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The Seed Library

Washougal WA Seed Library

Garden Journal Page by Laura Bray

Embroidery Art using Beet Dyed Embroidery Floss by Laura Bray

I am standing in front of the old, wooden card catalog of the Washougal Library and am reminded of the card catalogs of my past. The first was in my elementary school library where we learned how to look up books using the Dewey Decimal System.

I remember the sound the drawers made as I slowly and carefully pulled them out-a quiet creak of wood in a silent library. Then the smell would fill the air. It was the smell of old paper and the typewriter ink the librarian used to carefully catalog the books.

            Now, I look up my books on a computer but today I am, once again, standing in front of the card catalog. I pull out the drawer and am surprised that the sound and the smell are still there, even though I am standing in a library 2,455 miles away from the one in my memory. The drawer no longer holds cards listing a multitude of books to be read, instead it holds small packets of seeds.

            One of the things I love the most about living in a small town is its quirkiness. There are things in a small town I would never have found in the bright and shiny planned community I lived in before moving to the Pacific Northwest. One of the quirks of this town is its seed library, housed in a card catalog, tucked into the corner of the local library.

            The seeds have been donated by community members, true heirloom seeds. Being the romantic I am, I imagine that some of the people I’ve met over my years living here, the ones whose families had small farms here, are donating seeds that their grandmothers planted. Knowing feels like a guarantee that the plants from these seeds hold tiny memories of their own ancestors and know what they need to do to survive in this climate. I feel sure to get a bumper crop if I use these seeds.

            The seed catalog is a sign of kindness. Having tried to save seeds myself, I know it can sometimes be a tricky process. Tomato seeds, for instance, take a bit of work to dry out before they can be stored. And let’s not forget that often one needs to leave part of the harvest behind for the seeds to develop, especially flowers. Imagine the hardship it once was to save some of the harvest in order to ensure you would eat again next year.

            Four years ago, I used the seed library to grow calendula, beets, and carrots to dye embroidery floss I used to create a textile art series that documented my love of my new home. I also used the plums from my librarian-turned-friend's tree. Who knew a library and a garden could be so deeply tied to one another?

The seeds and the vegetables are reminders of our need to be good to this land and to one another. I think of our bees and how necessary they are to our survival. I even think of the deer and rabbits who often nibble (or destroy) our gardens, eager to sample the bounty. It’s all connected, and a seed library reminds us of that.

I shake my head and am back in the library and I am flipping through the seed packets and dreaming of future gardens that will truly be a testament to a community garden, a combination of seeds, donated by my neighbors, all our gardens becoming one.

Resources for Seed Libraries:

Seed Libraries by Cindy Conner

Fort Vancouver Regional Library’s Seed Library

Now it’s your turn, tell me about your library, your memories of card catalogs, or your garden.

A note about comments: One of the things I love about blogging is that it is a way to build a conversation without the noise of social media. I reply to most comments left on my blog so be sure to check back, and I encourage you to read the comments others leave-they are jam packed with beautiful stories and helpful tips, and recommendations. And be sure to leave a comment. It makes my day!

 

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Location: Camas, WA, USA

Comments

  1. Michelle GogginsApril 28, 2023 at 5:24 AM

    Your local seed library looks amazing - complete with directions on how to plant and grow them. I don't know of anything like that in my community, but what a great idea, because those plants are probably most suited to the climate of your area. I always love to see your artwork and embroidery - so gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura BrayApril 29, 2023 at 2:21 PM

      Thanks for your sweet words about my art and yes, I do think that getting seeds from plants that grow locally are probably the best way to go!

      Delete
  2. Dana BarbieriApril 28, 2023 at 4:31 PM

    What a great idea! So generous and smart. Card catalogs were the best. Those were the days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura BrayApril 29, 2023 at 2:22 PM

      Those were the days. But I also don't mind being able to borrow an e-book from my library from the comfort of my own home either.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousApril 28, 2023 at 5:43 PM

    Love the life you are living in the Pacific Northwest. Your posst are so interesting to read. Keep up the good work. Miss you, my little friend with the biggest of hearts.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SueApril 29, 2023 at 8:00 AM

    The seed catalog is a sign of kindness. What a lovely way to describe it.

    I remember digging through the card catalog at my home town library and also in the big college library where I used to love to hide away in my carrel in the stacks.

    About 20 years ago I visited the library in the town where we lived when I got my first library card and they still had it in their file. I regret that I never asked them if I could have it. At that time, the card was probably 40 years old.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura BrayApril 29, 2023 at 2:23 PM

      Oh my goodness, weren't the college libraries the best? Study carrels, snacks, and a stack of books.

      Delete
  5. Alondra LarreguiApril 29, 2023 at 8:30 AM

    This was such a cozy read, Laura! I haven’t been to a library since I was in school. I wish, even then, visiting the library was encouraged; I never took the Book Fair for granted. And now I wish visiting community libraries was more promoted here in Puerto Rico. There are very few, but they’re a bit too far for some, which makes them inaccessible. I think I might take a road trip to one and see if they also count with a seed library, that would be very exciting! <3 Thank you for sharing this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura BrayApril 29, 2023 at 2:25 PM

      How sad to not have libraries nearby! A road trip to a library is a great idea! Whenever we travel, I try to find time to visit the local library, it says a lot about a community and I sometimes find postings for fun, local events there.

      Delete
  6. NicoleApril 30, 2023 at 6:33 AM

    A seed library! I have never heard of this before, although I have heard of seed or plant exchanges. What a beautiful idea. I do remember card catalogues! My first non-babysitting job was as a page at the library. I got really good at the Dewey Decimal system back then!

    ReplyDelete
  7. SarahMay 2, 2023 at 9:59 AM

    What a wonderful idea! There are some great advantages to living in a smaller town. The county I live in has a million people, and there is no way this would work without someone immediately stealing or vandalizing it - sad but true. I remember the card catalogs at my elementary school. This was a great trip into the past!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Aleta JacobsonMay 4, 2023 at 12:09 PM

    Hi Laura, I just love your stories about gardening and then the memories you have. My biggest memory that I have was going to the library with my mom during the summer. She didn't have a car so we took the bus to the library and because of the heat I could not wait to get inside to lay on the cold cement floor. After I'd choose the books I wanted I would lie on the floor under the card catalog and start reading before even checking them out. Most of the time my mom was still looking around to decide what books she wanted. But laying under the card catalog on the cool floor reading was heaven to me.
    Later when we lived a few months in Sacramento we'd go to the library and get books and then go to the park and lay on blankets and read into the afternoon. These are my favorite memories of libraries and card catalogs.

    ReplyDelete

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