The program encourages preserving local crops and regional horticultural diversity. The seed library also tries to encourage the community to grow plants that are successful in the Central PA area and climate.

People call the seed library requesting help, and volunteers and library employees do their best to help them.

The library's old card catalogs have taken on a new use, as they happen to be the perfect size to sort and store thousands of seeds. "Isn't that fabulous?" Timmerman said, agreeing that these types of programs may be a part of a new era of resources libraries can provide to their communities.

Currently, Timmerman is working on informational flyers to encourage succession planting. Though the seed library is available all the time, usually a peak in interest occurs in the spring planting season. Timmerman hopes this information will provide an extended growing season for patrons. Some of her recommendations for "cool season" vegetables include broccoli, carrots, lettuce and onion. Vegetables like these are known as "fall" or "shoulder" vegetables as they're some of the first to be planted in spring but also can be planted later, according to the information she provided.

The seed library is just one of the library's resources to help combat food insecurity in the community. Its Pop-Up Pantry is available weekly, along with produce boxes. Patrons can stop in, as sometimes donors leave extra food on the shelves. McIntyre welcomes the donations, and she encourages community members to drop off any extra seeds and bulbs for the seed library's next expansion-a local seed selection. She said that next year, she hopes to have a section of locally sourced seeds and bulbs available downstairs in the library.

Community members can also participate in the library's community garden club, which meets every Monday at 10:30 a.m. at the library. Youth and adults come together to plant, weed and care for the garden, which not only helps stock the pantry, but is also open to community members to pick some produce as they walk by.

The seed library has also partnered with Penn State Extension's Master Gardeners to provide additional educational resources, McIntyre, Timmerman and others are currently teaching a series of courses to help people expand their knowledge about soil health, different techniques, harvesting, pests and more. Timmerman said that they had 25 people enrolled, most having done some gardening, and that participants were "so responsive" to what they learned in the program.

"I see gardening as a way of building community," Timmerman said.