Jake Epp Library sprouts free seed library

Steinbach’s library will offer growers an easy way to start a new garden with no cost.

The Jake Epp Library is launching its first seed library on April 20, a free resource which residents can sign out different seeds for planting. Jill Snider, the library’s outreach and content coordinator, views the new initiative as an important step in helping biodiversity and food insecurity.

“There’s something very lovely about the idea of giving people access to something that they can grow themselves, kind of puts the power back in the people’s hands,” she told The Carillon.

Up to 300 different seeds of vegetables, flowers and herbs will be lent out. Much of the seeds have been donated by the Steinbach Garden Club, individuals and Canadian seed companies. Snider has donated her own native species seeds, such as milkweed, in hopes of helping migrating monarch butterflies.

She hopes to see biodiversity flourish and previous prairie plant species that were cleared for development return again.

“This area used to be full of all sorts of wild flowers and natural prairie grasses, and obviously, when we came in and settled the area, we changed that landscape quite a lot,” Snider said. “This is just a small way that we can kind of bring that back, and give back to the environment.”

The project also aims to help people affordably grow their own vegetables to have healthy food alternatives rather than paying top dollar at the grocery store, she noted. Flowers were an important inclusion to help replenish the number of pollinators in the region.

Inspiration for the initiative came from seeing other nearby libraries, such as the Boyne Regional Library in Carman, launching similar successful projects. Many individuals have also started their own community seed libraries for friends, family or neighbourhood, Snider said.

Along with the seeds, the library will offer various books on seed harvesting and growing methods for prospective gardeners. Snider encourages anyone interested to also utilize free resources online. In future years, Snider hopes to offer gardening workshops and set up a garden box to demonstrate the seed varieties on the library grounds.

Among the donations are species such as bok choy, edamame and okra, which Snider is excited to try growing herself but skeptical if it can grow in Steinbach’s climate.

While the goal is to have users replenish the seeds they sign out when the plants are harvested, she’s setting expectations low on the rate of return, with a hope to see 10 percent of the collection returned.

“We’ve heard from other seed libraries, from in the area that you hope that you’re going to get a lot, but the reality is a lot of people get busy, and they have other engagements, and they might have good intentions, but then the seeds don’t actually get planted in the ground,” she said.

Word of the seed resource has already sprouted in Steinbach, with people already showing interest in donating or participating, she said.

Snider views the library’s role expanding past merely storing books, but to help connect users with accessible community resources.

“In this world, there’s not that many things that are free anymore. To be one of these places where we can collect these resources and give them out for free, it’s kind of a special thing,” she said.

Steinbach residents don’t need a library card to use the seeds and must fill out a form when taking seeds, Snider said. Potential users can ask the circulation desk for the sign-out form and the seeds are stored in a green chest of drawers. Seed donations will also be collected at the library’s circulation desk.