November 1, 2022 — Many Kansas libraries provide gardening assistance in the way of seed libraries. The number of American seed libraries is growing in response to renewed interest in gardening, local foods, and community sustainability. These libraries increase seed access and provide valuable gardening training that helps families of all income levels grow their own food. While the rules are different at every library branch, the concept is the same, sharing seeds of vegetables, flowers, and herbs to promote gardening, either in your backyard or at a community garden.
The Iola Public Library was happy to hear back from local business owner Anndrea Tholen (pictured above) who started her farmer’s market flower business with seeds from the local library. What a gorgeous way to get your business up and running.
Additionally, libraries provide books and materials on gardening and sometimes classes on topics such as composting, container gardening, beekeeping, growing vegetables, and more. Some Kansas libraries even have community gardens on the library grounds to teach children how to grow and harvest food.
The next time you are in your local Kansas library think of the various programs and services and how they are supporting local businesses and the economy. A lot of library services help small businesses grow.
For additional information, check out these links:
The We Share program at the Erie City Public Library https://letsmovelibraries.org/we-share-program/
Public Libraries are Making it Easy to Check Out Seeds and Plant a Garden. https://civileats.com/2022/04/25/public-libraries-are-making-it-easy-to-check-out-seeds-and-plant-a-garden/