GREENVILLE— Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s time for Greenville Public Library’s annual Seed Swap event!
This year we welcome local researcher Hannah Wiest as she presents a history of heirloom seeds on March 2, at 1 p.m. Wiest is a historical interpreter at Carriage Hill Farm, an 1880s living history site, where she manages the heirloom kitchen garden. She is a history enthusiast, both personally and professionally, and has been an active member of the living history community since 2011.
Heirloom seeds represent even more than just the start of a garden, food sovereignty, or the potential for beauty. Their mere existence is a testament to careful cultivation, joyful triumphs, and bitter hardships.
Wiest will discuss the stories behind some popular and lesser-known heirloom seeds. From the success of the “Mortgage Lifter” tomato supporting a family during the Great Depression to the sorrow of the “Cherokee Trail of Tears” pole bean carried away to exile in Oklahoma, come learn the stories behind some of your garden favorites.
A seed swap will follow Wiest’s presentation. Seeds from our very own Growing Harvest Seed Library will be available. Patrons are encouraged to bring seeds to swap, but this is not necessary to participate in the event. The program and seeds are free, and registration is not required to attend.
Growing Harvest Seed Library began in 2014 with only 29 patrons joining in the first year. Our collection now serves hundreds of patrons each year with thousands of seeds being planted thanks to the service.
Our seed library contains a wide variety of seeds, including vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs. A great many of our seeds come through donations from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Companion Plants, High Mowing Organic Seeds, Hudson Valley Seed Co., OPN Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange, and Sow True Seed. For those unable to attend, the Seed Library can be accessed at any time during our regular business hours. To borrow from the Growing Harvest Seed Library, we ask that all patrons fill out a form with their basic information along with a list of the seeds they are “checking out.”
For more information on the program or the Growing Harvest Seed Library, contact us at (937) 548-3915 and ask for Kelly.
