What is the Seed Library?
The Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated and organic seeds open to the public to borrow, grow, and share.
How Does it Work?
Take the free, locally donated seeds from the Seed Library to grow vegetables and flowers. Save seeds from your healthiest or best-tasting plants and return some to the Library to share them with the community. Our staff will package them up for others to take and share in the harvest.
The seeds you take from the Seed Library are a gift to you. The seeds you save and return are a gift to your community—there is no obligation to save and return them but we hope you will.
When we save seeds together, we grow plants that do better in our local soil and climate.
FAQs
How many seeds can I take from the Seed Library?
Seed Library seeds are limited to three per household.
When is the Seed Library open?
The Seed Library is usually open from early spring to early fall.
What seeds are in the Seed Library?
Our Seed Library is stocked with seeds native to Wisconsin raingardens:
Purple Cone Flower, Sand Coreopsis, Wild Bergamot, and Hoary Vervain.
We also have community-donated seeds available—check the Seed Library labels for current inventory.
Why save seeds?
People have saved seeds for over 12,000 years, but much of that knowledge—and plant diversity—has been lost. When you grow and save your own seeds, you save money, grow fresh food, and create plants suited to our climate. You also reduce reliance on big agriculture, support pollinators like bees and butterflies, and build community by sharing seeds and skills with others.
