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For the last four years, the Fairfield Woods Library has been home to a "seed library" where local gardeners can “check out” seeds to use within their own garden. The goal is to have the “borrower” bring seeds back after harvest-time for the library.
This year, students from the Hill Farm Preschool in Fairfield and young adults with autism at the Ability Beyond program in Norwalk decorated envelopes for the library to use to store the seeds.
“This is the first year they’ve made the packets for us,” said Nancy Coriaty, deputy town librarian.
The four-by-six envelopes are decorated and labeled with the type of seed inside for patrons to begin checking out in the spring. Each of the participants made about 20 envelopes for the library.
One aim of the seed library is for patrons and community members to have the opportunity to plant a variety of different plants and vegetables, including some more local varieties. Coriaty said the library has two different Connecticut onion seeds in the collection this year, and Master Gardner Eric Frisk said the library has an abundance of pepper seeds.
Come planting season, Frisk will be working with the young adults from Ability Beyond in the community and children’s garden with seeds from the library.
“As soon as the ground isn’t frozen, we’ll get out there gardening,” said Frisk, who has been working with the library to develop the community garden and seed library since it began in 2011. They will begin their seedling projects soon, he said.
At 1 p.m. Saturday, March 15, Frisk will be hosting a workshop on saving heirloom and open-pollinated seeds at the Fairfield Woods Library, for anyone who wants to learn more about saving seeds.
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