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Seed Lending Library

Exciting News for 2024!

The Seed Library will open on Monday, March 25th at noon! 

If you have seeds to donate please contact Melissa by email at melissa@carolibrary.org or by phone 989-673-4329 ext 107.

Our Mission

The Seed Lending Library's mission is to promote a community that values gardening and seed saving through seed lending.  In addition to providing access to free heirloom and open pollinated seeds, we hope to help support gardeners and seed savers from beginner to expert, through the process of growing, harvesting,  seed saving, and seed sharing.

About Us

We started passing out seeds in 2012 and our program has grown each year.  Our goal is to encourage the community to save seeds and prove that seed saving is a vital life skill.  We want to bring the community together and show patrons how to grow some of their own food, reduce food cost, return flavor back into food, help the environment, create a sense of self reliance, and pass along seeds from early generations. 

How Does the Seed Lending Library Work?

In the early spring, the Seed Lending Library has our annual seed pass out. We encourage seed guardians to pick an easy seed pack to grow and save, and then a harder seed pack to grow and enjoy.  Each patron takes home their seed packets, plants the seeds, watch them grow, enjoy the harvest, and then try to save the seed.  You can be a beginner gardener or an expert. Just come and try it out!  Anyone is more than welcome to participate.

How to Save Seeds

Home Grown Food Series

The Seed Saving Library started the Home Grown Food Series in 2014 to show our patrons how to bring our seeds from our gardens to our tables. 

Seed Resources

Click here for more outside resources to help with sustainability, seed saving, and gardening:

Garden-to-Table Recipes

2017 Recipes and Instructions

Stuffed Tomatoes

Focus on Cooking

Tomato Recipes

2016 Recipes and Instructions

Cooking Class Guide

2015 Recipes

All American Walk of the Garden Stir Fry

Carrot Zucchini Cake

Kale & Blueberry Slaw

Maple Glazed Brussel Sprouts

2014 Recipes

Italian Squash & Eggplant Hotdish

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Root Vegetables