Santa Fe Seed Library Reopens!

Posted on 25 March 2022

Santa Fe Seed Library to Re-Open March 26, 2022, at the Southside Branch Library

March 26, 2022, marks the re-opening of the Seed Library at its original location at the Santa Fe Public Library’s Southside Branch on Jaguar Drive.  The Seed Library, operated by the Santa Fe Extension Master Gardeners’ Seed Stewards, houses thousands of open-pollinated vegetable, herb, and flower seeds donated by local growers and commercial seed companies. Patrons may “check out” up to 5 packets at no cost. A library card is not required to use the Seed Library.

The Seed Library will be open during the library’s regular open hours, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“It’s so great to be able to operate the Seed Library out of the library again after two difficult pandemic years of distributing seeds via “Mini Seed Libraries” at eleven locations around the city and county. We look forward to being able to meet Seed Library patrons on Saturday mornings and talk with folks about growing from seeds and saving seeds,” said co-project leader Christine Salem.

To help patrons make selections and learn about seed-saving practices, the Seed Stewards will staff an information table at the Seed Library on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. through the spring. Patrons will be offered resources on how to harvest seeds, and learn how saving those seeds for planting the following years will result in locally-adapted, climate-change resilient varieties of their very own. Patrons are encouraged (but not required) to return part of their harvest to help increase the library’s locally-grown seed offerings.

For those new to vegetable gardening, the SFEMG Seed Stewards will offer free Basic Seed Saving and Gardening Workshops throughout the season.

Since its launch in 2019, Santa Fe Seed Library has distributed nearly 15,000 seed packets to the community. In January, 2020, the Santa Fe Reporter named it one of their Twenty Favorite Things About Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe Seed Library is a project of the Santa Fe Extension Master Gardeners’ Seed Stewards in partnership with the Santa Fe Public Library. We are grateful to Ace Hardware Santa Fe, Agua Fria Nursery, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Botanical Interest, El Guique Farm, Farm Direct Organic, High Desert Seed + Gardens, High Ground Gardens, High Mowing Organic Seeds, La Villita Ranch, Lake Valley Seeds, Plants of the Southwest, Reunity Resources, Santa Fe Botanical Garden, Seed Savers Exchange, Snake River Seed Cooperative, Western Family Farm, Zulu Petals, and the many local gardeners who have donated their seeds.